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How Useful Are Curtain Rods In Enhancing Your Window Treatment?

2011-07-27T16:46:00.000-04:00

A window pane with gorgeous drapery which hangs from a stylish rod adorned with finials and rings! Wouldn’t they seize the attention of anyone around? Of course it does. This is one reason why designers give a lot of emphasize on windows and its accessories. For example, earlier, Curtain Rods were mere an object for hanging window cloths. But now the scenario has changed drastically. They have adopted a chic, urbane appearance which faultlessly complements the entire room decoration.

Like any other show piece, window treatment can be a fancy object of your home. Windows have a lot of importance in a home and at the same time decoration on window plays a crucial role in enhancing the look of the rooms. Thus, no amount of effort goes useless when it comes to treating your window as strategic decorative piece. Whether it is choosing a mind-boggling window drapery, or a rod with amazing finials and rings, you ought to have your own personal style and taste.

You cannot ignore the curtain rods any more. If you think the draperies are a wonderful part of your interior decoration so are the curtain rods. The transformation of the drapery rods is noteworthy. The new varieties are already catching the attention. There are designs inspired by many ancient cultures and that gives a class and elegance. The modern patterns are equally astonishing with its care free style. Those who follow the modern interior style would certainly benefitted by these modern styled rods.

The designs start from simple shapes to complex patterns. The simple patterns are mostly consists of rods with round ball shaped finials, tulip shaped finials, conical, square, and semi circle shaped finials in the end. As the intricacy grows, you have got stacked styles, mixed designs and elegantly crafted rods. The most recent designs are inspired by the ancient roman, Indian, and Italian architecture which appears amazingly suitable for an interior that follows the line of ancient styles. For instance the Mughal, chakra, ball roman bronze, trophy burgundy, Kamrak etcetera are those which provide an elegant look to any window pane.

Here, you undoubtedly got a big variety to select from. Along with this, you should have the taste to bring the right one for your window drapery. As you know, the window treatment is something which influences the entire design of your rooms. This is why designers carefully select the rods and finials for hanging the window coverings tastefully. And as a house owner you need to have more information about these items. The best thing is that you have got a lot of information out there if you are willing to explore it. Just go through some internet websites that deal with curtain rods. If in case, you feel you need to get more information on curtain rods and window accessories, you should check out these websites. You can make sure that you got the idea to pick up the one that suits your personal style and interest.

Your outdoor gatherings will never be the same after you set up Window Coverings and create some beautiful atmosphere. Additionally, numerous models of home decor and outdoor decor items like Decorative Pillows and Candle holders for your home or restaurant.

Candle Holders Bring Glamour and Style to Any Occasion

2011-07-19T03:37:00.003-04:00

We often use candle holders for special occasions such as Christmas, Easter, Weddings, Birthdays, etc. However, we can use candle holders to light up every single day! Candle Holders have endless power to exude charm and elegance throughout our homes. Whether it is a family occasion or a public event, candle holders simply add to the exquisiteness of the occasion. It’s important to choose the perfect candle holder for our home décor or special occasion to have the right lighting.

Check out Backyardbargain.com for the gorgeous silver mercury candle holders. Use the red mercury Candle holders to create a romantic candle light dinner for your special someone. The copper mercury candle holders can go into any room because they match all home décor. The best things about these decorative pieces are that you will be the envy of all your friends and family. Mood lighting is so important and candle holders from BackyardBargain.com are where to find it.

Copper candle sticks, pewter candle sticks, bronze candle sticks and wrought iron candle holders add a traditional feel to important occasions. You can find candle holders in such a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Tall, short, glass, wood and pillar, copper or bronze Candle holders are just a few classic designs BackyardBargain.com has to offer. Votive candle holders can add the perfect touch to for events or just for everyday use. Make the perfect arrangement of votive candle holders around your bathroom for the next time you jump into your bubble bath.

Weddings and large events usually require candle holders or candle sticks that make a bold statement. BackyardBargain.com has several options of candle holders and candle sticks you can choose. Depending on your wedding theme, you may want to choose tall copper candle sticks as centerpieces. You could go for a more modern look and choose the pewter/silver candle sticks. Glass candle holders are make classic arrangements on table and for any type of wedding. BackyardBargain.com has every color candle holder to match almost any wedding theme. There are so many sizes and shapes in candle holders that your only issue will be which ones to pick!

Your Home will never be the same after you set up Drapery rods and create some beautiful Charm. Home decor items like Outdoor Pillows and Curtain Rods for your home or restaurant.

For Information about quality Candle Holders,Outdoor Pillows,Outdoor Torches,Tiki Torches,curtain rods,drapery rods, window coverings,decorative pillows,you can visit the site Backyardbargain.com

Window Treatments That Look Like A Million Bucks...

2011-06-27T05:52:00.005-04:00

Curtain Rods Galore!!

Windows are something that let have a refreshing view outside, but everyone wants to look at something gorgeous on the inside. BackyardBargain.com offers interior designer looks for a great value. Match up curtain rod clips with an assortment of drapery curtain rods. It's impossible to not to find your perfect match with the selection at BackyardBargain.com. You can also pick from huge variety of drapery curtain panels and fluff them up a bit more with tassels & tiebacks. You will be the envy of all of your friends!!

