Home Decorating News

Home Decorating Themes Part 2- French Country Style

2012-01-20T00:22:00.000-08:00

French country style interior design shares similar elements with Tuscan style decor. Both styles have Old World European influences and Mediterranean inspirations.What makes French country style unique is the shabby chic, cottage style, antique look of furnishings and decor with a distressed finish. Both traditional and romantic, French country is a casual yet elegant decorating style embraced by many American homes today.

A French country color palette reflects the natural colors found in the warm, sunny French countryside. Bright yellow brings to mind the cheerful sunflower filled fields under the pale blue southern French sky. Soft, pale purple hues are reminiscent of French lavender fields, mixed with bright, red orange accents representing the colorful poppies scattered throughout the rural countryside.Traditional neutral tones such as beige, cream and ivory are seen in the aged plaster walls of old French country farmhouses and the distressed finish of quaint, cottage style furniture.

French country furniture is both rustic and casual, featuring a lot of wrought iron, distressed metal and hand carved wood. Both wood and metal furnishings are often painted in white, ivory or a light pastel color. The finish will be cracked and speckled giving the furniture a timeworn, antique appearance.

Floral fabrics in bright, vivid colors are common, as is the Toile de Jouy pattern. Toile is a French word meaning "cloth". It is typically a repeating pattern on a light background, often showing people engaged in various activities, plants, animals or a combination of all.

Roosters are often featured in French country motifs,along with other farm animals such as chickens, cows and pigs. A French country kitchen may have copper cookware displayed in hanging pot racks, French ceramic pottery and wine bottles stored on a rustic, wrought iron bakers rack and a vase of fresh cut lavender or sunflowers taking center stage on a rustic wood dining table.

Consider adding some French country charm to your home:

Baker's Style Wine And Glass Rack

Arched-Top Wall Mirror

Country Rooster Serving Bowl

French Chateau Candle Lamp

French Flower Cart Plant Stand

Graceful Antiqued Cabinet

Hen Basket

Magnolia Wall Candleholders

Find more French country decor at HomeTreasureCove.

Home Decorating Themes Part 1- Tuscan Style

2012-01-09T00:44:00.000-08:00

It's easy to give your home a cohesive, unified look with a home decorating theme. In the first part of my home decorating themes series, I will introduce Tuscan style interior design.

Tuscan style interior design is influenced by Old World, Mediterranean style furnishings and decor that bring to mind a beautiful country estate nestled against the gently rolling hills of the Italian Tuscan countryside. Mixed with French and Spanish influences, Tuscan style furnishings incorporate materials such as wrought iron, natural wood, aged plaster, terra cotta tiles and natural stone including Travertine, marble and limestone.

Tuscan countryside

A Tuscan color scheme will include a warm, earthy color palette inspired by the natural elements found in this sunny, Mediterranean climate. Gold and yellow hues are drawn from Tuscan sunflowers and lemon trees, rust and brownish-orange tones are reminiscent of terra-cotta and Travertine tiles and shades of green reflect the color of Cypress trees, olive trees and vineyard grape vines.

Tuscan Style Decorating Ideas

Give your kitchen a Tuscan look with accents such as wrought iron hanging pot racks, iron scroll wine racks and a wrought iron baker's rack.

Country Rooster Kitchen Rack

Scrollwork Wine Rack

Baker's Style Wine And Glass Rack

For wall decor, choose a scrolled iron candle holder, rustic iron mirror or country vineyard inspired wine and grapes clock.

Arch Wall Mirror

Wine And Grapes Wall Clock

Scrollwork Candleholder

Scrollwork Wall Sconce Trio

Add a final touch with a beautiful Bougainvillea or lemon tree displayed in one of these Tuscan style planters.

Tuscan Courtyard Planters

Check back here soon for part two of my home decorating themes,which will focus on another romantic, timeless decorating style, French Country Interior Design.

Holiday Decor and Gift Ideas for 2011

2011-12-04T20:15:00.001-08:00

The holiday season is in full swing and I've got some excellent holiday decor to share with you. I have hand picked each of these items, which will not only make beautiful holiday displays in your home, these items are also great gift ideas!

I love the look of traditional or vintage holiday decor. This holiday plate display includes an attractive green metal stand that holds three decorative plates featuring traditional holiday scenes of snowmen, 19th century Christmas carolers and Santa on a rooftop.

Holiday Plate Display

The next item is a set of three Christmas music box figurines. The Santa figurine plays "Jingle Bells," the penguin figurine plays "Joy to the World" and the snowman plays "Deck the Halls." Each figurine also has a miniature holiday scene inside.

Christmas Music Box Figurines

These pinecone candles look like real pinecones and are perfect for holiday displays. They also add a wonderful pine scent to the room when you light them.

Pinecone Candle

These adorable, old-fashioned Christmas tree ornaments come in a stylish gift box that you can keep to store them in. Unlike fragile glass ornaments, these balls are made from polyfoam with a paper decoupage, making them a good option for families with small children.

Warm Wishes Boxed Ornament Set

These ceramic Christmas ornament dinner plates are dishwasher and microwave safe. They come in a set of four and are the perfect accessory for a festive holiday table!

X-mas Ornament Dinner Plates

I like the uniqueness of this next holiday decor item. It is called a Christmas Musical Snowing Frame. It has an on off switch that lets you choose between having music playing while it snows or just displaying the snow with no music.

Christmas Musical Snowing Frame

This next item looks like a vintage holiday treasure. It has beautiful detail in the Christmas tree and the people dressed in early 20th Century clothing. This classic holiday water globe plays "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

Roman Musical Christmas Tree with Santa Water Globe

This charming snowman wall plaque has twinkling stars that actually light up!

Snowman Wall Plaque with Lights

This gorgeous multi-piece display would make a stunning centerpiece for your holiday table. Imagine how beautiful it will look with lit candles inside the three crystal votive holders. Add vanilla or cinnamon scented candles for a wonderful holiday aroma.

Ice Crystal 3 VotivePlate 15pc Holiday Set

Time is ticking for online shopping so get your orders placed soon!

Great Holiday Gift Ideas for 2011

2011-11-19T16:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, have you started your holiday shopping yet? Don't feel too bad if you haven't because I haven't bought a single gift yet, either. However, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming up quick, so now is a good time to start looking for gift ideas. I'm glad you stopped by because I have some great gift ideas to show you!

Do you know someone who loves Asian decor? If so, I have some beautiful new Asian tea sets, Asian tea cups and Asian tea canisters that would make excellent gifts. They also come in a variety of price ranges:

Yellow Dragon Designs Tea Set- These two beautiful tea sets comes packaged in an attractive gift box.

Wang Xizhi Red Calligraphy Designs Tea Set

These beautiful 3-Piece Tea Cup Sets are very affordable and would delight anyone you know who loves drinking tea or loves beautiful Chinese porcelain! If you would like to order all 7 designs to give as gifts, email me and ask for a discount!

Other great accessories that go with these Asian tea sets and Asian tea cups are these gorgeous Asian tea canisters. They make a beautiful display on any kitchen countertop.

Black & Gold Dragon Porcelain Tea Canister

White & Blue Floral Porcelain Tea Canister

White & Blue Dragon Porcelain Tea Canister

White Calligraphy Porcelain Tea Canister

New Home Decor- Just in Time for Early Holiday Shopping!

2011-10-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

Halloween is only a week away which means the days are counting down for great online holiday shopping! After all, it's never too early to shop for holiday gifts. I'm always a little envious of those highly efficient people who already have their shopping done before the first leaves start to drop off the trees.

I've just added some great decor items that would make wonderful gifts this season. So grab your Santa hat if it gets you in the gift buying mood and take a look at these delicious items.

New bedding is always a treat to open on Christmas morning. Your kids will love these fun, new patterns:

Charm Bracelet Quilt with Pillow Sham- This adorable embroidered quilt features butterfly, heart and flower charms dangling from an imaginary bracelet.

Cupcake Quilt with Pillow Sham- Mmmm... this yummy looking pattern features brightly colored hearts filled with treats that are sure to give you sweet dreams every night!

Disney Cars 2 Quilt- Your little guy will love this over the top, colorful quilt featuring his favorite Disney Cars 2 characters.

Funny Friends Quilt with Pillow Sham- If squirmy little creatures are more appealing to your junior mad scientist, he will enjoy the quirky beings featured on this patchwork applique quilt set.

Angel Fleece Blanket- This beautiful, cozy fleece blanket will keep you toasty on a cold winter's night. A divine gift for anyone who loves angels.

Create a warm, romantic atmosphere in any area of your home with these beautiful candle lanterns. A great idea for accent lighting, these lanterns also make great, affordable gifts.

Enchanted Amethyst Candle Lamp

Amber Teardrop Lantern

Blue Glass Moroccan-Style Lantern

Moroccan Pedestal Candle Lamp

French Chateau Candle Lamp

Guest Post from Design Shuffle: Color Inspiration: Yellow

2011-10-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Yellow is such a warm, happy color and when you see what amazing things that professional interior designers can do with it, you begin to realize that any color can look great in your home when used the right way. Design Shuffle has provided some fantastic photos and ideas for using an accent color like yellow in your home.

Hi, I’m Susi, a writer for Design Shuffle, a fantastic social media site for design professionals and design lovers to showcase their projects and find inspiration for the next project. Michelle was kind enough to ask me and Design Shuffle to visit Home Decorating News to write a guest post about yellow as a color inspiration. I'll be honest and say I'm a latecomer to the love of yellow. Maybe it is the red hair, but for years I swore I didn't like yellow. But seeing great interior designs featuring sunny yellow mixed with other colors, like grays and whites, made me a convert.

Yellow for home décor ranges from pale butter to marigold to mustards and golds. The paler the color the less intense the energy it will create in the room.

Bright yellow as an accent brings sunny cheer to this all white living space. A few accent pillows and accessories keep the palette feeling mostly white with splashes of bright color.

This more traditional living room has more subtle yellows incorporated into the design. Yellow striped upholstery on the chairs is similar in tone to the neutral sofas. Gold accents add further warmth to the warm.

Buttery yellow in a kitchen paired with blue and white is a classic French country palette. Yellow with blue and white accents can work in most interior design styles.

Yellow is great in a bathroom, especially all white bathrooms. It adds color without being too dramatic. Creamy yellow walls are also a flattering color for walls.

Mustard yellows are more intense and can work well with vintage and mid-century décor. This isn't quite the Harvest Gold of the 70s but it is a yellow that has a lot of brown in it.

For those in search of decorating ideas for contemporary bedrooms, this one is for you. Brighter yellow has a more modern feeling to it. Paired with black and white, this bright color looks more chic than bumble-bee.

I love yellow paired with gray or lavender; there is something sublime about the combination. Yellow on the floor and walls behind the bookcase wrap the room in cheerful color. Images ( 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 ) Shuffle on over to Design Shuffle, to gain inspiration and connect with a variety of interior designers, including San Francisco interior designers and Boston interior designers!

