Create A Bold New Look With Purple

Would you be interested in creating a dramatically different look for your home without breaking the bank?  This could be easier than you think with new touches of colour to your decor – why not try a decadent purple tone around your home for an inviting modern look?  It can make an immediate difference and adds warmth to any space.









These warm purple shades will transform any scheme into an elegant, adult space and it’s such an rich colour, that only the smallest touches will be sufficient to create a classic look.









So if you’re after a quick lift or a complete revamp for dramatic effect, then use purple as your inspiration and create something dramatically different. Here are just a few ways to use this rich, opulent colour to great effect in your home:









Fragrant candles are always a fantastic way to introduce a little colour as well as perfume to your living space and there are lots of choices available in rich plum or purple shades, like beautiful jar candles from manufacturers like Yankee candles and True Grace candles. You can even choose a scented candle with the perfume of Japanese Plum!




Sit a few  cushions of plum and gold tones on a purple chair or sofa.  Add soft materials like a purple diamante velvet cushion.  Purple looks great as a base, livened up with a more vibrant colour such as gold or lime.  Also, geometric patterned scatter cushions or throws works well for addedinterest.  Boudoir-style cushions also help create that rich opulent effect so associated with purple.   If you prefer to choose curtains or other soft furnishings with a pattern of some sort then it is a good idea to decorate your walls in a plain unfussy way, opt for a pale sofa and Perspex table to keep your living space bright and airy.    Go for littleaccessories in plum to match the background colour.  Some other fantastic  purple accessories to add to the room you can buy now include a heavy stoneware casserole dish ,  a purple leafed jewel clock – jewel colours adds glamour - and some floral dishes with a dash of the colour purple.




Wouldn’t think of adding purple to a kitchen ?  Then think again .  Even in the kitchen, for a quick update you can paint the base of an island unit in plum .  Then mix with a splash of coloured accessories like a purple kettle and purple utensil holder  to create a striking impact .














The author is owner of The Scented Candle Store which supplies a wide range of scented candles including Yankee candles

Can Scented Candles Be Environmentally Friendly?

 People sometimes worry about using scented candles at home because they  are often  manufactured from paraffin wax, a by- product of oil refining,  meaning they  unfortunately are not the most environmentally friendly item you can come across. So,  what is the solution if you  would like to have  fragrant candles at home but you would prefer not to use paraffin wax candles?  The good news is  this is no longer a major problem. There are  plenty of new - and improved - waxes which manufacturers of scented candles can use and which  have sound eco friendly credentials. The  most commonly used of these waxes are probably soy wax and beeswax.  A large number of  luxury candle  manufacturers such as true grace candles,  and yankee candles actually make their own custom made wax blends. These waxes are  made  from recurring, renewable resources  which means that they satisfy the modern consumer’s preference for  wholesome eco friendly products. However, on closer inspection, without being consciously aware of it, we have been making use of   eco friendly wax for candle making for many years - long, long before  concerns about the effects of various substances on the environment. We are talking, of course, about beeswax. Beeswax candles are  created from wax collected by honey bees which is probably the purest and most refined of all waxes. Unlike paraffin wax, beeswax burns very cleanly and - far from creating dirt and soot in the air - it actually has certain naturally occurring properties which help ionise and cleanse  the air as the candle burns . So if beeswax has so much going for it  why do luxury candle makers not just use it for their candles ? Unfortunately, it is expensive ~ and so {it's use in modern candle making tends to be restricted to being part of a blend of other waxes, rather than pure beeswax | when it is used by candle makers these days it is usually mixed with other waxes to create a blend of waxes, rather than being used on its own. For example , luxury brand Joya Studio has a proprietory blend of wax for  some of its scented candles which includes a percentage of beeswax. If you are really lucky  you may come across some candles which are made  entirely out of beeswax. One such range of candles is the "Journey of the Bee" collection made by the environmentally aware company Paddywax candles in the USA. Apart from beeswax there are other vegetable based waxes out there which are used by scented candle manufacturers. The best known of these is probably soy wax which is created by hydrogenating soya bean oil to create  a solid mass, in the same way other oils are hydrogenated to create butter-type spreads. Soy wax is relatively inexpensive and creates great scented candles which is why it is so popular as an eco friendly choice. The other matter  to think about  when it comes to choosing a environmentally friendly candle  is the means by which each candle gets its aroma. Good quality  brands will create scented  candles using essential extracts from plants and flowers. These are to be commended from an environmental standpoint. Cheaper factory produced candles use synthetic fragrancing agents and are thus are best avoided






