Various Functions of The Home Garden

Various Model Garden Home House ~ Perhaps you are one of the many people who are very fond of the plant, thus often spend free time to organize the existing plants in your home. The house is a place for us to go home and get together with family, the presence of green gardens and beautiful flowers is a complement to the beauty of a home. Perhaps you have a special area used for growing all types of plants that you like.

The park area can be placed anywhere, either in the back of the house, inside the house or outside the house. On this occasion we will discuss is the park that in place in the front of the house. In addition to having a function to beautify the house, the garden also has several other functions that are not less positive, what are they? • The park could be a source of inspiration Work is very tiring at the same time makes us feel a bit stressed, sometimes we run out of inspiration to do the work in an office or other tasks. By sitting relaxed moments in the beautiful garden area, usually the feeling we get better so there was inspiration and encouragement for the next start our day. • For hobby A love of plants is virtually identical to women, but for men it would not hurt also if like some species of plants and flowers. By having a special area for the garden, you can plant the hobby, this hobby even once also can be when the business fields in a commitment seriously. • Reduce air pollution As we know, the plants breathe at night by inhaling oxygen and remove carbon dioxide, it should be when the night do not sleep on the side of the plant. Conversely when daylight the plants will absorb so much carbon dioxide and will generate a lot of oxygen, so it is in accordance with the daytime atmosphere is so hot and vehicles passing by smoke or pollution. Green area in your home can provide coolness and makes the house more comfortable. • children's playground The kids really liked nature, so that they will always be happy if the invite to play to the park. By having a private garden area in the house will make them also feel happy so much at home in the house, for that you can put the swing as a complement to your personal garden.

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Design Bathroom

The bathroom is where we cleanse ourselves from the dust and dirt in our body besides the bathroom also can tell us where we mengekspersikan like singing, glass, smoothing our hair and so on. But sometimes the allocation of land for the bathroom at home is usually not too broad. Moreover, in the house that was small. Narrow room, like the bathroom it often feels uncomfortable. If you have a small-sized bathroom, do not worry because there are a few tricks that may be in trying to make your bathroom appear more spacious. Here are ways to overcome this note the following: 1. Prepare a sufficient lighting. The bathrooms are bright, will feel more spacious and comfortable, compared bathrooms lack of lighting, ask for help from the experts such as consultant architect to assist you in completing. 2. Create the illusion with a mirror. It is the most simple and widely used. Apply a large mirror on one wall. This illusion is shown telling create cramped space feel more spacious and relieved. 3. Adjust the bathroom with needs. No need to put the bathtub if it is rarely used for bathing, especially because space is limited. Use the shower instead of the bath area. Or if you still want to use the tub, choose a size too small so that the use of space can be maximized. 4. Clean and tidy. Goods scattered, making any room, including the bathroom looks cramped and uncomfortable. Therefore, keep neat stuff bathing purposes. Use the wall as a storage area. Place the rack in there. Anissa Q. Aini 5. Architects. Enlist the help of a consultant architect to assist you in designing / redesigning your home bathroom because the architect will help you to transform your small bathroom into a luxurious bathroom.

