Archive for the ‘Life Style’ category

Choosing the Best Speakers for Home Theater Design

February 24th, 2011

Choosing the Best Speakers for Home Theater Design photoHaving the right speakers for your home theater room – correct size, proper sound output, and fitting aesthetics – brings the entire room together in one cohesive piece. When looking at new home speakers, consider the size of the room, the appropriate speaker size, the number of speakers that you are going to be using, and what is within your price range for sound equipment. You may also want to consider more aesthetic items like speaker placement and the overall look of your home theater design with speakers.

When it comes to finding home speakers, the first thing to do is analyze the size of the room. You want to take a good look at how much space you have, and then do some calculations about your speaker placement and number of speakers. For instance, if the room is very large, you are going to want to place your speakers much higher. If it is small, speakers on the floor will cut down on echoes and make it easier to align your entire sound system. In-wall speakers are another option that will allow you to have quality sound from all parts of the room without dealing with the potential clutter of floor standing speakers.

The next thing to consider is the size of the speakers themselves. Each speaker type (front, side, subwoofer) come in different sizes depending on how they will be mounted, the quality of the sound and the type of application they will be used for. Larger speakers may be able to give you richer, deeper sound but that sort of sound may not be necessary for the size and layout of your particular home theater room.  Additionally, quality speaker manufacturers are improving on the sound quality of smaller speakers every year.  Large room sound may soon not require the use of large floor standing or cabinet speakers. Consider the size of the in-wall speakers you prefer as well. The size of the speaker will equate to the portion of your wall that will need to be removed in order to place the speakers. A custom home theater installer can help with defining the parameters for the home theater speaker size best for your home.

The number of speakers your room needs is another item to consider. Several of the speaker brands offer different lines of speakers that include three, five or seven speaker configurations. Consult with a home audio technician or custom installer about what is the best proportion for your home if you are unsure of what you will need.

Speakers for any home theater are no longer outside of many people’s reach. Home theater equipment is available in a wide range of pricing suitable for any budget.  Quality speakers by top-brands are available within the range of average home owners and top of the line speakers are also available for audio junkies who have a fine ear for sound and a fascination with the technology.  Don’t let pricing stop you from getting the right type of speakers for your home. Talk to a custom installer about your price range and what is most important to you when it comes to the sound quality in your home theater.

Consider these important items as you develop your home theater’s audio system.

Search terms:

best size speaker for home, the house marly com

Creating A Rustic French Country Kitchen Design

February 18th, 2011

Creating A Rustic French Country Kitchen Design photoA kitchen can be more than just about its role in function, organization and efficiency.  Kitchens need a personality and a look and feel that can liven up the senses in addition to being a functional place for the preparation of food.  The French Country Kitchen design is one of many classic kitchen design themes that you could consider.  It can provide your kitchen with a traditional look that has its roots in the hillsides of rural France.  It is a style that can fit into both rural farmhouses and in the grandest chateau.

French country kitchen design conjures up images of the Provence and the French countryside with its pastoral settings, lavender fields and rustic French farmhouses.  The French country kitchen represents country living that is uniquely French.  In designing your French country kitchen design you discover that the French country look is always very rustic, old and warm.

There are many elements that go into the French country kitchen including the use of large pieces of furniture made mainly of light colored woods and can be decorated with ornate carving.

Color & French Country Kitchen Design

Color is an important place to start the design process.  You can draw inspiration from some of the principle French impressionists like Monet and Renoir, Van Gogh.   Colors that are used in the French country kitchen style can include sunny yellow or soft gold, bright red and rust, grass green, cobalt blue and soft ocean tones.

You can decorate in the style of the French country kitchen design by using vivid colors – poppy red, sunflower yellow, bright blue, meadow green, and sunset purple.  Your walls and cabinets and large furniture can be painted in off white, ivory, light beige, and taupe. Cabinets can be painted a glossy white to brighten light-filled spaces in the kitchen or they can be left as natural wood.  These colors can provide a light, airy feel so you do not want to use strong colors here.   In fabrics such as curtains and seat cushions you might also add paisley, stripes and floral prints to your French Country Kitchen theme.

Natural Materials

Natural materials are an important element in walls, cabinetry and furniture that is used in the design of French country kitchens. The materials used in creating a rustic French country kitchen look include natural stone floors, granite counter tops and tumbled marble back splashes.  These natural materials can be used on walls and beamed ceilings, and can be rough stained or painted plaster, or wood painted in natural colors.  Floors can be made of stone or brick and covered with wool or cotton rugs, a fireplace made of stone with a heavy beam that can serve as a mantel, and wooden shutters as window coverings.  Furniture and cabinets can have a rustic or even a distressed look.  Countertops can be done in ceramic tile with tile back splashes.

Accent Pieces

In French country kitchen design you will find that tile, rustic urns, hand-painted European ceramics and pottery accents are used extensively.  Ceramic tiles and terra cotta pottery pieces are used wherever possible.  Add copper pots and a French country kitchen can can encompass many old world decorating colors.

A kitchen can be more than just about its role in function, organization and efficiency.  Kitchens need a personality and a look and feel that can liven up the senses in addition to being a functional place for the preparation of food.  The French Country Kitchen design is one of many classic kitchen design themes that you could consider.  It can provide your kitchen with a traditional look that has its roots in the hillsides of rural France.  It is a style that can fit into both rural farmhouses and grand chateaus.

The materials used in creating a rustic French country kitchen look include natural stone floors, granite counter tops and tumbled marble back splashes.

Search terms:

country kitchen design, french country kitchen designs, rustik kitchen, counter tops for french country look, images provence country kitchen, rustic french kitchen designs, rustic french kitchens, yellow country kitchens