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modern japanese interior design items

design — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:45:24 +0000

Asian style decor does not have to be all Chinese reds, majestic dragons and antique fans. In fact, many prefer the very stylish modern Japanese interior design style. Contemporary Japanese home decor style retains the sense of harmony and balance, and the neutral color schemes. The idea is to create a peaceful harmonic environment in the room, while incorporating exotically unique touches of Japanese art and objects.

This style focuses on a clean design, clutter-free with well lit spaces setting the stage for a few chosen object des arts. Many rooms end up with a minimalistic look, which should contribute towards a zen-style sense of balance rather than alienate. To achieve the right effect, be prepared to invest in a few well-chosen items that will set the tone of the entire room.

Here are a few options for you to consider. All of these items can be ordered from Amazon with the provided links and delivered to your doorstep anywhere within the continental US, so go ahead and bring the Japanese magic into your home.

This Classic Japanese Shoji Screen allows you to install an instant wall in your room, possibly delimiting the Japanese styled area, or simply assisting in creating separate living areas in a larger space. It’s versatile enough to fit into any room, as you can order a combination of three to six panels. With other shades available, you can custom fit this into your color scheme, always retaining that distinct sense of natural materials and a balanced clean look. Click Here for the Japanese Shoji screen on Amazon

This classic tatami floor mat provides a clean chic Japanese touch to any room. The contrast between the natural woven grass shades and the sheer black border makes this item a great match to any modern Japanese room design. It’s also eco-friendly and fairly inexpensive, so definitely an item worth considering. Click here to read more and buy it online.

This gorgeous wall clock encompasses the clean de-cluttered look of contemporary Japanese style. Large and metallic for an added modern edge, it has Japanese symbols in lieu of numbers. With the chopsticks like arms, it clearly conveys a sense of that unique look you’re going for. Click here for full specs, price and availability.

For your choice of furniture, try to stick to black solid items, with clean lines and a minimalistic look. This black table is a wonderful example of modern Japanese furniture. Use it as a living room table, or as a mantle piece on which you can display artwork, plants or even a small minimalistic zen garden. Click here for the Product page.

Last, but not least, consider introducing a natural element into your room setup. Goldfish will add to your feng shui design, but certainly require looking after. If you prefer not to have to deal with goldfish care, a plant is always an option. For the easiest low-maintenance element, a quality artificial plant works best, and you can’t go wrong with a couple of potted Japanese bamboo plants. Click here to see details and price.

Finally, for more information and inspiration about Asian design do check out this site: Feng Shui Decorating.

Enjoyed these ideas? Do leave us comments and let us know what you think about this decorating style.

Olive Kids NEW Trains, Planes & Trucks Kids Wallies Murals

sabra — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:37:20 +0000

Here is a great way to tun the walls of your child’s bed room into a colorful mural. You’ll love the freedom you have to create an original decor theme with these fun accent items. All you need to do is stick them on the wall, in any arrangement you prefer, and presto! You have a fun decor theme your child will be thrilled with. This transport design matches the one on the LA rug featured in an earlier post. Combine them for the full effect of the ultimate in transport decor. Kids love to fantasize about operating these vehicles and flying into the wild blue yonder. Spark their imaginations with this mural art.

Pre-pasted wall paper cut outs are vinyl coated, acid free, and stick to the wall using an included gum like substance that will not damage the wall This allows for easy removal. You can arrange them in any way you’d prefer, so your wall becomes the canvas for your art.

There are 25 cut outs in each package of Wallies. The train measures 10.5 inches by 18 inches. The planes measure 17 inches by 13 and 1/4 inches. The trucks measure 10 inches by 17 inches.

Air the room out thoroughly for a day or two before occupying the room after application. That will allow most remaining out-gassing from the new vinyl to dissipate. The half life of vinyl emissions is a few hours.

