Wednesday 3 August 2016

Having Inspiring Office Interiors can make your Employees more Productive - Here's how to get a Cool Office on a Budget!

Do you often find your employees in a grumpy mood? Is the case for “Monday” blues”, “all week blues “, going stronger than ever? Maybe it’s time you give your office a makeover!
Most companies these understand the significance of having good working environment, which also means giving a strong consideration to good ambiance. Since employees spend a major part of the day juggling between work pressures and looming deadlines, having an office space that radiates positivity only adds to the motivation. If you can manage to provide an inspiring office space to your employees, they would not mind spending extra hours at work, making sure that they meet deadlines before calling it a day.
A recent survey has shown that 90 percent of employees feel less than satisfied with their work environment, resulting in lack of enthusiasm and motivation to work.
That being said, good interiors not only aim at providing employee satisfaction, but also attract other people who want to associate with the company. Imagine, a vendor steps into your office with a profitable collaboration offer, but changes his/her mind as soon as he/she steps out of your office. Did it ever occur to you that you lost that opportunity because of the dull office environment? Believe it or not, these things happen more often than you can even think!



Perhaps, it is important to get the office space well suitable both for the employees and associates. But, if your business is not in the position to afford expensive renovation at the moment, consider going for office refurbishment done by a professional interior decorator. Re-planning your office space and making some minor changes will help you serve both the purpose.


Here are some basic things that you should keep in mind while getting your office renovated.
Flooring
Flooring is the base of every interior designing/decoration project. A good choice of flooring material and colour can make your office look elegant and classy, whereas a bad one can make everything go haywire.
Flooring is also important of any interior space. Carpets can give spaces a great sense of warmth, comfort and luxury. They can also help to absorb sound – which can be important especially in busy offices. If you already have carpet flooring in your office, consider replacing them with the new ones. On the other hand, if you have tiles, marble, or wooden flooring, get them repaired and polished. You can also cover the non-repairable areas with carpets and rugs.
Walls
When it comes to renovation, painting walls in contrasting hues is the best possible option for any office space.  While getting textures and paneling can be a difficult, time taking and costly affair to begin with, it is advisable to use wallpapers to highlight a few walls of the office - especially the ones in the reception/waiting area.  Different sections of the office area can be painted with different colours and themes depending on the function of that area. For example: cafeteria can be made a little more lively with a combination of dark and light pastel or monochromatic shades.
Furniture
Office furniture usually becomes outdated as they are bought at the time of inauguration and used for several years. Apart from this, daily use can shoe early signs of wear and tear, making the furniture look stained, marked, or ripped, sooner than you can imagine. But if you don’t have the budget to replace all of it at once, consider getting them repaired.
Safety
Safety should be a major concern of you are getting your office refurbishment, Your previous safety measures may have become outdated or depleted in the course of time. Make sure you get safety equipment placed at all exit points.

Where you work and how you work has positive impact on employees. Making these small, yet effective changes in the workplace will make your employees feel more relaxed and engaged in their work.

Sunday 29 September 2013

15 Amazing Headboard Ideas You Can Explore

Summary: Headboards are available in all sizes, designs, fabrics and material. Choosing a one particular one can be a daunting task. Here we have shortlisted a few to give your room an exquisite feel and look. 

Great headboard can instantly transform the entire look and appeal of a bedroom. Earlier, head boards were not given much importance in the furniture construction, but as the evolution in the design industry took place, the themes and concepts for headboards developed for better.

Even if you're not ready to give the entire room a makeover, playing a bit with your bed's headboard can do wonders for you. Whether you're looking for an elegant ambiance or a naughty one, adding some glamour and detailing to your headboard can help you achieve the ultimate goals.

Apparently,  headboards are available in a wide array of sizes and fabrics in the market. You may either choose to buy a simple ready-made one to match the overall theme of your room, or simply improvise the existing one. Let's take a look at 15 most amazing headboard designs that will go with almost all kinds of interiors.












































Sunday 22 September 2013

5 Budget Friendly Fall Home Accessories Ideas

Summary: It's officially September, and if you’re planning to redecorate your home before the onset of Christmas month, now is the time! Let's take a look at some fall home decorating accessories that you can use to decorate your home.

