When it comes to renovating the home, most homeowners often have difficulty describing the style that they want. With the amount of jargon it takes and the subtle difference between the styles, you’d have to be an architecture historian to tell them apart. The following are brief descriptions of the most popular interior design styles meant to give you an edge in choosing and talking about the styles you like.

Modern

Modernist designs are known for their purist sensibilities including clean lines, spaciousness, and efficiency. It is a very popular style in Europe and North American condo living due to the spaciousness that it emphasizes. You see few historical architectural elements in a modern home and none in an ultra-modern style. There are no moldings, no corbels, very subtle textures, and nothing that creates a busy look. Style is reflected through technological materials such as stainless steel, glass, plastic, smooth wood veneers and other sleek materials. Since there are fewer details, colour and texture plays a very important role. In modern kitchens for example, cabinet doors that are simpler in design such as the slab door. With fewer elements to distract your eyes, when compared to traditional styles, modern design quality is reflected by the details of craftsmanship and intrinsic beauty in materials used. High-gloss lacquer finishes, exotic wood veneers, and stainless steel accents create a high-tech look.

Contemporary

Contemporary kitchens have some of the high-tech look and functionality of a modern space, but are not purist in style and design vocabulary. Often different styles are mixed together to give this style of space a unique emotional connection to its occupants. In a contemporary space, it’s common to find a juxtaposition of styles such as an antique rug or historic wood table used with an ultra-modern sofa in a streamlined and technologically advanced space.

Classic (Traditional)

The advantage of having a traditional design is that it may never go out of style. Ornamental elements such as moldings and posts are commonly used in a traditional design to reflect timeless elegance and sophistication. The classical style is most obvious when looking at the kitchen – crown moldings, light valences, raised panel doors, columns with ornaments, hardwood flooring, and rich materials such as tumbled marble.

Cabinets in cherry wood or off white finishes topped with granite countertops are a popular direction for most homeowners. This would be a good choice of style if you are the type of person who likes to redecorate often without spending a lot of money, because wood finishes and white cabinetry match nearly any fabric and trend. A traditional space also makes clutter not as noticeable compared to a modern style. This is due to the abundance of textures and variation within different elements.

Modern Classic

The modern classic style is a streamlined version of the traditional style. It has modernist sensibilities with its clean lines and spacious feel. Classic elements that are presented in a modern classic design is often more subtle, such as like moldings without extra ornamentations for example. The overall impression that you would get by looking at a classic modern space is that the room would appear to be cleaner as all classic elements are reduced to form only or totally removed.

In a modern classic kitchen, you would still be able to find elements that are presented in a traditional kitchen such as crown moldings, light valences, and raised panel cabinet doors but you would find these elements to have less details in them or streamlined to be more technological in style. Instead of tumbled marble flooring, a honed and cross cut travertine would be used to purify the style. A common feature of the classic modern style is extra-wide drawer cabinets that you’d see in ultra-modern designs, turned into a timeless piece of furniture for all times.

Country

The country style is a casual version of the traditional style. Materials that are hand made or have a hand made look are preferred and have more variation. Worn and weathered items are celebrated and remove formality for a space. It’s all about comfort.

Old World

The old world style perhaps may be the most ornamented and sophisticated of the styles outlined here. Inspired by history, they are Baroque, Neo-classical, Tuscan, Renaissance, and English style interiors that conjure up imagery of castles in Europe. Elements such as corbels, appliques, crown moldings, spindle columns, canopies, and complex hand-made architectural features are common. Antiqued or hand-made iron work and hand-dragged finishes, elaborate chandelier in the dinning room and the foyer, and grand scales distinguish an old world interior.

These are six of the most common styles that we see in homes nowadays. Knowing these styles will give you an advantage in coordinating the elements that you need to create an exquisite interior that reflects your tastes. It is also useful in helping you to discuss elements and styles that you like with your designer, a part of a healthy two-way design process which is the key to making your dream space a reality.

A color scheme is basically an arrangement of colors. Throughout history the decorative style of certain times and places have become a standard. Think English manor, or country French. When you use the colors associated with these styles in your own home, you create a space which reflects the ambiance of those specific period.

Below you will find descriptions of several color styles which have developed throughout history. By understanding the way certain colors create these types of spaces, you can gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of how color affects your life.

You can also copy the color styles below to create a novel decorative theme, which captures the spirit of a specific time and place.

