Small spaces have great potential when it comes to house interior design. Make more room while giving each space your unique design expression by applying these 7 rules the pros use!

1. Slim Down – Get a large box, basket or bag and sift through those small accents. Too many little things sitting around a small room will clog of the room’s space quickly. It’s amazing how much air space you will create by being super specific about what you have placed on table tops and shelves.

2. Trim Down – Heavy, bulky window treatments not only block the limited light in your small room but are also space hoggers. Free those windows by using shades, blinds or even shutters. There are some gorgeous options to be made or purchased at your favorite house interior design store. Have a little extra money to spend, have your blinds custom designed in fabrics that compliment the rest of your room’s decor.

3. Color Down – Though a variety of color breaks up a large house, too much color in a small one will work against your already limited amount of space. It is best to paint all the walls one color or use a similar pallet hue for small subtle changes from room to room.

4. Lighten Up – Pull in that limited light with the use of mirrors positioned directly across from a window. Use semi gloss paint to reflect the light and keep your furniture polished and your appliances clean.

5. Fabric Up – It is better to fabric up your accents and leave the large furniture pieces to solids. If you already have a busy couch with a floral print, shapes or strips, consider toning things down a bit with a slip cover. Then, bring in those extra fabrics in your accents to provide some visual depth and emotional interest. Have fun with this part of your house interior design project!

Bring in those weaves, patterns, and quilted fabrics for this.

6. Liven Up – Nothing says open space and health like fresh plants placed around a room. Potted plants are preferred but bountiful bouquets regularly freshened up will also work well.

Limited for room? Positioning a potted plant in front of the fireplace mantle during the warmest time of the year is a great use of that space. Angle your furniture and use the extra space to display an indoor tree or palm.

7. Step Up – Light bare wood is always the best and beautiful of option for giving a small room a larger appearance. Flooring in an apartment cannot be changed but it can be changed up! Place a lighter area rug on top of the existing carpet. Or in the case of a dark linoleum find a light bamboo or Berber to bring out the light.

For more helpful design inspiration ideas for every room in your home visit Frugal Home Design. You will find web pages of professional money saving tips and secrets to facilitate your design goals without having to spend a lot of money.

When it comes to window coverings there are almost too many different types to choose from. Every day it seems like there are new styles and options on the market. One of the most versatile options to choose from is vertical blinds.

Vertical blinds are window coverings that have vertical slats. The slats are connected by cords. These enable you to open or close the slats, thus allowing more or less light in the room. Or, you may also choose to pull all the slats all the way over to the side. They do not add much warmth to the room in the way that curtains and drapes do. Rather, their purpose is to regulate the amount of light entering.

When vertical blinds first came on the market, there were not many styles from which to choose. They were seen as ugly and utilitarian at best. It seemed like they were the window blinds of choice in every cheap post-college apartment you looked at.

Now, however, they have become far more stylish. When vertical blinds first were sold, you only had a choice of metal or wood. Now, they are also available in several materials such as paper, cane, fabric and vinyl.

Paper window blinds are nice as they are relatively inexpensive and easy to clean. They are also fairly strong and durable. The drawback to these blinds is that they are not available in many styles or colors. Generally, people use them with curtains or drapes and let those fabrics play the more decorative role.

Cane window blinds, such as bamboo, are often rolled or pleated. They give a room a nice tropical look, however, they will let in some sun and can be easy to see through. These are best in rooms other than bedrooms or bathrooms, for example.

Venetian blinds are particularly nice as they come in more varieties of styles. They are easy to adjust to let in partial light as well. Depending on which type of material you choose, these too can be fairly affordable.

Vertical blinds can be a great way to add to the style of your room and in a way that is inexpensive. You can pair them up with curtains or drapes that will enhance the style, as well as give you more options in how you use them. You may choose to leave the curtains or drapes open for the most part and just adjust the window blinds when you want more or less light or privacy.