Everyone wants to live in a breathable, attractive, cozy and beautiful home. A home is a place where people spend most of their time thinking and planning about the future. It is a place where people come to meet you.  A well-decorated home not just affects our mood, but also have enormous effects on our physical, social and spiritual health. You won’t truly realize the magnitude of advantages of a well-decorated home, unless you’ll have one. In order to make sure you live in a pleasant home environment, it is important to keep yourself updated. For some, budget can become major constraint, but there are many ways to decorate a home without spending a fortune
. 

In this article, we’ve got for you a comprehensive list of home accessories that you can use to decorate your home this fall season. Fall season is the best time to grab some exclusive discounts on exotic collection of home accessories, available at different stores. Let’s find out what you should look for September shopping!

Long vases
There’s something glamorous about these long standing vases. They exhibit a class of elegance and style, when displayed on long chesters and wide side table. Buy a set of different sized long vases with rusty look on the surface. The color should be warm, neutral and bold. Grey and brown are some of the shades you may try. Moreover, these vases depict a sense of nature and seem perfect for fall.  Use them to display artificial or dried branches and flowers.



Floral tile coasters
Fall is all about bright and bold colors. Adding a splash of bright color in your home with the help of hued ceramic tile coasters, is the best thing you can do without being ultra dramatic.  These coasters can be placed on coffee tables or dining room, to add glamour of bold and bright colors to the environment while you enjoy your relaxing moments of the day. The floral motifs made in different colors will be a great reminder of warmer weather once fall is in full swing.




Harvest wind chime
September is a time when you see leaves falling in your garden and breeze blowing day and night, creating a pleasant environment. In order to make most out of this beauty of nature, use wind chimes so you can hear the sound of breeze entering your home. Choose bright and bold colored chimes. Metal chimes are easy to clean and durable as compared to other materials.



Metal leaf container
Metal leaf container is a great accessory to add to your living room this fall season. You can also try other shapes and sizes available in the home décor store. Fill these containers with shells, limestones and other decorative stones. This is a must-have on your fall shopping list.



Pumpkin centerpiece
Make a simple table setting using this beautiful cream pumpkin and burlap centerpiece. Using trending looks in a neutral color, you can add this centerpiece to your table in September and take it off for Christmas decor.





Giving your home a makeover, perhaps can be a very difficult task. But making some small and noticeable changes in each room can enliven your mood, uplift your social presence and create a sense of pride. All this can be attained without spending much out of your pocket. All you need to do is a bit of market research and see how you can save money on your purchase. Whether you’re looking for decorative wall mirrors or antique home decor accessories, you can buy them all at any good flea market and thrift stores. Let me know what are you're planning to buy for your home this Fall/Winter season..... ;)

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Tips For Lighting Placement For Home Decoration Projects

We all know the significance of the correct lighting in a home. Getting the right lighting in a home is one of the biggest challenges faced by households. Fixing and installing decorative and designer light fixtures is not enough. You should be able to segregate the places at home on the basis of lighting density. Apparently, some places would require more light, while some wouldn't! All this planning can take a while and maybe some professional help. You can always consult your interior designer or architect if you're not sure of the light placement and fixtures.
Perhaps if you're clear about your ideas and requirements, here are some tips that will help you create a proper lighting plan for your next home improvement project. These tips will make sure that you use the right amount of lights at the right places.
What Are Your Lighting Goals
Different people have different requirements. Some clients prefer to have more decorative lights, while some like to settle down for simple white flashing lights. It is important to have a firm determination of how you would like to project your house. Moreover, keeping a balanced approach is also important to ensure balanced placement of lights. Each room should appear bright, while exhibiting warm and comforting ambiance.
For instance: If you want your bedroom to appear cozy and comforting, you can use more of dim yellow lights or cove lights for better effect. On the other hand, study room should be bright and using white LED lights that can exhibit an active and energized environment.
Focus On Having Multiple Light Sources
This is more effective in studio and compact apartments, where you don't have much space for different activities. In such situation, you can always get installed multiple light sources to achieve better functionality and to increase the variety of activities in that space. For instance: putting up floor lamps in the dim corners next to your couch or reading chair is a good option. You can also install LED lights in the base counters of your kitchen to increase the visibility. The prime focus is to make every corner of the house functional..
Recessed Lights Are Good For High Ceilings
Normal ceiling height for a home is anywhere between 9-11 ft. If you stay in a home with excessively high ceilings, it is always advised to use recessed lights. Moreover, recessed lights are also becoming popular for the contemporary and modern appearance they demonstrate. They can easily make any space appear modern and well lit.
Prefer Going For Chandeliers In Large Rooms
Large rooms are specifically directed to living room and spacious halls. Putting up chandeliers in the central portion if the ceiling is not a new trend, but there has been a lot of transformation in the designs and overall look of chandeliers. There is a wide variety of modern and contemporary chandeliers that you can explore. The key is to buy modern, elegant and slim chandeliers to make a room appear sophisticatedly aesthetic. You may consider buying small and long bulbs, wooden covered lights, crystal finishes, faux candles and so on. Do not forget to measure out the space before buying a chandelier for your home.
Experimenting with lights can help you bring out the best of the ambiance in your home. Consulting an interior design can be a good step if you have any doubts choosing the lighting system for your home or office. You can also go through blogs, magazines and lifestyle shows for better guidance.

