Anouslavie

If you have ever been to Washington State you know it is beautiful.  People might complain about the weather sometimes, but Washingtonians from the west coast usually love where they live.  They have the rugged beauty of dense greenery surrounding them and the exquisite Pacific, including Peugeot Sound and its glory out front as a welcoming mat.  What could make this spectacular area any better?  Creating a home or office that enhances the beauty that surrounds you.

Enter Maverick Specialty Contracting.  This unique company has found some creative and stunning ways to use decorative concrete to reflect your personality, your desires for your home or office and create and artistic ambiance that you – and your guests “will want to talk about.” 

Some of the ways that Maverick Specialty Contracting uses concrete to create or enhance a project is staining – which creates color, covers old impurities and stains and adds durability and easy cleaning.  They also use wall finishes which bring out beauty of natural stone at a fraction of the cost and bring out the look and feel of the artisans of old.  The company also specializes in vertical stains and other processes, all explained on their website, complete with photos.

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Do you have fond memories of exploring your grandmothers’ attic… and finding that mysterious steamer trunk? The wonder of what goodies might lie inside…

There is something too wonderful for words about the appeal of a good old fashioned steamer trunk. One thing is for sure though: that a storage trunk is as purposeful and stylish as it is comforting and appealing.

Using a Storage Trunk in a Small Space

Steamer trunks are the perfect tool for small homes, apartments, and even dorm rooms. You can use it as a storage trunk in the bedroom for out of season clothes, extra blankets, and other odds and ends. Simultaneously, a storage trunk can be used as an end table if you are working with a really confined space.

But the greatest thing is that you don’t have to have a small room to take advantage of the multi purposes of a steamer trunk. Even a large room can benefit from the comfortable feeling and convenient purposes that a storage trunk provides.

A storage trunk can also be used as a coffee table. Because a steamer trunk is such a stylish item, it can be the perfect focal point for country living in your home. At the same time, you can take full advantage of the inside of the trunk. Perhaps you could hide books and board games for your guests, or stuffed animals and toys for your children or grandchildren.  Read more...

Even if we are not aware of it, mold spores can reside anywhere that there is moisture, and can be breathed into the lungs compromising lung capacity, the immune system and creating health problems. As a result, it is essential when building out your basement, to find products and processes that either eliminate or substantially reduce mold growth.

One of the best products and processes available today is the use of decorative concrete. Mold can be virtually eliminated by staining the concrete floor or adding thin layers of concrete on the surface of the slab that is the floor of the basement, and then sealing the new floor, in a process called decorative concrete. Once this is complete, using area rugs and other decorative but portable and removable floor coverings will help combat mold.

I usually do not venture into personal or family aspects when providing information such as this article, however, in this piece I feel it is essential. My family and I moved into a great home on an acre of land in the mostly dry high desert. We were in the process of building out the basement into a family room, extra bedroom and small office.

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Have you ever seen a really top notch kitchen or bathroom? It’s great, isn’t it? This article is for anyone who is interested in the best quality kitchen and bathroom fixtures and decorative hardware, who don’t want to spend more than they have to. What you need is a direct retailer that can bring you a cross section of the very best products from the very best manufacturers in the world.

Here is how it works. Beeson Direct, online at www.BeesonDirect.com, has relationships with hundreds of the top manufacturers in the decorative fixture and hardware industry. Beeson also has over one hundred years of experience in the industry, which means that they know what they’re doing, and can advise you on the best items for your needs. Their staffs are extremely knowledgeable and can help you pinpoint the exact design concept that will get the most out of the space you have, and work with existing designs and color schemes in your home.

Here are the product categories that you will find at www.BeesonDirect.com: Bathroom Sinks, Cabinet Hardware, Door Locks, Faucets, General Hardware, Kitchen Sinks, Shower Systems, Toilets, Tubs & Whirlpools, and Miele Appliances. In each of these product categories, there are hundreds of items available – variety and quality with the competitive pricing that buyers really appreciate. Check them out online at their website and look around a little. You’ll love the variety and the quality, and you’ll be impressed with the long list of only the best manufacturers of bathroom and kitchen decorative fixtures and the other decorative hardware and fixtures featured at Beeson.

Decorative concrete is in the news everywhere these days. Varieties of decorative concrete are used everywhere from private homes to public squares. Its use involves many types and styles including overlays, stamped concrete, polished concrete and the use of a variety of colors and textures.

One quaint town along the famous and well-traveled scenic Route 30 along the Gulf coast of Florida, Rosemary Beach, has literally been built around the idea of a Caribbean village with a town square. The atmosphere in this town that reflects and is inspired by the qualities of the town of St. Augustine, the West Indies and other classic Pan-Caribbean areas.

If you have never traveled to the Caribbean or to Rosemary Beach, they are both inspiring. The streets in both places are actually mainly for pedestrians. In Rosemary Beach, they are composed of bricks, cobblestone and stamped concrete, surrounded by the walls of homes and businesses that reflect the hues and the textures of the Caribbean. Each street/pedestrian path leads to the beach at one end and the public square at the other end.

The interior that surrounds the public square, frames it with concrete finished to resemble the stucco textures and colors of the Caribbean. The pillars that help create the atmosphere of an easygoing Caribbean beach town rise up and melt into graceful arches which give one an easygoing, calm feeling.