Wow, those were great design photos! Be sure to stop by Design Shuffle and let them know you found them on Home Decorating News!

Budget Bedroom Decorating Ideas

2011-09-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

While our economy continues to struggle, frugal decorating is not only a good idea, for many families it is a must. Being on a tight budget doesn't have to mean you can't change the look in your bedroom. You just need to be a savvy shopper and think of creative ways to use what you already have.

One way to save money on new bedding is to look for bed ensembles, sometimes called a bed-in-a-bag. Buying comforters, shams, sheet sets and bed skirts individually can really add up fast. A bed ensemble is all-inclusive, meaning you get everything you need for a complete bed set for one price, which can really save you a lot of money.

Check out the great prices on these bed ensembles, which are all under $70:

Daphine Bed Ensemble

Edisto 8 Piece Bed Ensemble

Jakarta 8 Piece Bed Ensemble

Gwyneth Classic 8 Piece Bed Ensemble

Morini Bed Ensemble

Sonya Circle 8 Piece Bed Ensemble

In addition to inexpensive bedding, you can find cheap wall decor to add a decorative touch to your bedroom walls. If you like Asian themed decor, these wall hangings are all under $20.00 each.

11x14 Bamboo Wood Wall Hangings- These wall hangings come in six different designs including these goldfish, bamboo, cherry blossoms, fishermen, waterlily and dragonflies and peony and butterflies.

Bamboo Tube Wall Hanging- These elegantly carved, half tube bamboo wall hangings have Chinese characters in gold. Available in three sayings; contentment, knowledge or tea poem.

You can choose between these two styles of bamboo wall hangings: Square Printed Bamboo Wood Wall Hangings or Square Etched Bamboo Wood Wall Hangings. The first style has a darker finish and the second style has a natural finish. Both come in a variety of different Chinese sayings.

If you'd rather go for a tropical or exotic look in your bedroom, here are some other great choices that are still under $20...

Parrot Paradise Wall Décor- Imagine this colorful parrot hanging on your wall between a couple of indoor palm plants.

Flamingo Fantasy Wall Art- Another beautiful tropical bird that would add a pop of color to the wall is this lovely flamingo.

Plantation Palm Plate Quartet- These mini plates featuring elegant looking palm trees would look great in a tropical themed bedroom.

For more great, inexpensive bedroom decorating ideas, visit my Home Decor Accents & Accessories page. You can also really change the look in your bedroom by adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls. You don't even have to paint the entire room. You can try a contrasting color on just one or two walls. Wallpaper borders are another affordable option to add a decorative touch to your bedroom.

Fall Decorating Ideas

2011-08-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

The kids are back in school and autumn is just around the corner. It's always a little sad to say farewell to another summer gone by, however, each new season always brings a refreshing change.

One of the best things about autumn is the beautiful colors that come with the season. Fall also signals the beginning of holiday decorating, starting with one of my favorite, Halloween! Then, right after the spooks have been put to rest, it's time to reflect and count our blessings with family and friends during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Now is the perfect time to shop for new fall decor for your home. Here are a few examples to give you some ideas:

A dried arrangement or fresh cut, fall blooming flowers such as Goldenrod, Sedum Autum Joy or Chrysanthemums would make a stunning centerpiece in this Sunfire Glass Vase.

These hand painted pumpkins by Joseph's Studio feature charming Thanksgiving scenes such as Indians with fall harvest, charming co untry farm and pilgrim couple.

Meyda Tiffany will brighten your Halloween with these beautiful stained glass jack-o-lanterns.

7"H Jack-O-Lantern

8.5"H Jack-O-Lantern

These 3-D Wooden Daisy Designs Wall Clocks in red or yellow reflect the colors of fall.

Enjoy the vibrant colors of the changing season with brightly colored fall decor!

Guest Post from Arcadian Lighting

2011-07-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

In March, I featured a guest post from Arcadian Home Decor, with stunning photos showing how to create moods and styles with beautiful home decor. Arcadian is back, with gorgeous lighting ideas in one of my favorite colors, turquoise. Enjoy!

Today’s article focuses on gorgeous turquoise lights. Turquoise is such a versatile color and works well in most colorways. Chandeliers, pendant lights, and table lamps can all be found in turquoise hues. For an existing chandelier or table light, consider adding turquoise shades, trim, crystals or beads to make a custom turquoise light for your room. Here are eight turquoise lights to love.

Odietamo via

Like natural turquoise, turquoise blue comes in a range of colors from palest to bright and bold. Love it mixed with creams and tans.

JPM Design via

A turquoise double gourd lamp looks wonderful next to a crisply made bed. Turquoise and brown is a classic combination.

Design Ties via

This beautiful turquoise pendant light from Shine Home looks like a vintage light. Or even a vintage purse.

Trendey via

A classic chandelier is hung with turquoise crystals for a very classic and chic look. Could be a project for an advanced DIYer.

Coco Cozy via

Vintage turquoise lamps can be found in pairs as well as single lamps. We saw this pair on Cococozy. Gorgeous!

Centsational Girl via

Stunning vintage Murano turquoise glass lamp is beautiful against the gold of the mirror and console table. They work so well together because blue and yellow, or turquoise and gold are opposite each other on the color wheel.

Nicole Galletta via

Turquoise lights can hold their own against strong colors such as reds, greens, oranges and purples.

House Beautiful via

An antique turquoise lamp in the Chinese style adds a nice spot of color in this room filled with tans and mauves.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today! If you like this post, be sure to stop by the Arcadian Lighting Blog and let us know you saw us here at Home Decorating News!

Cool Teen Comforters

2011-05-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Teen girls love color and cool, funky designs. If your daughter has outgrown her princess bedding, why not give her bedroom a make over to reflect her sense of style.

Start your daughter's bedroom make over with new bedding. Once she has her bedding picked out, you can work on matching accessories and maybe a new color for the walls.

Ideas for new bedroom accessories include new furniture such as a nightstand, dresser, bookcase and desk. Other decor can include a table lamp, area rug and framed wall art.

Take a look at these great teen bed ensembles by designer Jackie Savage McFee. Bright, bold colors and fun, hip designs make these comforters and accessories a great choice for a teen girl!

Hot Chocolate Bed in a Bag

Kendall Bed in a Bag

Eye Candy Bed in a Bag

Kabloom Bed in a Bag

For teen boys, there are also some great comforter patterns, whether he is into sports, surfing, skateboarding or rock n roll!

Catch a Wave Quilt with Pillow Shams

Cool Skate Quilt with Pillow Shams

Photoreal Football Quilt with Pillow Sh ams

Rock Anthem XL Co mforter and Pillow Shams

Here are a few more ideas for accessories that your teen might like for his or her room:

Zebra Lamp

Sun And Surf Pattern Lamp

Floral Luminaria Lamp

Surfboard Cd Holder

Fairy Cellphone Holder

When it's time to upgrade your child's room, have fun doing a bedroom makeover together!

Asian Garden Accessories

2011-05-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Things are heating up and summer is just around the corner. If you haven't done your spring yard cleaning yet, now would be a good time because it's also time to get ready for summer barbecues and outdoor entertaining. These attractive Asian garden accessories will add an exotic touch to your yard or patio.

Give your yard the feel of a tranquil oriental garden with these Asian garden flags:

Koi Fish Garden Flag

Longevit y Garden Flag

Imperial Peony Garden Flag

Fe licity Garden Flag

Playful Pandas Garden Flag

Whiff of Fragrance Garden Flag

Another way to add a festive Asian look to your patio is by hanging these small LED party lights, which resemble Chinese lanterns. For a bigger, bolder look, hang decorative Chinese paper lanterns:

Small String LED Party Lights

Hanging Paper Lantern s

Plant your favorite flowe rs in these colorful Asian ceramic planters:

Don't forget something nice for mom this Sunday!

Guest Blog Post--Arcadian Home Decor

2011-03-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

This guest blog post comes from my friends at Arcadian Home Decor. If you like this post, be sure to stop by the Arcadian home decor blog and let them know you saw them here at Home Decorating News!

Moods and Styles: Decor for Your Lifestyle

You may admire the beautifully appointed and formal home of an acquaintance or love going to a friend’s casual and contemporary home and while staring at the pretty table décor and drinking coffee for hours, but would you really want to live there? While you may appreciate a lovely décor or enjoy visiting a friend’s home it does not mean you could live comfortably in it either.

Preston Lee Design (via)

Finding a home décor mood and style to suit your unique taste and lifestyle is more important than you might think. Your home’s aesthetics can affect your own mood, stress and comfort levels and even your health. Discovering the perfect balance and combination of décor moods and styles for your sanctuary will take a bit of soul searching and some homework as well, but the results will be well worth it.

Moods
Moods, as they relate to interior design, are created by many room elements such as color, patterns, and furnishings. There are three basic moods: Informal, semi-formal and formal. While each can stand alone in a successful room design, often they are mixed—semi-formal with formal, informal with semi-formal and on rare occasions formal and informal.

Doryn Wallach Design (via)

To find a mood to suit your own try this simple exercise. Grab a pen and paper and create a list of the rooms in your home. Next, write down adjectives for characteristics you would like to feel and see in each. For example, you might want your living room to be warm, comfortable and relaxed. Write down as many characteristics and adjectives you can think of for each room. This will help you narrow down paint colors, furnishings and patterns when it is time to start choosing each.

Styles
Interior design styles are defined by patterns, furniture (often defined by its country of origin) or even a certain idea. There are eight basic styles: traditional, provincial, country, modern, contemporary, oriental, coastal and eclectic. While many styles can be mixed successfully be sure to anchor your design with a dominant one. For example, you may love a French provincial look, but you have always loved the modern look of the Barcelona chair and Murano decorative bowls. These two styles mix beautifully just as long as the majority of the furnishings are provincial.

Richens Designs, Inc. (via)

To learn more about the styles you are attracted to grab a stack of the latest shelter magazines and tear out pages with designs that speak to you and start a file for each room. Your local bookstore or library will also have books whose content is dedicated to the varying styles in room décor and furnishings.

The more you explore differing moods and styles, the more comfortable you will be with your choices, and ultimately, the design of your home.

Content provided by Arcadian Home Decor, a site that specializes in top quality home decor items at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

Brighten Your Home For Spring

2011-03-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

Spring is right around the corner so now is a great time to add some color and life to your home decor. I've just added some great new products that will help brighten your home or patio.

Start by adding some greenery. Plants add warmth and color to a room as well as recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen. These metal plant stands can help you make a beautiful display in any room and look great on the front porch or patio.

Ivy-Design Staircase Plant Stand

Two-Tier Plant Stand

Corner Plant Stand

Country Apple Plant Stand

Four-Tier Plant Stand Screen

This beautiful tabletop hanging vase is a unique way to display fresh flowers. This would make a great centerpiece.

Tabletop Hanging Pendant Vase

Fresh roses are beautiful and smell great. The only drawback is that they eventually wither and die. These attractive, lifelike roses are made out of feathers. Find a stylish vase for them and they make a nice, colorful display.