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Minimalist House

HOUSE minimalist is an architectural style that was becoming a trend in the metropolis. Architectural work of the building, including a minimalist home, the choices of the architectural form as a result of the culture. Not just talkative bandwagon minimalist trend is a pattern of thinking, working, and a way of life. A new way of looking at design as a reflection of urban way of life is very practical, lightweight, efficient, and management simplicity .. Minimalist house also comes with a more pronounced character (shapes and geometric space, simple), better (solid), and more strongly with the empty spaces (little ornaments and furniture). The principle is more simple, the quality of design, space, and resolution of the structure must be getting better. John Pawson is regarded as the teacher "minimalism" to bring home a minimal design line, the atmosphere is quiet and beautiful. However, it should be noted too minimalist would be sterile, single appearance, and tend to be boring. For that we need to understand together how the development of a minimalist home base in the context of our urban culture. Is always a simple box shape minimal or no other form? Minimalist forms do not always have a simple box, but also can take the form of Platonic geometry becomes part of the landscape that "suddenly" came up. However, if the house is only necessary form of a box, the box shape is the result of a process needs functionality, not because of coercion or talkative follow trends. Minimum is the ultimate ornament. Minimum become a destination as well as ornament itself is simple and pure (simple and pure). Straight lines, flat areas are smooth, sometimes rough, and meeting areas elbow perpendicular. Blocking mass, materials, lighting, repetition, circulation compact, multifunctional space optimization and sequential. Is the type of materials used should be as little as possible? The use of diverse materials such as wood, brick, stone, glass, exposed concrete, or steel can also perform pure. Exposure to the dominance of certain materials would produce different effects. Design and calculation of structures that detail can save the use of building materials with optimum results. Settlement ranging from floors, walls, doors, windows, vents, skylights, ceiling, up to the roof, with the use of a combination of materials consistently. Order (concrete, steel), a wall (glass, wood, plain concrete / exposed, steel, stone, brick, Hebel, concrete blocks), doors and windows (wood, metal), stairs (concrete, steel, wood, fiberglass) , skylight (fiberglass), floor (cement, terrazzo, ceramic, marble, parquet), ceiling (plywood, gypsum) or without ceiling (exposed concrete, exposed roof truss steel, wood) and roofing (tile, shingles, steel). The use of bright colors (red, orange, yellow) in some areas of exposure will strengthen minimalist accents and make it the focal point of the neighborhood. WHAT minimalist architecture it's because of the use of the word minimal? Does it build a minimalist house to be expensive? For young couples or young executives who crave a minimalist house as part of a symbol of metropolis life, limited funds clearly a major obstacle. Minimalist home design forms emphasizes straightforward, plain, simple, uncomplicated, compact, and space efficiency. Mahal's a building is determined by the use of materials that are used on the proposed design. As for the cost of house building structures generally use standard market price. Completion of the work is neat and full of energy demands prudence skilled craftsman, jellies, and experienced so make labor costs above market price. Minimalist impression has also appeared on the attitude of the architect, with the approval of the client as a prospective occupants of the house, to "voluntarily" reduce the various needs that are not important. Only essential part of home functions are retained so that if the house is memorable minimalist, it is merely the result of a process. Not the ultimate goal. The beauty of minimalist optimally occur from the purity function itself. Is minimalist home comfortable to live? Minimalist house will obviously feels comfortable to live in an urban society very practical, functional, lightweight, economical, and efficient, because minimalism is the embodiment of their lifestyle, according to the needs of their functions. Symbols lifestyle metropolis. A simple way of life in total. Home furnishings follow the basic geometric shape of the building, efficient, and functional course. Careful arrangement of light and artful (spotlights, planting bulbs, chandeliers, garden lights) create a minimalist look more artistic home at night. Minimalist home will continue to grow along with the creativity of architects, design innovation, and supported technological sophistication, making appearances minimalist home will always be present with a fresh new breakthroughs, more detail is perfect, and the prices are more affordable. The presence of a minimalist home became the medium of communication between the architecture and landscape of the form of contrast between the natural and man-made things (culture). Minimalist style garden arrangement would provide a "spirit" softness against stiffness of the building shape, hardness materials, and harmony of life with shady environment around. The presence of shade trees, lawns, and other shade plants give a fresh and lively atmosphere to fill the "void" minimalist house. In the end minimalist aesthetic value is no longer rely on ornaments and artificial objects, but it is more meaningful to an honesty of form, function, and inspiration space created. So do not be surprised if later minimalist urban people's choice who missed honesty, simplicity, and innocence.

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LEARN TO DESIGN YOUR OWN FABRICS

Finding the perfect fabric to fit your needs can be difficult these days with back orders, shortages, and dropped patterns. You’ve probably seen that many designers are beginning to create their own fabrics and soft furnishing products. If you have ever thought about designing your own fabric we have the perfect course for you!

Learn the basic skills needed, resources required and processes you must master to bring your designs from fantasy to reality. Jackie Von Tobel is an award winning product designer who produces her own signature fabric line, The Jackie Von Tobel Collection She will walk you through the design and manufacturing process step by step and help you to formulate a plan for creating your own unique signature fabrics that will enhance your business and help you to grow your brand.

A downloadable pdf handbook will spell out the details covered in class and give you a source list for private label fabric printers,  software providers and online education sources, as well as many other essential contacts and information so you can move forward on your own towards achieving your goal of producing your own fabrics.

Sign up today!

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Quick & Easy Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas

 

With only a week until the big day we thought you could use some quick & easy Thanksgiving table setting ideas.  Exercise your creativity and use the resources you have on hand to put some of these lovely ideas into action to create a beautiful table for your family.

First up is the star of the event your table centerpiece.

We love these bare tree branches because they are dramatic yet you can still see the person on the other side of the table and they don't interfere with the conversation.

Your produce drawer is full of beautiful colors and texture that you can arrange into a lovely centerpiece.  Throw in some paper leaves or other decorations and you are ready to go.

These colors are so rich and they are a nice break from the traditional color motifs of the season.  Who says it has to be orange and brown?

