Types of Mat

The purpose of adding mat to your prints is to protect and preserve it from damages as well as adding style. The mat separates the artwork from the glass to prevent it from sticking and fading out. There are many different routes you can go while choosing a mat for your prints such as the type, the style, the size and more.

The Types

Paper - This mat is made of paper pulp and it the cheapest mat to get. Often times when you buy a frame this is the mat that is already in it. This type can easily turn brown and the pure white will fade away. To prevent this from happening you can go to a framing store and ask them to switch out the paper mat for a different more durable type.

Alpha Cellulose - Made of wood pulp to prevent decaying.

Sizing:

• Basic sizing is two to three inches of mat. But don’t be afraid to go bigger, if your piece is larger than 11” x 14” try a bigger mat to properly scale it. The mat is supposed to draw the eye toward the piece and based on coloring even toward a specific element in the piece.
• If your matting photographs go with a wider mat to create a contemporary yet polished look.
• When done right, pairing an oversized mat with a small picture can attract the eyes towards the picture and create a strong presence for the art piece.

Color:

• Pick the color based on what best compliments the art work.
• Stick to neutral tones in the gray/taupe scale. Try to stay away from colors that are either brighter or darker than the image you are framing.
• If you do want to add in color, layering mats is a great way to do so. Using a bolder color on the first thin layer will allow the picture to pop without overwhelming the art .

Sometimes the hustle and bustle of getting your pictures framed can be a lot of hard work. With online framing you can skip all that and do everything yourself. Its as easy as placing an order and voila, your art and frame will come to you. Online framing is a way to make your framing experience easier, more convenient and less expensive than visiting a shop. You can even take pictures off your social media accounts and turn them into beautiful high quality framed art for you and your family and friends to enjoy.

The whole process is simple and painless. All you have to do is pick out a piece of art that you want framed; it can be a picture you purchased, a photo you took or artwork that you made yourself, whatever it is that you want framed and on display. Then you visit whatever online framing store you have chosen to work with and pick what size, style and mat you would like. After you have picked your photo and framing style you send it to the online shop of your choice. From there all you have to do is wait for your custom frame to be returned to you. The shop makes the personal frame that you ordered and sends it back when they are done. Easy as that. No wonder online framing is gaining popularity to quickly.

Everyone dreams of traveling the world. Whether it be a trek to England or a spiritual journey to Dubai, traveling is something that everyone can benefit from. It helps us grow, experience different cultures, and provides us with memories to last a lifetime. Now that’s not to say that traveling is always easy, it is a learning process and you will constantly find yourself taking note on what to do to improve your experience. Here are some traveling tips to best prepare you for your next adventure:

• Plan a budget ahead of time

Always keep extra cash stashed away for emergency situations. This provides you with a cushion in possible conflict and is a comforting thing to have on yourself.

• Study the places you plan to go ahead of time

This way you can find things that interest you and be able to visit them when you reach your destination. This will help you plan your time wisely and be able to take in as much culture as possible while you are at your destination. Also learn some basic of the language of the place you are visiting to be able to at least slightly communicate with locals

• Wake up early

Don’t waste time sleeping away your days! Wake up early and soak in the culture as you wander around this foreign territory

• Keep an open mind

Being in a foreign area can be stressful and confusing, but don’t let yourself get caught up the negative aspect and instead embrace this new experience as a one in a lifetime chance to immerse yourself in a different culture. Try new foods, take new roads and keep a positive mindset

• Take a lot of photos

Document your trip so that you can look back at the photos and have warm memories to flood your mind with sweet nostalgia

• Meet some locals

Talk to locals of the land- find out places to go from them so that you can live like a local and not be limited to typical tourist traps

• Prepare for all types of weather

Weather can be unpredictable so pack things that you may not think you necessarily need but that you will be desperate for if you don’t have

• Immerse yourself in the culture

Avoid eating at chains or visiting places that are familiar to you. Try new things and experience instances that are out of the ordinary for you

• Make sure your passport is up to date

This is obviously very important. At least six months before you leave make sure everything having to do with your passport is lined up and ready to go. Also make a photocopy of your passport to have a backup in case anything happens to your first one

• Enjoy every moment!

