தமிழ்
Astrology
Classifieds
Cricket
Movies
TV Room
Education
Health
Hotels
IT
Maps
BSE/NSE Live
Music
News
City 360
Shopping
e-paper
Videos
Friendship
Jobs
Kalyanam
Property
Download Songs
Food
Style
Society
Children
Science & Environment
Chennai Citizen
Artscene
HR & Education
Home Decor
Festivals & Religion
Columns
Mail us your feedback
Recommend this page

Donate to Raghavendra Brindavan



Download Tamil Fonts

How to use Books / Mirrors in Decor

Home Decor

Are your books becoming a strain on your storage space? They don't have to be. Make books functional as well as decorative. Mirrors too provide a special magic in decor, adding light and seemingly expanding space. Reflect on the ideas given for using mirrors in your home. 

Here are some ways to use books creatively: 

Stack coffee-table-type books to end-table height. Set a small glass top, round or rectangular, on the stack to make a perch for a lamp, beverages or whatever. Set your new table beside an easy chair. Make two stacks of coffee-table-type books side by side and place a long rectangular piece of glass over the stacks. And you have a coffee table. 

Create vignettes with books by propping up small ones on the back of a piano or on a ledge in the hall; standing up bigger ones at the back of a deep desk or chest of drawers (a lamp, framed photos and other items can sit in front of the books); or by putting them high up on the tops of kitchen cabinetry and armoires. 

 Let the books play a role in a special centerpiece, mantel decor or table top. At Easter, for instance, you could display a basket of coloured eggs, a stuffed bunny and a storybook. Give bookcases a tidy look so they become a plus in decor. Arranging the books by colour and incorporating attractive collectibles into bookshelf displays can turn the shelving into a design statement, rather than a decorating distraction. 

Be creative in finding places for bookcases, especially when you have more books than space. Small bookshelves can often be squeezed into an entryway, hall or stairway landing, and a big one works great as a room divider. 

Tips: 

If your books look sloppy, level the spines at the front of the bookcases. 

Don't have the books tilting at an angle. Instead, stand most of them up straight. You can use a few lying horizontally as bookends. 

Need some inexpensive but good-looking bookends? Glass block - sold at many home centers - is a lovely option, or use sand or pebbles to give weight to a hollow, but sturdy, opaque collectible. 

How to use mirrors in Decor 

Hang large framed mirrors on walls to expand and brighten spaces (but be sure the mirror reflects an attractive image). Mirror a long wall in a skinny space to double the visual width of the room. This is a great trick for halls, entryways, narrow dining rooms, exercise rooms and master bathrooms. 

Use a framed mirror to serve as a tray that contains perfumes, cosmetics and jewellery on a dresser top or bathroom counter. Hot-glue plastic buttons on the bottom of the tray (the back of the mirror) to serve as non-damaging gliders. Add slim drawer handles to the wide, substantial frame of a framed mirror and use it as a serving tray. Be sure the mirror is well-supported with a backing of plywood.

Mirror the countertop's backsplash in the kitchen. It will reflect light where you're preparing food, and it is a breeze to wipe clean. Mirror the backs of bookcases or display shelves to add a sense of depth. Have a mirror custom-cut to fit the top of a damaged piece of furniture such as a table or dresser top.

Tips:

Place a mirror above a mantel with special care, because it may reflect only the uninteresting tops of furniture or blank wall space within the room. Angle it down - by putting a little slack in the hanging wire - so it reflects something more attractive. 

Situate mirrors so they don't cause glare. Mirrors can be problematic if they're placed across from a window with a western or southern exposure. 

Floor-to-ceiling mirrors definitely increase the sense of volume in a room. Keep in mind, however, that this is a look that comes and goes in popularity.

More Articles

Recommend this page

Mail us your feedback

Post your ads for FREE!

Online Homeopathy Consulting!
BSE/NSE Live
Properties on Sale and Rent
Properties in Your City
Horoscope with 10 Year's Prediction

Copyright 2010, Chennai Interactive Business Services (P) Ltd.

cibs@chennaionline.com
Copyright and Disclaimer, Privacy Policy. Send your suggestions.