Sanya Arts Space

Folk and ethnic-inspired decor have been making a comeback in the modern design world lately, and they’re moving from the livingroom (in the form of richly embellished throw pillows, bead curtains and earthy rugs) to the bathroom. Here’s a few tips on how you can capitalize on the richness, depth and intrigue of folk and ethnic bathroom decor.

Think of folk/ethnic as global influences. This, in essence, is a very diverse and nearly “anything goes” approach to interior decorating. You can pick a particular region and culture of the world that you would like to emulate, such as North American Native or maybe Ancient Egyptian, or you can go for a more eclectic look that gets its influences from a variety of places.

If you want to start small, try adding ethnic touches to some of the accents in your bathroom. For instance, you can find plenty of embroidered hand towels that feature detailed trim, or small accessories that you can place around the bathroom. Try a folkloric wooden bird or painted vase on your windowsill.

It’s also possible to bring in some reclaimed wood furniture in place of your bathroom vanity if you want to make some more major changes. Or, you can do a complete renovation – paint the walls a rich golden hue, install bronze-trimmed light fixtures, bring in a matching tub, basin and toilet, and completely transform your bathroom to a folk and ethnic masterpiece.

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“BEDROOM- AN ALL IN ONE SPACE
Sometimes we want our bedroom to be more than just a place to sleep. If we are multi task oriented, we desire to complete all our daily tasks before leaving the bedroom, and hence we can even convert it into a multi- purpose room.”

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Modern flooring can be exciting, but you really only have a few choices: wood, carpet, tile, and maybe marble if you’re feeling luxurious. So how do you spice up these sometimes limited options? Layered flooring.

Layered flooring will add a richness and warmth to any room. You can go about layering flooring types and flooring levels several different ways, and each will result in a different atmosphere in your home.

You can start small: adding a rug on top of a bare wood floor. This small gesture can make a room feel much more cozy and, if you choose the right rug, you can add some geometric or intricate patterns that will draw the eye towards the center of the room.

If you have wall-to-wall carpets, you can get in on this trend too. Just place a rectangular or circular rug on top of your existing carpeting, and you’ll have yourself a splash of color as well as an eye-catching extra layer.

For the more ambitious, you can add a physically higher or lower layer of flooring when you renovate. This, as pictured above, will add depth to any room. It’s especially good for a large, open space, but you can add a layer almost anywhere to differentiate one room from another.

Layering your flooring is a subtle but effective way to amp up the style in your room, using low-cost and low-effort.

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Wallpapers have been getting a bad rap in the modern interior design world lately. Paint seems to be all the rage, while wallpapers are relegated to “older” styles. But that’s not necessarily the case.

Your bedroom could benefit from a fresh layer of wallpaper, if you’re looking for a way to bring some life to your walls.

The patterns of modern wallpaper simply can’t be matched by an understated, simple coat of paint.

For instance, the wallpaper in the image above features tasteful and delicate bare trees with birds interspersed throughout the branches. The rich brown background and gilded gold trees is simply stunning, and adds a lot of depth and detail to the walls, which would otherwise likely be a flat brown.

You can also use wallpaper in a more minimal sense. By using wallpaper on only one wall of your bedroom, you can incorporate a much bolder pattern and draw the focus of the eye towards the accent space. If you do choose a bold pattern, just be sure it isn’t completely overwhelming.

As your bed will likely be the centerpiece of your bedroom, you want to be sure that the wallpaper doesn’t detract from the bed or other furniture, but instead it should compliment the contents of the room.

Wallpaper will likely make a comeback in 2011, so if you want to get ahead of the curve, go ahead and experiment with some bright, bold and beautiful wallpaper today.

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Your bathroom is a sanctuary, if you put it into perspective. It is a place where you can take a long, hot shower in preparation of a hard day at work, and return to for a relaxing warm bubble bath after that day at work.

Your bathroom is a refuge from the demands of the day, where your mind can be at peace – so why not dress it up as the place of relaxation that it should be?

Soothing, tranquil bathrooms should speak to what you find relaxing.

To start, why not do a little painting. Calm, cool blue and greens will inspire tranquility. They will make your bathroom feel like a luxurious spa room, rather than just a functional room.

Another way you can remake your bathroom into a refuge is by removing the clutter. Look around your bathroom, and see what could be stowed away – you’ll likely be surprised at how much you can simply tuck away underneath your vanity.

If you want to go all out, try giving your bathroom the whole spa effect. An elongated soaker tub with jets, a streamlined vanity, and mood lighting are great relaxation additions. Or how about doing a complete renovation, and adding a sauna to the corner of your bathroom? This will relax you, improve your skin, reduce your stress and help you unwind after a tough day.

Your bathroom can be a place for you to find an oasis in your day, so bring out its inner spa and let yourself be pampered.

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Modular furniture is an urbanite’s dream. It can be moved, shaped and re-shaped to fit whatever space you need it to, large or small. And because of its modularity, it usually features a bubbly, minimalist, or artsy form.