Lifelike Feather Roses

This adorable little planter will look beautiful with your favorite flowers planted inside:
Butterfly Teacup Planter

This outdoor planter will look beautiful when filled with colorful flowers.

Wagon Wheel Planter

OOOh La-La! This shabby little cart will look so classy sitting in your yard with your favorite plants or flowers!

French Flower Cart Plant Stand

Add an exotic touch with these attractive safari pots:

Safari Pots

Finally, brighten any corner with this very attractive hanging candle holder. This would look great indoors or on a covered patio or porch.

Sunflower Candleholder

Since St. Patrick's Day is almost here, enjoy this article on Irish Cottage Style Decor.

Decorating Ideas for Wine Lovers

2011-02-16T15:07:00.000-08:00

You don't have to live in Nappa Valley to appreciate a great glass of wine. Whether you prefer white or red, if you love wine, why not show it?

There are several decorating styles that would work well with a wine lover's theme. An Italian kitchen or Tuscan kitchen theme would go hand-in-hand with a wine lover's decorating scheme. French country decor would complement this style, as would a rustic or country decorating style. You could even incorporate a wine appreciation decorating style with many contemporary styles.

Wine lovers come from all walks of life, young and old, city and countryside, sophisticated and free-spirited. If you like to relax in the evening with a glass of wine or entertain friends with a few bottles of merlot, show off your love of wine with decor that's influenced by this classy drink.

Start off with a decorative wine holder:

Grapevine Bistro Wall Rack

Grape Cluster Wine Ho lder

Grapevine Candle/Wine Holder

Rustic Wine Bar

Artistic Iron Wine Holder

Wine Plantation Tra in Case

Eccentric Natural Wine Rack

Verdigris Vine Wine Rack

Basketweave Wine Holder

Next, add some decorative candles or candle holders to enhance the room's atmosphere or perhaps add an element of romance:

Mini Wine Glass Candles

Grapevine Votive Stand

Wine And Cheese Candle Set

Grapevine Candleholder

Finally, add some final touches with wine themed decor:

Wine And Grapes Wall Clock

Connoisseur Telephone

Friendship Suncatcher

Cheers!

New Home Decor and Gifts for 2011

2011-02-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and hopefully there will be some great new beginnings. I'm certainly keeping very busy over at LoveToKnow, as one of their contributing writers for the Antiques, Bedding and Linens, Furniture, Interior Design and my newest channel, Green Living. I will be publishing a post from another guest blogger in the next couple of days about how to help increase the value of your home in these challenging economic times, so watch for that coming soon.

First, I wanted to share some of the new decor I've been adding to my store for 2011.

These beautiful Asian 3D clocks make very attractive wall decor. Buy one for yourself or as a gift for someone special. It's not too late to order one for Valentine's Day.

3-D Bamboo Designs Wall Clock

3-D Waterlily Designs Wall Clock

3-D Wooden Daisy Designs Wall Clock

Chinese Sayings Bamboo Pendulum Wall Clock

Another nice home accent would be one of these indoor tabletop water fountains. These make a great accessory for a home office because the sound of trickling water has a soothing effect.

Candle Bowl Fountain

Buddha Fountain

Woodland Splendor Fountain

You can find more fountains and other home accents in the contemporary home decor department at HomeTreasureCove.

Feel free to leave a comment for me if you like these articles:

Antique Neon Signs
Extra Green Healthy Living
Japanese Bath Design

More Holiday Gift Ideas for 2010

2010-12-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

The clock is ticking for ordering gifts online but it's not too late to find something unusual or unique for your family and friends. For those who have loved ones in other cities or states, online shopping is a convenient way to have their gifts shipped directly to them, saving you time and a trip to the post office.

If you know someone who likes Southwestern art and decor, this authentic, hand made Native American pottery would make an excellent gift.

This first piece was made by Navajo Indians in the Four Corners region of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. It is a wedding vase with hand painted pueblo designs and real feather embellishments. This vase is also very affordable.

Native American Four Corners Traditionally Painted Wedding Vase Pottery

This next pot is so attractive and unique because of the crushed turquoise finish. The animal carvings and feathers add even more texture and visual appeal.

Mata Ortiz Hand Coiled Turquoise Indian Pottery

This beautiful little pot is a creation of Navajo artists Kevin Williams and Jolinda Black of Shonto, Arizona. It is entirely hand coiled with hand made designs.

Navajo Hand Coiled Pine Pitch Pottery Indian Pottery

You can get a wholesale lot of gorgeous Mata Ortiz hand coiled pottery when you buy this set of six pots. Each one has a different shape and design. These pots make a stunning display when grouped together or you can hand them out individually. Get all six for only $299, or about $50 per pot.

Wholesale Lot of Mata Ortiz Hand Coiled Native Deluxe Pottery Set of Six

A great gift idea for the Southwestern art lover in your life is this pen and colored pencil sketch by Native American artist Frankie Nez, a full blooded Navajo from Arizona. This beautiful picture is the original sketch, not a print.

Original "Rainbow Dance" Navajo Pen & Colored Pencil Sketch by Native American artist Frankie Nez

This adorable, smiling Indian child was painted by Navajo artist Don Clark. It is a high quality canvas transfer in which a thick copy is taken from the original and is transferred to another canvas. The result is a stunning print that looks identical to the original.

Open Edition Canvas Transfer "Happiness of Youth" Indian Oil Painting by Don Clark

Kachina dolls are gifts given in hope of future abundance and good health. They have highly significant spiritual meaning for the Hopi people, representing everything from animals to abstract concepts. The Hopi were the original Kachina doll carvers, carving each one out of a single piece of cottonwood root. The Navajo also began making their own Kachina dolls with added leather, feathers, beads and turquoise. This colorful Sunface Kachina doll is Navajo made and signed on the bottom by the artist. A truly unique, one-of-a-kind gift, this collectible will grow in value over time.

Golf Trophy Kachina Doll Collection Sunface Kachina Doll Navajo Made Signed

Here is a set of three hand carved Kachina dolls by Navajo artist L. Multine. Each one is unique and painstakingly hand painted with beautiful native designs.

Set of Three Sculpted Miniature Native American Kachina Dolls

For more authentic Native American crafts including pottery, Kachina dolls, Navajo rugs and more, visit my Native American and Southwestern decor page.

Holiday Gift Ideas for 2010

2010-11-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

It's the end of another Thanksgiving weekend. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends.

Tomorrow is Cyber Monday!! Time to get ready for some great online shopping! Here are some new gift ideas to get you started...

If you know someone who would like to learn calligraphy or know someone who loves Asian arts and crafts, these beautiful Chinese calligraphy box sets make a wonderful gift. Don't forget to include the extra ink.

Large Calligraphy Silk Box Set

Large Calligraphy Wooden Box Set

Calligraphy Brush Stand

Chinese Calligraphy Ink Set

Another great gift idea for the holidays is my high quality Asian tea. These Asian tea blends are imported from China. Two yummy new flavors, just in time for the holidays are

Black Vanilla Tea

and Christmas Scents Tea
Chinese tea is not only a delicious way to warm yourself on a cold winter day, it has health benefits as well. A great way to serve your tea is with these decorative Oriental tea sets. They make a great gift for the tea lover in your family.

Black Calligraphy Modern Round Tea Set

Cherry Blossoms Calligraphy Classic Round Tea Set

Stone Dragon Modern Round Tea Set

Stone Cherry Blossoms Oblong Tea Set

There will be more gift ideas to come, so please check back every week from now until Christmas!

Guest Blogger Eric Stevenson on Safe Home Renovations

2010-11-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Home Decorating News would like to welcome guest author Eric Stevenson, who was kind enough to offer these helpful tips and information on safety with home renovations and the possible hazards you need to watch out for.

Ensure Safety Before the Style

Home renovation can be an incredibly exciting process. You probably watched home improvement shows, picked a color pallet and figured out what each room is lacking. Sometimes these renovations can be relatively small, like the installation of a new rustic lighting fixture or a new color of paint. However, many of the biggest and most exhilarating home alterations can include committed changes, like removing walls, tearing out old fixtures and digging through layers of flooring. Some of the more mundane renovations you’ll likely need, especially with an older home, are the updates and removal of structural and internal dangers, like mold, inefficient insulation and wiring.

While the installation of an impressive new oak door might look great, failing to modernize insulation around it will make those improvements purely aesthetic. Wiring, too, is especially important not just to your wallet, but to your safety as well. Older home wiring might not be able to withstand the increased power consumption of modern appliances, leading to electrical strain that can cause fire. In addition, many older homes contain outlets that are not grounded, which is again dangerous when families use appliances that require higher levels of electricity. These older, two-slotted outlets should first be replaced before homeowners take on any form of aesthetic improvement.

Chemical dangers, especially, are an important factor to consider when renovating your home and removing outdated materials. Because these dangerous chemicals are hard to spot, many families fail to take the necessary defenses. One such dangerous chemical is lead. Since 1991, the United States has identified it as a huge health risk to children because it is easily absorbed into growing bodies. It’s widely known lead is present in older paints. However, it was also used in many other products as well, such as gasoline and pipes. Therefore, there are numerous ways homeowners, especially children, can risk exposure to this chemical if it is not properly removed. In addition to chipping paint, lead exposure can occur through the air, in the form of lead dust, in drinking water, in food or even in contaminated soil.

Another common chemical in older homes is asbestos. A natural mineral once popular in the 20th century for many construction purposes, it also poses huge risks if exposure occurs. Once popular because of its fireproof, heat resistant, and electrical-insulating nature, this material has since proven toxic. It poses a serious cancer threat when broken, jagged or shredded, allowing its release into the air and inhalation into the lungs.

Although asbestos also received a lot of attention because of its dangerous nature, its commonness in past construction makes it an ongoing problem, especially as older homes are renovated and the aged mineral is exposed. Mesothelioma, the name of this disease, is a cancer that results from exposure to this chemical. If exposed, there are four different types of this disease, with the most common developing in the lining of your lungs. The worst part about mesothelioma symptoms is that they usually don’t show up until 20 to 50 years after your first exposure to asbestos.

Home renovation includes more than picking out paints, acquiring tools and freeing up several weekends to finish the project. It also includes collecting the knowledge to get the most from your improvements and keep your family safe as you dig through old walls and wiring. Only when you first plan for what you might encounter during these projects will improvements match expectations. It is then you will see your time, money and efforts were well spent and your excitement was justified.

Have fun with your next home renovation project, just make sure you keep safety in mind at all times. Nothing is more valuable than your well-being.

New Seasonal Decor For The Holidays

2010-10-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween weekend-hope you have your costume ready for the big night! Halloween seems to kick off the holiday season which is also right around the corner. Now is a great time to start looking for gifts and holiday decor if you like shopping online.

