Forever Art Space

A beautiful mailbox outside any house adds a new touch to its charm and beauty. For the best quality mailboxes the best place to find them is Mailboxixchange. The Whitehall Mailboxes are available for more than 65 years now and they are not mere mailboxes but pieces of art. These mailboxes are very graceful and are handmade. The colors and patterns available in the mailboxes are simply amazing and beautiful which add a lot of grace to the house. They have a team of experts who conduct a research of the trends that are prevalent in the market. They use the latest designs to make Custom Mailboxes and Personalized Mailboxes and many other varieties of mailboxes which are of great utility to the users. They are the largest manufacturer of mailboxes apart from address plaques etc. the quality of the products made by them are of very high quality and they use rust free aluminum to ensure that the mailboxes are durable and can be used for many years. One can choose from the wide variety of mailboxes that are available on Mailboxixchange. One can also go to the website and see pictures of the amazing variety that is available there. They also offer discounts and the prices otherwise also are very cheap which makes the stylish and beautiful mailboxes more attractive for all. The quality of the mailboxes is the best and the ease to shop for them online is also very convenient to the buyers. One can log on to the site and see the splendid variety available and see the images and buy the one that they like and the one that meets their needs and requirements easily. I am sure the experience of buying mailboxes like this will be truly amazing.

Athens, Georgia based DOC Unlimited designed this home in northern Georgia with an open plan that includes a geo-thermal heating and cooling system. Additionally, prefab panels were used in construction to offset waste on site.

form Daily Architect

With the death of so many design magazines of late, we thought we’d share with you some of our favorite designers’ web sites.  They are full of beautiful photographs and great ideas that you can steal

Jan Showers-Soft, pretty designs.

Kelly Hoppen - simple, modern, luxurious designs. Muted colors, simple lines.

Orla Collins: Modern, luxurious.  Simply divine.

Rabih Hage – Scrumptious, luxurious. Rich colors, modern lines.  Marvelous details.

Nini Andrade Silva- Zen, modern.  Ethnic.

Michael Reeves-Simply divine!  Mostly modern but some traditional too…

A couple of people have contacted us about the TV cabinet/desk in Carrie and Big’s apartment so we thought we’d tell you where you can get it. It is designed by Thomas O’Brien for Hickory Chair and it’s called the Hailings Secretary.

Natural stones have been used by man throughout centuries primarily due to their beauty, variety and durability. Today as before their role in interior design cannot be overestimated.

Natural stones can contribute to traditional and contemporary interiors in many ways, from marble wall or floor tiles to limestone windowsills, let alone worktops in the kitchen or bath surrounds and vanity tops in the bathroom. Natural stones also go well with other interior design materials, such as wood or glass.

Even a small piece of quality stonework can make a lot of difference. My favourite examples of stonework for the sitting room are hearths, windowsills and table tops. For the more adventurous, a multi-stone floor inset would easily be the centerpiece of any room. However, nothing beats marble tiled floors, better still if accompanied by skirting made of the same natural stone.

The key principle is to use quality natural stones with top aesthetical and technical characteristics. Quality of the natural stones is driven by a number of factors, the state of the quarry, quality of the block, quality of the machinery and stone grading process at the cutting factory, commitment to quality of the stone supplier who chooses the quarry/factory/stone. You should ask your stone supplier for advice on different grades of a particular natural stone before you make a decision based on quality and budget constraints. Based on my experience, quality should never be compromised.

Fire surround is a good example. In most cases, quality of the natural stone and craftwork play a bigger role that the design itself. There is only one step from a luxurious piece to a tacky one. My favourite natural stones for luxury fire surrounds include Statuario marble, White Cappuccino limestone and Rosso Lepante marble. Fire surrounds are made either of slabs or blocks. Most contemporary and some traditional designs can be made of slabs. Generally, a piece made of slabs costs less than one made of a block.

I always use an opportunity to mention marble windowsills. In Sweden, windowsills made of natural stones are as common as snow in the winter. The reasons for that are twofold, decorative effect and practicality (they are hygienic and easy to maintain). I believe that many interior design projects would benefit from the use of marble (or other natural stone) windowsills.

