Latest Trends Add Outdoor Style

(ARA) - More and more homeowners are turning their attention to the outdoor areas of their homes. In fact, the American Society of Landscape Architects reports that today's homeowners are thinking bigger than basic outdoor kitchens and building entire great rooms, including living rooms, dining rooms and full kitchens. Just as they would when decorating indoors, homeowners are incorporating the latest trends in these new outdoor living areas.
Here are some of the top designer trends today's homeowners are clamoring to implement:
* Bolder, Vivid Color After years of blending earth tones with the outdoors, designers are incorporating color into the exterior. Colored glass is being used as an alternative to mulch and stone, and colored concrete is being applied in benches, pavers, fencing and related products. Bigger, bolder flowers are making a statement, as are landscape lighting pieces. One of the season's newest color-focused products is Kichler Lighting's lit Posies - lighted glass flowers with a splash of dense purple, cranberry red and golden amber, which can be displayed individually or in a bunch.
* Pretty Potted Plants Homeowners are looking for new ways to showcase their flowers and plants, and as a result, potted plants have a newfound popularity. Flowerpots are being offered in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small, subtle circular pots to large, art-inspired pieces. Embraced for their dual use, lighted urns are turning heads as an innovative way to showcase flowers and add light to the exterior.
* Environmentally Friendly Accents Green living is more than a trend - it's a way of life. As they spend more time outdoors, homeowners are applying environmentally friendly practices here too.
"Many homeowners find themselves outdoors at night, as they settle in after work and entertain through the evening," says Jeff Dross, Kichler Lighting senior product manager. "Since they're outside past dusk, they're leaving their landscape lighting on for extended periods. To help with energy savings, Kichler has introduced new LED accent lights, deck lights and step lights that all offer white light and, on average, 18 years of life."
* Butterfly Inspirations America's love of butterflies has grown to new heights with butterfly-themed products across a variety of fashion and decor lines. Butterflies are setting the stage outdoors with butterfly-inspired chimineas, stepping stones and lighting fixtures.

* Trendy Teak Teak has found widespread popularity in outdoor furniture applications, as the wood is known for its durability and natural oils. Suitable for outdoor use, teak continues to emerge in complementary products, including a Kichler landscape path light that combines a teak wood base with a modern aluminum finish.
* Complementary Pieces Homeowners combine complementary accessories indoors, and those techniques are being applied outdoors as well. Patterns from outdoor furniture cushions are being carried over to complementary outdoor table placements, candles and other accents. Some companies offer a family of complementary pieces. Kichler's Garden Collections, for example, pair outdoor chandeliers with lighted urns, birdbaths, path lighting and other landscape lighting pieces.
As homeowners makeover their outdoor living spaces, designers are encouraging them to make a statement by drawing on the latest trends. These influences will bring them more enjoyment in the outdoors, add timeless appeal and may very well make their yard the talk of the town.
For more ideas on outdoor lighting that builds on the latest trends visit http://www.kichler.com/ or call (888) 659-8809 to find a dealer near you.
Courtesy of ARAcontent

Paver Possibilities--Landscape Pavers Go Green

(ARA) - Stylish and versatile, landscape pavers can add tremendous utility and value to a home. But now, landscape pavers have gone green and can not only be used to beautify your home, but also help the environment.
Permeable pavers, such as Belgard's Subterra stone, are a type of green landscape paver. They are made of concrete and separated by joints filled with small stones. Water enters the joints between the pavers and is filtered through crushed stone layers. The water, with pollutants reduced by the filtering, is then absorbed back into the soil. Using permeable pavers is an important component in low-impact, environmentally-friendly development
"Permeable pavers aren't just sustainable, they are beautiful, versatile and durable," says Ken O'Neill, vice president of Belgard. In fact, Subterra stone is stylish enough to be used in the 2007 Home and Garden Television (HGTV) Dream Home.
There are many advantages to using green pavers. The experts at Belgard offer a few of the many benefits of using permeable pavers in your next outdoor project:
VersatilityThese green pavers can be used for patios, driveways, walkways, pools and more. Whether you are looking for a specific color, texture or pattern, paver options are endless in function, material and design. If you would like a traditional, rustic or modern style in your outdoor space, there are architectural masonry products and applications to make that happen.