CURTAIN ROD 18 Inch - 48 Inch STACKED RD NICKEL

Importance of window curtains and coverings:

If you understand and value the importance of window curtains and coverings, you never feel lazy about decorating your windows well. What are your real concerns? One is, of course, the color and design theme. You cannot simply bring informal drapery for formal looking interior. More often than not, your main hall accommodates those stuffs which are out of the ordinary. This is because you want all the elegance and class to your living room and you don’t want to leave a stone unturned. Here, you utilize the best drapery possible. By and large, you can see layered draperies with valance in the hall rooms. After all, why should you shy away when these formal looking, first quality window coverings provide you all the charm you yearn for your home?

Choosing any of them depends upon your individual taste and utility:

Though window shades, shutters, blinds may be a rage at the present and used by many, the drapery panel never lost its identity. Even after the influx of such modern window devices, the significance of curtains and drapery panels still has a top place in the home decor and window treatment ideas. After the color and design theme, your attention may go to its decorative value. You may choose an ornate window cover for your living room while you may opt for simple curtains for studies and kitchen. This is understandable as each room has designed for specific purpose.

Therefore, each window needs to be covered differently as per its practical need. There you have lined window curtains as well as unlined curtains. Choosing any of them depends upon your individual taste and utility. Also you have valances and laces which help you in adding a personal touch your window treatment.

Taking a look at an internet retail store would be a perfect idea:

No matter what you choose as a window curtain, it should have the amicability to go with the color and design scheme of your interior. Other than that, you need to look into the quality aspects. Whether you use silk, cotton, or any other material that give you enough comfort, you should take care of the quality.

Make sure that you have purchased your Window Coverings from only trustworthy retailers. Taking a look at an internet retail store would be a perfect idea. There, you can find a wide variety which makes your job really easy.

Your Home will never be the same after you set up Window Coverings and create some beautiful Charm. Home decor items like Decorative Pillows and Drapery rods for your home or restaurant.

For Information about quality window coverings, drapery, decorative pillows, throw pillows, and candle holders, you can visit the site, http://www.backyardbargain.com/

Decorative Pillows that Alter the Look of Your Rooms

2011-06-10T02:42:00.001-04:00

Decorative Pillows-Give a new look to your intimate Bedroom. The belief is that a room needs one bed, a comfortable mattress, gorgeous drapery panels and decorative pillows!!

However, there are more than enough for a striking visual appeal? It's a real question that may arise in your mind. In addition to these factors comfortable, then you have a lot to handle. The issue of color, patterns, accessories and decorative pieces used all these will undoubtedly contribute to improving the living room. People are increasingly aware of its interior and everyone wants to create an environment that is unique.

Decorative Pillows

Pillows and decorative pillows have already captured the imagination of designers home. They consider it a wonderful topic that helps to add some zest to wonder to any room. Maybe you've seen decorative pillows in the rooms. They are incredibly popular and people use it often. The decorative pillows with the traditional art of capturing the attention of everyone. If you are the one who went for a modern color theme already, no worries, decorative cushions only add to its charm.

1 1/4 Inch Curtain Rods

The pillows come in a variety impressive. There tasseled pillows. Other varieties are feathered, giving a lasting impression with its modern look and effect. Goblins, tufts, cording and other hand-woven decorative pillows are too often in the salons. The room decorative pillows are the new craze. Soft pillows piled on the bed to a second appeal to the bedroom altogether. Decorative pillows are another addition, which just gives a call for causality and dynamism to any room.

There are different shapes and sizes available. There are wide variations exist in print too. It's actually a huge relief that you never have to worry about picking up the matching throw pillows or pillow for your bedroom or living room. You have both the modern and classic prints and therefore choose pillows that freezing your home will be a very fun activity for you. There are embroidered decorative pillows; there was a choice in the past. You must have met in the home of your grandparents. But recently, new designs and styles available with different shapes and sizes.

If applicable, the interior has already been done, and the fear that a further increase would have been strange. When you surf shop and decorative pillows, you will find this assumption to be wrong, just because you get the cushion you need. Ultimately, you want to cut above the rest. To get the exact shades. Also designs and prints are available in a huge amount of work that makes a lot of fun! Go out and have fun browsing these cute pillows; you will not regret to spend time in it. If you have a child at home, so do not forget to bring a little 'pad-shaped fruit or flower-shaped for them. They will love it!

Your outdoor gathering will never be the same after you create Drapery rods and Curtain Rods drapery rods and Candle holders to your home or restaurant. and create a nice atmosphere. In addition, many models of home decor and outdoor home décor,

Choose the Right Curtain Rods from Many Different Rods

2011-05-27T02:38:00.000-04:00

If you want to add the real touch to your bedroom or any other room, you ought to be a bit resourceful. If you do not feel confident, then asking for expert help is quite practical, or else you have the option of reading a few articles on window treatment.

A house has different rooms with different purposes and you treat every room differently, especially when you go and decorate them. You have clear norms about its characters and features and want to decorate accordingly. For instance, you may never try a heavier decoration for your kitchen or study. Likewise each room has its own features and this is one reason you need to find out different types of Curtain Rods. Here are a few varieties which you can identify and utilize for your purpose.

Single rod curtains

As the name suggests, such drapery rods comprises of a single rod which holds up the window cloth. Though they come as single rods, you get a variety of styles including different shades and patterns. If you are creative, you can go ahead and give an artwork on to the rod with some paint or any other appropriate material. The best thing about this curtain rod is that they are easy to use with pocket curtains or tie top ones. This type of rods can be used in wash rooms, studies, kitchen, and store rooms.