At their core, modular furniture are sets of pre-made furniture pieces that can be combined in several different ways. They are often storage units that can be stacked, chair and table sets that can be folded into each other, or sofas and coffee tables that can slide together when not in use.

Because of their movable, flexible nature, many modular pieces are minimalist in design. They are made for people looking for a compact way to incorporate functionality and style into their home.

For the urbanite with a flair for interior decorating, modular furniture is just perfect. Take the above laptop stand – it is a cabinet in its most basic form, but it includes several compartments that can be opened up to reveal a laptop stand, a mouse pad, four large drawers and electrical plugs. All in one unit!

The benefits of modular furniture are both fashionable and functional. Modular furniture looks stunning in a small space, and it makes it feel larger, too. In a downtown, one-bedroom apartment, bringing in furniture that is both stylish and has multiple functions is a great way to embrace the urban lifestyle without sacrificing your sense of interior design.

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You want flexibility in your kitchen. It’s the place you cook, sometimes the place you eat, and it can be a place for family and friends to gather, too. So for all of these purposes, you want a kitchen design that will remain versatile.

One of the best ways to achieve a versatile yet vibrant kitchen is by incorporating white kitchen cabinets.

On the surface, white might sound a little boring. But it’s far from it.

White kitchen cabinets are versatile. They can be paired with nearly any color walls and floor for a stunning effect. This flexibility means that you can let your creativity run wild.

White kitchen cabinets are also a timeless fixture. In a country-inspired kitchen, a modern minimalist kitchen or any style in between, they’ll be perfectly at home. As they compliment any architecture and style, white kitchen cabinets are a perfect starting place for almost any interior design.

In addition to all of this, the white color will make your kitchen feel light and spacious. This will make eating, chatting and cooking a much more enjoyable experience.

If you’re looking for a safe but effective kitchen redecoration move, try white kitchen cabinets. They will allow for vibrant complimentary colors, provide a timeless appeal, and open up your kitchen to an airy space.

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Sometimes a big, blank wall is an exciting canvass – but other times it can be a daunting hurdle. How do you dress it up? Do you paint it? Install some shelving? Put up art?

One fantastic new modern trend that can be installed on a large scale is grid art.

Smaller painting, pictures, photos or images can be framed or left unframed and put up behind a sofa or along a blank wall. In three rows of three, or four rows or five, or whatever combination you choose, grid art is a fantastic way to create an eye-catching artistic landscape without having to purchase a single oversized canvass.

It’s a great way to bring together some thematically similar art you might have lying around, and display it all together. Think of colorful photos of different flowers, black and white pictures of Paris, or close-ups of textured surfaces. These would look stunning lined up in grid form.

If you are going to frame the images behind your sofa, it’s best to use the same or similar frame for each. This will give the grid some consistency, and let you play around with the actual images inside the frames.

You can do a single line of three photos for the most basic grid art, or go the extra mile and include a dozen small photos in a circular or triangular grid. The way you set up your grid art is limited only by your imagination.

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Looking for a big project this winter? Consider opening up one of your closed staircases. Your home will appear lighter, airier and generally more open.

An enclose staircase is one whose base extends from the top to the floor, effectively creating two walls on either side of the staircase. Most staircases, unless they have some special treatment, are closed – but they can be opened up with a little remodeling know-how.

By knocking the wall down, you give yourself so many additional options for your home. Think about all the space that could be used underneath for storage now. You can put a lovely shelving unit or some storage boxes under your stairs, and expand your storage space by a significant margin.

Or, try using that space as an architecturally interesting design canvas. You can display plates, artwork, collectibles or any number of things beneath an open staircase that would have to find another home otherwise.

The whole room will seem larger if you knock out the wall beneath your staircase. More sun will filter in, and you’ll find yourself wondering how you managed before all this new space was available.

An open staircase can also be used to architecturally connect one room to another. As staircases often separate rooms, opening them can bring two spaces together harmoniously.

Just a word of warning: this can be a rather large project to take on, so be sure that you have professional help or advice before you get started.

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The rug has been a part of interior design for generations, and it’s usually a safe bet for bringing any room together. But you don’t want to just be “safe” with your design, do you?

Rectangular rugs are safe, no doubt about it. There are some stunning ones available, featuring florals, geometric patterns, swirls, colors… A rectangular rug will always fit your room, so there’s no worrying about positioning or spacing. It’s a natural fit. Not so the circular rug.

A circular rug needs coaxing to look great, but if you get the sweet spot with positioning, color, pattern and texture, it will make your room pop.

Circle rugs are great for small spaces, as they open up a room. If the rug you choose is a bolder color than the colors around it, it will draw the eye inward, away from the walls, and make the space appear larger than it is.

Circles have no edges, no boundaries. They represent infinity, and when incorporated into a space, this sensation of never-ending form will permeate the atmosphere.

Think about adding a circular rug underneath a sofa to pull it, visually, away from the wall and move it towards the center of the room. Or, you can add a circular rug to the center of a room for a great, eye-catching symmetry.

The possibilities are as endless as the edge of a circle.

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