The author is owner of The Scented Candle Store which supplies a range of scented candles  including True Grace candles

How To Choose Environmentally Friendly Scented Candles

 People sometimes worry about using scented candles at home because they  are often  manufactured from paraffin wax, a by- product of oil refining,  meaning they  unfortunately are not the most environmentally friendly item you can come across. So,  what is the solution if you  would like to have  fragrant candles at home but you would prefer not to use paraffin wax candles?  The good news is  this is no longer a major problem. There are  plenty of new - and improved - waxes which manufacturers of scented candles can use and which  have sound eco friendly credentials. The  most commonly used of these waxes are probably soy wax and beeswax.  A large number of  luxury candle  manufacturers such as true grace candles,  and yankee candles actually make their own custom made wax blends. These waxes are  made  from recurring, renewable resources  which means that they satisfy the modern consumer’s preference for  pure eco friendly products. However, on closer inspection, without being consciously aware of it, we have been  employing  environmentally sound wax for candle making for many years - long, long before  concerns about the effects of various substances on the environment. We are talking, of course, about beeswax. Beeswax candles are fashioned from wax collected by honey bees which is  generally accepted as the purest and most refined of all waxes.  It differs from paraffin wax in that it burns very cleanly and - far from  emitting dirt and soot in the air - it actually  contains a number of natural attributes which help ionise and  clean the air when the candle is alight. So if we all know that beeswax is the best wax you can use for candle making why do de luxecandle  brands not  not make more use of it when creating their scented candles? Well, the simple answer is that beeswax is more expensive than most other types of wax and so {it's use in modern candle making tends to be restricted to being part of a blend of other waxes, rather than pure beeswax | when it is used by candle makers these days it is usually mixed with other waxes to create a blend of waxes, rather than being used on its own.  By way of example, luxury brand Joya Studio has  its own unique blend of wax that is used to make some of its scented candles which includes a  quantity of beeswax. If you are really in luck you may discover some candles which are manufactured  completely  from beeswax. One such range of candles is the "Journey of the Bee"  range  manufactured by the environmentally conscious company Paddywax candles in the USA. In addition to beeswax  you can find other vegetable based waxes out there which are used by scented candle manufacturers. The best known of these is  certainly soy wax which is  manufactured by hydrogenating soya bean oil  resulting in a solid mass, in the same way other oils are hydrogenated to create butter-type spreads. Soy wax is relatively inexpensive and creates great scented candles which is why it is so popular as an eco friendly choice.  One further point to bear in mind when when you are trying to choose your scented candles on environmental grounds is the way in which each candle gets its perfume. Premium brands will create aromatic candles using essential extracts from plants and flowers. These are to be commended from an environmental standpoint. Cheaper factory produced candles use synthetic fragrancing agents and are thus are best avoided






The author is owner of The Scented Candle Store which supplies a range of candles including True Grace candles