I am eager to share a few of the new holiday decor items that were just added today in my Seasonal Decor department. Check out this beautiful amber holiday glass tableware:

Amber Holiday Glass Dessert Plate

Tall Amber Holiday Glass Jar with Lid

Amber Holiday Glass Jar with Lid

Another great holiday decorating idea is using LED candles. These are perfect for families with small children because they are much safer than a real candle. The soft glow of the LED lights flicker, so it looks like real candlelight.

LED Holiday Pillar Candle on Metal Tray

Inspirational Led Snow Scene Christmas Candles

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Update Your Bedroom Decor With New Bedding

2010-10-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hopefully everyone is enjoying the cooler fall weather. No matter what season is your favorite, (I'm a fan of summer) it's always nice to experience the change that comes with each new season. Those chilly winter nights will soon be on the way. Now would be a great time to shop for a cozy, warm comforter to snuggle under with your loved one or even your favorite four legged friend. One of my best selling comforter sets is back in stock:

Birchwood Comforter Set with 4 Bonus Pieces

The natural earth tones in this soft, faux suede (brushed microfiber) comforter set gives it a pleasing, contemporary look that will go well with just about any style of decor. The four bonus throw pillows and matching bed skirt make this set a great deal.

Another attractive comforter set in rich brown and rust colors with bonus throw pillows included is:

Bloomington Way Comforter Set with 4 Bonus Pieces

If green is more your style, this next set has a nice jacquard scroll pattern embedded in stripes:

Hallaton Green Comforter Set with Bonus Pillows

For a super soft, cuddly comforter, try this fleece comforter set (don't worry, no minks were harmed to make this bedding ;)

Mink Reversing to Cloud Fleece Comforter Camel

Also, here are some links to my bedding articles on LoveToKnow:

Designer Bedspreads
Roxy Bedding
Dinosaur Pattern Toddler Bedding

To My Readers

2010-10-01T20:49:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that October is already here! I love Halloween, who doesn't?

I also can't believe I let an entire month go by without posting!! I might not have a large number of followers (yet ;) but I appreciate those of you who do follow and stop by to leave comments. Thank you! I sincerely apologize for my absence during September.

The good news is what's keeping me so busy. First, I started home schooling my 12 year old daughter. It's a great public online school but I had no idea how much extra work it would be. I'm teaching her all of her subjects including PreAlgebra--are you kidding me!? I'm using brain cells that I forgot I had :).

I'm also staying busy as a contributing author for a great website called LoveToKnow. You can find my articles on the Home, Garden & Events channel, in the Antiques, Bedding, Furniture and Interoir Design categories. So I have been very busy writing, just not here. However, I love and miss blogging, sharing news on my designer home decor website and visiting other great blogs. Therefore, I am determined to stop neglecting my bloggy love!

I will also start linking to some of my LoveToKnow articles each month so that those of you who find me here can easily find me there. LoveToKnow is a very big site with a lot of great writers on dozens of different topics, give it a try!

Here are some links to my articles:

Please feel free to leave comments on any of my articles. I would love to know who's reading them and it will enable me to visit your blog and return the favor!

Update Your Seasonal Decor with the Colors of Fall

2010-08-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that summer is almost over! School is now right around the corner which means fall is fast approaching. It's always sad to see another summer fade away into memories but fortunately there will always be more on the way.

If you're the kind of decorator who likes to change your decor with the seasons, now is the perfect time to start looking at fall decor for your home. One of the nice things about rotating decor with the seasons is that you can keep a fresh, updated look in your home.

In the bedroom, you can add a splash of autumn colors with these quilts and duvet sets:

Arabian Velvet Duvet Comforter Cover Set- Maroon, Rust, Beige

Cotton Blockprint Discount Duvet Cover Set - Beige

Indian Wildflower Trendy Hand-embroidered Bedspread – Maroon

Maharaja Vintage Panel Embroidered Duvet Cover - Chocolate Brown

Deer Forrest Quilt

Fandance Quilt with 2 Shams

Terra Rosa Quilt with 2 Shams

Next, add some natural fall color to your bathroom with some luxurious, plush, absorbent bamboo fiber bath linens:

Bamboo Bath Towel Set- Orange

Bamboo Bath Towel Set- Chocolate

Pure Collection Bamboo Bathrobe

Bamboo Blend Bath Rug

Add glowing autumn colors with beautiful stained glass Tiffany lamps.

23"H Mission Vine Leaf Crooked Tree Table Lamp

24"H Elan Table Lamp

Finally you can browse for fall holiday decor in my Seasonal Home Decor department. Here you can find more autumn lamps from Meyda Tiffany:

8.5"H X 5"W Jack-O-Lantern Accent Lamp

7"H X 6.5"W Jack-O-Lantern Accent Lamp

and these fun fall Halloween and Thanksgiving collectibles:

Halloween Black Cat On Pumpkin

Joseph's Studio Pumpkin with Carved Bless Scene

Pumpkin Train Jar Set/3

Harvest Pumpkin Candleholder - 'Be Thankful Always'

Jim Shore Witch on Cloud

See more seasonal home decor and enjoy the last days of summer while you can!

New Girl's Bedding Sets

2010-07-31T23:37:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the new school year, these all inclusive, bed-in-a-bag bedding sets by Little Miss Matched are perfect for adding color, personality and fun to your teen daughter's dorm room or a 'tween' girl's bedroom. In addition to the comforter, these sets include shams, pillowcases, sheet sets and bed skirts.
These colorful bedding sets are also reversible, so if you get bored with one look, you can flip stuff over and get a completely different look! You can add some accessories and Wala! Your girl's room is popping with color and cool, funky designs!

Little Miss Matched Peace Love Bed Ensemble

Peace, love and neon smiley faces on a black background make it impossible not to feel happy in a room with this style of decor. Flip it over and you have a completely new design with bright pastel stripes on a white background. Add more color to the room with a matching valence and rainbow colored drapes.
Little Miss Matched Zany Flowers Quilt in a Bag

Nothing is dull about this brightly colored bedding set with big flowers, fun polka dots and snazzy stripes. With so many combinations of texture and designs, this bedding set never gets boring. It also has a matching valence and drapes that are sold separately.
Little Miss Matched Snappy Stripes in a Bag with 1 Bonus Pillow

If your daughter likes pink and purple, this set would appeal to her. One side features large, colorful dots and if she changes her mind, she can have a striped pattern. A bonus throw pillow is included with this set.
Some college dorm rooms have extra long twin beds. I have that covered too with these extra long comforter sets with matching shams. Choose from Rock Anthem, Kiva or Beautiful Love.

2010-07-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

Start a healthy new habit by drinking exotic Asian tea. This might even become an addiction. However, you won't need an intervention or rehab, just some beautiful Asian tea accessories.

Not only do these premium Chinese tea blends taste incredible, they also have health benefits. Afternoon tea time is starting to catch on here in America. The best way to enjoy your afternoon tea is with a group of friends. It's a great way to catch up on some gossip, trade recipes or just relax.

If you don't know much about Chinese tea, try reading All The Tea in China. It makes a beautiful coffee table book and might even help you sharpen your tea brewing skills.

If you love your tea hot, these beautiful Chinese clay tea sets and clay tea cups will help keep your favorite tea nice and toasty warm.

Serve your tea party guests in style with this bamboo tea tray. These tea pot wooden stands are an elegant way to display your favorite tea pot.

New Luxury Asian Bedding

2010-07-12T18:17:00.000-07:00

If you love the exotic look of textiles influenced by the culture and art found in South Asian countries like India, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, you will love the new bedding designs now available in my luxury Asian bedding department.

These new duvet sets and bedspreads are all hand made to order by talented artisans from many of the rural areas of South Asia. In many of these areas, the majority of the population lives in poverty. Parents struggle to provide their children with the basic necessities like food and clothing.

In 2007, HomeTreasureCove was among some of the first online retailers to partner with Tribal Monsoon. This manufacturer located in South Asia employs hundreds of local artisans and provides them with a way to get their hand made products seen by consumers all over the world. This enables artisan families in those rural areas to be self-sustaining that would otherwise have little hope of any financial opportunities.

The economic crisis we live with here in the United States is not unique to our country, it is truly a global crisis. The more fair trading we can do to help the global economy, the more we help ourselves . HomeTreasureCove sources home decor from U.S. designers and manufacturers as well as designers abroad.

Here is a sample of the new luxury Asian duvet sets and bedspreads.

Arabian Velvet Trendy Duvet Comforter Cover Set – Chocolate Brown

Luxury Dragon Silk Trendy Duvet Cover Set – Green

Indian Wildflower Trendy Hand-embroidered Bedspread – Maroon

Maharaja Vintage Pane l Embroidered Duvet Cover - Chocolate Brown

Pashmina Strip Trendy Bedding Duvet Cover Set – Olive

Arabian Velvet Trendy Duvet Comforter Cover Set – Black And
Fuchsia

Don't forget to browse through the bedding accessories, including my decorative throws and pillows.

Express Yourself with Eclectic Style Decorating

2010-06-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their own decorating style. Those of us in the interior design industry like to put decorating styles in neat little categories such as contemporary, modern, rustic, southwestern, Victorian, Asian and the list goes on. Perhaps one of the most overlooked and under appreciated styles, eclectic decorating is the style where individuality shines.

The eclectic decorator is the kind of person who likes to think outside the box. This style of decorating makes a bold statement of "I know who I am and I know what I like." Sure, some people might say "Oh my, you can't have that lamp sitting on that table. This room is a hot mess! The throw on that sofa just clashes. Gees, what were you thinking?"

Admittedly, there are those that would say you have to know what you're doing to decorate your home with eclectic style. However, it really all comes down to one thing. Making yourself happy. When it comes to your home, the only opinion that really matters is yours. And maybe your husband's, but it's usually in his best interest to keep you happy as well ;). You might not be asked to feature your eclectically decorated living room in an issue of Better Homes and Ga rdens but who else in your neighborhood has?

So don't be afraid to throw some animal print pillows on a rustic style sofa. Or put a Victorian style lamp on an Asian style table. It's really ok. Remember that the eclectic decorator loves to be creative. It's all about expressing yourself without boundaries or fear.

Is it even possible to over do an eclectic designed room? Well yes, anything's possible. If you can't even find your cedar hutch anymore because it disappeared under a mob of Kachina dolls, hand blown art glass and Asian tea pots, your eclectic style borders perilously on cluttered. Just try to keep one common design element part of your look; space. Space is easy to incorporate into an eclectic theme. Just allow it to be.

New Native American-Southwestern Art

2010-06-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

If you love southwestern decor and authentic Native American art, you will love these new Native American paintings and original sketches. My supplier of Native American crafts and decor has been doing business with the local southwestern Pueblo tribes in Arizona and New Mexico for over 30 years. The crafts these tribal people make help support them and their families as well as helping to keep their culture and native traditions alive.

First are these amazing pen and colored pencil sketches by Native American artist Frankie Nez. Frankie is a full blooded Navajo and lives in Arizona. This skilled artist started drawing at the tender age of 7 and has perfected his skills over the years. Nez works with many mediums, including ink, water colors, beads and colored pencils. His work reflects the life he has lived on the reservation and he has mastered the intricate, symmetrical designs found in traditional Navajo artwork. His artwork, including tomahawks and the Kachina dolls he carves, has sold all over the southwestern U.S. and Mexico.