Saturday 10 August 2013

Choose the Right Floor Material For Your Home

Flooring is considered to be a base of every interior. All the other aspects of an interior such as furnishing, curtain, bed-linen, lights etc. depend upon the type of floor you choose for your room. Hence, it is very important to choose the right flooring for every single room of the house. Nowadays, you can see a wide variety of flooring ideas and styles to choose from, it might be quite difficult to decide on what exactly you want, what you need and from where to buy.


Consider all the important factors before deciding on flooring such as :  lifestyle, budget, climate, style, comfort and degree of use. For instance: If you have pets, or small children at home, then you should consider going in for durable flooring material such as hardwood, polished concrete, or hard-wearing non-porous tiles.






Let’s learn about other type and styles of flooring available in the market. You might get the most suitable one for your own home.


Concrete floors


Concrete is mixture of aggregate, water and cement. A polished concrete gives a very shiny, glass type look - like surface without coatings. Concrete floors can be seen in various styles such as stained, colored, painted, and personalized.


Nowadays, most of the retail stores, trendy restaurants, offices, and homes are using concrete floors due to its durability and ability of offering  numerous options for designs, colors, and even health benefits. Concrete can be  naturally colored and blends well with other elements of the room.


Most Suitable for: High traffic areas in homes, offices and commercial space.


Rubber flooring


Rubber flooring is yet another coolest innovation in the field of architecture. Rubber flooring can be used in an endless way. You will be able to see at least one place in a home or ,commercial business where rubber would definitely be installed. It is popular because of its thermal quality, durability and easy maintenance.


Most Suitable For: Kid’s room, especially for toddlers and crawling babies and factories.

Tiles


Tiles are made with ceramic or porcelain. However, many people prefer going for ceramic due to the cost factor, but porcelain tiles help keeping your home  warm in winter and cool in summers. Both options offer a wide range of versatility in terms of look and style. From modern to rustic, tile flooring is one of the most popular varieties of flooring due to its ease of maintenance and longevity. The costing and range of tiles depend upon the quality and durability of the style you choose.


Most Suitable For: Huge spaced halls, bathrooms, kitchen and even in lobbies.


Cork


This comes in the category of “Environment flooring”. Consider using Cork flooring if you have children under six years of age because it is soft on knees and heads and provide a warm and soft look to the ambience The best part of this type of flooring is that if you drop anything on it, let say: a wine glass will bounce back due to the quality of this floor. It is not at all expensive and considered to be great for large noisy areas that need a soundproof finish to absorb noise. It gives a look of dark-chocolate finished floor.


Most Suitable for: Kid’s room, Dining area or Bar room. It is also used in the interiors of many retail outlets, especially those selling expensive delicate items.


Bamboo floors


Bamboo is extremely durable and much harder than traditional timber flooring. Bamboo has the same colour range as timber and most floors come fully dressed, so there are no sealing costs.Such  kind of flooring goes well with wooden furniture pieces.


Most suitable for: It can be used anywhere in the house and office, except for damp areas.


Carpet


Carpet is a perfect floor covering for bedrooms and TV rooms where acoustics and warmth are important. As far as commercial interiors are concerned, you can also use such kind of flooring in conference rooms,  employee workstation area where silence is mandatory. When making the choice of which carpet to buy, keep in mind type several factors such as  traffic, risk of staining, acoustic properties and cleaning and maintenance.


Most suitable for: Drawing rooms, televisions rooms, employee workstations and  conference rooms.


