for the home decor

for the home decor

In my last two articles, I talked about the beauty, popularity and versatility of Tuscan home decorating and outlined the basic elements and use of colors in achieving this look. Now we’re going to explore the use of materials and textures to create a Tuscan home of your own.

The warm, rustic look and feel that is reminiscent of the Tuscan region of Italy can be achieved by utilizing an eclectic and diverse of mix materials and textures. Since Tuscan decor is inspired by the natural surroundings of the region, keep this in mind as you select furniture, fabrics, accessories and even wall textures.

Following are some ideas and suggestions for utilizing a variety of organic materials to create a Tuscan-inspired home decor scheme of your own:

Iron Iron is used liberally in Tuscan decor. Wrought iron, copper and other metals are used in unique wall decor, candle holders, pot racks, canisters, baskets, urns, vases and furniture. Metal nail heads on furniture, both upholstered and wood, add Old World detail and richness.

Wood, being one of nature’s most abundant resources, is a natural choice for Tuscan decorating. Tuscan wood furniture can be rough hewn and heavily distressed or more traditional and polished and can be used together throughout your home.

Think of a rustic farmhouse table for the kitchen or dining room. Or chairs and sofas with exposed wood arms and legs. Armoires, sideboards, hutches, bookcases and media centers made of warm and rich dark woods are both functional and beautiful. Iron is a perfect complement and accent to wood furniture.

Stone – in all of nature’s colors – is a beautiful and durable material to use in tiles for counter tops, flooring and accessories. Tumbled, matte or polished travertine, marble and granite are popular choices.

A good, local faux painter can even create areas that appear to be made of stone. This technique works well in entryways, leading up a staircase, in wine cellars and kitchens.

Ceramic accessories add functionality, color and interest in any room or garden. Vases, pitchers, urns, tubs, planters, bowls, platters and dinnerware are common uses of ceramics in Tuscan decorating.

Finishes are both smooth and polished or rough and rustic. The glazes and paints used to finish Tuscan ceramics embrace the entire spectrum of the Tuscan color palette and are often irregular – which only adds to the uniqueness and beauty of an individual piece.

Fabrics Rich fabrics will soften the liberal use of hard surfaces and materials found in Tuscan decorating. Furniture upholstery, throw pillows and blankets, draperies, table cloths and runners, even tapestries in the rich or muted colors found in the Tuscan color palette create warmth and comfort.

Leather is also a versatile textile to use in Tuscan furniture and wall decor and works extremely well with wood, metal and other fabrics.

Foliage Don’t forget to incorporate foliage in your Tuscan decor. Foliage can be live or silk plants, trees and flowers. Create groupings of foliage, ceramic and metal accessories for a natural, warm and inviting look.

There are no hard and fast rules or boundaries in Tuscan decorating. It can be inspired by a country farmhouse or a grand villa; both within the same space. Most important in Tuscan home decorating – don’t be intimidated by it. Tuscan decorating is about the colors, textures and accessories in your home being harmonious and not “matchy-matchy.”

Whether you’re decorating an entire home in Tuscan style or are just looking for a few ideas or decor accessories to enhance what you already have, you can’t go wrong with the Tuscan style. Tuscan home decor is casually elegant and perfect for everyday life in any home.

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The Universe: The Complete Series Megaset [Blu-ray] $71.95 Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 04/26/2011...

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Part 4 $18.85 In the penultimate collection of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the filmmakers begin drawing together the various plots, building to the final confrontation between good and evil. In a flashback sequence, viewers learn the origins of both Hohenheim and his doppelganger, the "Father" of the Homunculi. Hohenheim was once No. 23, a slave of an alchemist in Cselkcess, who created the first Homuncul...

Laser Star $76.99 Now kids can wish upon lots of stars when they transform an ordinary bedroom into their own private star-filled universe. Two built-in precision glass lenses, plus a green laser and holographic technology create thousands of stars and an amazing light show. The coolest most amazing light show you will see anywhere! Laser Star creates thousand of stars with or without cloud formations. AC adapter i...

Winsome Wood Sedona Bed Tray Curved Side, Foldable Legs, Large Handle $28.98 Traditional bed tray with a design twist. Finished in warm antique walnut and made from solid wood. Large handles and folding legs for easy storage. Serve your favorite breakfast on this great tray....

Winsome Wood Alden Lap Desk, Flip Top with Drawer, Foldable Legs $29.95 94623 Features: -Lap desk.-Flip top and pull out drawer. Construction: -Solid and composite wood construction. Color/Finish: -Antique walnut finish. Dimensions: -Flip top dimensions: 13.96'' x 13.78''.-Inside drawer dimensions: 6.3'' x 5.57'' x 1.10''.-Lap clearance dimensions: 20.56'' W x 6.3'' H.-Overall dimensions: 8.95'' H x 22.38'' W x 13.78'' D....