Original "Navajo Warrior" Navajo P en & Ink Sketch by Native American artist Frank Nez

Original "Rainbow Dance" Navajo Pen & Colored Pencil Sketch by Native American artist Frankie Nez

Original "Native Woman and Dog" Navajo Pen Ink Sketch by Native American artist Frankie Nez

Original "Dream Catcher and Lance" Navajo Pen & Colored Pencil Sketch by Native American artist Frankie Nez

Next is a painting by Native Crow Indian Kevin Red Star. Kevin is a successful artist who also performs in rodeos, is a musician, teacher and owns his own gallery. He works with charcoal, crayon, ink, pencil, acrylic and oil paint. This print is called a canvas transfer, a process where a thick copy is taken from the original canvas and is transferred to another canvas, resulting in a print that looks exactly like the original.

Open Edition Canvas Transfer "Turn of the Century Dandy" Indian Oil Painting by Kevin Redstar

The adorable smile on this young Native American girl's face was captured by Navajo artist Don Clark. Don's artwork has been featured in magazines and exhibits all over the country. He prefers to work with oil, pastels and charcoal.

Open Edition Canvas Transfer "Happiness of Youth" Indian Oil Painting by Don Clark

Self-taught Navajo artist, JC Black, from Red Valley, AZ, started painting at age 11. His work reflects the Navajo traditions and culture he experienced growing up on the reservation. In this painting, the Yei Bi Chei dancers are performing the Night Way Chant. Black adds incredible detail in the bright, colorful costumes the dancers are wearing.

Yei Bi Chei Dancers The Night Way Chant Navajo Painting Limited Edition Giclée Print by JC Black

To see more authentic Native American and southwestern decor, including Kachina dolls, Navajo rugs and pottery, visit http://www.hometreasurecove.com/nativeamerican-southwestern

Decorating With Wall Art

2010-06-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

Decorating the walls of your home is an important part of the overall design scheme. It's a great way to add color, texture and dimension. There are many different ways to go about it, however, it's important to remember not to over do it. Sometimes less is more because if you add to much decor to a room it can appear cluttered. The following list will give you some wall decorating ideas.

Mirrors
Mirror s are a great way to add dimension and extra light to a room. They can also help make a small room appear larger. Putting a mirror in the back of a display case or hutch helps give an all-around view of figurines. You can create a pattern on the wall by using mirrored panels.

Wall Sconces
A wall sconce is a great way to add accent lighting, whether you're decorating with a candle wall sconce or adding some light wall sconces. Sconces are great for dark hallways, staircases, entryways, bedrooms or anywhere that could use extra light.

Metal Wall Art
Metal wall art is a great way to add texture and dimension. You can find metal wall art that has a 3-D effect. Copper tiles and panels are popular types of metal wall art. Chemical treatments are added to the copper creating colorful patinas and designs.

Clocks
There are so many different styles of clocks and they often look like works of art themselves. Novelty neon clocks are fun for game rooms, kids bedrooms and dorm rooms.

Framed Artwork
The possibilities are endless when it comes to framed artwork. Asian artwork can give your home an exotic look. Or perhaps you prefer rustic artwork or southwestern artwork. You can make a grouping on the wall with several pieces of framed artwork or hang a large one as a centerpiece behind the sofa. The trick with hanging any type of artwork is to get groupings spaced evenly and to not hang decor too high or too low.

Other Wall Decor
Some other ideas for things that would make interesting wall decor include large oriental fans, wall tapestries, wood or metal shelves, wall plaques, masks and artifacts.

CSN Product Review & Green Bathroom Contest

2010-06-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I posted about an upcoming CSN store product review. Originally, I was going to review an unusual table lamp called the LumiSource Sculptured Electra Lamp. I was intrigued by this hand blown glass lamp filled with electric charges and phosphorous gas. However, my toaster oven desperately needed replacing. So my practical side won the debate over what I should order.

With a spending limit of $40.00, I chose the Black & Decker Classic Toast-R-Oven in Silver. It seemed like a good size because the spot where my old toaster oven sat (an over the counter alcove designed for either a toaster oven or microwave) has limited space. It fits nicely in this small area but is still roomy enough on the inside to accommodate the kind of food we typically use a toaster oven for.

This toaster oven has three dials on the side that make it easy to set the function you need such as toast, bake, broil and reheat. It has a maximum temperature of 450 degrees and up to 30 minute timer. It also has a handy crumb tray that you can take out to clean. The only disadvantage I've found with this style toaster oven is that the door opens by pulling it down in front, instead of opening from the side like my previous one. This makes it a little trickier to get the food out.

So far, everything we have cooked with this new toaster oven has cooked consistently and evenly. Over all, I would say this is a good toaster oven to buy if you have limited space and want to spend under $40.00.

Now, on to more exciting news from CSN Stores. They are having a huge contest called The Green and Clean Bathroom Bailout. You have from now until July 30 to enter this contest. The winner will receive a brand new bathroom from CSN Stores' Room Rescue Crew and Do Your Part that includes $10,000 worth of green products - including a new toilet, tub, faucet, fixtures, flooring, lighting, a vanity, and more! Make sure you click on the link I've provided in the title so you can enter.

Decorate Using Night Lights

2010-06-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

Even if you’re not afraid of the dark, these night lights make a nice decorative accent in any room. With many different styles to choose from, they will work in a variety of different decorating styles.

For the Victorian style home, these fabric and fringe night lights add a classy, feminine touch. Ivory floral patterned fabric is surrounded by delicate glass beaded fringe. These night lights plug directly into a wall outlet.

Another simple but elegant single light lamp, also from Meyda Tiffany, the 8" Pond Lily Ac cent Lamp makes a beautiful night light. Styled after Louis Comfort Tiffany’s famous Favrile
design, they feature a delicate shade of mouth blown art glass and are available in several different colors.

One more classic night light from Meyda Tiffany is the Coca-Cola Nightlight. This one is custom made in Yorkville, New York by the talented craftsman who make beautiful reproduction Tiffany lamps for Meyda Tiffany.

If you’re looking for something more affordable that you can personalize yourself, these photo light frames make a fun and attractive nightlight. You insert your own photos and you can change them as often as you like.

If Asian decor is more your style, these Teacup/Teapot Night Lights will delight you. They come in four different styles and have two light switch settings. Choose from the butterfly teapot, roses teapot, peony teapot or the roses teacup.

For those who love Western decor, these night lights come in a set of two. Choose from the Old West Barnwood Night Lights or the Covered Wagon Night lights. The covers on the cover wagon lights are real cloth and they look great when lit up.

Perfect for kids and adults, the next two nightlights look good as decorative accents as well as being accent lighting. First is the Magical Clam Shell Night, with its dolphins swimming through coral and magical black pearl. Or maybe you prefer the mystical Moonlight Fairy Light featuring a bright yellow crescent moon holding a beautiful fairy.

An animal lover would like this Wolf Spirit Nightlight with its realistic wolves howling at the moon. Finally, sleep peacefully with the Beautiful Angel Nightlight Lamp as this divine guardian angle watches over you.

Going Bananas For Bamboo

2010-05-26T22:52:00.000-07:00

Bamboo is everywhere these days, whether its products made from bamboo or decor that displays bamboo. There are hundreds of different species of this fast growing, tropical plant. Not only is bamboo appreciated by many for its beauty and visual appeal, bamboo is also a valuable material for creating home decor and even textiles because of how sustainable it is. Bamboo is known as an eco-friendly material because some species can grow as fast as 1 meter per day! It is also extremely adaptable to different climates, so bamboo can be easily grown in different eco systems. Many economically challenged people living in rural areas of developing countries have been able to sustain themselves by growing and harvesting bamboo. This versatile plant turns high amounts of carbon dioxide into oxygen and needs less water than plants like cotton. Bamboo is also naturally resistant to most insects, enabling growers to avoid using pesticides.
Bamboo fiber textiles have other advantages over cotton textiles. Bamboo fiber is naturally anti-microbial, making it odor resistant. Bamboo fiber is so soft, it is often compared to cashmere. Because it is a natural, cellulose fiber, bamboo yarn is 100% biodegradable, needing only microorganisms and sunlight to break down back into the earth. Bamboo's naturally occurring resistance to odors makes it a popular choice for textiles such as bath towels, robes and sheets.
In honor of my favorite house plant, (I have two bamboo plants cleaning the air around my desk) I am featuring some of the many bamboo home decor items available at HomeTreasureCove. Some of these products simply display this beautiful green plant while others are made out of this wonderful, renewable resource. So please enjoy the rest of this post as we "Do some Boo!"

Much of the world's native bamboo comes from the tropical and mountainous regions of Asia, so bamboo is a common design element in Asian decor. Here are some examples of bamboo designs found on these imported pieces from China.
16x36 Rosewood Jade Decorated Wall Hanging-Bamboo

Oval Green Bamboo Hanging Paper Lantern

Bamboo Designs Towels

8-Piece Artistic Tea Sets- Panda Tea Set- Bamboo is what t hese beautiful and endangered bears feed on in their natural environment in China. These hand crafted decor products imported from China are actually made from bamboo. As you can see, bamboo is a versatile material that looks beautiful in so many different ways.

11x14 Bamboo Wood Wall Hangings

14 Inch Round Bamboo Wood Collage Plaque
Bamboo of Peace & Comfort Fan

Bamboo Coasters Set

Traditional Bamboo Tea Serving Tray

Pot Style Bamboo Rattan Weaved Hanging Lamp

Bamboo Boxed Desk Lamp

Bamboo Woven Hexagonial Side Table
As I mentioned earlier, bamboo fiber textiles have become an in-demand, popular household furnishing. Bamboo surpasses cotton for producing luxurious, soft, odor resistant bath towels, kitchen towels, robes and bed linens.
Bamboo Bath Towel Set

Bamboo Kitchen Towel

Pure Collection Bamboo Bathrobe

Bamboo Bed Sheets

Bamboo Duvet Covers

Bamboo is also an excellent choice for the kitchen cutting board. These Old Mounta in Bamboo Cutting Boards have been specially treated, making the bamboo wood harder than maple and beech. This means less nicks and cuts in the surface of the board where bacteria tends to grow.

If you have other helpful information about the benefits of bamboo, please feel to leave a comment about it.

New Asian Decor

2010-05-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

It's no wonder why Asian decor is so popular here in America. Especially Oriental style Asian decor and art from places such as China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. These countries are rich with culture, beautiful natural scenery and distinctive architecture. Its a perfect way to add an exotic, colorful touch to your home. With thousands of years worth of history and culture, Chinese art and decor has a widespread appeal. It seems to fill the room with positive, peaceful energy.These striking 11 x 14 Bamboo Wood Wall Hangings are made with delicate bamboo wood shavings set in an attractive black matte picture frame. They come in six different designs depicting the natural beauty found in China.