Transverse curtain rods

If you have a home office, a transverse curtain rod can style the window perfectly. This rod has a pulley system with which you can open and close the drapery effortlessly. This provides convenience to the user. As you are not pulling the cloth every so often, it remains fresh and intact. You may find a wide spectrum of traverse rods easily and you can find out the one which goes well with the window pane designs.

Double/triple rods

Well, this is designed for heavier drapery which usually adorns your living room or hallways. This will help you to have layered and patterned curtains. By selecting this decorative curtain rod, you are bringing a great style to your room. They look classy and elegant. This is commonly used for living rooms and bed rooms.

Tension rods

This type of rod is made with springs which help; the drapery to say in its place. Also, there are no worries about drooping or sagging. They perfectly remain in its place and give a decent look to the drapery panel. This is a type of rod that can be used anywhere you want provided you select the one which holds up the weight of drapery.

Magnetic rods

If you choose to use a metal frame for your window, then it is great to have magnetic rods. For such rods, strong magnets are used so that they help in supporting the draperies perfectly. However, light weighted fabrics would be appropriate for magnetic rods. This rod is good for kid’s room or study room.

Your Home will never be the same after you set up Window Coverings and create some beautiful Charm. Home decor items like Drapery rods and Candle holders for your home or restaurant.

Marvel Your Private Gatherings Using Fancy Candle Holders

2011-05-03T06:03:00.002-04:00

Candles have a true trait of stimulating one’s fancy and imagination. They have an immense power of bringing a cherubic ambience to your private moments. You may be planning a romantic candle light dinner with your beloved or celebrating an event which is close to your heart. Here, creating a classic and beautiful ambience is very important because this is something very special for you. Undoubtedly, you are accessible to a range of decorative pieces but beyond doubt each has its own significance and this is what we expect from candles and Candle holders for a special meeting or a gathering.

This is not only the candle is going to marvel your table top, there is candle holder too which is going to be a breathtaking accessory. You can create that extravagance with those simple items which are easily available these days. The overwhelming variety is one thing which helps you in picking the exact one you desire to have. A lot of thing can be talked about candle holders. An impressive variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and materials are waiting for you.

Have you planned a romantic candle light dinner already? Well, if so, just don’t hesitate to include a few candles on a breathtaking candle holder. This act of yours will be greatly appreciated because the ambience is going to change implausibly. Now seriously, you need a bit of imagination to get into the mood. Going for crystal glass candle holder is the finest choice. Place a red candle on it, you absolutely going to create an atmosphere that you yearn for so long and the moments would live in your heart forever!

Well, let us move on to a bigger gathering such as a birthday party or a Christmas family gathering. Will it be complete without those gorgeous candles and its heavenly light? Never! And this is one reason every household rush to get the candles on these occasions. Remember, you have an irresistible variety to choose from. The material used range from wood, silver, aluminum, glass, bronze, crystal, wrought iron, beaded ones, or echo-friendly bamboos. You may just take care of the suitability factor. If you want to use it as a permanent decorative piece, then go for the one that complement your interior decoration. After all, you have such an awe-inspiring variety and you don’t need to care more about it!

If it is a birthday party or festival occasion, forget about everything else, just bring those fancy candles to accessorize your party spot and make sure that you have got the sturdiest holders because it may be handled a bit roughly unlike at a candle light dinner!

For bedrooms, you prefer nothing but scented candles. Well, that is a great choice. They just give you the motivation and inspiration. You feel like you are rested and relaxed in your bedroom with a lot of great thing around and the carefully selected candle holders are just going to do its job wonderfully. You get the utility as well as the visual appeal. However, you got to think many times over about the safety and often a covered holder is going to help you to get rid of your concerns.

Your home will never be the same after you set up Curtain Rods and create gorgeous atomosphere with home decor items like Decorative Pillows,Candle holders, torches, ourdoor pillows, pet beds for your home or garden.

How To Select The Perfect Curtain Rods

2011-04-27T08:35:00.001-04:00

What is in a curtain rod? One’s thought might go this way when there is a talk about curtain rods. Well, it is true that at earlier times, the role of the Curtain Rods had been limited to a material that holds up the drapery properly. However, with the progress of time, this concept has replaced to a more positive attitude towards the curtain rods as people find out the decorative value of curtain rods. Also, the fact is that if you are the one who looks forward to decorate your window treatment impeccably, you cannot just ignore the decorative value of curtain rods. They help you enhancing the overall look of your drapery and the room in general. Let us see how we can choose the best Drapery rods from a vast array of available options.

As the demand for decorative curtain rods increases, the manufacturers are coming up with new, fresh, and innovative curtain rods which actually help the consumers to own the perfect piece of rods that go well with the rest of the room design.

Weight of the drapery

The first thing you should consider before selecting a curtain rod would be the weight of the drapes. This is certainly a practical idea with which you can decide on the right curtain rod which would give the absolute support to the drape you are going to use. Every room needs different sort of drapery. When your living room and bedrooms have heavy and fancy draperies, you opt for lighter ones for your study and kitchens. As there is variation in the weight of draperies, you have to pick up the rods that are going to be perfect support for the drapes.

Select the apt style

Before you rush to buy curtain rods, you need to look around your interior design. Is it favoring the modern architecture or is it designed with a traditional touch? Whatever it might be, you cannot bring a modern styled curtain rod for a traditional interior design and vice versa. One doesn’t need to have a lot of wisdom to understand this simple thing. You have a variety of options when it comes to style. There are decorative curtain rods, concealed rods, traverse rods, customized rods, and many other styles that you can choose from.