When you decide exactly what your needs are in terms of window blinds, you can start going shopping. You will be amazed at the varieties available in colors, styles and sizes. If you have trouble finding the type you want for your window size, do not be concerned. Many manufacturers will custom make vertical blinds to fit your windows perfectly.

Whatever style and material you choose, it will be quite easy to find vertical blinds that fit your room decor as well as your budget. They have truly come a long way from the day they were first installed in your college apartment.

Some of her readers ask how to learn more about vertical blinds, and may visit Judith Persit’s site to choose the best window blinds for their needs and save money at the same time.

Floating wood frames do more than simply protect the photo from the surrounding environment that may ruin it. It provides an elegance not found in other picture frames. The picture frame should be able to enhance and provide a look to the photo being encased in it. Also, framing allows the creation of a new art form by combining the frame with the photo and with the borders. However, a photo frame should not only provide protection to the photo but should also enhance the appearance and the presentation of the photo or artwork you want to display. The framing method also becomes more appealing to the visual sense when combined with the floating framing which creates a floating effect to the picture.

Wood, especially the dark sequoia or redwoods, have been used in the past for the purpose of framing and presentation of artworks. In the medieval era, woods are being carved into detailed ornamental borders which accentuate the elegance of paintings or portraits of prominent people and officials. This is also the trend with the bloodline of the royal families. Wood frames have been tested for the efficiency and effectiveness of the protection they can provide. They were also used as the first materials before even metals and concretes (cement) were discovered. The natural color of woods and the complexity of the arrangement of their cells add to the intricate design of the frames. Furthermore, the woods do contain natural compounds that provide natural protection against bacterial, fungal and other elements, sustaining its natural look so as with the status of the artwork or photo being framed.

Modern framing techniques, as described earlier, become more elegant when used with woods. The floating wood frame combines the elegance being given by the wooden frame and the dramatic effect being created by the floating look. When combined, they create a complementing, simple and eye-catching presentation of photos and art works, yet elegant and very dramatic. The floating wooden picture frames are a conventional way of framing and presentation. It will surely allow not only the complementing of the picture with the borders but also would give life to the walls where you will place them. In addition, because woods are very flexible, they can be modified according to the need and the look that you want. Wooden frames also never get out of style. The elegance of wooden designs is very much adaptable to any season or holiday celebrations. They are also flexible in terms of what material can be used with them. They would complement with formal, scenery or picturesque photos.

The creating of the floating wooden picture frames will certainly create a more elegant and creative way of presenting and preserving artworks and pictures. This will surely be an exciting and interesting venture you can have for your home, office or exhibits. Their flexibility and adaptability will surely save your money, effort and stretch your creative side.

Picture frames make or break the presentation of pictures and floating wood frames adds an element of elegance found in no other frames.

For more information on Floating picture frames, visit http://floatingpictureframes.net.

Most of us spend a lot of time in office for work. Regardless of whether it is in your employer’s office or your home office, the office environment can at times be very challenging. Relationship with your colleagues or business partners is a very important factor to unpleasant office politics.

While you are working hard and smart to be a better employee and making yourself more valued at the workplace you should enlist the help of Feng Shui to enhance your career success. Feng shui is about balancing the chi or energy around your surroundings. By balancing the energy in your environment, your own energy will be in harmony, and you will draw to you, people and opportunities that reflect this balance.

Here are 10 great feng shui tips to help create harmony at the workplace and to make your career advancement smooth sailing:

1. Good Support Behind The Back Of Your Sitting Position

The most important feng shui tips in the office is to make sure that you are seated with a good support behind your back. It is extremely important that your back faces a wall or some solid surface. You must never sit with your back facing a door or windows as this makes you vulnerable to “backstabbing” and “betrayals” in the office. If the back of your sitting position is a window, it is very inauspicious as it represents a lack of support. Close the windows behind you or hang a painting of mountains behind your back to provide you with good support.