Keurig Tully's Kona Blend Coffee - K-Cup - 18-Count $10.55 Tully's medium-bodied Kona Blend boasts incredible smoothness and a distinct floral aroma reminiscent of the island itself. With little acidity, the Kona flavors shine, presenting a balanced yet medium body. Subtle plum flavors engage with a more prominent, toasted nut flavor. Mellow and silky in the mouthful, the contrasting allspice and caramel finish entices the senses for another sip. With 20%...

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Honeywell RCWL300A1006 Premium Portable Wireless Door Chime and Push Button $29.95 The Honeywell RCWL300A P3 Premium Portable Wireless Door Chime and Push Button makes it easy to replace your home's generic doorbell ring with a chime tune that better fits your individual style. This chime is also compatible with a wide range of optional security accessories that can help you safeguard your home and family, and it comes complete with a pre-programmed bell push button. .caption ...

Two's Company Bee Happy Dancing Solar Flower, Set of 2 $5.80 Two's Company Bee Happy Dancing Solar Flower set/2...

Ghostbuster Wall Decoration Includes one wall hanging. This is an officially licensed Ghostbuster product.The perfect completion to your wall is this Ghostbusters sign!...

Add More Color - Abstract Designs - Fall Leaves. Elegant rustic abstract design great for anyone. Great on gifts and home décor. - T-Shirts Fall Leaves. Elegant rustic abstract design great for anyone. Great on gifts and home décor. T-Shirt is commercial quality high resolution heat transfers garment. 5.6-ounce, 50-50 cotton-poly; taped shoulder to shoulder, coverseamed ribbed collar, double-needle sleeve and bottom hem. Toddler and infant t-shirts are 4.1-ounce. 100% ring spun combed cotton. Our image transfer produces professional ...

Angel Wings Designs Flowers - Purple Pillows Flowers - Home Décor - T-Shirts Purple Pillows Flowers - Home Décor T-Shirt is commercial quality high resolution heat transfers garment. 5.6-ounce, 50-50 cotton-poly; taped shoulder to shoulder, coverseamed ribbed collar, double-needle sleeve and bottom hem. Toddler and infant t-shirts are 4.1-ounce. 100% ring spun combed cotton. Our image transfer produces professional matte finish with Premium Quality and Superior image reso...

Cloud b Twilight Constellation Night Light, Turtle $22.50 Comforting and adorable, the Twilight Turtle nightlight projects a complete starry night sky onto the walls and ceiling of any room, making night-time less scary and more fun. Choose from three soothing color options to create a magical, tranquil environment that helps children from age three and up to ease into restful sleep. .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-...

Bananagrams $10.96 Bananagrams is a FAST and FUN word game that requires NO pencil, paper or board. All you need is a table. One hand can be played in as little as 5 minutes. Great family fun as well as being educational! Bananagrams portability makes it perfect for travel. Just grab the pouch and go! Each Bananagrams pouch contains 144 ivory-like letter tiles and instructions....

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Homebrite 77102 Park N Place $12.99 Park'N Place assists in the perfect park job every time. Prevents dents and scratches from hitting garage walls or other objects. The portable base utilizes a flexible rod with red light that flashes when contact is made with car bumper. Perfect for hard-to-judge, over-sized SUVs and utility trucks. Requires two batteries, included. Fiberglass, 12 x 12 x 51"....

I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER, I'LL LIKE YOU FOR ALWAYS, AS LONG AS I'M LIVING, MY BABY YOU'LL BE Vinyl wall quotes love sayings home art decor decal $2.70 Wall quotes are one of the latest trends in home decor. This new fashion is the perfect way to express yourself or add that little extra touch to a room without breaking the bank. Vinyl wall quotes give the look of a hand-painted word, quote, or saying without the cost, time, and permanent paint on your wall. They are easy to apply and can be easily removed without damaging your walls. Our quotes ...

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD Vinyl wall quotes religious sayings home art scripture decor decal $0.50 Wall quotes are one of the latest trends in home decor. This new fashion is the perfect way to express yourself or add that little extra touch to a room without breaking the bank. Vinyl wall quotes give the look of a hand-painted word, quote, or saying without the cost, time, and permanent paint on your wall. They are easy to apply and can be easily removed without damaging your walls. Our quotes ...

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Is it safe to put the silk plants meant for home decor into my fresh water aquarium?

I also put a lava rock into my tank. It’s a newly established tank, and the ph and ammonia levels are fine, but I have a high fish mortality rate and am wondering if the fake plants are the culprit.

NO.

Silk plants are made a variety of ways. if they are not labeled aqaurium safe they may have toxic chemicals in the dyes, stem and adhesives causing your fish death.

There is a company that makes aquarium safe silk plants which will work fine, but yu cannot safely use just any craft store silk plant.

Often the stems are made of a cheap low cost metal material that reacts in water, the adhesvie glues can break down and release toxins, and teh dyes of the leaves are soluable in water and release into it. Also, they may not be true ‘silk’ leaves and may be a synthetic that is not safe for aqauriums.

Plastic plants ansd the new ultrarealistic plants are a good choice. The new varieties are very relasitic.

Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter $14.95 K-Cup Adapter for B40 Elite, B50 Ultra, B60 Special Edition Keurig brewer / Allows you to use any gourmet ground coffee desired in your Keurig brewer...

OXO Salad Spinner ...

Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler $185.00 The Cuisinart(tm) Griddler makes "multifunctional" an understatement! Make perfect panini... plus! With four separate cooking options, it can handle everything from pancakes to sausages to grilled cheese to steaks, hamburgers and panini. It helps you prepare more servings of more kinds of food in less time, so you can cook for a crowd -- no one has to wait!Simply change the cooking plates and adju...

Pure Cult $8.52 The hard-rocking Cult have come along way from the early Native American stylings of Dreamtime and the dodgy goth tendencies evident on their classic album, Love. Blame Rick Rubin, who helmed Electric and steered them down the rocky road to metal heaven. This best-of collection brings together tracks from the span of their career, and is a worthy testament to their rites of passage. "She Sells San...

Bare Trees $4.59 This can be considered out of print, and hard to find now....

Sheryl Crow $0.94 Skeptics who attributed the success of Sheryl Crow's 1994 debut, Tuesday Night Music Club, to a combination of Crow's seductive good looks and a shrewd choice of collaborators have been effectively silenced by the range and depth of songs and performances on her self-produced, pointedly self-titled sequel. Playing guitars and keyboards, and building a triumphant, layered vocal style, Crow is tough...

Dumbo (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack in Blu-ray Packaging) $17.42 A Disney "classic" that actually is a classic, Dumbo should be part of your video collection whether or not you have children. The storytelling was never as lean as in Dumbo, the songs rarely as haunting (or just plain weird), the characters rarely so well defined. The film pits the "cold, cruel, heartless" world that can't accept abnormality against a plucky, and mute, hero. Jumbo Jr. (Dumbo is a...

Drop Dead Gorgeous [VHS] $2.98 Subtle is not the word to describe Drop Dead Gorgeous, a mock documentary purporting to cover the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Teen America Beauty Pageant in Mount Rose, Minnesota. Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love) and Kirsten Dunst (Interview with a Vampire, Dick) are perfectly cast as a mother and daughter whose only ambition is to use the pageant to get out of their claustrophobic small-town lives. Opposing t...

Kurtain Kraft ~ Kornice Valance (Home Decorating with Sandra Lee) $3.95 A one-on-one guide to creating elegant, traditional window treatments without gluing or sewing!...

Dalen OW6 Gardeneer 16-Inch Molded Owl $11.33 DALEN GREAT HORNED OWL *18" high *Hand painted *Plastic *Natural predator of small animals and birds *Effective scarecrow...

Fall Home Decor

Safe-Plate Decor Outlet Cover - Almond $3.95 Safe-Plate Automatic Outlet Covers are an attractive and convenient way to help protect children from potentially dangerous electrical outlets. Safe-Plate protects instantly and automatically, sliding into position the moment you remove a plug from the outlet. Features: Thermal seal insulation helps make your home more enery-efficient Designed for decorative duplex receptacles with a screw at the top and bottom White & Almond colors CSA approved Easy installation

Safe-Plate Decor Outlet Cover - White $3.95 Safe-Plate Automatic Outlet Covers are an attractive and convenient way to help protect children from potentially dangerous electrical outlets. Safe-Plate protects instantly and automatically, sliding into position the moment you remove a plug from the outlet. Features: Thermal seal insulation helps make your home more enery-efficient Designed for decorative duplex receptacles with a screw at the top and bottom White & Almond colors CSA approved Easy installation

Jaraba Velours Rug by Missoni Home $3425 Provide the foundation that will allow interior decor to take flight with the Missoni Home Jaraba Velours Rug. Numerous bi-colored butterflies are on the wing, drifting across the solid background. The butterfly outlines are raised, giving the rug unique texture and increased depth. Handmade out of 100% wool, it is available in two sizes and color patterns. Missoni Home collection features a range of products from high-end home linens and rugs to furnishing, accessories and lighting. Missoni Home's leading trends boast an exceptional and unique graphic approach to color and pattern designed to complement today's top fashion brands. The Missoni Home Jaraba Velours Rug is available with the following: Details:Handmade100% woolOptions:Color: Nero, Bianco and Grigio (shown), or Nero, Bianco and Rosso.Size: 67" x 94", or 79" x 118".Shipping: This product ships in approximately 6-8 weeks.

Bratt Decor Chelsea Dresser In Espresso $1738 Bratt Decor Chelsea Dresser In Espresso

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Bratt Decor Chelsea Bookcase In Espresso $716 Bratt Decor Chelsea Bookcase In Espresso

Bratt Decor Chelsea Bookcase In White $716 Bratt Decor Chelsea Bookcase In White

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Bratt Decor Chelsea Armoire In White $2288 Bratt Decor Chelsea Armoire In White

Bratt Decor Classic Armoire In Black $1668 Bratt Decor Classic Armoire In Black