I strongly believe that the use of quality natural stones in interior design is an investment that pays off.

a minimalist door design is luck…why …get lucky, becouse you will have get a good design and minimalist on cost.here i want give you an example a minimlist door design. The world is full of inspiration. Colours, shapes, materials, sounds – they all stimulate us in different ways.
Having your own, personal flair means putting your ideas into practice. Wake up the magic of your creativity for others to appreciate. Open the door to the day and let life walk in. Enjoy the pleasure of sharing your creations with family and friends. Noise may be part and parcel of our busy lives but, when we want to, we can shut it out. Just close the door to make it disappear.

there are many many design you can down loads free.in order to can be use to aplyed to your home

1. minimalist door design for interior and exterior
2. Fine-Art model
3. Full-glass doors
4. Full-glass sliding doors

By definition, a molding is an ornamental piece of wood, metal, or plaster, used to decorate or outline something. It can be used on the interior or exterior of a home. Moldings frame walls, ceilings, windows, and door openings. Examples of moldings used to decorate with are baseboards, crown molding, and chair rails. Today, I want to talk exclusively about crown molding as a decorative architectural choice.

Crown molding, also referred to as crown moulding, or cornice, is probably the most important architectural accent used to detail any interior space. Most interior designers today would agree that every room can be improved with the use of crown molding. Crown molding smoothes the transition from the wall to the ceiling and does a wonderful job of defining the architectural style of a room. The size and style of crown molding used may vary widely, from a simple cove in a farmhouse kitchen to a large built-up cornice in a grand entry.

The initial use of a cornice in building design is anyone’s guess. By the time the ancient Greeks had gained power, rules had already been created to define the use and design of crown molding. Originally, it was used as a structural element to help support the weight of the roof. It also served to keep water away from the building, thus protecting the lower walls and the foundation. However, the use of cornice as a decorative element was not considered any less important than it’s more utilitarian functions. Most of the ornamental design patterns that you see on today’s crown molding originated from the ancient Greeks. Egg and dart, dentil and acanthus leaf are the most obvious examples and these were used extensively in ancient times by both the Greeks and the Romans.

With the rebirth of the arts in the Renaissance period came a renewed interest in classical architecture as well. The rules of the classical orders were applied to the interior decoration of rooms. These were the rules of “3″. A column, the basis of classical architecture, is divided into 3 parts: base, shaft and capital. The base and the capital were then further divided into 3 parts and prescribed rules applied to the relationship and the proportion of these divisions as well. The same divisions that apply to a column are also applied to the wall. The wall is divided into the baseboard, the wall and a crown molding. The lower wall can be further divided into the base, dado and chair rail. Finally, the upper wall is divided into the picture molding, frieze and crown molding.

When beginning any decorative project to include several types of molding, it is recommended that you choose the style and size of crown molding first, as it is the most prominently displayed. Then select the rest of the moldings to match. Regarding the proper sizing of the crown molding, advice is abundant and many guidelines have been written. Most often the advice directs you to select the size of the crown molding based on the height of your ceiling. This may be a common approach to this aspect of the design process, though, as larger crown moldings have often been used to impressively decorate rooms of more modest proportions. What IS important is to properly scale the casings and other moldings to the size of the crown molding that you wish to use. When choosing crown molding for your interior, feel free to select the size and style that YOU like. Historically, larger crown moldings were more frequently used than what is recommended today by many interior designers. Change is anticipated as the current architectural renaissance continues and more designers and homeowners endeavor to add warmth to their homes and to personalize their interiors. So have a go at it and don’t be intimidated . You are limited only by your imagination. by: Patricia Tomaskovic

At first glance, solar cooling looks like an oxymoron. However, the same energy that can provide heat in the wintertime can also provide cooling during the summer.

Several passive cooling systems have been developed and tested. At their simplest, they rely on a coolant that absorbs and dissipates heat from the house. This could be a pool of water on the rooftop which absorbs seat from the inside of the house as it evaporates on exposure to the sun.

More sophisticated passive solar cooling systems have a solar collector which is shaded during the daytime. A storage medium collects heat during the day and dissipates it at night by exposing the solar collector to the cool night air.