2. Clearing The Clutter In Your Office

Clutter like unfinished projects, unused papers, unresolved works, disorganized office stationery and files are extremely bad feng shui to you. Your career will become a mess and you stand no chance of any career advancements. Clutter is like emotional constipation – it bogs you down. By clearing your clutter and arranging your office desk nicely, you create space for new things and your energy and creativity will increase.

3. Choose Your Office Desk In Your Success Position

Place your desk in your success position. Your success position will bring you great success and awesome career advancement in your career. You can know your success position by calculating your KUA number (or Star Number). Our feng shui website teaches you on how to calculate your person KUA number and how to apply feng shui in your work and career to bring great income luck and success. In addition, the ideal placement for your computer and desk is in a position that allows you to see the door of your office. If this is not possible, you can restore good Feng Shui by placing a small mirror on your desk that gives you a clear view of the door.

4. Place A Healthy Small Potted Plant On Your Desk

A plant will bring life into your workspace and will also absorb toxins in the air. My recommendation is to place a Money Plant on your office desk to attract career luck and income luck. The money plant can also help you ward off office politics and unpleasant things in your working environment. A plant on your table is also able to boost you creativity. Research has shown that you will be happier when there is greenery on your table.

5. Avoid Sitting Directly Facing Someone Else

Do try to avoid sitting at a work desk that is directly facing someone else at your opposite. This is bad feng shui as if you are seated in a position where you constantly face another person, there will certainly be accumulation of bad and confrontational Chi enery between the both of you. Consequently, this will definitely lead to conflicts and unpleasant arguments.

6. Do Not Sit Under A Strong Exposed Beam

You will be working under great pressure if there is a structural beam or bright light above where you are working. The bright beam or light will make you irritable and do your work impulsively. One good way to overcome the situation is to renovate the ceiling so that it is flat.

7. Separate Your Workspace In Your Bedroom

Feng shui do not recommend having a workspace in your bedroom as the bedroom is a place of rest. If you must have your workspace in your bedroom, try to partition it off with a screen. You can place a curtain or a screen to separate your work desk with your bed. In feng shui, work and sleep are two conflicting energies: Work is very yang and sleep is very yin, hence both must not mix together. In addition, a relaxing sleep will enhance your work productivity.

8. Display Crystals At Your Work Desk

In feng shui, crystals are great tool to absorb negative energies at work. If you want to avoid office politics and to make sure your career is smooth-sailing, you should display small crystal balls on your desk to ensure that everything goes smoothly at work.

9. Use Only One Door In Your Office

Do use only one door in your office, if there are more, keep them closed. This is because you only want your wealth and money luck to come to you in the only door and will not escape from other doors. Use only one door in your office if you don’t want your money to escape.

10. Carry A Jade Cicada With You

If you want to block off any office politics in the office, buy a jade cicada and carry it in your bags or hide it under your files and documents so that it would not be seen. Jade Cicada is a powerful feng shui tool to help you avoid confrontations and conflicts in the office. It is also able to bring good luck to your working environment.

Swanton Mah is a freelance writer and an avid enthusiast on Feng Shui who uses the wisdom of Feng Shui to bring great health, wealth and love to anyone who wants to improve their lives. By tapping on the wisdom of Feng Shui cures and remedies, we hope that you can have the unlimited power to receive and give love and create the happiness and joy that most of us wish to pursue. For more information on Feng Shui tips and guide on home living and arrangements and how to learn and apply Feng Shui yourself, go to => http://www.101fengshuitips.com.

Feng Shui isn’t just about your stuff or how you place your stuff in your environment. Feng Shui begins with an awareness of what energizes and uplifts you and what depletes you. If it feels good, it’s good Feng Shui. If it feels bad, it’s bad Feng Shui. Sounds pretty simple doesn’t it? It’s always better to be around or focus on what feels good or energizes you than it is to be around something that drains and depletes you.