Click here for price and more details

Out of This World Space Themed Rug

sabra — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:39:58 +0000

Look at this cool rug! The space theme is perfect decor for a kids room. This motif will inspire them to reach for the stars, and realize their dreams. Budding astronauts will appreciate this reminder that the sky is not a limit, and that their generation will go places we’ve always fantasized about.

The space theme rug measures 19 inches, by 29 inches, by 2 inches, and its shipping weight is 2 pounds. Made of nylon, this rug is fire retardant, and easy to clean.

This rug would be perfectly placed at the entrance to your kids room. According to Feng Shui, the entrance is where one’s career and life path Chi is focused. The color black and the color blue, both of which are featured in this rug, are the Feng Shui colors associated with entrances. The colors symbolize the fluidity of water, and this rug design echos that concept with its curved fluid lines of streams in space. Of course the flame coming out of the rocket would be appropriate for the fame and reputation zone on the opposite wall too. The picture of earth makes it perfect for the heath zone in the center of the room. From a Feng Shui perspective, this rug is versatile and well balanced.

The best part? The LA Out of This World Rugs are so affordable, you can give them as gifts, and to each one of your own children.

Click here for price and more details

LA Rug Trains, Planes & Trucks Rug

sabra — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:28:07 +0000

Kids love transportation themed decor, and this rug is wonderful. Featuring four open cockpit tail-draggers, a cement mixer, a fire truck, a tractor, a dump truck and a train, this rug has almost every glamorous vehicle that kids fantasize about riding or operating. The detail on this rug is fantastic, and the colors are beautiful. You don’t have to chose between their interests and your aesthetic taste anymore.

This transportation themed rug allows the kids room decor to be both interesting to them, and pretty. How can you not feel cheerful looking at this rug? The green country side, the blue sky, and the city skyline are all featured on this pleasantly arranged picture rug.The striped double border makes a whimsical frame for this fun design.

The rug measures 19 inches by 29 inches by 2 inches, and is made of nylon. This item is easy to clean, and the shipping weight is 2 pounds.

The best part about this trains, plains, and trucks rug, is the low price. You’ll be able to afford several, so you can give them as gifts, and still have enough left over to buy one for each of your own kids. That solves the problem of who gets to have it closer to their bed, and prevents fighting. Since it looks expensive, you can give them as birthday presents, and no one will know how much you actually saved.

Click here for price and more details

NATURAL renewable Bamboo BATH MAT

sabra — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:09:47 +0000

Here’s my favorite bath mat. It won’t slip because it has 12 rubber feet for a safe grip on the floor. It’s rounded to keep you from banging into sharp corners. The shape is pretty and enables such harmonious decor designs. The slots allow for drainage and evaporation, which will keep your feet out of the puddles, and then keep your floor from harboring germs and fungi like a regular bathmat would.

It’s made from strong durable bamboo wood, which is resistant to water, splitting, and mold. Bamboo is a renewable resource. It is quick growing and farmed, so you can feel good about supporting sustainable wood production. It is also gorgeous, and makes your bathroom feel like a finish spa or a Japanese traditional bath house. This will look great with the other accessories shown in previous posts and with those below.

Click for more details and price

To complete that Finnish Spa look, add the Mayfair 9401NI Natural Reflections Toilet Seat with Nickle Hinges, made of Dark Bamboo and available in lighter shades.

Click for more details and price

and the natural bamboo bathroom decor toilet brush and holder by Umbra

This comes with a removable plastic cup insert for easy cleaning.

Click for more details and price

BAMBOO BATH Mats

sabra — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:11:41 +0000

Click for more details and price

Spas use bamboo bath mats for good reasons: The bamboo grips the floor, so it is safer; it won’t skid. Bamboo is water resistant and has antibacterial properties. Bamboo mats are much more durable, so they last longer than other materials. They roll up for easy storage.

You can see why spas prefer them. Don’t you think you deserve all these benefits at home? Don’t you want to feel safe stepping out of the tub? Don’t you want your mat to last, so you don’t need to keep buying new ones? Don’t you want to be able to dry your feet on a hygienic surface? Wouldn’t you like to be able to roll it up and stash it when you’re cleaning the floor?