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It used to be that when we thought of concrete, we thought of just a few things, such as sidewalks, driveways and cement slab house foundations. Most of the time the concrete used has been a pretty dull gray. Once in a while, for instance, in some southwestern towns, we could find some sidewalks that were various shades of rust and orange that mimic the beautiful mountains in their midst.

In the past decade, however, concrete has changed from a basic utility to a decorative enhancement, a creative and artistic essential in creating the

mood of resorts and homes throughout the world. Decorative concrete has become an integral part of the planning for many building plans – whether

commercial or private. The colors and textures of decorative concrete have become so important that often they are the centerpiece or focal point of a floor plan.

This phenomenon has changed the way that homes are created and office buildings, malls and other buildings are created. Imagine your basement

floors being the color of your choice, sealed to keep out mold and setting the tone for everything from the color and texture on your walls and the

furniture you buy.

Think about your kitchen counters being custom poured and cured right in your home in the color and texture you want – at about the same cost as a

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Not so long ago, if you had a garage or driveway that was weathered, worn and/or stained, or if you had a fireplace that you wanted enhanced by a rock wall, or you had walk ways or outdoor areas you wanted to beautify, your choices were limited to bricks, blocks, rock, cement and a few other items. Not that there is anything wrong with those items.

More recently, however, decorative elements for a home – indoors or out – have become more readily available. Many of these decorative concrete ideas used to be reserved for the more expensive homes or exclusive estates. Today, the use of decorative concrete to duplicate these types of artistic decorations is cropping up everywhere.

For instance, 30 years ago, if you wanted a fireplace set into a wall of flagstone rock, the rock had to be brought in and set. If the wall was 12 feet high by 6 feet wide, it involved a lot of flagstone. Today, decorative concrete can be used in conjunction with hand carving to create a wall that looks the same, but at a better price, custom look and feel and a fast and long-lasting process.

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One of the main focal points in any bedroom design is the bed and decorative bed pillows help add to the design. You’ve probably even seen design shows on TV or pictures in magazines with those inviting looking beds that have the plumped up pillows, haven’t you?

You might have even looked at your own bed and thought how great it would look with some decorative pillows – maybe you even tried this yourself but couldn’t quite achieve the look that you see in the designer rooms. Luckily, it isn’t that hard to get this look -you’ve probably just been going about the wrong way.

The first thing is you need to buy the right kinds of pillows. Chances are the regular bed pillows that you sleep on every night aren’t going to do the trick. You want decorative pillows that have interesting fabrics and designs. Now that’s not to say that a plain cotton pillow case with a nice stripe down by the end or a a layer of lace on the edge won’t look fabulous because they will with the right design. The key is to pick pillows with fabrics and patterns that go with your overall look.

You don’t want to have too many different patterns in the pillows, maybe some with a pattern and some that are plain but have a color that pick up the pattern. You can use interesting fabrics like silks, brocades and velvets as well as interesting accents on the pillows such as tufting, fringe and embellishments. What you choose really depends on your bedroom design.  Read more...

Because traditional weddings cost around $30,000 big ones, most couples try to save money on the smaller details such as wedding decorations. One of the best solutions for a starving budget is to make these decorations yourself. It’s time to be creative and put your thinking caps on because any bride and groom can save loads of money by using their imagination and making all their wedding decorations by hand.

Turn to nature for inspiration. Whether the wedding is in spring or it is in summer, there are plenty of natural forces that can help inform the décor at the reception. For example you can use flowers and greenery from your very own garden instead of ordering in. Rocks or leaves are another easy to attain and lovely to look at decorations that can be used for wedding décor. Using all natural flowers picked the day of the wedding can add that rare charm to any ceremony. Go Cuckoo for birds. An aviary theme is quite common in weddings. Birds, more importantly birds in bird cages are a traditional symbol of romance and companionship. So search the net for some decorative bird cages and you’ll have a center piece at each table in no time. Again you can paint them to match the theme of the wedding colors or tie balloons and ribbons onto them for flair. Get out your sweet teeth. An array of sweets is one of the simplest and creative ways to decorate a wedding ceremony. By using clear glass bowls and attractive cookies and tortes wrapped in colored foil, the absence of décor and expensive flowers will be hard to notice. What’s better than edible décor?!

Those are just three ideas. How about going with a cowboy theme or perhaps a sailor’s theme? Just use your creative juices when your piggy bank begins to diminish and make all your wedding decorations by hand at home. It’s easy, fun, and very rewarding in the long run.

At RusticaOrnamentals.com we are always working on creating new unique and attractive garden and home décor that no one else offers. We are diligent in creating beautiful yard and garden art that will enhance any yard.  Krista and her husband Chris the owners of Rustica Ornamentals enjoy making art for their own yard and were sick of the cheap generic things sold in stores, they wanted affordable garden art that worked in their yard that blended in and accentuated their own gardens. We just love to make beautiful thing that others enjoy.

We are now working on our Valentines Day and Easter decorations. We have Red, light Pink and dark Pink hanging Hearts. You can buy one or a bunch. You can hang them on a tree, hang them in your car or decorate your home with them. We are also working on Heart magnets and Heart yard stakes. The Heart garden stakes as Krista says are great she says they will be in her yard!  As for the Easter décor we will have white fluffy Bunny Yard Stakes and lots of unique indoor and outdoor décor some painted with pretty pastels and some items will be rustic and natural.

At Rustica Ornamentals we always try to create seasonal décor with the essence of that season or holiday in mind. We like to create things that will warm your soul and make you feel good. It is all about creating things that beatifies and or reflect the season or event you are decorating for.  Read more...