We are profoundly affected by the environments we inhabit. Our home is literally a reflection of who we are – symbolically, our inner world is mirrored and reflected in our outer world. And if we change our thoughts, and our surroundings we can improve the quality of our lives!

Take a look around you; what does your home say about you – the person that lives there? Does your home reflect how you see yourself? Does it reflect care, comfort, confidence, and success?

Feng Shui is about connecting to your inner awareness by aligning your thoughts, your actions and your environment with your intention. The first steps in this part of the process are; gaining an awareness of what your intention is, what your intention will achieve and what you really want.

1. What is your intention? This is a critical first step. To achieve it, you have to define it. To give thought to what you want to do, what you enjoy doing, what nurtures you, is a powerful process. When we know what we want, and we set our intention, it is far easier to achieve our desires. When we don’t take the time to consider what we truly want, we can find ourselves unhappy, unfulfilled and unmotivated.
2. Why do you want this? This question is tougher than it sounds. When you reflect on your answer, step into the benefit you’ll receive; what you get from your intention. This step will help you clarify and refine your intention so that it resonates with who you are at the core of your being. When you start this step, it’s easy to keep your answer on the surface; for example, you may think: I want more money, or I want to make enough to do what I want to do. These aren’t bad answers, but they aren’t the full answer. If you take the time to look deeper, I think you’ll find that money isn’t the goal, it’s the vehicle to the goal. Ask yourself what the money provides or gets you. You might find that your answer changes to something like: freedom or creative opportunity. Each of these moves past a focus on money alone to the personal benefit you get from money.
3. If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be? If there was nothing holding you back, what would you want to do? Once you determine this, ask yourself what you need to change and do in order to achieve it. I believe that we can achieve whatever we desire, if we believe we can and if we’re willing to do the necessary work. To see it, you have to believe it. Does your answer to this question support your intention? If not, review your earlier answers and refine them if needed. The answer to this question captures the heart of who you are – being in alignment with who you are ensures that you’re not only successful, you’re also satisfied.

When we begin to ask ourselves questions like this, we begin to change the way we think about ourselves and what’s important to us. When we’re clear about our intention and what we desire, it becomes much easier to recognize opportunities when they present themselves to us.

“Every experience you have is a good experience…You just have to look for it.”

In the next article we’ll explore 3 powerful ways to change your environment to support your new way of thinking. When our living spaces support our desires, we can create change that not only lasts, we also achieve a sense of balance and harmony in our lives.

Feng Shui Teacher and Entrepreneur Laurie Bornstein, “The Feng Shui Marketing Queen” is the author and creator of ‘Simple Feng Shui Series’, her FREE monthly ezine filled with articles and tips on how to live and work in balance, visit http://www.fengshuimarketingqueen.com to learn more.

If you live in an apartment, or ever have in the past, then you likely already know that you really are limited when it comes to being able to decorate or make changes to your space. For those trying to design and decorate their space using the Feng Shui method, this can prove a difficult hurdle to overcome, but it can be done.

One problem that many apartments have is that the doorways are often larger than standard, or too small. This can negatively affect your chi, and is one of the first areas you will need to focus your attention on. If you have overly large doorways, counteract their negative affect by placing chimes near the doors. For unusually small doorways, strategically placed mirrors can be a quick, effective fix.

Clutter is also a major problem that detracts from your chi, especially if it is centered on the main entryway of your home. If you are in the habit of leaving your shoes, hats, or coats by the door, you need to break the habit, because to maximize your chi, this area needs to remain open and clutter-free.

Water fountains and fish tanks can be a great way to boost your chi, but they have to be placed properly. Putting these items in the wrong places in your home can negatively impact several areas of your life, so this is a crucial step. Take the time to do your homework as to where these items should be positioned for maximum Feng Shui benefit in your apartment.