Traveling is one of the most amazing experiences you can give yourself. Be sure to soak in each moment and create wonderful memories for youself

Living in a cozy space always creates a pure at home feel, but how do you make those spaces feel bigger while still maintaining the intimate feel? When decorating a small room every inch counts so follow these ideas to make your small room feel bigger while maintaining your relaxed homey vibe. Here are 10 tips for you living room: 

Living Room-

1. A busy pattern for a rug can really shrink a space. To avoid picking out a rug that will swallow your room whole try layering a smaller patterned rug over a big, solid colored statement rug.
2. Make your furniture multi functional to save space. Use a short dresser as a stand for your tv to go above. This creates a place for you to put away things that may otherwise clutter the room.
3. Of course, the age old trick of adding mirrors to a room still reigns true. If you are not familiar with this trick already, adding mirrors to a room creates the illusion that the room is larger. Keep this in mind and use reflective furniture, like a transparent coffee table,  to create the same illusion. Glass, metal, and acrylic pieces make a room seem more spacious in the same way that a mirror does.
4. If you have low ceilings do not emphasize on it. For example if you plan on doing a small gallery wall let the photos go higher than expected to create the appearance of a higher ceiling.
5. Keep your color palette similar and carry a consistent decorative theme throughout to create a steady cohesive look.  Using neutral tones usually works best for keeping a small room seem open and airy.
6. Moving your furniture away from the walls gives you more room to layer your furniture. What that means is if you want to put a tall bookcase behind a sofa it will make the room look nice and full and be a beneficial way to make the most out of a small space.
7. Do not think that just because the room is small that all the furniture you put in it has to be small too. While keeping scale and proportions in mind using furniture varying in sizes gives a visually appealing look and makes the room more logical and functional.
8. Keep the colors of the room light to make the room feel brighter and larger. Working with white tones stops a room from feeling constrained and creates a brightness throughout.
9. One of the biggest helping hints is to keep your room organized and get rid of any clutter. By adding well placed storage units you can decrease the amount of clutter that a living room always seems to so quickly build up. For example buy decorative baskets to throw your remotes or wires in.
10. Take advantage of any possible light that shines in the room. Using light window treatments and decorating the room using pale colors will allow the light to reflect and keep the room looking bigger than it is.

Color is responsible for 60% of our response to an object or a place, this is called “color psychology.” So, you can understand why it is so important to pick the right color when decorating your home right? To learn more about the color wheel and color schemes click here.

Vibe

What do you want people to feel when they step into a room? Calm? Excited? Social? Formal? Well your color scheme can have a deep impact on what you and your guests feel in a space. Bold colors, such as deep red,  correlate with a more dramatic intense feel. While softer cooler colors, such as blue, give a calming relaxed vibe. If you want a welcoming cozy environment warm colors create the perfect atmosphere. Whereas deeper cool colors and neutrals give a room more of a formal feel. So it is important to consider these things when choosing a color for a room.

Lighting

Lighting has a huge impact on how your room will look because certain hues can look different depending on the light. Natural light would show the truest form of the color you choose. So if you’re looking for a color to paint a room that has a lot of windows and sunshine coming in you do not have to worry about the color looking different from when you looked at it in a store versus when you paint it on your walls. Incandescent lighting is your typical light bulb and tends to bring out warmer tones such as yellows, oranges and reds. Then there is fluorescent lighting which can be a bit tricky to deal with. Fluorescent lighting sets a bluer tone to a room, therefore it works well with cooler tones as when you use warm tones with this type of lighting you run the risk of it clashing.

Testing

Buy samples from stores of colors that you like and then go home and test the color on a small space of your wall. This is the absolute best way to see which colors you like the best This also gives you the opportunity to go beyond your comfort zone. Feel free to pick a bright daring color to test out, maybe you will end up loving it and going down a different path than what you had expected.

