4 Unique Decorating Ideas Using Grow Lamps

Grow lamps are not exactly synonymous with interior design and home decorating. In fact, you probably just pictured your high school botany class or a friend you used to know that grew his own "oregano" under grow light bulbs in his closet. If there is anything you should have learned by now is that just about everything you find today can somehow work its way into fashion, whether it's clothing or interior decorating. Grow lamps are no exception. Though they have not lost their original capabilities of growing strong, healthy plants indoors, they might have picked up a few talents along the way.

You can use these lamps in several rooms of your house, either to help the plants that are in that room or to add a distinctive accent to the room. They're not exactly something that you want to look directly at, but they can be good for illuminating a picture on your wall or behind a sculpture for some back lighting.

What do you do with your fireplace for the nine months out of the year that you don't have a fire in it? Find a semi-opaque fireplace screen and place grow lamp in the fireplace with the screen in front of it. Don't expect it to resemble a real fire, but that's not exactly the idea. It is simply a unique way to use your fireplace to create new light in the room.

Their original use not forgotten, these lamps can help make your home a little more beautiful encouraging healthy and strong plants that you keep. In the kitchen, hand a small set of grow lights underneath a top cabinet where they are mostly out of sight and shine down onto the countertop. This is now your new greenhouse where you can grow fresh herbs and plants to use in your cooking. It can be difficult to keep plants alive indoors, so a grow lamp will help perform the function of the sun and help your mini-garden prosper.

Another thoughtful place for a grown lamp is not in the home at all, but at work. If you have your own office, or even cubicle, you may be able to use a grow lamp for part of the day to keep that plant on your desk alive for a few more weeks. You really don't want to be in close proximity to a grow lamp for several hours a day, but letting your budding beauties get a little artificial sunlight for a little while each day may do you both some good. The halogen is making both of you wilt, and maybe you won't benefit from the grow lamp, but at least you can save your plants.

Using grow lamps in your home or office décor is going to require a little imagination on your part and patience from your family or coworkers while you try out a few things. In the end, however, you may have found an interesting new way to spruce up your home while you are helping the plants in it. They are a lifesaver for anyone that finds themselves without a green thumb, but it doesn't take a professional to come up with a few new places to use them.

Home Office Decorating Ideas - Easy And Unique Home Office Decorating Ideas

You don't have to hire a professional interior designer to create a professional home office. There are many inexpensive ways to organize and beautify your space, while helping you to become organized and productive. It only takes a bit of imagination and creativity.

If you're on a budget or environmentally conscious, consider decorating your office with used items. Make a visit to your local thrift store for great deals on desks, chairs, hutches, armoires, shelving and storage units. Check your local newspaper for yard or estate sales or attend an auction. You might be surprised at the items you can pick up for next to nothing!

Art work is a welcome addition to any home office. There are many places on the Internet that offer bargain art work. Choose art that reflects your personality and inspires you. Many decorators use "Motivational" prints in commercial offices. These prints include words of encouragement and inspirational quotes for the business person. Avoid using art work that depicts any type of fighting, such as wild animals confronting one another.

Sculptures or knick knacks can make the home office feel more inviting and homey. Avoid using too many, as it will make the room feel cluttered. Instead, select two or three pieces and place them in highly visible locations or display them in cases attached to the wall.

Whenever possible include live plants in your home office setting. Live plants are symbolic of growth and prosperity, so if a plant begins to wilt, tend to it immediately. If a plant dies, promptly remove it and replace it with a healthy plant.

A popular home office decorating idea is the use of a water feature. Flowing water is symbolic of wealth and the gentle sound of flowing water is calming and relaxing. Water features are available in many styles, sizes and colors.

Some can be hung on the wall, while others are placed on the floor or desk top. When using a water feature, be certain to keep the water clean at all times, otherwise fungi and bacteria can grow.

Aquariums are an excellent addition to any home office. If you do not have space for a full size aquarium, use a smaller desktop aquarium instead.

Interior Design Ideas - How to Buy Unique Furniture For Your Home Or Office

You want your home or office unique and fitting just to you? In California Bay Area there is a lack of furniture stores. There are big box stores, but it all seems to look alike. Everyone can buy that stuff. How do you make your interiors unique and special, just for you?

Determine your stylee: In order to get interior furnishings that reflect you, you need to determine what your style is. Start in each room and ask these questions:Is the room formal or casual? What casual fabrics do I like? Leather, suede, or cotton? What formal fabrics do I like? Silks, metallic, brocades? What texture do I like? The more texture, the more casual. Smooth texture for more formality? What shapes do I like? Do I like curves and softer furnishings or do I like angular more modern items? Am I a traditional, modern or unconventional person?

Look at designer furniture - The designer furnishings are not usually available directly to the public. The designer is used to working with these companies and can help you fine tune each piece to fit you. The advantages of the designer furnishings is that each piece is not sold in bulk. You will not see the pieces elsewhere. You can usually use the exact fabric you love and have it put on the piece of furniture. You can choose the exact finish, color or metal detail color. And you can detail it any way you want to make it go with your decor. This is the way to get the designer look. When putting together a design, I know that I will not find these pieces in the stores just as I need them. The chances of finding something with just the right color, texture, detailing and look that I want is pretty slim.

Add your details - The main details are mentioned above like color, texture, shapes and style. But you can get even more detailed. How about adding contrasting welts, the cording on a piece of furniture or pillow, so you have 2 colors on your furniture piece? How about bead trim on your pillows or a fringe that brings out just the exact colors you want?Try fringe or beads in your exact colors on your draperies. What else can add you touch? The examples are endless. You can even print a picture on canvas and put it on a chair. Now that is unique...

What are your ideas? Please comment and put some of them below. It is fun to be a unique as you are and show it in your home or office? What are some of the ways that you have thought about doing that?