Natural elements are also a critical part of the Feng Shui decorating scheme, so wooden furniture, especially dining sets, are best. If you have a glass, marble, or metal dining suite, consider selling or trading for a more traditional wooden suite.

Also, it is important that the dining room have adequate space for the table and chairs, so that you can move freely around all sides of the table. You especially want to make certain your entryways and doors are not blocked by dining room furniture!

Your entryway is an important area in your home or apartment, and it is important that it is light and airy. If you do not have any windows in this space, try to add some light sconces on the walls, and enhance the space with mirrors or some other soothing elements.

These are just a few of the ways you can boost your chi, even if you do have limited space to work with. Decorating your home or apartment in the Feng Shui method can really enhance your life, so take the time to look into other small changes that you can make around your home!

Learn what is Feng Shui by visiting our site and downloading our free report on how to Clear Your Life’s Clutter With Feng Shui. Discover valuable Feng Shui secrets to improve your Feng Shui in the home today.

Acoustical doors are rather expensive, and thus tend to be reserved for sound-critical applications like recording studios, government sites, or administrative offices in factories with lots of heavy machinery. However, if you are so sensitive to sound that the neighbor’s dog keeps you up all night, or if you’re a hi-fi or home theater aficionado, you may be a candidate for an acoustical door. For the ultimate in acoustical isolation, consider an acoustical double-door.

How do you know how effective an acoustical door is compared to other acoustical doors? You look at the STC. STC stands for Sound Transmission Class, and describes the acoustic properties of an acoustical door succinctly with a single number. It is a measure of sound transmission loss from one side of the door to the other. Thus, a higher STC means the door keeps sound out (and in) more effectively. Only a laboratory accredited by the United States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards (NIST) under the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) can officially test the door and issue an STC. This keeps manufacturers honest by ensuring they cannot pad their numbers to make their door moor appealing. The certification applies to a particular construction and design, regardless of size, as the properties are expected to be very similar, and every possible variant of a door cannot be tested individually.

Acoustical doors often have windows. Generally window size is limited by desired STC value. Impact of window on acoustical isolation is estimated based on window size. Generally, however, an acoustical door will not have louvers or vents, as these will compromise the sound reduction to the point of rendering the door useless as soundproofing.

When considering acoustical products, consider whether it comes from a manufacturer who specializes in acoustical products. Also, consider hardware and installation, as an acoustical door will not be effective if not installed in an acoustically correct manner. Also inquire as to whether the manufacturer guarantees that the door will meet its specified performance in real-world conditions.
Acoustical doors are available with different fire ratings. Home applications rarely involve fire doors, but if you live in a condo or are building a recording studio, you may want to consider a door with an adequate fire rating. Acoustical doors are typically available with fire ratings of 20 minute, 60 minute, 90 minute, 3 hour, or “S”, which is reserved for true fire doors.

Acoustical doors and windows are available with STC ratings of up to STC 56. You may not necessarily need the highest possible STC rating, however. Consider the acoustical properties of the rest of the room where the door will be installed-if the walls are less soundproof than the door, then perhaps you are spending needlessly on a door that is more soundproof than you need.

Acoustical doors tend to have a sound seal as part of the assembly. This is sort of like a gasket. Doors rated STC 45 or higher tend to have special cam lift hinges and an aluminum threshold so the door will seal as tightly as possible.

Specialtydoors.com offers interior glass doors and other door types including acoustical doors.

Stained glass is perhaps one of the most beautiful types of glass available, and is most known for its presence in lovely medieval church windows, depicting glorious scenes. Usually, stained glass is used to depict some sort of picture or symbol or idea, though now it is increasingly being used as simple decoration and an added touch of beauty to offices and homes. The stained colors are much more subtle, and stained glass is even used in doors and for coffee tables.