Tips On Decorating With A Romantic Flourish

If you want to create a romantic style in home decoration , colours like white, pink, lavender and lilac are a must . There is no need to spend a fortune to get the right look but you do have to be careful when picking the colour scheme. Romantic decor, as we mentioned at the beginning, is based on colours such as white, pink, lavender and lilac but we can also incorporate light blue and cream. Mix these shades on walls, curtains, furniture and bed linen to create a harmonious ambiance but without it looking too fussy. When it comes to accessories another must-have item is scented candles. Happily there is a huge range to pick from in a bewildering array of aromas as well as colours, so even if you are just using the candle as a sort of ornament, it will be easy to get hold of a candle in the colour you want. If the aroma is also important you simply cannot go wrong with luxury brands like yankee candles or Voluspa candles. They are slightly more expensive than the items you will find in the supermarket but they are most definitely worth the extra expense . These are brands who devote almost as much time to the way their candles look as to the way they smell . In terms of freshening up your decor, they really have the "wow" factor, that will leave visitors to your home suitably impressed . Another way to produce a romantic style is to paint your furniture a light colour , for example white or pink, and add a personal touch to the room placing a vase of freshly cut flowers or some beautiful fragrant candles, as before. There should be dim lighting in this area and be careful when choosing fabrics. Bear in mind that romantic style fabrics should have some kind of pattern but nothing to blaze . A discreet flower pattern or thin stripe in the colours already mentioned is the ideal choice for curtains cushions and upholstery . A romantic style can also be fashioned by simple details including fancy, little, flowery boxes for keeping bits and pieces, scented candles,  attractive glass plates,  elegant mirrors and lots of different sized and shaped cushions on the bed, old-fashioned photo frames and picture frames will also help to create a romantic style. They can be silver or gold-plated and the best shape for them would be either oval or circular. In the bathroom, the romantic atmosphere can be created easily by adding pretty towels with lace trimmings. What about some aromatic oils to give off a beautiful fragrance or place a long slim vase with a single pink rose on the window sill? Don't go overboard as a fussy bathroom will look smaller than it actually is.









The author is owner of The Scented Candle Store which supplies a range of candles including Yankee candles

Giving Your Home a Makeover on a Tight Budget

The choice of colours you decide to use to decorate your home can make a huge difference. Just recently we decided it was time to give some of the areas in our home a bit of a makeover. We had to do things on a budget but the results were terrific nonetheless. We decided to start with a new look for our bedroom. The room was not the brightest and in fact could reasonably be described as a little on the dull side. It had a dark, wooden headboard with complimentary bedside units. the walls and the duvet and bedclothes were all various shades of white or cream, with little or no vibrant colours featured. The absence of any injection of colour gave the room a dull, cold look. So what did we do? We gave the room a much needed injection of colour by making one wall – behind the bed – a feature wall which we then papered with an attractive and eye catching wallpaper. We also decided to remove the old headboard which we replaced with a lovely modern fabric headboard and we added a sense of homeliness to this area with a burgundy plaid, a number of pretty cushions and some stunning aromatic candles.. The most dramatic changes we saved for our living room. Again, this room was largely decorated in cream, magnolia and white, including the furniture, the blinds, cushions and lamps. As it is a part of the house where we spend a lot of time, we thought it needed to look cheerier and more homely. To our amazement – and delight , we managed to come up with an entirely new mood for this room easily and inexpensively because all we really needed to do to make a dramatic difference was to change the fabrics. Essentially, we bought a new pair of subtly patterned curtains and then followed this colour scheme throughout the rest of the room by choosing some cushions in a similar shade, as well as matching lampshades for our table and wall lamps. Straightforwards tips, like adding a vase of fresh flowers or some striking scented candles in matching colours created the warm, homely atmosphere that had once been lacking We picked rather more scented candles – like the ones made by manufacturers like true grace candles and yankee candles - because we were aware that not only did they smell terrific but that in addition to this, they also burned for a longer time than some of the less expensive alternatives out there, and thus actually offered better value for money in the long run. This was one small indulgence. When you start to give some thought to accessories, though, scented candles are but one of many choices available. You are only really limited by your imagination, and of course, by your budget. Some of the simple accessories we mentioned earlier like lampshades and cushions you could actually make yourself from scratch if you were really intent on watching the pennies.




The next room for the makeover treatment was our child’s room. Again it was painted more or less uniformly in boring white. It featured a small desk and chairs for studying and playing on the computer. Again, the main task was to try and imbue the room with some sense of warmth and comfort. We started with the laminate flooring and decided to buy an attractive rug to brighten this up. We hung some bright wallpaper on the walls to add to the personal feeling and gave the woodwork a fresh coat of paintThen, we developed the study space by sitting two bookcases alongside one another and the final decorative flourish was a large, stylish light fitting which bathed the whole room in light




The author is the owner of The Scented Candle Store which supplies a range of candles including Yankee candles

How To Use The Latest Environmentally Friendly Items In Your Bathroom

 


There are several ways you can transform your bathroom, with the use of


natural products and cleaning solutions , plus the latest water and money saving gadgets , into a greener bathroom . For instance , get a new shower head. Most of us use around eighty litres of water in


the bath , while a shower can use as little as


a third of that amount , especially


if you switch to a new showerhead .