Finishes 

Plants are a great way to bring some natural elements into your home while adding ambiance. Not only do they look beautiful but there’s a certain satisfaction to seeing a plant grow and prosper in your space. Plants can also detox your air all while looking lovely and adding a special detail to your home. Here are some plants that you can grow to add both beauty and purity to your home.

Dracaena: These houseplants come in all shapes and sizes. Perfect for brightening up an empty corner, there are many different versions of the Dracaena that one can choose from. Dracaenas also deal well with both low light and high light situations, so if you want to have one in your living room by a window or in the kitchen tucked away, they will both still blossom accordingly.

English Ivy: Great for low light environments English Ivy plants are a climbing plant that work wonderfully in homes. They are also well known for removing allergens from a home and purifying the air from carbon monoxide.

Areca Palm: These plants are cluster growing and are great for bright areas with indirect sunlight. These gorgeous plants are also the most effective at air purifying, according to NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America. Not only that but they work as a natural air humidifier and eliminate carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, xylene and more.

Peace Lily: The Peace Lily is a stunning flower that adapts perfectly in low light areas. Having this flower around eliminates acetone, which is a toxin emitted from electronics and certain cleaners. Be careful to place the lily in a high area if you have pets because it can make them sick if ingested.

Snake Plant: This plant grows strong and tall and is a great way to add vibrant greenery to any room. Snake Plants are easy to maintain especially because they deal well with any type of lighting.  It also absorbs carbon monoxide nightly and releases oxygen into the air, leaving your spaces feeling fresh and clean. In addition it also eliminates formaldehyde and benzene.

Everyone who has used a hammer and nail on their drywall knows the pesky holes that it leaves behind. By following these rules you can cover up those annoying left behind holes and your wall will look good as new.

What You Will Need:

• Wall patch - A wall patch is an adhesive patch that sticks to your wall to nicely cover up the hole you are trying to fix. You can purchase a wall patch at any hardware store and they are usually between $2 - $7 depending on the size or kind.

• Joint compound or spackle - This is what you use to cover the wall patch. Joint compound is white and similar to plaster. Spackle is a putty substance used mostly for smaller projects.

• Putty knife - This is what you will use to evenly spread the compound or spackle. A putty knife can range in price from $5 - $30 based on its size. You can pick which putty knife size is best based on the scale of your project.  

• Sanding block - You will use this in one of the last steps to sand the surface and make it smooth.

• Paint - Last but not least it the paint to officially cover up and blend with the rest of the wall.

The Process:

• First you want to smooth the surface that you are planning on fixing to remove any chunks of drywall from the hole. Once you have done this clean and dry the surrounding area

• Next use a wall patch over the hole. Wall patches are great for easily covering up holes left behind in drywall. You can purchase one from any hardware store for anywhere from $2 - $7. Make sure to smooth the patch evenly to the wall.

• Once you have the wall patch over the wall you should apply a thin layer of joint compound or spackle to the hole and evenly spread it with you putty knife.

• After the area has dried sand it until it is sufficiently smooth and apply another layer of compound or spackle. You can repeat this process however many times until the area is properly to your liking.

• After the final coat of compound or Spackle has dried, sand the surface one more time and finally wipe it clean. You are now ready for the final step!

• Lastly, paint over the surface and voila your wall is fixed.

Picking the Perfect Frame

Picking the perfect picture frame to compliment your art may seem like a daunting task. What looks best? Do these colors match? How can I choose the best frame to go along with this piece? So many questions. A few tips will help you to skip the confusion and pick out the best frame for you.

• Always remember to measure the size of your picture. Don’t forget to include any borders that may be surrounding your art piece as well.
• Pick out a matting color that you think looks the best with your picture. The matting is the area that surrounds a picture when it is in a frame and it should always be two or three inches larger than the picture itself for basic framing.
• When picking out a color for the mat there are a few things to keep in mind. Focus on the color scheme in the picture instead of trying to match the room itself. The mat should go well with the art that you are trying to display and that is what you should be focusing on. Look at the elements in the pictures that you want to be most noticeable and pick out a mat that properly executes that. Try to stick to neutral color tones that will not overpower your piece.
• Next, choose the right size frame. Picking a frame that is too thick for the size of your print may end up overpowering it so always be sure to keep scale in mind.
• To get the measurements right when purchasing a frame do not forget to include the mat in your order.
• Another very important factor to keep in mind is to take your time choosing the right style and effect that you want to achieve. Contemporary prints usually go well with sleek style frames while older pieces can handle strong bold frames and shapes. This is the most important factor to consider while choosing how you want to stylize the print and your room.  