You could put a couple of these by your outdoor hot tub or jacuzzi to keep your feet clean while getting in and out. I like using them in the kitchen, because they don’t get as nasty as other mats when you drop food on them. They are easier to clean too.

Click for more details and price

Those are good reasons; here are a few more:

Bamboo’s beautiful and understated neutral color goes with any decor. If you buy other bamboo accessories (see previous posts), it will match and create a lovely design theme.

But most importantly, it is made from the fastest growing sustainably farmed wood on the planet.

Doesn’t that make you proud to stand on these mats?

Asian Middle Eastern Home Decor Items

design — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:44:33 +0000

You just can’t go wrong with a gorgeous Persian style carpet. This one has the best color combo you could ask for, in a traditional design that has a timeless beauty. It’s a design element around which to base a room’s decor, and looks great with both unfinished and stained wood furniture. The sage green, wine, cream and peach accents give you several tasteful options for drapes and upholstery. Lay this Area Rug over hard wood floors, earth tone colored ceramic tile, and cream colored wall to wall carpets for elegant visual harmony.

The rug is made of polypropylene fibers, so it can withstand the wear and tear of daily foot traffic and spills. However, the Home Dynamix Royalty Traditional Area Rug is so pretty, you may want to hang it on your wall with tall twin potted plants on either side of it, or a chaise-longue underneath it. It makes an excellent receding horizon at the end of a hall way or at the top of a stair landing, because of its layered design depth. If your room has structural arches or arched windows, this rug is a must-have. Add a few West Asian copper accesories, like a Morrocan style round table (or this Glass-Top Console Table – Copper)

, and the Turkish Coffee Set for Two

,or a tall traditional Arab tea pot/server like the one in this poster, which would look great framed on an adjacent wall.:

Old Arabian Coffee Pot and Jars, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Middle East Photographic Poster Print by Amanda Hall, 24×32.

For romantic lighting try the 2 Arabian Palace Amber Candle Holder lanterns

For the final touch, add an Aladin style lamp ( check out the 5″ Brass Aladdin Incense Lamp, Embossed)

Burn exotic incense to complete the ambiance, and you’ll feel like you’re in a West Asian palace.

It all starts with the right rug.

Click for more details and price

Nature Carpet

design — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:20:01 +0000

This carpet is so pretty, your kids will want to keep the floor clean and tidy just so they can see it. The design lends itself to your rustic country decor, a Tolken style fantasy decor, a princess and frog prince theme, fairy theme, or any medow or woodland atmosphere you wish to create. Your child’s stuffed animals will look right at home with a floor like this. Your rocking horse will look as though he’s about to have a drink by the edge of the pond. Kids enjoy playing in environments that are calm and pretty. What better way to bring a sense of peace and well being into their room than a simulated outdoor experience featuring a water element. The best part is that you don’t need to actually mop up after it as you would a real water element, and yet it still helps the room ballance the energy acording to the Feng Shui system.

Antibacterial, non-slip backing that resists wrinkling, Kidply double stitched edges, makes this carpet durable enough to have a life time abrasive wear warranty. Proudly made in the U.S.A., this carpet meets NFPA253 Class 1 fire code ratings.

The carpet’s dimensions are: 4’5” x 5’10”

Click for more details and price

Guitar Rug

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:00:06 +0000

Yeee Hawww! This actually really cool Guitar Rug creates a somewhat educational and then a truly magical effect, relieved as it is with such a deep black background and displaying such a wonderful set of guitar history in those colorful instruments arrayed so artistically in lines. One can see elements of McCartny and Lennon or the wild rockers of the earlier eras arrayed there as well as intuit the Joni Mitchell and more mellow folk singer instruments. Cute, attractive and deeply colored, this is quite a cute and suitable rug.

