Quick Designing Tip

Corner windows are two windows that are set very close to the corner of a room. Hanging drapes on them can be tricky as they rarely allow space for drapes on the sides closest to the corner.

Observe how tight the space is in this 3D model.

But there is an easy solution to this. Instead of trying to hang two separate pairs of drapes on both windows, it is best to use 3 sections of drapery to make the two windows appear as one large, connected window.

To do this you will need what is called a curtain rod corner connector. This will allow your drapes to have a continuous flow from one wall to the other. It will also give the illusion that your windows are one continuous piece.

Curtain rod corner connector and assembly pieces.

Once you have installed this piece as the connector of two curtain rods, you simply hang drapery down the middle of the corner, covering the wall completely for a nice flow. 

And there's your quick tip to tricky design solutions. Good luck!

1. Paint Your Doors Black And Upgrade The Hardware.

Black doors can give any space an instant luxury feel because the color black exudes sophistication and class. Couple this with better hardware (getting rid of the standard knobs), and you have a stylish door. It's up to you what kind of black you want to use, whether blue-black, gray-black, green-black, or black-black. There are also different finishes depending on your taste and what type of look you've going for. A high gloss black will look more glamorous while a matte black will appear more rustic.

Choose a high gloss finish for a glamorous look.

A semi-gloss finish can go in any space.

Matte finishes are great for a rustic look.

2. Use Large Throw Pillows

Using throw pillows that are less than 20x20 will always appear inexpensive. In addition, filling a pillow with larger inserts will give the pillows a more high end look. For instance:

3. Molding and Panels

Adding these make for great architectural interest. Sometimes a space can look bland no matter how nicely decorated. There tends to be that feeling that something is missing. When you want to add real interest to a space try adding molding or paneling. It's fairly easy to install yourself and the payoff far outweighs the effort.

via ApartmentTherapy

 

Also note the extra large pillows :-)

4. Floor To Ceiling Drapes

I can't stress enough how important it is to consider hanging drapes as close to the ceiling as possible. The floor to ceiling drapes elongates the appearance of the walls therefore making the ceiling appear taller.

Notice how the drapes start far above the window and travel far down to the floor.

 

5. Oversize Mirrors and Art

This is probably one of my favorite things to do. It's one of those things that I believe if you're going to do, then you better go big or go home. COMMIT! It does wonders to a space especially when placed above a console, buffet or spanning the length of a wall. Check out these examples:

6. Tall Table Lamps

Please do not be a victim to small table lamps. With very few exceptions, I cease to understand their existence. Lamps aren't simply for lighting anymore, these days they have also become a work of art. Large table lamps, whether on a console or nightstand, give off great presence like Roman statues or Grecian columns. They should be allowed to stand bold and tall.

7. Grasscloth Wallpaper

While this is more of a personal preference (it's either your taste or not), you can't deny the luxurious feel it adds to a room. It almost transforms a space into a five start hotel. The texture, richness and warmth it brings into a design is hard to ignore. Though it is a bit difficult to install on your own (it's not as simple as putting up a regular wallpaper), the payoff is equally worth the effort!

8. Hardwood Floors

This goes without saying. Carpet can really cheapen a design while hardwood floors tend to elevate the overall look of a space. It brings sophistication, class and richness into any home. With it everything seems to comes together nicely.

Take your time when making decisions about decorating. Much of these tips are basic decorating 101 and easy to achieve. With these tips you can easily upgrade the look of your space with very little effort. Hope it helps, and good luck!

Space isn't limited to the floor. Interior designers knows how to utilize the entire space of a room, including ceilings and walls.

One way to utilize space is by extending the headboard, or at least the look of the headboard. Creating the illusion of a taller headboard adds a feeling of richness and luxury to your bedroom. Tall headboards can be expensive, but they make a bedroom look and feel grand. "Extending" the headboard without actually purchasing one can create that same feel. The increased height draws the eyes upward making the room appear taller and the space more regal.

A few ways to do this is with a picture gallery, wallpaper, paint and drapery.

When using a gallery wall to extend the height of a headboard, you want to make sure that width of the gallery is similar to that of the headboard. Here are examples of a gallery extending the height of a board.

In this situation the photos are similar and symmetrical, but they don't always have to be so. The photos can be various sizes a asymmetrical, so as long as they aid in the look of a headboard.

The second way is with wallpaper. 

 In both spaces wallpaper has been used to extend the headboard. In the second photo especially you can see that wallpaper has been used solely as the headboard.

The third way is with paint. Painting the wall behind the headboard can have a huge impact on the overall look of the headboard.

Although the image above isn't of a bedroom, it shows the impact that paint can have when trying to extend the look of a space.

The last way you might want to consider when trying to extend the look of your headboard is by using drapery. This look not only adds luxury and height, but also a touch of romance. It's also a great way to add pops of color.

In every method the same thing is achieved, height, luxury and interest. There are many other ways to do this apart from the four mentioned, such as hanging a rug, or a large mirror, planks of wood. It's really up to you, so as long as the mission is to extend those headboard and draw attention to the height of the ceiling.

What to do when your windows are awkwardly distant from the ceiling? 

Camouflage them with blinds or roman shades.

Hanging blinds above the window sill, flushing them with the drapery rods creates the illusion that the window itself is actually taller than they actually are. So instead of hanging your blinds the traditional way, go high above the window itself. 

Here is an example of very low and short windows being made to look higher and taller.

This trick is not exclusive to low hanging windows. You can use this trick for the sake of making any window appear more grand. 

Here is an example of standard windows made to look even taller.

You may not have the finances to put in brand new windows, but you won't need it if you use this simple trick. The illusion of taller more grand windows by proper placement of blinds and drapes can add luxury and grandeur any small or mundane space.

How To Properly Hang Drapes

Too often homeowners or apartment dwellers tend to fall into the same decorating trap: hiding their lovely windows with curtains. Think of drapes as the hair on your head and the window as your face.

 Frame it, don't hide it!

You want to hang your drapes as close to the ceiling as possible and off to the sides of your window.

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B. 

Hang them HIGH and hang them WIDE!

Following these simple rules can make any window appear larger and therefore more grand.

Ideally, you want to go as high as possible, but keep the height of the ceiling in mind when hanging your drapes. If the space between the window and the ceiling is too great, causing the space to look awkward, that can be easily remedied with roman shades. This will be explained in the next post.