Color Wheel:

Monochromatic: Choosing one color and playing with every variation of it. Working with the tints, tones and shades of that specific color to reach a modern and sophisticated look. This can be a tricky task to take on so be sure to really research what color you want and what you want to accomplish with it.

Ex: Blue

Analogous: This color scheme uses three colors that are adjacent on the color wheel. This creates a simple elegant design that really meshes well with whatever look you are going for. These colors compliment each other well so it is an easy but classic theme to choose for a room. The best way to use an analogous color scheme is to pick out a main color and use the other colors as accents.

Ex: Red, Orange & Yellow

Complementary: This is a high contrast combination of two colors opposite of each other on the color wheel. This is a bold statement to make in a room and is a great scheme if you really want to make a certain element of your room stick out. To best achieve this look without it being too overbearing you want to pick one dominant color as the background and the other color as a complementary color.

Ex: Red & Green

Split Complementary: For this you will use a base color and the two colors adjacent  to it on the wheel. While using this scheme you also want to add in neutrals throughout to break up the visual stimulation of the colors. This is a good scheme if you want to make a statement but are unsure of how exactly to do so.

Ex: Purple, Blue & Yellow

Triadic: This uses three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. This ends up being a very bright look with high contrast and a good balance. Again, you want to let one color dominate over the other two to create the perfect blend.

Ex: Purple, Orange & Green

Tetradic: This theme uses four colors spread equally around the wheel. This is the most daring scheme to attempt because it is said to be quite difficult. It is also sometimes called “double complimentary” because you end up with two pairs of complementary colors. When using the tetradic theme be sure to use one dominant and the other three equally to create a balanced look.

Ex: Blue, Violet, Yellow & Green

Source:

http://www.decorlove.com/how-to-choose-a-color-scheme-the-basics-of-color-coordination/

Everyone deals with clutter. It can be a pain of a project to take on but fear not, we have some helpful tips about how to easily declutter and still keep your spaces looking and feeling fresh. Because a clutter free space is a stress free space.

1. Organize your nightstand by dividing by it into compartments. The bedside table is always prone to clutter; it’s where you put your things before bed and its where you check to find something when you wake up. Same goes to the infamous kitchen “junk drawer” that seems to eat up everything that you put in it while other things you don’t remember owning magically pop up when you’re looking for a pen. This tip is a great solution to this problem. By adding different compartments you can easily organize and put specific items in definitive slots.
2.  Designate a spot for incoming papers. It always seems that papers are the main culprit of clutter. We always are putting them in different places causing confusion and messiness. By dedicating a tray to all your papers you can keep the overload under control. After a while it will become second nature to put your papers in the tray and you will never have to deal with unnecessary stray papers again.
3. Visualize the room after you have decluttered it. This way you will have a mental picture of what you want and expect your room to look like after you have tackled the decluttering mission. You may even visualize where to put certain things and come up with an anti cluttering notion all by yourself.
4.  Go through all your things (medicine cabinet, drawers, closet etc.) and pull everything out. While doing this use a “maybe” box to put things in that you are unsure of what you want to keep or not. That way when you have finally reached the feat of going through all your things you can go through the box and officially pick what stays and what goes. Yes, this is a big project so you may want to schedule your cleaning time so you are not overwhelmed if you attempt to do it all in one go.
5.  Make it a habit. This may end up being the most important decluttering rule of all. Once you have successfully made you home a clutter free zone do not let yourself fall into the trap again. Teach yourself to pick up the cleaning habits that you acquired so that you never have to deal with the stress of clutter repeatedly.