Care about the material

As you are well aware, there is a variety of materials used for making curtain rods. What would you like to have for your home? There is wood, glass, wrought iron, ceramic, silver, aluminum and the rest. You simply need to select the one that would be a perfect match for the design of your home. All these materials ensure you enough sturdiness. What you need to care about is the appropriateness of the material and the ability of the material to give the ultimate style.

Other small things to consider

Don’t worry about the shades and colors—you have a variety of shades to choose from. Also you have accessories to enhance the rods that are called finials and rod pockets. Choose the matching accessories for the rods which are going to add the beauty of the window treatment.

Decorative Pillows To Enhance The Beauty Of Bedrooms And Living Rooms

2011-04-27T07:18:00.002-04:00

“Home is where the heart is”—this is something you have heard many times! As a matter of fact, we all have this idea of dolling up our homes distinctively. Each of us likes to hear compliments from our friends and guests about the home decoration. Whenever you visit a friend’s or relative’s house, you too look around and notice several things about the home design and quite often the smaller and cuter things attract you the most. Well, the ideas are endless when it comes to home decor! Here, you have the Decorative Pillows and throw pillows to bring the desired beauty to your own home at anytime!

Give a makeover to your living room

Though a number of things can add to the excellence of your living room, nothing can be as cute as soft pillows stacked over a wooden table or nicely arranged on a sofa set. When you arrange decorative pillows on your seating, don’t forget the fact that they act as a comfy factor for those seated on that therefore, one needs to be careful about the fiber and fill used for the pillow. Don’t get carried away by the mere look, you need to be cautious about the filling of the pillow so that you can make sure that your seating is finally done with supreme comfort that anyone would be pleased to sit on it. 12 x 18 inch square shaped throw pillows are ideal for any living room arrangement. Bolsters too are the best choice for decorating a living room. Bolsters are suitable for handless sitting arrangement, mostly used for spending time in an informal, relaxed way.

Deck your bedding with fine looking decorative and throw pillows

You know that, these days, pillows are not merely an item for resting your head while sleeping. Other than that, they act as a wonderful piece of decorative item for any space at your home; however, when you bring them to our bedroom, the value just goes up—they make your home really very gorgeous. Like in living rooms, the decorative pillows require to have some cozy elements such as softness and suppleness. It is not tough to find pillows with quality fiber and fillings. Other than decorative pillows, you can use these throw pillows as an accessory for your bedding. They are going to give a fabulous design and pattern to your bed. You can create a great pattern with striking beautiful colors. If it is for kid’s room, again, a huge variety is available starting from animals, birds, football, sports and transport shapes.

Quality, cost-effectiveness, and convenience.

With an overwhelming variety of decorative pillows and decorative throw pillows, it has become really so easy to pick up the one with best quality, cost-effectiveness, and convenience. Online stores are great source for you because they display images of these pillows and you can find out the features by simply reading the description. You can find a variety of pillows with attractive designs, soft filling, quality material, as well as zipper on sides or the back of the pillow.

Interior Design with Curtain rods and Window Coverings

2010-12-03T06:09:00.002-05:00

A beautiful yard is like a fabulously decorated home with Curtain Rods and Window Coverings: well thought out, purposefully designed and carefully put together.

If the impression your yard gives is as important of Curtain rods to you as the interior of your home for window coverings, you’ll want to invest time and thought into this outdoor extension of your living space. You’ll enjoy the rewards of your efforts for many years - and receive many compliments along the way!

Okay, to start: you’re the landscape architect - pull up a chair and let’s get to work! Let’s start by deciding:

What you want to use the space for.

This can be single or multi-purpose. Talk to everyone in the house and curtain rods and Window Coverings brainstorm together. You may want to keep the entire space in thick, green grass just for putting practice (single-purpose). Or you may want to have a space for the kids and another for adults (multi-purpose). Do you cook outdoors? Want a flower bed? How about an area for your pets?

The other thing that goes hand-in-hand with this is considering what you’re working with.

Is your land flat, hilly, rocky or full of trees?

How much sun/shade does each area get at different times of the day - and will it make a difference for that area’s purpose?

Do you have a noisy neighbor? You probably wouldn’t want to put a meditation corner near them.

Safety should be the first consideration for children’s play areas. Place them away from streets and alleys, don’t position the slide to end in the pond (unless that’s what you want) and keep Fido’s pooh-pooh area far away from their little feet! Using curtains and curtain rods we stop the direct sunlight in home. By using window coverings and curtain Rods we get cool sun light. Its an energy saving Idea.

Now get out a pencil and paper - or landscaping software - and map out the spaces, keeping in mind the “lay of the land” and other pertinent factors. For now just make general circles or squares to mark the space for each purpose.

What style you want to use.

Is it formal, informal, country, eclectic? And don’t forget to consider what’s already there, like the architecture of the house or the style of existing fencing. Consider the style of existing structures of curtain rods & window coverings that will stay and how those styles will fit in your plan.

What color palate you’ll use.

Of course you must consider other existing colors: siding and trim on existing buildings and fences, landscaping colors, maybe even the color of a neighbor’s garage if it’s butted up to your yard.