When all else fails go with gold!

This simple idea is a new twist on the classic orange studded with cloves.  Just think of the creative designs you can quickly carve into your citrus and there is the added plus of that great smell.

Raw wood rules supreme this year with these simple log cuts arranged in a tiered display topped with mason jar candles.

Place Cards set the mood for a more formal affair and give your guests a sense of belonging.  There are many easy ideas that you can throw together to make them all feel at home.

Small log cuts with a groove sawn into the top make cute place card holders.

Larger log cuts can serve as dramatic chargers.

The lowly walnut can serve as a quick name holder in a pinch.  Spray them with metallic paint or glitter to dress them up.

Put those Fall leaves to good use as place setters.

Candles light the room and add warmth and a sense of calm to your table as well.  Avoid scented candles that will clash with the wonderful aromas of your dinner.

Jute string secures these mini pilgrim corn cobs around a simple glass votive.  Add a strip of sticky tape around the jar to be sure everything stays in place,

Burlap ribbon has a million and one uses at  this time of year.

More pilgrim corn around a large candle

Fresh vegetables are a nice addition to any table.

Fruit illuminated in water is both beautiful and aromatic.

Hollow out small pumpkins and gourds for votives at each place setting or as a grouping in the center of the table.

Use those leftover apples that Grandma didn't put into the pie to hold some tapers.  If you don't have fancy candle spikes just bore a hole in the center of each apple for the candle.

Small twigs can be hot glues to the side of small votives for a rustic charm.

Table Runners are an easy way to dress your table .  Here are a few fun ideas for DIY projects.

Fall leaves are great if you've got them.

If you are like me and live in an area where the leaves don't turn then improvise with stencils or stamps.

Burlap by the yard makes a great runner.  I love the way they tied the end here.

Upholstery strapping can be woven into runners or individual place mats.

Put that left over trim or ribbon to use to embellish your runners, place mats, or napkins.

The bottom line is that we are all very busy and sometimes the holidays can sneak up on us but with a little imagination you can put together a lovely table for your family.  Just don't take it too seriously and have fun with it.  At the end of the day it's really about giving thanks and enjoying  our family and friends and no one will remember if your table was set perfectly.

Wishing you and yours a fantastic Thanksgiving!

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I've been hard at work creating new patterns and products for a reboot of The Jackie Von Tobel Collection for Spring 2015.  We will have a whole new website and a new line up of gorgeous fabrics for you to go crazy with! 

I can't wait to show you all of the new goodies so stay tuned for some sneak peaks and the website reboot  date. 

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DESIGN EXPERT STATUS ~ Who Really Qualifies?

 

Over the past couple of years as we have worked hard to redefine the design industry and carve out new niches and business models  an alarming trend has emerged.  Individuals of questionable levels of design education, experience, training, and practice are claiming EXPERT status in an attempt to differentiate themselves from the pack.

Claims are wide ranging and are worded to place the person behind them at the very top of an ever growing pile of competitors. 

 

“THE LEADING EXPERT”

“AMERICAS #1 AUTHORITY”

“THE RECOGNIZED LEADER”

“THE CERTIFIED EXPERT”

“THE TOP SPECAILIST”

 

The problem with these claims the use of one little world – THE .   These individuals are not just claiming that they are experts in a segment of design or design in general, they are claiming that they are THE TOP EXPERT, THE KING OF THE MOUNTAIN, THE BE ALL AND END ALL OF KNOWLEDGDE AND EXPERTISE.

 

The definition of EXPERT is:  A person who has special skill or advanced knowledge in some particular field.

The definition of THE TOP EXPERT is:  A single person who has more special skills and advanced knowledge than anyone else in a particular field.

While there are many levels of expertise in any given subject there can only be one top spot.  The problem that I have with using this verbiage to describe your individual skill level is that there is no way for anyone to vet your skill level and it is easy for anyone to make a similar claim.

In his book The Outliers, Malcom Gladwell illustrates that exceedingly successful people who become top leaders in their fields have spent on average, approximately 10,000 hours of totally immersive study and practice, over at least 10 years honing their skills and perfecting their craft.

At the very least I think we can all agree that it takes many years of  education, study and practice to become proficient enough at anything to become and expert at it. Attending one lecture or online course, or reading a pamphlet on a subject is simply not enough to certify a person with expert status. 

Today it is very easy for anyone to find information on any subject online and reword it as their own hard earned knowledge and many people seem to be taking this shortcut to set themselves up as the go to source for a particular niche.  The problem with this scenario is that without doing the hard work themselves they are merely putting out borrowed information that they don’t truly understand and calling it expert advice at the same time. 