Next are these exquisite Chinese Porcelain Dolls. Each doll is hand painted with amazing detail. The beautiful costumes each doll is wearing makes them an impressive collectible item. Its hard to pick a favorite out of these five gorgeous dolls.

A great way to protect these beautiful, delicate Chinese Porcelain Dolls is by putting them in an attractive Doll Case, perfect for displaying these collectible dolls.

CSN Store Review

2010-05-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

Last June, I did a great giveaway with my sponsor, CSN Stores. They have over 200 online stores with great products for home decorating, including stylish bathroom vanities, bedroom furniture, wall clocks, mirrors and much, much more. My winner last year was Michelle Underwood and she chose the Monkey Table Lamp with Twig Shade. You can read about my 2009 CNS Store Tropical Lamp Givaway here.

This year, I will be doing a review of a CSN Store product myself. I am excited to do the review, as the product I chose is something unusual and very unique. So check back in a few weeks to see the results!

In the meantime, if you would like to browse through a list of all the different stores CSN has online, visit http://www.csnstores.com/ourstores.asp.

Summer Quilt Sale & Quilt Care

2010-05-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

With summer approaching, the time to store your heavy winter comforter is here. Lightweight quilts are a great choice for bedding during the warm months. If your quilt has been stored and needs a wash to freshen it up, follow these tips for cleaning and caring for all of your quilts. And don't miss the coupon code at the end of this post to get an extra 10% off on my adult Country Quilts.

Washing

To wash a quilt by hand, fill up the tub with warm water and add a gentle, non-abrasive detergent. Wash the quilt using slow, gentle kneading motions. Be careful of any stitching, ribbon or fringe that may tear easily. Never use a brush or abrasive scrubbing tool that can harm the fabric. To rinse, drain the tub and refill with fresh water, and gently work the detergent out, then roll it to squeeze out the excess water. If the tag says you can machine wash, make sure to use the gentle cycle with a mild detergent and never use bleach. Dry cleaning is generally not recommended for quilts.

Drying

The safest way to dry a quilt is to lay it flat. You can use a fan to help it dry faster. Do not hang a quilt over a clothes line, or in direct sunlight. The weight of the quilt, especially when wet can cause the threading to break where it touches the line.

Storing

If you need to fold the quilt to store it, make sure you fold it differently each time to avoid the creases becoming permanent. Wrapping an old sheet around it will help protect it and keep it clean.

Ok, on to the good stuff. If you need a new quilt for the master bedroom or guest room, I have some great new quilt patterns to share. And to get an additional 10% off my already marked down prices, enter coupon code QLT10 during checkout.

Savannah Quilt Set with 7 Pieces

Classic country blue and yellow had pieced quilt pattern with a frame of floral bouquets. This set is a great price because of the extras that are included such as shams, a bed skirt and 3 bonus pillows, all in different shapes and sizes. Available in queen and king sizes.

Trousseau Quilt Color: Sage

This beautiful quilt is one of our lowest priced items! It has been prewashed to give it that natural worn look. A delicate sage color and feminine scalloped edges make this an excellent replacement bed cover. Shams are sold separately.

Vintage Lure Quilt

This retro looking quilt has a classic patchwork quilt pattern. Prewashing gives it a natural, worn look. If you're into the vintage look, this quilt is a great choice.

Purple Landscape Quilt Set with 7 Pieces

This is a stunning quilt with an intricate geometric design and delicate floral prints. With its lavender and green colors, it brings to mind colorful lilac bushes in full bloom or a field full of radiant purple flowers. This set includes shams, bedskirt and three bonus pillows. Available in queen and king.

Americana Stars Quilt

This traditional looking quilt has a classic country star pattern in light green and tan that really stands out against the dark blue background. The standard sham is sold separately

Victorian Style

2010-04-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

Victorian style decorating has been popular since its heyday during the Victorian Era, an industrious time of culture, change and discovery. Although the name finds its roots from Queen Victoria's reign in Great Britain from 1837-1901, Victorian style had spread across the globe.

In Europe, the architecture during the Victorian Era was very Gothic, with stone buildings featuring pointed arches, steeply pitched roofs, pointed windows with decorative embellishments, pinnacles, battlements and an asymmetrical design. Also known as Gothic Revival Architecture, this style can be found in stone buildings such as churches here in the United States.

While there are many Victorian architecture styles here in America, including Italiante House Style, Folk House Style and Shingle House Style, the most notable seems to be Queen Anne House Style. Houses built and decorated in this way are also known as Gingerbread Houses, as their colorful and decorative designs make them look like they are right out of a fairy tale. Some of the characteristics these types of homes share are steep, pointed roofs, rounded towers, elaborate, large porches that wrap around 1 or 2 sides of the home, bay or oriel windows, fish scale shingle siding and ornate designs that are very asymmetrical.

Typically,Victorian decor has fanciful embellishments and intricate carvings. Louis Comfort Tiffany's famous stained glass lamps, with their beautifully carved bronze bases and nature inspired, hand cut stained glass shades, were a perfect fit for the Victorian Era. While original Tiffany lamps are hard to find and quite expensive, you can easily find quality Tiffany replication lamps from manufacturers like Meyda Tiffany. Being an authorized online dealer of Meyda Tiffany, I am currently featuring some stunning fabric and glass beaded fringe Tiffany lamps on my homepage at HomeTreasureCove. These classic Victorian style lamps are so elegant.

I've also updated my Classic Collectibles page to include a Vintage Replicas & Victorian Collectibles category. Here you can find nostalgic little treasures for your home and garden that are affordable replicas of vintage Victorian style decor. If you like retro, shabby chic, cottage style, feminine decor, check this page often to see what new items I've found.

Affordable Mother's Day Gift Ideas

2010-04-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is on the horizon and now is a great time to find her that special gift. If you plan to shop online, its always a good idea to give yourself plenty of time to have it shipped. If mom lives in another city or state, you can have her gift shipped directly to her and save yourself a trip to the post office. Just remember to call ahead and tell her not to open her package until her special day, or better yet, get your father to hide it from her until then!

These beautiful home decor gift ideas will be sure to please moms of all types. These gifts are priced between $20.00 and $60.00. Just remember to spend whatever you can comfortably afford on mom. As she would say, its the thought that counts.

These flower touch lamps make a great, affordable Mother's Day gift. Or choose a traditional 6 panel or 8 panel touch lamp available in many different styles.

Hand blown art glass makes an excellent Mother's Day gift. If you choose a beautiful art glass vase, you can collaberate with another family member to get fresh flowers to display in these beautiful, unique vases. See some of these examples:

Beautiful Gold & Blue Handblown Art Glass Vase

C25 Vase

Hand Blown Art Glass Vase

Beautiful Hand Blown Art Glass Rooster Vase Pitcher

Blue & Purple Sommerso Beautiful Hand Blown Art Glass Vase

If your mother likes Asian decor, there are many affordable gift ideas she would truly love. These sake s ets would make a great gift and come in two different styles.

Black Flowers Sake Set

Blue Qing Ming Village Sake Set

Another great gift idea are these Tea Sampler Gift Baskets. Give mom the gift of good health, as the quality packaged Asian tea that comes in these gift baskets has many health benefits. You can customize your basket by choosing the tea pot, tea cups and tea that is included.

Entertain The Healthy Way With Exotic Asian Tea

2010-04-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

If you've managed to get your spring cleaning done, now would be the perfect time to plan a backyard or patio tea party with friends. There are so many great choices of tea available and many of them actually have great health benefits. I have recently expanded my inventory of exotic Asian tea which is all grown and imported from China. This quality Asian loose leaf packaged tea makes a great alternative for alcoholic drinks. Not that there's anything wrong with a little sake or wine party later ;).

Here are some of the new Asian tea flavors now available:
Gunpowder Tea- This type of green tea is grown in China's Zhejiang province and is made by rolling the large leaves into small balls that blossom in hot water. It has a satisfying, full-bodied flavor with a hint of smokiness. It is also known as Green Pearl Tea and is one of the world's most popular green teas. This tea is often served as a breakfast tea and pairs well with any food.

Lapsong Sauchong Tea- This smokey tea comes from the Fujian Province and is made by withering the leaves over pine fires, then rolling and pan frying them. After being pressed into barrels, the leaves are covered with cloth to ferment. Then they are fired, rolled and dried over pine fires. It can be served with or without milk and goes well with breakfast foods and fish.

Yunnan Golden Tips Tea- Actually considered a black tea, this tea is an extraordinary and rare treat. The golden tea buds steep into a deep red malty liquor with an incredibly long, rich finish.

Jasmine Silver Needle Tea- High in the mountains of China's Fujian Province, the downy buds of this fine silver needle white tea are picked and sun dried in April. In August, the dried buds are laid beneath a bed of fresh Jasmine flowers for a week, infusing the tea with the fragrant aroma of the flowers. Silver Needle tea has been grown in this beautiful, scenic place in China for over a thousand years.

Oolong(Wulong) Tea- Although this is not one of my newer teas, it's still worth mentioning because of its natural weight loss properties, including the ability to burn and break down fat, making it one of the most popular teas among Chinese people. It is often served in Chinese restaurants as it pairs well with meals and is believed to help regulate aging.

Black Dragon Pearl Tea- This tea is becoming harder to find as many growers are producing the ever popular Pu-erh Teas. A unique Chinese black tea, it is produced in the southern province of Yunnan and has a surprisingly sweet undertone and smooth body.

Try serving one of these amazing Asian teas at your next tea party or browse through my entire selection of quality, imported Asian tea. Here are some great oriental style tea sets to help dress up your next tea party.

5-Piece Porcelain Tea Sets- These beautiful porcelain tea sets imported from China come in five different styles including:

Black Double Happiness Round Tea Set

Red Double Happiness Round Tea Set

Blue Qing Ming Village Tea Set

Red Blessing Floral Tea Set

Goldfish Tea Set

Cedar Outdoor Furniture

2010-03-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Spring is the perfect time to update your outdoor furniture. When choosing outdoor furniture, it's important to purchase quality furniture that is designed to withstand harsh weather and other outdoor elements. Western Red Cedar and Northern White Cedar are good choices for hardy, outdoor furniture because this type of wood is naturally resistant to insect damage and decay. It can be stained or left untreated to naturally weather to an attractive silver gray.

Here are some of the latest outdoor cedar products available at HomeTreasureCove. All of them can be conveniently ordered online and will be shipped right to your home. If you would like a shipping quote for any of these items, just send an email to support@hometreasurecove.com with your shipping address.

Park Style Picnic Table- This durable, attractive picnic table is perfect for the family who loves summer barbeques and outdoor dining.

Camel Back Settee-
An elegantly styled camel back settee is designed with an arched back and deep seating for a relaxed fit and maximum comfort. The sturdy cedar construction ensures beauty and years of carefree use.

Double Rocker- Get cozy with this carefully crafted curved rocking foot that ensures a smooth ride while the traditional-styled low-back vertical slats strike a classic pose. This elegant rocker is smooth-sanded and seats two comfortably.