Since the solar collector must be shaded, a retractable awning or overhang extension can be installed. Since the system can be reversed in the winter months, it is important that the solar collector can be exposed to sunshine if needed.

Solar panels can also be used to operate traditional air conditioners. As it happens, the periods of intense heat correspond to the periods of peak electricity production from photovoltaic cells. As long as you have solar panels which generate sufficient to electricity, you can operate air conditioners at no cost.

Solar cooling that does not take advantage of high technology is another possibility. The Romans used a system of running water to cool down exterior walls of their houses. The heat of the sun causes the water to evaporate and dissipate the heat within the house. This kind of system can be used on walls or on rooftops.

Heating and cooling are two of the biggest expenses for most households. Using solar energy to reduce this expense makes sense financially as well as ecologically. The less dependent we are on fossil fuels for heating and cooling the cleaner the environment will be. (by: Hans Dekker)

Step 1: Using a large leaf (or a leaf pattern enlarged to fit your pumpkin), transfer design onto the center of an intact pumpkin.
Step 2: With a pencil draw a complementary shape to frame the leaf design, preferably leaving at least 1/2 inch of space on all sides of leaf edges.
Step 3: Use a scraping tool to peel away flesh between leaf shape and its frame. With the same tool, carve leaf veins in a freehand pattern.
Step 4: Arrange multiple silhouetted pumpkins along the center of an outdoor table. Add stones or leaves to complete the setting.

When you decide to plan your landscape, it does, indeed, require a plan. This means that you should carefully think about what you are doing, and what you would like to do. It also means budgeting and determining how much you can spend for your landscaping. Creating a home landscape for your yard is something that can be very costly if you do not carefully plan your landscape. Additionally, without a plan, you may end up with something you do not want and that costs money.

The first thing you should do when planning your landscape is to look at what you already have. Use a critical eye to determine what you like and what you dislike about the current landscape design. Also take into account how your home looks during different seasons. Think about how many year cycles you are likely to remain, and think about what you like and dislike about each one. List the blessings of your current landscape situation, large and small, and list what you would like to change, or what you wish you had. It is actually a good idea to do this for an entire year, so that you can see what you have at each season. Plus, taking your time will help you develop a better plan.

Another thing to do when planning your landscape is to keep in mind the needs you have for the space. You do not want your landscape ideas to interfere with family activities and the family routine. Would planting a shrub in a particular spot inhibit the walk to the mailbox? Putting a flowerbed in the middle of the lawn may upset family games. Would adding a deck make it more convenient to have family barbeque functions? Are there features, like a sandbox, that you would like to add to the landscape for your grandchildren? The fact of the matter is that when you are planning your landscape, you should take into account what the space will be used for. This is an essential part of the landscaping process, as the best designs combine attractiveness with utility.

Keeping a journal or folder of landscape ideas is another way to help you as you plan your landscape. You can keep your lists of current things you like and dislike, as well as your plan for the use of your landscape space in this folder or journal as well. You can gather ideas you like from looking at pictures in magazines, books, on the Internet, or by driving around the neighborhood and taking pictures. Make sure you include next to any images you have the things that you think you will need to build a particular feature, or notes on things you would do to tweak a design to make it all your own. You can even combine design ideas into something that you like. The point is to, while you are thinking about what you already have and what you will use your landscape for, look for ideas that will help you accomplish your goals.

Other things you should do while planning your landscape design is to check on building codes and make sure of property lines. You should also find out from your utility companies where underground power, telephone, and cable wires are run. You do not want to hit one of these important things while digging around in your yard and building your landscape. Getting all of this stuff figured out before you finalize your landscape plans can help you adjust for possibly having to relocate a feature in your plan or for having to scale down the size of something.

Another tool that can be very helpful as you plan your landscape is the use of landscape design software. Much of this software can be used to figure out which plants may look nice in your yard, and which plants would go with your house. Some programs even allow you to scan in an image of your own house in order to better get an idea of the possibilities. Most programs cost less than $70, and can even be used as references to determine which plants are best suited to survive in your climate.

With careful planning, and the use of a few tips, it is possible for you to plan out your landscape in such a way that you use your available space and your money much more efficiently.