Timber flooring


Timber floor is very expensive and have lost its importance due to the availability of various other cheap options providing the same look. However, Floating timber veneer and parquetry products are also becoming very popular in farmhouse and hotel architecture to give elegant look.


On the other hand, wood laminate is a much more economical option than solid timber floors. Such floors are  highly durable, long wearing and easy to maintain. These can be used in homes and offices to bring warm and elegant look to the interior.


Most suitable for: Any part of the home or office. Avoid using it in damp areas such as washrooms and kitchen.


Natural stone


Natural stones such as marbles, granites, limestone etc give a very elegant and classy look to every kind of interior. They not only look fabulous, but also ensures  longevity and timeless beauty. Marble can be used in any part of the house /office/ or any other commercial area. But, Granite should not be used in heavy traffic area as it can cause easy breakage.  Such kind of floors are usually expensive and worth each penny you spend on it. Natural stones go well with all type of interiors and are available in number of colors and styles. Due to its extreme durability, stone flooring is a good choice for entryways and bathrooms


Most suitable for: Natural stones are suitable for all spaces keeping in mind the flow of traffic. For instance: Granite is not preferred in high traffic area.  


Linoleum Flooring


Linoleum itself is an environmentally friendly type of flooring. It is durable, easy to clean, impervious to water, and comes in many sizes, shapes, textures, and a rich variety of colors. It is best suitable for walkways, dining area and lobby.

Most suitable for: Dining areas, walkways in offices, lobby and reception.

Thursday 28 June 2012

Make Your Study Room Attractive With Innovative Ideas

Even though you have a study room in your house, you may not feel like studying there. There are times when you have a study room in your home which acts just like a storage area for old books and things of no apparent use. Well, this happened to me throughout my education and I certainly do not want this to happen to you. Studying area should be utilized for the purpose it’s meant for. While studying these days, children prefer a television or a laptop more than a simple, old-fashioned study table.

Most of the people prefer to do their work or study in their bedrooms or in the living room in front of the television. The reason is simple, many interior designers follow a tradition of using base or neutral colors in the study room so that the person do not get distracted while studying or working. Normally, a study place is kept as neutral and simple as it can be to avoid any kind of aberration or diversion of mind.


But its better late than never. Its been a long time since we have followed the traditional notions and methods of interior designing and time demands a change. In modern times, a study room should be the most sorted out lace in your home. Unlike a decade ago, when books were the first thing to come to mind when we talked about studying. Children today think about laptops, PC tablets and creative pursuits. There is no doubt that children are more creative and active these days.


What if someone breaks this tradition, and make your study room the most sorted out place of your home ? Visual memory of children is believed to be quite strong. Children memorize things by seeing them. It is easier and it is fun. Modern interior designers have also developed new innovative ideas to take advantage of a child’s visual memory and grab his interest, so that he is able to concentrate on his studies with enthusiasm and energy rather than feeling bored or restless.


Here are some tips that will help you to make a creative and innovative study room for your children. .




Make It Colourful
Do not stick to neutral or base colors like white, beige or brown. Try to play with different combination of colors, especially your child’s favorite shades. This will drag your kid to the room automatically as soon as he will enter the house after his school of play time. Logically, colours are considered to be brain stimulators that also enhances the memory power and energy in your brain.


Add Wall Murals
You can also add Wall murals in the study room. Choose the murals with learning themes so they are able to also stir the imagination of your kid and create an inspiring environment in the study room. You can choose the murals according to the age of the child and size of the room.




Try To Introduce New Methods of Teaching
You can place a multipurpose clock in front of the study table showing the time of different countries, or creative/ embossed charts with all measurements, conversions and other essential numbers. This way your child will be able to store the information in his brain automatically every time he sees these conversion charts. On the other hand, by placing the multipurpose clock he will remember the time difference between different countries without even reading about them in any book. Adopting practical exercises for learning and grasping things is always considered to be beneficial and long lasting.



Create Innovative Bookshelves
You can play with different concepts and themes for creating bookshelves in the study room. If you have a spare wall without any furniture placed towards it, then try getting alphabet or number shaped niches on the entire wall.



Make Arrangements For Group Study As Well
Your child may want to bring over his friends for studies, but have to avoid the study room due to lack of sitting arrangements of space. Make sure you add plenty of sitting space in the study room. Utilize maximum of the available space for seating purpose.