My house is blue with white trim, and that’s what I chose to use for the outdoor décor and interior Décor by curtain rings and window coverings: my chair cushions are a great blue floral, the stone deck is colored blue-gray and I just planted one of those gorgeous blue hyacinths next to the neighbor’s white fence. Now, I could have gone with a green palate because there’s so much green in the yard already (grass, trees), but that’s just me.

Now comes the fun - uh, I mean the hard part: shopping for everything you need. And color coordinating and curtain rods & window coverings it. And making sure the styles coordinate. And having friends over to analyze the work (over food and drinks of course). And somehow, somehow managing to hold up under the enormous amount of praise and compliments you’ll receive for your labors.

It’s a tough job. But someone’s got to do it. Might as well be you!

Are You Looking to Decorate Your Home with Decorative Pillows

2010-12-01T05:33:00.000-05:00

Those who want to beautify their home can never avoid one adorable piece of decoration -Throw decorative pillows! They give such an embellishment to any living area, no matter whether it is your living room or the bedroom, it surely enhance the home decor effectively. It has an endless charm which certainly pleasing to all of us. If you have not yet brought them, it is time for you to get them and decorate it marvelously to spruce up your interior decoration.

You get a variety of decorative pillows these days. They are artistically and aesthetically made and can be used for enhancing the home decor and give comfort to your guests. You get embroidered decorative pillows, hooked pillows, silk, and needlepoint pillows. You get them in fine quality materials as well as many different shades and designs. Needlepoint pillows are very handsome that the canvas is fully covered with embroidery and gives a very decorative look. You can use them on your sofas or any other sitting arrangements. They compliment well with other decorative items in your home.

For living room, tasseled decorative throw pillows are suitable. They give a fabulous look to the living room and give an ornamental look to your sitting area. You get many different varieties such as Tuscany, terracotta, sage, frayed edge, beige, and many more. Throw pillow bolsters are another item which is attractive and decorative for your home decor. As you get them in variety of shades, you can mix and match them with your living room arrangements.

There are terracotta throw pillows which gives a classic and elegant look to your bedroom. You can bring those decorative pillows to marvelously arrange it as a bedroom accessory. However, for bedroom, it is always better to bring soft decorative throw pillows. They give both attractiveness as well as the desired comfort.

The price also varies. You can get inexpensive regular use pillows to high-end decorative pillows like silk pillows. However you should make sure that your pillows are soft and comfortable. Inexpensive throw pillows can be easily get0spoiled and can lose its softness within a short period of time. So spending a little more on decorative pillows cannot go waste as it ensure a lot of enhancement to the home decor. So now pillows are not only used for resting your head, it gives a fantastic support your back also! Get them as per the size you require for your sitting arrangements or for bedroom decoration.

If you are a nature lover, you can even get some organic decorative pillows. These pillows are made of eco-friendly materials such as cotton, hemp and wool. For all these products, it is better for you to browse in the internet and find out many varieties. You get a better idea about price, variety, styles, designs, materials, and shades.

You can know about the different models of Decorative Pillows available in the market at the BackyardBargain. It is a nice place to explore numerous models of home decor items like Candle Holders.

Decorative Pillows for Living Room Enhancement

2010-10-26T07:36:00.002-04:00

Home decor and interior design demands a lot of expert attention and we all have a different tastes and desires when we hanker after decorating our new house. All rooms and areas in the house have its own importance; however, living room is such place which really needs your focused attention when going to decorate it. Along with many other decorative items for the living room, decorative pillow play a key role to doll up it charmingly and gorgeously.

Let us have a look at the new styles and designs of decorative pillows for your living room.

For a decorative purpose, usually you have square and rectangle shaped pillows. Also you can have bolsters to add more appeal. Tasseled and corded Tuscany decorative pillow gives an elegant and attractive look to your living room. They are available in many different designs, what you merely need to do is pick up those gorgeous decorative pillows with the color that match up with your interior decoration and the color of the seating arrangement. Sometimes the contrast colors decorative pillows hugely compliment your sofas.

Tasseled earth tone and other natural color pillows provide a sophistication and chic style to a modern interior decoration. Look at the material that is used for making the pillow. That is really very important. A soft touch is what everyone look for. Make sure that the pillows you have selected have exceptional softness and suppleness.

Also pay attention to the fill of the pillows. If you look for a little more firmness, foam filled decorative pillows give you the effect you look for; however most of the time you want to have that extra softness for your living room pillows. If it so, feather and down decorative pillows will do that wonderful job of giving soft touch and limberness to your living area seating arrangement.

Bolsters are certainly an unavoidable choice for living room decoration. The elegance and majestic ambience offered by the bolsters cannot be found anywhere else. However, if you don’t have a traditional interior style for your living room, it may, sometimes, look a little odd for the living space. If at all you want to buy bolsters, make sure that it goes well with your modern interior decor and style. Fortunately, the bolsters too have evolved and you get them in modern styles and designs.

Last but not least, the size of the decorative pillows! Decide on the size of the pillow. Sometime the oversized decorative pillows really give a lot of appeal to your living space. It depends on the other decorative item and the ability of the decorative pillow to gel with other decorative home accessories. If you don’t hire an interior designer to decor your home, you need to pay attention to such small things to make it better and attractive.