"Permeable pavers provide years of protection and beauty in all climates, have a long history of successful residential and commercial applications and now, help the environment," says O'Neill..

Low MaintenanceInstallation is simple and straightforward. Belgard pavers can be purchased and installed in as little as a weekend. Pavers are also durable and easy to maintain. An occasional sweeping and rinsing is virtually all that is needed to keep them looking as good as new.
Great for the EnvironmentPermeable pavers can be placed in areas where traditional pavers may create an unnatural volume of runoff from snow and rain. This can lead to flooding and standing water problems in addition to soil erosion.
Pavers such as Belgard's Subterra stone allow water to absorb back into the soil, filtering out water pollutants in the process. This can also reduce the amount of water washing into storm drains.
BeautyPavers allow for modular and random installation. Random patterns appear more like natural cobble stones, while grouped patterns allow outdoor living spaces to appear to be a part of nature. In addition, Belgard products come in multiple shapes, colors and patterns that fit in naturally and harmoniously with the surrounding landscape. Unlike other materials, pavers can create raised patios and walkways, steps and rounded edges that organically blend in with the environment.
For project ideas on landscaping with permeable pavers, to receive a catalog or to locate a dealer near you, please visit www.belgard.biz.
Courtesy of ARAcontent

Latest Trends in Glass Design

(ARA) - Walls that look like stacked ice cubes, staircases you can see through and bathrooms with tiles in all the colors of the rainbow. The use of glass in interior design and architecture has evolved in the past century with more and more designs featuring glittering, mirrored, frosted and colored glass.
"Manufacturers of glass and glazing products are creating truly eye-popping products right now that designers just love," says Brian Pitman, director of marketing and communications for the Glass Association of North America (GANA). "Adding those products to an enhanced desire to innovate has resulted in groundbreaking design across North America, both in the home and in business."
GANA recently held the Design in Glass Awards featuring much of this innovation. Winners were named in several categories that covered both residential and commercial applications. All of the winners embraced glass as a viable design tool with endless potential.
"The quality of entries was absolutely stunning," says Rachel Long, special projects editor for Hospitality Design Magazine, and member of the Glass in Design judging panel. "Glass can be amazing in design in the home or business, and these winners really show that."

The experts at GANA reveal this year's top trends in glass in design:
* Green DesignGreen design, or the use of energy efficient and environmentally friendly products in design, has become a huge trend in the architectural community, and liberal use of glass is one of the signatures of this trend. Allowing natural daylight into the space using high performance glass cuts consumption of electricity and adds a cheery element to interior space.
* Functional, Versatile and BeautifulGlass in nearly any application is beautiful, but if it's functional its beauty expands. Glass walls provide unique differentiation between rooms while still allowing light to enter spaces. Glass tables offer a modern dining surface while giving an open-air feel to rooms.
* Walking on AirGlass staircases have become an incredibly popular design element, both in retail stores and public spaces, as well as in the home. The "walking on air" feeling is only increased when the entire staircase is made of a super strong laminated glass, making for an exciting and futuristic conversation piece.
* All is BrightNatural stone tile is still popular, but can make kitchens and bathrooms seem neutral and dull. Punching up a basic palette with glass tile in bright, bold colors makes focal points pop.
* Luminous and Laminated Innovations in LED lighting come together with glass applications -- indoors and out -- with illuminating results. Walls and windows can now show their true colors after dark and can even change like a gleaming chameleon. Looking to add an extension to a home or office space? Laminated glass provides opaque coverage for walls and staircases while letting the light shine in.
To view photos and videos of the 2007 Design in Glass winners and to find GANA glass professionals near you, log on to http://www.glasswebsite.com/.
Courtesy of ARA Content