When it comes to cleaning the bathroom a simple natural cleaner can be made by mixing together one


part vinegar or lemon juice to one part bicarbonate of soda . Apply


this to discoloured grouting or mildew spots


. Leave for a couple of


hours and then rinse off. Did you know that toilets use about thirty per cent of the total water at home , and an old cistern can use thirteen litres at a


time? Isn´t it about time you invested in a new dual flush toilet, not just


to enhance your bathroom ,


but to save a large amount of water?







When it comes to accessories for your bathroom, you can also go


down the natural route as well . Look for


storage boxes in beautiful rattan or bamboo. Similarly , you can now find bath mats in beautiful natural


products, including bamboo - again! – as well as  grasses likesisal and seagrass.


These products look terrific in a light


bathroom, maybe one with a New England style, so lots of white,


blue and aquamarine will look good. Scented candles also make a very good bathroom accessory. When it comes to natural products you would be best to


choose candles made by de luxe


manufacturers like true grace candles or yankee candles. They make a choice of candles in


natural eco friendly soy wax rather than paraffin wax. Or you might want to try beeswax


candles, for the ultimate natural home fragrance product?







These days you can also find lots of items like bathroom tiles which are created out of


recycled materials. This has, happily, stopped vast deposits of material from


being discarded in land fill sites. What about using bamboo? It really is a bit of a phenomenon in the natural world, growing at a prodigious rate without needing too much if anything by way of growth promoters as well as


just a little water. It can be blended with


other materials such as cotton and flax to create wonderfully


fluffy towels and bathmats. We should all be conscious these days about the growing need to conserve


our water supplies. Simple steps can make a huge difference, like turning off the


tap when brushing your teeth or shaving in the morning or just getting that


leaking tap fixed. If you need a new bath, go for a smaller model which will


not use up so much water and then water your garden with the bathwater!


















The author is owner of the Scente Candle Store which supplies a range of luxury candles including yankee candles

Yankee Candles Make Decorating Your Bathroom Easy

Given the current difficult economic conditions there has been a recent trend for less folk to move home, deciding instead to stay in the same place and redecorate their own homes. Even then, however, people are not keen to spend too much on home decor. We may want to give our home an attractive new look but no body wants to be spending fortunes doing so. If you are giving some thought to giving your bathroom a makeover but don't want to blow your budget, here are a few simple tips. You do not need to implement them all – it can be surprising how much of a difference just one small touch can make.

Fragrant candles can make a fantastic difference to the appearance and fragrance of your bathroom. Select good quality candles such as those made by manufacturers like Yankee candles or True Grace candles. They are modestly priced, although they do cost a little more than the ones you will see at the supermarket or local store, but they have the added attribute that they stay alight longer than cheaper alternatives. When it comes to ringing the changes with your furniture, you may want to try Ebay for new bathroom furniture or else take yourself off to the antique markets in your local town. There is plenty of choice and if you are patientyou should be able to find reasonably priced, yet good quality items which will give your room a whole new look. An attractive old fashioned chair or mirror help can give your bathroom an elegant style. When it comes to soft furnishings for your bathroom, curtains are also a simple way of adding a touch of colour. Or, instead of curtains – which can be costly - you could always choose some decorative window blinds which will look good in most bedroom settings.

Also remember how attractive vibrantly coloured towels and bath mats can be. Don’t hide them away in a dark airing cupboard. If you have an attractive bath mat ensure it is on display. Similarly, we all have a load of towels at home. Look out your brightest, most attractive ones. Display a few decoratively. If you have shelves in your bathroom, roll them up and sit them one on top of the other on your shelves. You could also put up a few towel rails at different heights - either on the walls or the back of your bathroom door - and hang a selection of brightly coloured towels from these. You can even transform something mundane and boring into a feature by storing wrapped toilet rolls in a glass jar or hurricane lamp jar to give an everyday item a truly decorative touch.

So there you are - a handful of  straightforward  ideas to transform your bathroom into a fresher, brighter more attractive place. And bear in mind, although these tips are aimed towards the bathroom you could just as easily adapt them for use in just about any other room in your property.








The author is owner of The Scented Candle Store which supplies a wide range of candles, including True Grace candles