Home Decorating Ideas

Do you sometimes feel as if something is off balance or not quite finished when you look around a room? Even though you’ve carefully chosen the right elements and all the furniture is in the correct scale, it’s the final details that can sometimes make a room go from unimpressive to “Wow!” Personal touches and the unexpected are details that give a room its life. It tells the story of who lives there.

Zoeppritz is a leading manufacturer of home accessories, offering wonderful neutrals and vibrant colors in throws, blankets, decorative pillows, and more. Zoepprtiz is a German company that has been around since 1828 and uses conventional as well as innovative materials made of the highest quality to combine the traditional with the latest fashionable trends.

I found it interesting to learn that some Zoeppritz blankets once helped a German zeppelin airship avert a catastrophe. In 1928 “Graf Zeppelin” as it was called was on a flight and part of the outer casing of the zeppelin was damaged. Eight Zoeppritz blankets were used to cover the damaged area and prevented the airship from crashing to the ground!

I don’t think we have to worry about packing our Zoeppritz blankets on our next zeppelin trip, but we can use them to add punch to our décor. DefiningElegance.com carries the Zoeppritz collections. Everything from cashmere, fleece, wool, cotton, synthetics, and furs are available. My favorite is the Microstar throw. It’s a synthetic and unbelievably soft! It’s washable and it comes in many gorgeous colors. A word of warning though….adults will fight over it!

Here is a small sampling of Zoeppritz products found on DefiningElegance.com.

Zoeppritz Purity Decorative Pillow is 100% Cashmere. Available in 2 sizes and 6 colors. Button detailing.

Zoeppritz Jump Cube is 100% Springbok Fur and measures 16×16x18. Also available in a decorative pillow.

Zoeppritz Desire Throw is 100% Cashmere. Available in 10 colors.

Zoeppritz Highland Throw is made of 100% Lama-Alpaca. This throw is a generous 59×79.

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Of all the elements that go into decorating a bedroom and creating a personal oasis, bedding can have an amazing affect on the overall look and mood of the room. Your choice of bedding can accentuate or diminish your room-decorating efforts. You can spend an outlandish amount of time and money decorating your bedroom, but the wrong choice of bedding may leave you with disappointing results.

There are three important factors when making a decision on bedding: color, style, and quality.

When choosing bedding color and style check to make sure it is in sync with your decorating goals. First, think about the mood you are trying to achieve. This is sometimes an element that is overlooked by do-it-yourselfers. If you want calm and relaxation, stick with cool colors such as green or blue. If you want sexy or vibrant, choose warm colors such as red or orange. Create a sophisticated enclave with soft yellows. Neutral colors can help bring balance to any room. Add black for a dramatic effect and a touch of elegance and mystery. If using mostly neutral colors in the room be sure to add a splash of color for interest and contrast. A combination of neutrals and small amounts of color can create a cozy feeling. Different intensities of a color can create different moods. For example, soft pinks are associated with little girls or babies and are calming. Rosier pinks create a romantic feel to a room. Bright pinks, like reds, are energizing and stimulating. Many books are available that explain the effects of color and suggestions for color schemes. It is well worth the time to study this aspect of decorating.

Choose bedding that matches your personality or the personality of the person who will be using the room. Just because bedding may work for the room does not mean it is right its occupant. If the style preference is contemporary, then choose bedding with clean lines and unfussy details. Embroidery, jacquards, and some patterns are more traditional. Add decorative pillows in accent colors for a dramatic touch. Don’t forget the mood you are creating and keep the bedding formal or casual depending on your goals. Find bedding that makes YOU happy and meets all of your requirements. After all, we spend about a third of our lives in the bedroom. Why not make it your place of solitude or escapism where your can enjoy the fruits of your life and experience some self-indulgence.

Before making a decision, obtain a swatch or purchase a pillowcase or sham to determine if the fabric will work properly with your décor. Fabric color and texture can take on a completely different appearance depending on the room’s natural and artificial lighting and at different times of the day.

Initially you may have seen the bedding in a store and may have loved the color. But colors are not constant and are greatly influenced by light and other colors. They may look dramatically different in different environments. Or, you may have seen the bedding on the Internet, but colors on the Internet are never a perfect match to the real thing. Consider that Internet colors are often distorted first by the photography and software, then by your monitor and computer hardware. Two computers with the same hardware can still render colors differently because the color settings may be different.

Purchase high quality bedding for its durability and luxurious look. High thread count sheets in Egyptian cotton are good indicators of high quality linens, but other fabrics are offered in luxury linens as well such as silk, linen, and organic cotton. Purchase the highest quality sheets and bedding you can afford. Why spend money on bargain bedding that will soon pill, fade, and loose its luster? Dress your bed with quality linens in the right color and style for you and your décor and you’ll have a private sanctuary that you’ll love for years.

To view enticing luxury bedding ensembles and luxury duvets, we recommend visiting Defining Elegance.