Garden Teaset- Take “tea for two” in this lightweight, smooth-sanded side-by-side seating by Rustic Cedar. The clever built-in table is just the right size for holding drinks, food, candles, books, magazines or just holding hands on a warm summer night.

Lounge Chair- Catch some rays or an afternoon nap on this sleek lounge chair featuring an adjustable back for comfort and a clever slide-out tray to hold a book or beverage.

Planter Box- Pair two of these attractive planter boxes with a Planter Bench to create a unique garden bench for extra seating. Filled with your favorite flowers, they make a beautiful display.

Potting Bench- This handsomely detailed and durable cedar bench is a must-have for green thumbs. Equipped with a removable tilting soil box and sturdy shelves to hold gardening supplies and tools, it’s the perfect accessory for amateur and professional gardeners alike. Rugged and long lasting, this bench is a fabulous value.

New England Deluxe Arbor- These sturdy red cedar arbors make a beautiful addition to your garden, especially with English Ivy, Roses or Wisteria climbing through them. See my Patio and Lawn Furniture page for more arbor and outdoor furniture designs.

Spring Decorating

2010-03-12T22:08:00.000-08:00

Spring is on the way and it is my favorite time of year. Everything seems to wake up and come alive with color. It's a good time to do some spring cleaning inside and outside your home. Spring decor should be fun and bright, bringing to mind the fresh scents and colors of flowers and fruit trees in bloom, wide blue sunny skies and the natural beauty of mother nature as new life gets welcomed into the world.

You can begin by creating your own little oasis in your back yard, garden or patio. These Asian inspired ceramic planters in three different sizes add a colorful exotic touch and can be used indoors or outdoors. There are four different designs to choose from.

Another idea for adding sparkle outside your home are these attractive Painted Glass Sun Catchers. They are hand painted with beautiful detailed designs such as the Chinese character for love with cherry blossoms, Chinese dragons and a 3 panel Feng Shui style.

Garden flags are a great way to add color and style to your yard. For spring, the Whiff of Fragrance Garden Flag and the Tranquility Garden Flag are both great choices.

Fresh cut spring flowers are a favorite choice for many decorators who want to add an attractive, natural element indoors. These Large Red & White Vases are just the thing to display a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers. Choose the design you like best or get all four to display fresh flowers throughout your home.

Post & Plant For A Carbon Neutral Blog

2010-02-28T20:51:00.000-08:00

Do blogs grow on trees? My educated guess would be no, as I've never heard of a blog tree. But it now seems that blogs can help plant trees. So let's talk about outdoor decorating, mother nature style. Help us decorate a forest with more trees!

I recently received an email from a German organization called kaufDA, asking me to participate in an initiative that helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions by planting a tree for every blog that posts about it. I do get a lot of scam emails so I did a little research before starting this post. Thanks to the tireless efforts of blog owners like RecycleBills.com, who wrote many emails requesting verification of this organization's claims before joining the bandwagon, I feel safe in joining the cause. Anything that can positively affect the environment is worthwhile to me.

KaufDA's plan is to plant these blog-supported trees in the Plumas National Forest in Northern California with the help of the Arbor Day Foundation. You can read more about why this Californian forest needs help and joining the cause by visiting http://www.kaufda.de/umwelt/co2-neutral/my-blog-is-carbon-neutral/.

The German organization's site claims that planting one tree for your blog will neutralise its carbon footprint for the next 50 years. Whether this is a scientific fact or not, I am certain that every tree that gets planted is more than worth the effort of writing about it.

Jim Shore Easter Collectibles

2010-02-24T23:37:00.000-08:00

March is just around the corner so spring cleaning and spring decor is on the way. The Jim Shore Heartwood Creek Collection has some springtime favorites, starting with these classic Easter collectible figurines.

Jim Shore Bunny Pushing A Carriage- This proud looking bunny is pushing a classic baby carriage. It has the signature quilting detail in the bunny's clothes. Hidden inside the egg in the carriage is a cute baby bunny!

Jim Shore Heartwood Creek Bunny/Wheelbarrow Figur ine- This well dressed rabbit has been working hard on the farm, possibly harvesting carrots in his extravagant wheelbarrow. This piece measures 8.75".

Jim Shore Nesting Box set of 4 Eggs- The beautifully decorated large egg measuring 5.25" has the two smaller eggs and chick nesting inside.

Jim Shore Heartwood Resurrection Figurine- This beautiful angel shows the scene where Jesus' body has disappeared from the cave he was entombed in on the morning of his resurrection. She is made of stone resin and stands 12.5" tall.

Jim Shore Nesting Box set of 4 Bunnies- It just doesn't get any cuter than this! These three adorable bunnies, the largest measuring 3.25" x 6", nest inside each other with a decorative Easter egg for the final surprise.

Jim Shore Hallelujah Easter Angel-
This is another gorgeous angel Jim created in his unique folk art quilted pattern that he is so well known for. She measures 3.75" x 10.25".

Amazing Iron Art From Designer Gary L. Russell

2010-02-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

The newest artist/designer of hand made rustic lighting, furniture and decor being featured at HomeTreasureCove is Gary L. Russell, owner of The Iron Gallery. Gary has been creating his unique art and home decor since 1976. Gary cuts and styles his metal art using the traditional method of a hand held flame torch. He has become highly skilled at creating unusual patinas that give the metal he's working with such vivid colors. At home in the Colorado Rockies, Gary's rustic style shows the natural beauty of this rugged area. Here are some examples of the hand made decor available for purchase online now:

Colorado Sunset Wall Hanging- These amazing wall hangings are made from 14 gauge flat steel. Gary hand cuts the trees and welds them on. The vivid colors are made from a special technique of oxidizing patinas. This one is 32" x 32" and the mounting brackets are supplied with the order.

Don Quixote Wall Hanging- Here is a great image of Don Quixote riding through the desert. The artistic image is welded on. This piece measures 16" x 20".

Still Standing Wall Hanging- I really like the striking colors of this one. It reminds me of sunsets I've seen when the smoke from a distant forest fire that has cleansed the land, creates brilliant fiery colors as the sun slides lower in the horizon.

Coffee Table with Mountain Scene- This beautiful coffee table has mountains that are carved into the thin steel plate and the trees and moon are welded on. A clear coat has been applied to protect the finish. This table stands 18" tall and measures 24" x 48".

Sofa Table- This table stands 32" tall and measures 18" x 54". The images are hand cut with a flame torch from 1/4" steel. Gary then polishes, details and colors them.

Arrow Floor Lamp- This 60" tall lamp features hand made arrows and a hand made shade cut from sheet metal. Gary creates the arrow designs on the shade using his torch. Clear coating will ensure the color remains intact.

Hanging Lights- These unique hanging lights are made from pipe that is hand cut and polished. The inside is coated with mica. You can choose from three different designs and sizes.

Wolf Rack- The wolf coat rack is 36" long. This would also make a great place to hang your handbags, hats, scarves or even long necklaces.

Arrow Towel Bar- This simple yet elegant arrow towel bar is all hand made and detailed. It can be ordered in three different sizes or can be made any custom size.

You can see more of Gary's gorgeous rustic decor here. I will be adding more of his rustic art throughout the month.

New White Cedar Rustic Furniture

2010-01-27T22:58:00.000-08:00

I've added some new pieces to our collection of rustic furniture from Rustic Natural Cedar Furniture Company. They have over 35 years experience manufacturing quality Northern White Pine Cedar log furniture. White cedar is a popular choice for rustic furniture because of its durability, resistance to weather and insect decay and when you leave white cedar outdoors to weather naturally, it turns a beautiful silvery-gray. Its natural creamy white color goes well with any decor or you can also stain it to match whatever wood you already have in your home.

Perfect for the living room or guest room, the fut on frame makes a nice couch for day use, then lays flat to make an extra full size bed. The dimensions are 83" l x 32" d x 33" h. The futon mattress and futon covers are sold separately.

In addition to the Three P iece Bistro Set, we now have the Five Piece Bistro Set for those with a few more hungry mouths. This set comes with 4 bar stools with backs and a larger bistro table. This is the perfect dining set for a breakfast nook or patio. If you're looking for backless bar stools , I have them in 30"h, 24"h and 18" h that come in a set of two at very affordable prices.

Finally, for the living room, in addition to the Rectangular Coffee Table, I now carry the Round Coffee Table and the Sofa/Console Table. The Sofa/Console Table works great placed behind the sofa or in the foyer or hallway. For those with wood burning fireplaces, the 2' Log Style Firewood Rack makes a great accessory.

Custom Hand Made Rustic Wine Racks & Liquor Bottle Holders

2010-01-18T00:26:00.000-08:00

One of the most appealing aspects of rustic decor is that most of it is hand made using natural elements. That means you get a unique, one of a kind item to display in your home. Rustic artist Kendall Von Feldt has been creating one of a kind rustic wine racks from Aspen logs that she carefully hand picks from her own property in Colorado. To ensure her rustic decor is eco-friendly, Kendall only uses dead standing Aspen, which helps promote the growth of new trees. Her beautifully rugged wine racks are sold in retail stores throughout Colorado and online at HomeTreasureCove. You can also find Kendall and her rustic decor at different food, wine and art festivals in Colorado.

These are some of her new rustic wine racks and liquor bottle holders. In addition to the 2 Bottle Countertop Aspen Wine Rack, 3 Bottle Countertop Aspen Wine Rack and 4 Bottle Countertop Aspen Wine Rack, you can now order these hanging wine racks:

2 Bottle Hanging Wine Rack

3 Bottle Hanging Wine Rack

4 Bottle Hanging Wine Rack

For the serious wine lover, the 7 bottle Floor Standing Wine Rack stands 52 inches tall and holds up to 6 wine glasses.

The Centerpiece Wine Rack is an absolutely stunning addition to your dining room table. This is a true work of art. Rustic moss and Pheasant feather accents add a wonderful texture to this piece.

Save counter space with the Under Cabinet Wine Rack . It holds up to 3 bottles and you can choose from light or dark wood and a high gloss or natural beeswax finish.

Finally, this Wine Rack with Stemware holder is an elegant and functional item that would also make a great and unique wedding gift.

For those who prefer something a little stronger, these rugged liquor bottle holders make a great addition to your bar. First is the Am aretto Bottle Rack. Made with your choice of light or dark Aspen, it holds 1 bottle and 4 shot glasses. You get to add your own personal touch with an inscription of your choice on the front plaque. Other varieties include the Crown Bottle Holder, Jack Bottle Holder and Tequila Bottle Holder. Another option is the 2 Bottle Liquor Holder which holds 2 round or square 750 ml bottles and 4 shot glasses.

If you need a good place to stash your favorite, expensive bottle of booze the Whiskey Bottle Cabinet will hold even the large 1.75 liter bottles. A brass plaque with your inscription (Hands Off! might be appropriate) is included.