Coastal / Beach Life Color Schemes

This color style invites the spirit of coastal life into your home. Blue, white, and tan, the colors of beach and bay are the predominant tones in this space. The ocean often meets the shore across the ceiling and walls of such a space. Furnishings tend to be rustic wood, unfinished or treated, to simulate outdoor beach chairs. Touches of actual coastal life, sea shell ashtrays, nautical décor, and brightly patterned blankets add a depth to the colors which gives the theme an added dimension.

Rustic Cabin Color Schemes

This color style is dominated by rustic earth tones, with deep reds, and blues or greens acting as accents to the color. Wood is a predominant tone, as well as a good texture for a cabin décor. Southwestern tones such as adobe pottery can give the room more of a dessert theme. Color patterns often include Native American styles, with deep maroon or brown, interlaced with dark navy interplays.

English Manor

This style is dominated by vibrant reds, yellows, blues, greens, purples and oranges, melded together in an explosion of color. The tones often resembled gemstones, which collude in a chintz style that is almost gaudy. These powerful colors are generally arranged in floral patterns, which give the overwhelming colors of the space an anchor in reality.

Country French

Vibrant earth tones abound in interplay of the dazzling and the subdued. White plaster is the traditional backdrop, against which colors such as mustard, rust, and indigo are placed. A calico pattern tends to dominate fabrics and upholstery in this style.

Country Cottage

A sweet and feminine style, the colors are generally pastels, in both warm and cool tones. Light blue, white, and pink, tend to form in floral patterns throughout the space. Accent colors are generally used in decorative frills such as bed skirts, trim, and ribbons.

Shabby Chic

This style is dominated by the color white. Think an old and distinguished southern manor. Most of the interest lent to this style is done by using texture, on walls, ceilings, and especially in trim, pieces and molding. Paint chips, and faded colors also add to the details of the space. Accent colors should be used sparingly, in strategic and clever locations.

City Chic

This style uses neutral colors throughout a space. White, black, beige, or anything which is unassuming can work in a shabby chic color scheme. Interest is added to the space through the use of texture and materials such as copper, chrome, steal, and shimmering hardwoods. The effect is a room which balances soft and hard elements to create a powerful space.

As consumers, we are consistently obligated to make choices. We look for products which are pleasing to the eye, well made and not too expensive. More and more, we ask to know where products are manufactured and seek assurance that manufacturing processes are not wreaking havoc on the fragile equilibrium of our planet.

Until very recently, seeking out products which were both eco friendly and aesthetically pleasing was no easy feat. Fortunately, designers everywhere are increasingly committed to sustainable development and have begun to consider greener alternatives. This had led to the spawning of extraordinarily creative solutions to any number of environment-related challenges. Growing quantities of goods are being produced from recycled or renewable materials such as bamboo. Others are being designed to take up as little shipping space as possible, thereby reducing the amount of fuel required to transport them. What is more, many of these same goods—manufactured in locations around the world—now qualify as eco-aesthetic. And that’s a good thing! Companies closer to home have also begun to market decidedly greener products. For example, Laurentide Inc., a leader in the paint recovery and recycling sector, is one of only a handful of companies in the world to produce paint from unused portions of recycled paint materials. Boomerang brand paints ( http://www.boomerangpaint.com ) offer quality paint in a rich palette of trendy colours inspired by nature, designed to suit your style and to be consistent with greener values.

So if your sense of ethics is keeping you from realizing the décor of your dreams, the new trend towards sustainable decorating products will help you update your interior with a clear conscience. Simple steps like choosing recycled, sustainable products and ore ethical consumer goods are easy ways to do our part for the environment.

If you understand color basics, you should be able to properly mount a picture or photo to hang in your home. The very first thing you have to do is realize the different possibilities. These depend on your pocketbook, your personal taste and the nature of the photo or picture.

The first thing you have to look at is the mat. What color do you wish to use? Consider the dominant value i.e. the degree of darkness and lightness ranging from black to white, in your piece. Decide whether the work is warm, – oranges, reds, yellows or cool– blues, violets, greens. Using these two factors, decide what color you believe suits the work.

White is probably the most common color to mat a painting or photo with. It is considered the safest choice. The problem is which white? There are at least 30 different types of white to choose from.

White may also not be suitable as a mat. Choosing white or other light colors? This is considered a good selection for contemporary works. Prefer more vibrant or deeper shades? Dark colors are seen as often being better suited for traditional pieces. Just remember, light colors help the work to project, dark bring about recession. In the case of a black and white photo always use white or muted shades of grey.

A simple rule of thumb: always try to choose a color that complements the picture. Strong colors may call for black or, if the picture is dominated by lighter or washed-out colors, light colors.