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Sometimes it is the hunt for the right fabric that is more satisfying than the actual item itself. If you’ve ever come across an amazing store or resource for fabulous fabrics at low or no cost, then you know what I mean. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing and possibly save money at the same time:

1. Look for fabric outlets that offer quality or seconds at lower than retail prices. If you are fortunate enough to live near a large city, chances are there are many resources for fabrics. For example, New York is famous for its garment district and many treasures can be found. Plan a trip with friends or find an organized group that makes fabric buying trips. You’ll be overwhelmed with the possibilities and be in the company with like-minded shoppers who can offer advice and encouragement. If you can afford it, take advantage of trips to Paris and Hong Kong often advertised in sewing magazines such as Threads. You’ll be with a group that knows where to find the best buys and is familiar with the area…and you’ll make new friends.
2. Join the American Sewing Guild. This organization is dedicated to the sewing enthusiast, offering neighborhood meetings, national sewing conferences with classes, and discounts. This is a great networking opportunity to get help with sewing projects and many times members either want to swap or give away fabrics. I just came home recently with about 60 yards of fabric that a member was giving away! And she still has more!
3. If you like to shop at flea markets or second hand stores, these can be a tremendous resource for design details, fabrics, and unique hardware pieces. Also shop at high end stores for design details and the latest trends in styles and colors. Think outside the box and collect things that will work for your projects. Be sure to purchase plenty so that you are not caught short. You may also want to experiment so plan accordingly.
4. Be sure to use quality lining. If you can’t find quality lining through any of the above resources, then you may want to shop online. However, even if you have to spend top dollar for it, it’ll be worth it because without quality lining, your window treatments may not hang correctly and you’ll shorten the life of them. Try shopping online for fabric, too, especially if you can’t find what you’re looking for through other means.
5. These are just a few ideas and I’m sure many of you have some of your own. If you’d like to share your ideas for finding fabrics or your own home decor projects, let us know and we’ll post them here.

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The luxury bedding industry has seen several newcomers in recent years. One woman, Fatim Thiam, has arrived on the scene bringing her unique talents and approach to design that have left an indelible imprint.

“The Sahelia designs were not like any other we’ve ever encountered,” commented Sue Ticotin, owner of Defining Elegance LLC, a company that specializes in custom window treatments and luxury bedding. “Our excitement about a product is our barometer in determining what we offer our clients.”

Sahelia’s founder, Fatim Thiam, was born and raised in West Africa, and educated in France, Canada, and the United States. Fatim recognized a marketing opportunity in the luxury bedding market that was virtually non-existent. Her vision was to create high quality bedding that would incorporate the rich elements of the African culture.

Each of the nine collections is named after an African city with colors and designs that are reminiscent of the spirit of the African people, architecture, art, and textiles. The Walata collection, with its glorious blend of chocolate brown and blue, was conceived out of her travels to Africa. Fatim found inspiration in the architecture of a door and translated the unique patterns of that structure into the Walata design.

Sahelia has introduced two new lines for the fall, the Ife and Luxor collections, which have superbly captured the essence of the ancient cities that they were named after. Ife, a city in Nigeria whose beginnings can be traced back to 500 BC, is known for its astounding artwork and known worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze, stone and terracotta sculptures. Luxor, which dates back some 4000 years, is home to one of the most beautiful temples of ancient Egypt. The Luxor temple was built by two pharohs, Amenhotepis III and Ramesses II, and is probably one of the most interesting destinations in Egypt.

Although African inspired, Sahelia linens are actually manufactured in Italy. Made of the finest quality Egyptian cotton, Sahelia linens are manufactured using the best weaving, finishing, and craftsmanship that has made Italy a top industry leader in fine linen manufacturing.

Fatim Thiam’s eye for design and her vision for Sahelia have clearly transcended the expected. Of her bedding collections, Fatim states, “A bedroom should be a haven of peace, comfort and beauty. At Sahelia, we thrive to help our customers achieve just that in our own unique way”.

Defining Elegance LLC offers clients the irresistible beauty of Sahelia linens as well as other high quality luxury bedding and bath products. Many designs include embroidery and hemstitch details. Clients have the option to order online or receive personalized service to meet their specific needs. To see these enticing collections of distinction, visit http://www.definingelegance.com

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Once reserved for royalty or the very rich, luxury bedding is one of those delightful pleasures in life that is progressively becoming a must-have. We’ve all seen the rise of popularity with Egyptian cotton sheets over the years and now it seems that luxury bedding is one of those items that people just can’t imagine being without. Each year manufacturers are showing up at the home textile shows to display new collections. Although some trends in color or design appear, it’s the classics or soon to be classics that survive. Today’s consumer wants bedding that is comfortable, classic, durable, and will withstand the changes in trends. Neutral colors and delicate embroidery in high thread count sheeting is in high demand. Silk, linen, and Egyptian cotton fabrics a