Add Warmth and Value with Easy Weekend Projects

(ARA) - You've got a weekend to work with and the inspiration to do something to dress up your home. You don't need to spend like a diva or wield a hammer like a home improvement show host to achieve a high-impact do-it-yourself project. Many value-enhancing, elegance-adding improvements can be accomplished in a weekend with minimal effort and expense.
"You can find a weekend project that's right for your budget, skill level and decorating goals," says home improvement expert Mike Denny of So Simple Crown Molding. "Look around your home and consider the details, those little things that you can do to really punch up a room's warmth and appeal. You'll be surprised at the projects that come to mind, and many will be things you can do in a day or less."
At a loss where to begin with your weekend home improvements? Here are three ways to improve your home's value, style and warmth:
Punch it up with Paint.
Color has a huge impact on how a room feels and painting is one of the easiest DIY projects to accomplish in a weekend. "Paint's impact may seem obvious, but it's surprising how many people overlook its power to make over the most tired décor," Denny says.
Repainting can allow you to create a whole new look for a room without changing a stick of furniture or a single piece of artwork. For color ideas, draw inspiration from design elements you already love in your room's décor, be it a particular hue of red in the pattern of a throw pillow or a shade of green in your favorite painting. If the color is already present in your décor, chances are you can make it work on your walls.

Light the Way
Interior designers agree: lighting has a huge impact on how a room looks. How light falls on your furnishings will affect how they look in the room. "Plus, drab, out-dated lighting can also have a big affect on how you feel about your home," Denny says.
If your new décor still seems tired, it might just be a problem of poor lighting. Consider how your room is lit at the different times of the day when you use it most. If it seems dim at times when you would like it to be bright, you may consider replacing existing light fixtures with brighter, more stylish options, possibly even ones that adjust on a dimmer according to changing illumination needs throughout the day.
Don't be intimidated by working with electricity when replacing light fixtures. Seek advice online or from the experts at your local home improvement store. Always be sure to turn off power at the electrical box, and tape the breaker off while you're working so that no one comes along and turns it back on until you're ready.
A Room's Crowning Glory
Few room enhancements speak of elegance and style the way crown molding does, but many do-it-yourselfers may think the job is beyond their abilities. Yet crown molding can be a weekend project within the abilities of virtually anyone who can handle a ladder and a caulk tube. The secret? Products like So-Simple Crown Molding, a light-weight crown molding made from a dense EPS (Styrofoam) composite. It installs with just caulking and comes with precut corners. No nails required.
In the past, crown molding was made of wood or MDF (particle board), and was the domain of the finish carpenter or old school do-it-yourselfer who builds their house from scratch. Now anyone can claim "bragging rights" for installing crown molding with this easy-to-handle material that looks exactly like real wood crown molding. There are many beautiful styles of crown to choose from -- decorative, contemporary to classic. You should choose the style that is right for you. For example, "Dentil Crown" style is a very popular decorative style and can be found in many Victorian homes. Dentil Crown is very detailed and is constructed of multiple layers of carved wood. Classic "S" style moldings are simple and can be found in almost any ranch or Tuscany style home. Classic styles have a universal appeal and come in many sizes. When crown molding is installed against a wall painted with color your room really comes alive.
Painting is also a breeze. So Simple Crown molding features a white SkinTec surface that is smooth and paint ready and no primer is needed. Professionals call it the "installer friendly" crown molding you can paint before you install. They cut the corners for you and it installs with just caulking. The result is a beautiful molding that even the most discriminating home owner cannot tell from wood products.
"So Simple Crown has literally taken all the confusion and frustration out of the weekend crown molding project," says Denny.
For more information about crown molding visit, http://www.sosimplecrown.com/.
Courtesy of ARAcontent