Once you have an idea of the color you want to use, determine whether the mat will be single or double mounted. Do you want thin or thick? What size should you select? It depends on the individual photo or picture and the effect you wish to achieve. Classic black and white photos are usually placed within a large white mat. Works that go to the very edge of the paper may want to have their image cropped by the matt. Alternatively, you can try a “matted float.” where the piece within the mat appears to float. The white edges of the paper on which the work is painted or printed are displayed within the window of the mat. In other words, you have the painting, a surrounding area of white and the mat.

Mats can be placed within mats to achieve a recessed or focusing effect. They can also be cut evenly on all sides. This creates a balanced matting frame. More commonly you find weighted border mats. In these works, one side is significantly larger than the other three. This is usually the bottom. Chose what works for you. Experiment if possible to discover what works for the picture and for the room.

The last thing you will consider is a frame. Does your work need one? Oil paintings, unlike water colors or pastels usually do. They may not require matting, but oil pieces do need a frame.

The selection of a frame is as inexpensive or expensive as you wish. Cheap wooden, metal and plastic frames can be purchased at dollar stores. More expensive and crafted ones are available at appropriate outlets, including framing stores.

What is important is selecting the right frame for the work? Color and material must be closely considered. Succinctly, frames for old photographs should be kept simple: old wood is suitable, especially if the photo is in sepia tones. If the painting is a period piece, use a period or antique frame. Try secondhand or antique shops. For atmospheric paintings, classical moldings and possibly painted frames may be best. For tempera works, be careful in your choice of frame and realize, as well, it might be necessary to provide a protective glass covering.

In the end, the most important thing is to select frames and mats to enhance the work.

As much as we try to deny it, a big part of life in our modern society is the television and our interactions that surround it. After a day of hard work, we often find ourselves in front of our television set, enjoying hours of rest and relaxation with our loved ones. When it’s time to restyle your home, you may want to make room for a big screen TV, but your room layout may not allow it. Large televisions often have bulky profiles but Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) televisions solve that problem.

The LCD TV is becoming a popular part of most homes, not only because they create brighter, crisper, and higher contrast images, but when they are mounted on a wall, they become part of a room instead of part of the furniture. This provides a greater flexibility in organizing and designing spaces, but it also adds a couple of square feet where it would otherwise be lost.

The quality of early LCD TVs was horrible although the technology was revolutionary and rapidly improving. Most people didn’t think that they would be worth the investment especially considering that they used to have a $30,000 – $40,000 price tag. In larger versions, faster moving images were harder to see than other types of televisions although in recent years the technology of LCD’s has improved dramatically. In 2004, television manufacturers Sony and Samsung collaborated to build a factory that would produce upwards of 60,000 screens for the LCD TV industry. This showed their confidence in the LCD TV market. Other competitors tried to disprove the quality of these televisions but they eventually succumbed and created their own models.

A technological marvel for our times, the LCD Television solves space problems brought forth by new urban housing designs. As a result of space limitations in heavily developed areas of the city, such as downtown Toronto, more and more developers have been using house and condo designs inspired by Japanese and European models of efficient living. This means that rooms are small and spaces are tight and as a result have to be utilized well with flexible and space saving furniture. A large rear projection or common picture tube television would simply not fit due to its depth and bulk. The last thing you want to see when you enter your 600 sq ft condo would be the side profile of a 51 inch rear projection TV; imagine putting two fridges in your living room. It’s somewhat of a similar effect. A good design would also consider how you would interact with the designed elements.

In small condominium and odd shaped rooms, the LCD or plasma TV becomes a solution due to its low profile, allowing for design freedom as it can be placed where traditional TVs cannot, such as above a fireplace, inside shallow cabinets, or on a narrow room wall. Its display allows viewing angles of up to 160° which means that you can watch TV from anywhere in the room, unlike with traditional rear projection TVs.

We are seeing ourselves and other designers plan spaces with the television set in mind. In an article written by Fardid Biglar for Asian Wave Magazine, he outlines how LCD TVs can be hidden behind screens in multifunctional rooms. When formal, the television is hidden from view and when guests leave and it’s time to relax, the screens slide open and the room changes from a formal space to an informal place of relaxation where you, your family, and your friends can lounge, watch TV or play your favorite video game.

Last year for the Interior Design show, Kenneth Ho surprised the kitchen industry by designing a modern kitchen with a 42” Panasonic Plasma TV integrated right into a shallow contemporary hutch. Wood trim matching the cabinets created a seamless integration of the television and cabinetry. As the kitchen becomes more and more a contemporary gathering space for friends and family, the TV becomes increasingly an important part of it. It’s great when having company as well as when spending hours preparing a gourmet meal.