Stained glass is created by adding metallic oxides to glass that is molten (created from melting silica with other products) and continually kept melted inside a clay pot over a furnace. The type and amount of oxide added determines the shade and brilliance of color; copper oxides result in green glass, while cobalt makes blue glass and gold makes red glass. These days, the red color is made with less expensive chemicals and produces a more brilliant red.

With stained glass doors becoming more common, more and more companies are willing to produce and sell stained doors for your home or office. Most glass doors have mostly clear (or very slightly tinted glass) with a fairly simple design that involves a bit of stained glass for effect. This way, the door will match the calmer surroundings instead of being garishly bright. While some stained glass doors are completely made of glass (and these are great for inside doors leading to offices, or doors leading into gardens), other stained glass doors are only partially made of glass. Instead, the door is mostly wood, with an inset stained glass window that adds beautifully to the design of the door. However, if you are looking for this type of stained glass door, I would highly recommend having a rather fancy wooden door either stained or painted a darker color; carvings on the door would add to the look, and a heavier wooden door would be best. This makes the glass area fit in aesthetically onto the heavy wooden door. Because glass is so fancy, it is good to have a well-designed door to match it. Wooden doors like these are mostly used as front doors; make sure that your colors and designs also match the exterior of your house before deciding.

In order for a manufacturer to correctly create a glass door for your home, the first step is to make measurements of the door, or of the window set into the door. Make sure these are accurate, as stained glass is difficult to modify. Give the manufacturer a sketched design of what you’d like to be depicted on your stained door, or choose from their selection of designs. It is generally a good idea to keep the design simple and not too colorful-otherwise, the resulting glass may seem too flashy and even garish. Keep in mind that glass doors can be used for indoor and outdoor uses, and some even have glass doors to add a touch of elegance.

Folding doors are generally associated with exterior applications, used for things like removable walls on a swimming pool area or making the patio on a beach house easily convertible into a sealed room. Consider, however that there are many possible beautiful and practical interior applications for folding doors.

Folding doors combine the elegance of French doors with the space-saving convenience of accordion doors. They are ideal for when you need to separate rooms for purposes of heating, cooling or sound, but would like the space to still feel open and large. Unlike sliding glass doors, these doors can easily be tucked away on one side of the room or the other, thus enabling you to open up just about any room.

This type of door may accordion-fold to some degree, but they differ from accordion doors in several ways. The individual panels tend to be bigger. They may be bi-fold doors (doors consisting of two panels). Also, as already suggested, they normally are made mostly of glass, as aesthetic properties are paramount. Folding doors can be arranged to bunch to either one or both sides of an opening.

Since interior folding doors don’t have to withstand weather and the elements, they can be constructed from a wider variety of materials and in a wider variety of styles than exterior folding doors. They can be made of wood, metal, glass, or some combination of two of these, or even all three, depending on the look and function you wish to achieve. When building using wood, it is best to work with the natural color of the wood rather than stain light wood dark or try to paint over wood that is naturally beautiful.

These doors can even be automated. A geared electric motor with a torque limiter (a torque limiter prevents the motor from turning too fast or applying too much force) can, when connected to an endless chain running parallel to an overhead track and coupled to the lead post, can open and close the door with a minimum of effort. This can then be combined with other automating features, such as remote controls, radio controls that can operate over distance, or be coordinated from a preprogrammed PC to open and close automatically at certain times of day.

For interior applications, folding doors can come in a variety of styles. Folding doors can be made to look like French doors (except, of course, with more capacity for opening and being tucked away). You can emulate French doors, adapt to the colonial styling or ranch styling of your home, or go for an ultra-modern look. You will find that there are doors readily available that suit the look of your house.

Any modification to your home is obviously a substantial investment. As a way of dividing up space, limiting the area you heat or cool, controlling sound, or directing how rooms are used, folding doors may provide a substantial aesthetic and practical return on your investment. They also may turn out to be more affordable than you think, and you may find uses for folding doors that you can’t even imagine yet.

Specialtydoors.com offers glass doors and specials doors like folding door.