Guest Author Jessica Ackerman Shares Ideas For Decorating A Small Cottage Kitchen

2010-01-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

This guest post is from artist/designer Jessica Ackerman who writes for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com and offers aspiring home designers the opportunity to get these wrought iron wall plaques and hanging wall vases.

Cottage style decorating is a trend that never seems to go out of style. Ranging from country inspired styles to the more modern shabby chic, cottage style can encompass many tastes. The kitchen is an ideal place to start your own cottage motif; the many nooks and crannies in even the tiniest of kitchens lend themselves to the collections cottage style lovers adore.

Colorful Questions
As with any decorating/design project, start by deciding on colors. Country style can involve a wide range of color palettes, from barn reds to rustic blues and greens to warm, chocolate browns. Shabby chic style tends to be more about pastels, including bright (but aged) whites, carnation pinks, lemon yellows, sky blues and sea greens. A seaside cottage might rely on nautical navy blue, red and white while an English garden inspired cottage may rely on colors from a fresh springtime flower bed.

Crafty Cabinetry
After giving your cottage kitchen a fresh coat of wall paint, look for creative ways to bring your cabinets into your design. After a thorough cleaning and a coat or two of good quality primer, you can treat the surfaces of your cabinets as you would treat any other paintable surface. Depending on your particular style, you might paint the cabinets a neat solid white or one of the colors in your palette. Faux finishes can look great on cabinetry, including sponge painting, rag rolling and faux aging techniques like crackle paint. Creative Victorian cottage fanciers might decoupage vintage photos and magazine pictures to the cabinet faces while country cottage lovers may replace faces with fabric panels. Homeowners with woodworking skills can even add clear or stained glass panels to cabinets to showcase beautiful dish or glassware collections.

Finding The Perfect Accessories
Finding wonderful and charming cottage accessories can be a lot of fun; the hunt for perfect pieces can be as fun as the decorating project itself. Scour flea markets, yard sales, online auctions, craft fairs and local charity discount retailers (like Goodwill or the Salvation Army) for one of a kind or vintage pieces that reflect your style. The beauty of cottage style is how adaptable it is – anything you love and find beautiful can find a home in your cottage kitchen.

Finishing Touches
Once you’ve added color and accessorized your kitchen, a few finishing touches can really bring the space together. A thick, plush rug in front of the sink, cute curtains at the windows and a chalk board for making grocery lists and keeping track of family schedules add a homey and comforting touch. Add pots of fresh herb plants, beautiful flowers in simple vases and wall décor, and soon you’ll have a space you love.

Mix and Match
If decorating your kitchen from soup to nuts in cottage décor is too much, you can combine the cottage style with many other styles to create a signature style all your own. Cottage details can make a striking contrast in a modern kitchen by making the space feel less sterile and more lived in. Cottage style can also work in splashes in a contemporary, rustic or Victorian kitchen. Use your imagination and the possibilities are endless.

A special thanks to Jessica Ackerman for providing these great kitchen decorating ideas. Some other ideas for accessories for a cottage style kitchen include cast iron cookware, and these classic porcelain cake plates in red or blue.

Exciting New Home Decor For 2010

2009-12-30T02:11:00.000-08:00

Whew! We made it through another holiday shopping chaos. As we get ready to welcome the fabulous new year of 2010, let us all take a moment to bid farewell to 2009. As the saying goes, out with the old, in with the new. So speaking of new, I'm excited to share some of the great new home decorating styles for 2010. Its a perfect time to add new style to your decor!

First are these beautiful ceramic sake sets. These are great for entertaining guests with a warm appetizer of delicious sake.

Next are these elegant Asian dinnerware sets. In striking contrasts of black and white, these dinnerware sets are so artistic you won't want to put them away. They would look great displayed on a hutch or buffet.

If your having an Asian themed party or any kind of party, indoors or out, these string LED party lights will add a festive touch!

These adorable Tea Pot and Tea Cup Nightlights are a great accent for a bathroom, hallway or bedroom.

For the Southwestern art lover, these amazing artifacts will look absolutely stunning in your home. This Large Turquoise B owl/Sink was carefully crafted from high quality man made Turquoise. It would look great as a centerpiece on the coffee table or can actually be made into a sink.

Another impressive conversation piece, this Limited Edition Native American Warrior Wall Mount Kindred Spirit Mask is an authentic artifact made by artists Super Moon and Black Wolf.
It is part of a limited edition, number 170 of 500, and features a hand painted lost wax image of an American Indian Warrior. This wall mount has a rustic hand cut wooden base. The base is 15-3/4" wide by 20-1/2" long and signed by the artists. Including the draping horsehair, this Indian mask is about 30" long.

This Native American West Coast Gypsum Buckskin Beaded Ceremonial Peace Pipe is 27" long and the bowl of this incredible peace pipe is masterfully hand-carved out of genuine West Coast Gypsum by Navajo Indian artist Tom Joe. This Peace Pipe also features plenty of genuine feathers, trade beads, and some intricately hand-stitched seed bead work. A generous portion of long buckskin leather fringe and a buckskin medicine bag add the finishing touch. This would look great on a mantle, displayed as wall art or in a display case.

There are more dazzling new home decor products on display at HomeTreasureCove and I'll be adding more and featuring some of them here so be sure to check back to see what's new. Happy New Year!!

Last Minute Holiday Home Gift Ideas

2009-12-11T21:23:00.000-08:00

Time is definitely running out for online holiday shopping. There are still a few days left to click-n-ship to your loved ones. Here are a few last minute unique gift ideas.

Asian style decor is as popular as ever. A great last minute gift could include one of these Asian style Bamboo Box Desk Lamps. These lovely little lamps will brighten any room and look beautiful when lit. Available in 4 different designs.

Bamboo Boxed Desk Lamp

Leaves Boxed Desk Lamp

Red Boxed Desk Lamp

White Square Boxed Desk Lamp

Another very affordable gift for anyone who likes Asian decor are these Chinese paper p arasols. With 3 different designs to choose from, this is an inexpensive, unique gift!

Cherry Blossoms & Birds Parasol

Waterlilies Parasol

Peony Peacock Parasol

Finally, these Asian Tea Cup Sets (click on link to see more) make a stylish, unique gift for the tea lover on your list. Each set comes with cup, lid, strainer and saucer. The removeable strainer allows you to brew your own individual cup of loose leaf tea. Don't forget to browse through our packaged Asian teas.

Red Phoenix Tea Cup Set

Gold with Black Designs Tea Cup Set

Blue Dragon Tea Cup Set

Green Designs Tea Cup Set

Holiday Home Gift Ideas Part 3

2009-12-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday weekend. If you haven't started your holiday shopping yet, don't worry. There's still time for online shopping but don't procrastinate too long because last minute shipping can get expensive. If a retailer doesn't offer free shipping, the next best thing is usually flat rate shipping.

Now on to some more fun gift ideas. These neon clocks are a great gift idea for a kid's room, dorm room, game room, home office or anywhere you want to add a flash of color and style. There are several different designs and colors to choose from including:

Tweety

Coca-Cola

Budweiser
New Moon

Tinkerbell

Harley Davidson

Mustang

Jack Daniels

Mickey Mouse

John Deere

Chicago Bears

I'll be adding more styles of these neon clocks this week so check back to see whats new.

Another fun, affordable gift idea are these stylish touch lamps. They come in different styles including open rose, lotus flower, 6 panel and 8 panel lamps with chrome, brass and antique brass finished bases.

With a wide range of colors and designs, you're sure to find the perfect choice for whoever you might need a gift for. Here are some examples:

Lotus Petal Touch Lamp-Pink- Lotus Flower and Petal 10.5" high
These lamps have a 3-way touch sensors. They use a regular 1-way light bulb. Lamps are brass plated with glass shades. Lamps are unassembled. Assembly involves inserting the glass in the shade and then putting the shade on the base. Lamps include light bulbs
10.5" height, 12" width
Polished brass finish
Uses 1 regular base bulb, 60 watt max. Also available, Lotus Petal Touch Lamp-Black, Lotus Petal Touch Lamp-White.

Open Rose Red Touch Lamp- 19" tall - 14.5"W - 1yr warranty on touch sensor
These lamps have a 3-way touch sensors. They use a regular 1-way light bulb. Lamps are brass plated with glass shades. Lamps are unassembled. Assembly involves inserting the glass in the shade and then putting the shade on the base. Lamps include light bulbs.
19" height, 14.5" width
Polished brass finish
Uses 1 regular base bulb, 60 watt max. Also available, Open Rose Black Touch Lamp, Open Rose White Touch Lamp.

Jonas Brothers Touch Lamp- These lamps have a 3-way touch sensor. They use regular 1-way light bulbs. Lamps are brass plated with glass shades. Lamps are unassembled. Assembly involves inserting the glass in the shade and then putting the shade on the base. Lamps include light bulbs.
24" height, 15" width, 7.5" width of base
Black shine chrome finish
Uses 3 candelabra base bulbs, 25 watt max.

Antique Rose Touch Lamp- These lamps have a 3-way touch sensors. They use any regular 1-way light bulb (candelabra base). Lamps are brass plated with glass shades. Lamps are unassembled. Assembly involves inserting the glass in the shade and then putting the shade on the base. Lamps include light bulbs.
24" Tall - 3-15 watt bulbs - 3 settings - 1 yr warranty on touch senser 14" width, 7.5" width of base
Polish brass finished
Uses 3 candelabra base bulbs,25 watt max.

Simpsons Touch Lamp- These lamps have a 3-way touch sensor. They use regular 1-way light bulbs. Lamps are brass plated with glass shades. Lamps are unassembled. Assembly involves inserting the glass in the shade and then putting the shade on the base. Lamps include light bulbs.
24" height, 15" width, 7.5" width of base
Polished brass, chrome or brushed finish
Uses 3 candelabra base bulbs, 25 watt max.

Fairy Touch Lamp- These lamps have a 3-way touch sensor. They use regular 1-way light bulbs. Lamps are brass plated with glass shades. Lamps are unassembled. Assembly involves inserting the glass in the shade and then putting the shade on the base. Lamps include light bulbs.
24" height, 15" width, 7.5" width of base
Polished brass, chrome or brushed finish
Uses 3 candelabra base bulbs, 25 watt max.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-11-24T23:43:00.000-08:00

I sincerely wish everyone out there a very happy Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Enjoy your family, friends and wonderful food. We should all feel blessed just to be surviving through these difficult economic times.

Hopefully you've been able to set something aside for your holiday shopping. Here's a quick heads up on my CYBER MONDAY holiday sale. Just click on the link to get my CYBER MONDAY coupon code. This code gets you 15% off your cart total at HomeTreasureCove. That's right, 15% off STOREWIDE! Hurry, this sale has already started, so anytime between NOW and Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, get 15% off everything in my store!! Gobble up the savings!

DIY Show Off Holiday Highlights Party!

2009-11-17T15:36:00.000-08:00

For even more great holiday decorating ideas, including DIY craft projects, click on the link below. All I can say is... watch out Martha Stewart, these gals will give you a run for your money any day!