Window Coverings And Curtain Rods: Giving a New Look to Our Window | Article Directory

2010-10-20T02:51:00.000-04:00

Window Coverings And Curtain Rods: Giving a New Look to Our Window | Article Directory

Methods of Curtain Rods Selection

2010-09-03T07:57:00.000-04:00

Curtain Rods

So ask away, but in the meantime we’ll get the ball rolling. And we’ll start with a tough one: curtain rods and never used to be a big thing, finding it. That was before the explosion in choices turned the hunt into finding the right rod.

You know, this is very easy to pick out: a limited selection of styles and a few basic sizes. It made choosing it fairly easy, with few decisions to make. This is simple, in fact.

Not any more. If you haven’t looked lately, you’ll be amazed at the assortment of options available when choosing curtain rods – not only a dramatic improvement in available sizes but the variation in styles . . . types . . . accessories . . . . Wow.

Some of you are really excited about all the options, and some of you are heading for the aspirin. No matter what your reaction to the overwhelming selection of curtain rods, most of you will appreciate a little assistance in narrowing your choices. And that’s what we’re here for!

We’ll take you on a journey through the deep jungles of curtain rods (don’t worry; you’ll be at home in time for lunch!). You’ll learn how to figure out just what you want and what you should be looking for, all before beginning your purchase process!

Even if you don’t know your “style” we’ll help you figure it out. Before you know it you’ll be scrutinizing them like a pro, knowing just what will look best in your rooms.

And if you already have some idea what you want you’ll get tips on details that will make your new rods the perfect choice for your windows!

So sign in, ask questions, tell everyone what you think – and it doesn’t have to be about curtain rods. What’s on your mind? How can our expertise at BackyardBargain.com help you?

Window Coverings

Simply Beautiful: Wall Sconces Add Interest and Beauty

2010-08-20T04:45:00.002-04:00

Wall sconces are coming back - they’re on the verge of being one of the hottest accessories in today’s home decorating arena. And you don’t have to wait until wall sconces are at their peak of popularity to add them to your home decor.

You also don’t have to hire an electrician to hang a wall sconce in your home - just use sconces made to hold candles instead of light bulbs. The flexibility this non-electric sconce offers is unparalleled: you can hang a candle wall sconce anywhere you have a stable vertical surface!

Wall sconces are popular for several reasons.

They add immediate interest to a wall.

They offer an alternative lighting source.

They can be found in any style to match your decor: traditional, contemporary, Victorian, country, European…

The interesting variety available today gives you the opportunity to create a whole decorating scheme around the great wall sconces you’ll discover!

They’re a safer alternative to candle holders set on tables.

The safety features a candle wall sconce offers are incomparable to a candle holders if you have children or pets. Attached firmly to a wall out of reach, you never have to worry about curious fingers or wagging tails reaching your candles - and that means no spills, no breaks, no worries!

Wall sconces are an easy way to add that final touch, the element of interest to your rooms. One great place for a wall sconce is up the stairway walls. If you have photos and frames hanging in your stairway, that’s even better – mix the wall sconces right in for added depth and interest.

Another great location for a wall sconce is around your bathtub. It’s the perfect alternative to candle holders set on the tub’s edge: no worries about knocking it into the water. Oh-h-h, you can feel the bubbles and smell the fragrances as you begin melting into the soft lighting already!

Wall sconces are so easy to use anyone can add them to their home decor with success, and anyone with decorating genius is hanging theirs right now. Go ahead; get in on the excitement of adding interest and beauty to your home today with your own selection of wall sconces!

You can know about the different models of Decorative Curtain Rods available in the market at the BackyardBargain. It is a nice place to explore numerous models of home decor items like Decorative Pillows.

How to Decor and Lighting Your Home With Candle Holders and Wall Sconces

2010-08-19T06:39:00.002-04:00

Are you thinking to use glass candle holders? Candles and romance are forever tied together, sort of joined at the hip. But if you’re not a true romantic (and let’s face it, most of us only wish we were at convenient times) you probably don’t think about using candles as a primary element in room decorations. But you might want to re-think that.

Candles aren’t the reason to re-think it, though: what you place the candle in is what it’s all about. And think “in”. You can use the usual candle holders that are really just bases to set a candle on . . . or you can step up the style and find glass candle holders that you set a candle in, like a tall glass shape. A sleek fitted bowl. Like adult versions of those tea light cups – with style!

Imagine this: next to your fabulous collection of blue Depression glass you place ten-inch cut glass candle holders. Think about it.

In your eclectic living room (never really left college, did you?) you set three really different candle holders together. Or three identically shaped candle holders in three contrasting colors or three different styles in identical colors (because you really are trying to act grown up).

Dining table – for the holiday centerpiece: use a beautiful footed floating candle bowl as the centerpiece. You can fill it with water and candles, or greenery, napkins, melon balls . . . .

The Wall Candle Holders are also known as Wall Sconces. Wall Sconces are give the wonderful charm at your home wall. Wall Sconces give the warm Lighting at your room.

How about Halloween fun? Candles in glass candle holders are the ideal way to add safety and an eerie lighting to your front door.

In that same spirit, they’re wonderful upgrades to the sand-filled paper bags with candles. Use the bags to line your driveway and use candle holders for the porch, deck and entry.

Ugh, that [insert whatever room makes you groan] needs something. Think glass candle holders. Get one or two in an unusual design, like tall hurricane glasses or rectangular colored glass. Find candle holders in unique finishes like mosaic, painted glass or cut aluminum. Use an eye-catching collection of colors, maybe deep moss green, sunshine yellow and burnt orange together.