100% Olefin, Pile Origin, it measures 3’7″ by 5’3″. This baby is 100% polypropylene, easy to clean and nice to look at. Durable and simple, it could add some fun no matter where it gets put.

Click here for details and pricing.

Central Park Striped Rug Runner

admin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:32:37 +0000

Great decor options don’t have to be expensive. These fetching non-skid runners are large, beautiful, functional and only cost around $10 a piece, or even less if you catch them on a special here on Amazon. They come in great color choices, and can freshen up a room, be it your kitchen, bathroom or even bedroom quickly and effectively. Perhaps most importantly – they are affordable. At this price, they can even be used on verandas and patios, so let your decorative instincts guide with them.

They are also machine washable, so you can just throw them in for a quick wash when needed.

Click for more details and price

Home Dynamix Area Rugs

admin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:31:08 +0000

Home Dynamix currently offers a line of rugs on Amazon, all made in Belgium from synthetic and durable Polypropylene in a variety of designs that are simply perfect for most contemporary American homes.

In easy to work with hues and shades, these rugs can truly bring together a room’s look, and some are spectacular enough to become a focal point in their own right. If you opt for a geometrical pattern like the one in this rug, here’s a quick tip: balance these rectangles and echo their shape and colors in other elements in the room.

Click for more details and price

Natalie Rug

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:35:56 +0000

A real Natalie rug here, made in Belgium, this luxurious rug combines exquisite beauty and style, along with durability and functionality, all at a great price too.

The pattern is rich and detailed, making this a great decorative item in any living room or bedroom. Always something for the eye to play on, and in the right setting, this Natalie rug can become a wonderful design focal point. However, the soft antique hues of ivory, gold, green, black and red, are actually easy on the eyes in a way that can make it easy to work it into a busier surrounding

Manufacturer: Home Dynamix Rugs Collection: Natalie rugs Style: Natalie: 7525: BlackSpecs: 100% OlefinOrigin: Made in Belgium At long last, a value priced rug that is beautifully detailed and stylishly colored. From the stunningly contemporary colors of Black and Red, to the soft antique toned of Ivory, Gold and Green, Natalie proves that an upscale, luxurious look needn’t be expensive. Power loomed of durable and easy to care for polypropylene yarn, these rugs are soil, stain and fade resistant.

More about this gorgeous floor rug here

Bamboo Mat

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:22:09 +0000

Nothing like a touch of real bamboo to complement an Asian decor style. This delightful six-foot bamboo runner however, can be worked into most decor styles. Its Asian flavor is there, but the neutral colors and natural texture make it easy to work into any style.

This functional item has non-slip latex backing, that safely and securely keeps the mat in place, be it at the front or back door, or even in front of your kitchen sink.

Click here for full product details

This is Not a Joke Cat Door Mat

admin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:38:20 +0000

Door mats sometimes get a bad reputation. After all, it’s just a mat, right? Something to wipe your feet over when you get inside, without giving it a second look. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. Door mats are actually a great way to personalize your home decor and show your style from the very first minute. In fact, even before your guests set a foot inside your home.

Door mats come in a variety of designs and colors, but they can also have something extra… they can let you introduce a funny caption and set the mood by conveying an actual message in words. Make your guests smile even before they set a foot inside your home with this one, intended specifically for cat owners -

You may need to be a cat lover to appreciate the humor in this… but it does work, making this mat a wonderful addition to your home, or a great gift for cat loving friends. It comes in a nice eye catching color combination of natural beige, purple and green and printed in durable color-fast inks.

For this door mat and others, check the amazon page right here

Sports Rug

admin — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:37:59 +0000

This rug is a great choice for any kids room, and will gracefully age along with any boy (or tomboy girl) well into their teen years.

Great for aspiring young athletes and sports fan, covering various sports themes including soccer, football, basketball and baseball, this all-American rug is a largish 5′ by 7′ with a screen print design. It’s 100% mod-acrylic withe latex and cotton backing and is easy to clean with mild soap and some lukewarm water.

Click here for more details and how to buy