Where do you start your decorating project? Some designers start with a fabric and build the room around that. Sometimes it’s a beloved item, like a painting, that serves as the inspiration. Sometimes it’s the view out the window. Many times, clients do not have a starting point. That’s why they need a decorator! When decorating a living room or dining room, and when left to my own devices, I start with the rug. An area rug is often the most expensive item in a room. And rugs can be an emotional purchase. When clients see a hand-knotted rug they like, they know it. They love it right away. Then we take a few rugs back to their house to see what it does in the light conditions of the home. Sometimes we do broadloom (wall-to-wall cut down to make an area rug) and on occasion sisal. This can be a classic way to decorate. For the main living spaces such as living rooms, most of my clients purchase hand knotted rugs. Rug choices are as varied as the day is long, as my grandmother used to say and the price points vary from affordable to collector-type pricing.

Many people think that a hand-knotted rug is an “investment.” There are very few rugs in this category and most date from before 1900. New rugs are expensive, that is true, but there is not a re-sale market for them. I tend to say they are an investment in your happiness. Below you will see custom rugs that are sheared close, a Tibetan weave with silk, traditional designs with borders, a traditional Oushak witout a border, and a funky custom Tibetan with a geometric design in shades blues, and a Tulu long/shag piled rug in updated colors. The more beautiful the rug in real life, the worse they tend to look in photos. Rugs can to be hard to photograph, the colors, the subtlety often lost in translation.For most of us eco-friendly buffs choosing non-toxic window treatments is indoor air quality 101.  But it seems that some manufacturers, and even consumers, need to catch up.  So here are a few key tips when it comes to buying window treatments and maintaining the health of your family at the same time:

First, here’s what you need to know: Poor indoor air quality can cause asthma, cancer and other respiratory problems – especially in children and the elderly. VOC’s found in window treatments and new furniture are the #1 source of indoor air pollutants. The more sun that beats on a window treatment, the more the material will deteriorate and off-gas VOC’s over the years. Solar shades often contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which continue to deteriorate and off-gas for the lifetime they are in a home.juliana curtains duck egg blue Composite materials, such as hybrid shutters or blinds, are made with glues that contain formaldehyde.murano back tab window curtain panels Paints continue to off-gas for 3 to 4 years, even if they have no odor.essence grommet kitchen curtains

Fabrics are usually chemically treated with fire retardants, azo-dyes and ScotchGuard which contain PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate). What can you do about it? Research who you’re buying from.  Hunter Douglas makes GreenGuard Certified shutters and blinds that are made especially for schools and children.  Whereas The Shade Store offers a selection of GreenGuard Certified Solar Shades. Select natural fabrics like cotton, linen and hemp that have not been pre-treated with chemicals.sheikh jee curtains lahore Opt for shades made from bamboo and natural grasses.horizon grommet-top curtain panel Choose solid wood instead of composites.ikea curtains wembley Make sure paints used are “No VOC” and preferably water based.tupplur curtains

Just a few, simple, educated decisions on your part can protect your health and  give you a pretty home too! Lemon Rosemary Salt Scrub On The Go Foot Care – Sweet Lily Style! Staying Healthy On The Road This Summer Time To Take ActionFaux wood blinds are available in different wood-like tones, from light pine to dark maple. If you’re looking to cover the window of your metal door to control daylight or add privacy, put a faux wood blind over it. You install blinds on a metal door in virtually the same way as on a wood door; the only difference is with some of the tools and fasteners required. Because faux wood blinds are usually made from a durable composite material that includes vinyl, they’ll likely withstand rigorous movement and the dampness often associated with an exterior door better than their real-wood counterparts, while looking almost as good. Measure the width and height of the door’s window just past any trim that may be around it. Purchase a faux wood blind that includes hold-down brackets to fit the window span.

These brackets mount below the window to secure or hold down door blinds and keep them from swinging and swaying when the door is opened and closed. Open your blind’s packaging. Lay out the parts. Replace all of the included screws with metal-drilling screws -- also called self-tapping or self-drilling screws -- of the same size. The specialized screws have a different tip or point than wood screws. Ask your local building-supplies retailer to help you select the correct ones, if needed. Look over the instructions and refer to them as needed. Hold the blinds in place. Mark the door at each end of the blind for the top brackets, using a pencil. Check the marks for levelness by measuring down from the top of the door to each mark, and from the sides of the door to each mark. Hold the brackets in place. Drill pilot holes for the screws with a carbide bit that is slightly thinner than the brackets’ screws, using the brackets as a guide. Attach the top brackets to the door, using metal-drilling screws and a drill with the correct size bit for the screws.