So that’s it: the best and easiest way to fool those romantics into thinking you’re one of them. And then when you find yourself feeling romantic, well, you’re ready to act like one!

Your Home will never be the same after you set up Decorative Curtain Rods and create some beautiful Charm. home decor items like Decorative Pillows and Candle Holders for your home or restaurant.

Decorative Pillows - Add Beautify and Charm to Your Home Decor

2010-07-21T01:16:00.008-04:00

Those who want to beautify their home can never avoid one adorable piece of decoration—throw decorative pillows! They give such an embellishment to any living area, no matter whether it is your living room or the bedroom, it surely enhance the home decor effectively. It has an endless charm which certainly pleasing to all of us. If you have not yet brought them, it is time for you to get them and decorate it marvelously to spruce up your interior decoration.

You get a variety of decorative pillows these days. They are artistically and aesthetically made and can be used for enhancing the home decor and give comfort to your guests. You get embroidered decorative pillows, hooked pillows, silk, and needlepoint pillows. You get them in fine quality materials as well as many different shades and designs. Needlepoint pillows are very handsome that the canvas is fully covered with embroidery and gives a very decorative look. You can use them on your sofas or any other sitting arrangements. They compliment well with other decorative items in your home.

For living room, tasseled decorative throw pillows are suitable. They give a fabulous look to the living room and give an ornamental look to your sitting area. You get many different varieties such as Tuscany, terracotta, sage, frayed edge, beige, and many more. Throw pillow bolsters are another item which is attractive and decorative for your home decor. As you get them in variety of shades, you can mix and match them with your living room arrangements.

There are terracotta throw pillows which gives a classic and elegant look to your bedroom. You can bring those decorative pillows to marvelously arrange it as a bedroom accessory. However, for bedroom, it is always better to bring soft decorative throw pillows. They give both attractiveness as well as the desired comfort.

The price also varies. You can get inexpensive regular use pillows to high-end decorative pillows like silk pillows. However you should make sure that your pillows are soft and comfortable. Inexpensive throw pillows can be easily get0spoiled and can lose its softness within a short period of time. So spending a little more on decorative pillows cannot go waste as it ensure a lot of enhancement to the home decor. So now pillows are not only used for resting your head, it gives a fantastic support your back also! Get them as per the size you require for your sitting arrangements or for bedroom decoration.

If you are a nature lover, you can even get some organic decorative pillows. These pillows are made of Eco-friendly materials such as cotton, hemp and wool. For all these products, it is better for you to browse in the internet and find out many varieties. You get a better idea about price, variety, styles, designs, materials, and shades.

You can know about the different Shape and Color of Decorative Pillows available in the market at the BackyardBargain. It is a nice place to explore numerous models of home decor items like Candle Holders.

How Outdoor Tiki Torches Can Adorn Your Luau Party

2010-05-26T01:39:00.001-04:00

Planning to throw a fun-filled luau party? Well, luau parties are meant for fun and frolic. The party items such as tiki torches, inflatable palm trees, flower garlands, lanterns, candles, and cocktail umbrellas are going to make your party whimsical and magical. Without a doubt, these items have an enormous power to create a tropical feel for your party.

Certainly, you have a number of things to do before you compile your guest list. You have brought all those items which would light up your garden as well as lighten up mood of your guests! How about decorating your backyard with those captivating tiki torches for your luau party? Let’s see how we can place them beautifully and safely in your backyard.

Purchase durable tiki torches

It is easy to buy sturdy outdoor tiki torches with outstanding designs, sizes, and colors. You get them in mosaic designs and conical or tulip shapes. Most of these tiki torches are with unique features of snuffer caps and powder coated garden poles. Go for the torches which use standard oil and fiberglass wicks.

Shiny Black Tulip Outdoor Tiki Torch

Arrange the tiki torches aesthetically

Take an estimate of the lawn space. If it is a small-to-medium sized one, 5-6 tiki torches ensure enough lighting. Next, find out the attractive areas in your garden where you can arrange your tiki torches aesthetically. However, do not place it irrationally because uneven placing may not help the light to spread out the entire lawn area. Put it together in a way it gives the real feel and fun of luau party. You should leave spaces for other items like party banners, inflated palm trees, life sized cut outs, and luau lanterns.

Amber Glass Outdoor Tiki Torch

Place it safely

You arrange a party where the little tots would care nothing about the fire hazards! They can bump into it any time sooner. Make sure that your outdoor tiki torch inserted tightly into concrete or solid ground so that it wouldn’t tumble if knocked. Place it away from outdoor sheds, tree branches, and any inflammable materials. You should always make sure that you have placed outdoor torches closer enough to get the light but in a safe way. You should also make sure that your other luau fun items are placed in a safe distance.

Terracotta Mosaic Conical Outdoor Tiki Torch

Chase off those bugs and insects

Installing a tiki torch filled with citronella oil keeps the mosquitoes and other insects at bay. The best thing about this oil is this wouldn’t produce smoke and annoy your guests. Also, you can make certain that the exotic fragrance of your luau menus do not get mix up with the odor of insect repellents. So place the torches wisely in the mosquito, bugs and insects targeted areas of your backyard to drive them away!

How to Add Glow in Outdoor Gathering with Outdoor Tiki Torches

2010-05-14T06:26:00.000-04:00

This is the backyard barbeque time again and you want to throw a party in style! What are the perfect ingredients that would spice up your celebration? Let’s talk first about tiki torches. No evening garden party is complete without those lovely pieces of lighting arrangement. You would find your guests go gaga over the charming tiki torches that space out on either side to line the pathway.