I have seen some really unbelievable example's of this online lately from misleading blog posts to  lectures full of inaccurate information at trade shows and industry events, to “advice from the EXPERTS columns” in leading shelter magazines that are giving out incorrect information. 

As an industry of professionals it is vital that we have industry standards and best practices that have a basis founded in legitimate expertise and experience so that the quality of service, workmanship and product has a level of excellence and  consistency that the buying public can rely upon. 

In addition to this self appointed, top of the pile “EXPERT STATUS” some individuals are also handing out their own private brand of NICHE CERTIFICATION  to other designers who frequent their websites or blogs, attend classes given by them or buy self published booklets they have produced.  This is unaccredited certification for sale to anyone and it is a potentially dangerous trend that will undermine legitimate accreditation and weaken our industry.

Certification is defined by Wikipedia as:   The confirmation of certain characteristics of a person. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit. Accreditation is a specific organization's process of certification.

There are very few professions in which members can appoint themselves as certifying bodies and hand out official certifications to their peers.  A lawyer cannot grant another person a certification stating that he is an expert in law.  That person must go to law school, pass his Bar exam and become legally licensed in order to call himself a lawyer.  In the area of design we have many legitimate organizations that provide the education and guidance necessary for an individual to garner certification on a variety of niche topics.

 

 

Certification usually consists of the following component's:

1. Intensive, scaled, and targeted education provided by instructors sanctioned by the certifying body.
2. A standardized test of your skill level administered by the certifying body.
3. Continuing education to keep your skills fresh and current as a condition of continued certification.

My advise is to leave certification to the legitimate licensing bodies.  Don’t fall for false and empty certification scams.

 

Certification vs A Certificate of Attendance, Participation, or Achievement.

An alternative to an official certification that can be a benefit to the individual designer is a Certificate of Attendance, Participation, or Achievement.  This type of document certifies that a person has participated in or attended an educational event.  This is a legitimate document that anyone providing educational content or events can award to their attendees without crossing the blurred lines of official certification. 

Any designer can proudly display such a certificate without any doubt to its validity.

FINDING a REAL EXPERT

I would advise anyone that if they are seeking out advanced or continuing education in design that they do some homework and at least Google the individual or group offering that education to see if they are truly legitimate.  Here are a few guidelines to follow:

1. How long have they been practicing in their particular area of expertise?   Is this a new niche for them?  Do they have a history of providing education in this niche or are they just now jumping on the bandwagon?
2. What type of formal education do they have in this niche?
3. What type of certification do they have in their particular field? 
4. Are they affiliated with professional organizations or associations in their field?
5. Are they recognized by their peers as an industry expert or are they just tacking expert onto their name?
6. Have they published books or professional articles on their subject of expertise? If they are advertising themselves as authors do they have a legitimate publisher or are they selling self published material.  The term author is historically reserved for professionally published writers and as the author of 4 books for the trade it is a distinction that is very hard to earn and one that I cherish as such.  That being said, self published material can be very well put together and full of real expert education and information – just be wary of the “fluff”  that some people are generating right now.
7. Have any of your peers taken any of their classes or purchased educational products from them?  What was their opinion of the material?

Experience vs Education

Education and Certification do not always trump life experience. There are many individuals who have honed their skills over years of practice and have become true experts in their fields and excellent teachers in their own right.  Most of the time they will have well documented proof of expertise on their websites and a long history of practicing their craft that you can easily track. 

MOVING FORWARD

The educational landscape in Design is getting more crowded everyday and there is an increase in competition for every dollar being spent and every open slot at educational events. Unfortunately there is no easy way for you to know who is legit and who is faking it. So it is up to you to do the research and make the judgment call on whether or not the person in question has some real substance and good information.  If you do take some time to vet the people who are offering you their services you should have no trouble finding great educational opportunities. 

 

Jackie Von Tobel is an award winning interior designer who attended the Interior Design Institute of San Diego. She ran her own successful interior design firm, Plush Home in Las Vegas for 20 years before writing her ground breaking series of books The Design Directory of Window Treatments, The Design Directory of Bedding, The Power of Marketing, and Slipcovers ( Gibbs Smith publisher) She is an award winning product designer in the categories of Drapery Hardware, Home Décor Fabric, Quilt Fabric, Gift, Garden, Home Dec Accessories, Tabletop,  and much more.  Jackie has been teaching  her fellow designers subjects relating to design on an advanced level at the leading design trade shows and furnishing markets in the US and abroad for over 10 years. She is a founding partner of Soft Design Lab an online think tank and center fr education on soft furnishings.

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