Your beautiful garden and tiki torches make an awesome barbeque day. Other than illuminating the walkway, tiki torches can be placed near the patios for light or decorated around your swimming pool for a poolside party. Whatever it might be, you want to create a fun-filled ambience and make sure that your guests had a gala time.

If you are planning to line your pathway with tiki torches for your backyard barbeque party, then go for the ones that can be easily inserted into the ground. And, if you have a stone pathway, you can decorate it with magnificent tiki troches which would create a tropical feel and give an aesthetic ambience to the party. Though you can keep it on the tabletop; for patios, you can place it a little far as the odor of the mosquito repellants would be overwhelming for the guests.

As you are aware, in a garden party, the guests are carefree and like to freely move around. Therefore, there is always a chance of your guests stumble over the torches or run into it. So arrange it in a manner which they will not wobble if slightly bumped.

Cobalt Blue Glass Outdoor Garden Tiki Torch

You can avail a variety of torches that satisfies your needs and tastes. You can even make a bamboo tiki torch if you have enough time and patience. Or otherwise, if you cannot spare time and wish to get hold of a durable item, go and get it from a reliable retail store that sells sturdy tiki torches. Most of these mosaic-designed torches have either conical or tulip shapes which give an elegant look. The snuffer caps and powder coated garden poles assures the durability. It features easy-fill containers with standard lamp oil and fiberglass wick.

Shiny Black Tulip Outdoor Tiki Torch

Though the torches adorn your backyard with their sober ambience, let’s be little bit careful about installing a tiki torch as none of us want any fire hazards in our festivity. Only a bit of attention is enough to avoid such mayhem. Keep your tiki torches a safe distance from combustible materials, tree branches, and buildings. Don’t leave your tiki unattended. Once the party is over, extinguish the flame right away.

Terracotta Mosaic Conical Outdoor Garden Tiki Torch

So finally, I do not need to explain how it is important for you to engage each guest individually and make them feel special. You know how to arrange a perfect tiki torch party with tiki menus, well, don’t just forget to serve those umbrella drinks and fresh fruit skewers! and tiki-themed music to entertain your guests to the hilt.

Super Bowl Season: A Hot Time in the Cold with Fire Pit

2010-04-12T08:35:00.001-04:00

Want to put one through the goal posts for this year’s Super Bowl party? It’s easy: have an outdoor party! Yes - ask your friends over and light up your fire pit to stay warm.
What you’ll need:

Fire pit

Any fire pit will do - all you need are flames and warmth for this party. But you’ll do best with a portable pit to move to the ideal location in your yard - you know, like close to an electrical outlet for the TV. There are many styles available so you can get one that will fit well into your outdoor space.

Outdoor Fire Pit

Most local stores put their fire pits away for the winter, so if you’re shopping for one look online. Check out sites like BackyardBargains.com or FirePitBargains.com - they have great selections, and you’ll even find shipping deals (like free shipping for some things).

TV

You can transport a TV out to the deck just for the game. Before the big day select your party location. Find a spot close to an electrical outlet, that’s level and you can place your TV stand (that may be a bench, table, chest, etc.)… and not too close to the fire pit!

This is an important step - don’t wait till the morning of the Bowl to scope out your options because then it may be too late to solve any problems you run into.

Chairs

Go ahead, pull out the summer deck chairs. Set them around the fire pit and in front of the TV. Everyone will have 50-yard-line seating with no big columns in the way!

If you live in a cold climate and your chairs don’t have seat padding, you may want to put cushions in the seats for a little extra warmth. Heated cushions are an even better idea and available in sporting goods stores.

Drinks

Live way north? You can have the usual game brews and keep them cold in the snow banks. Whatever you serve in glasses, have a couple coffee pots for coffee, hot water, hot chocolate, hot spiced rum, etc.

Food

With your guests seated around your fire pit you’ve got some great food options. You can do the usual hot dogs, or put a grill rack over the flames and cook up burgers, wings or steaks. Or make up kabobs for guests to grill whenever they want during the game.

Here’s another idea: grab those grilling sticks from the garage and give one or two to each guest. Set out a bowl full of individual grillers: cubed seasoned steak, quartered marinated onions, buttered/seasoned bread, marshmallows (of course!), and whatever else you can skewer.

There you have it, the basics for your outdoor Super Bowl party around the fire pit. Now you’re ready to call your buddies and let ‘em know they’re watching the Big Game this year at your place!

Chair Tie 27 Inch Shanai Olive

2010-04-08T02:29:00.001-04:00

You've got to have these chair ties to decorate your home! Sure, you can use them for your chairs, but the possibilities are endless!!!

Draperies or curtains, but that's just the beginning - what about your shower curtain, or your bedroom door handle? You can wrap them around vases, pillows, frames.

Chair Tie 27 Inch Shanai Olive

Shanai-style chair ties, double tassels with a long cord, in a wrinkle-free yarn, with gorgeous wooden beads, in coordinating colors are perfect in any decor. You can hang these chair ties anywhere for a chic decorative look.

Ceramic Vases Brown Mix

2010-04-05T03:05:00.000-04:00

Ceramic Vases Brown Mix

Decorate any room of your home with these unique striking set of 4 ceramic vases. Use them all on your mantle or make a chic display on your dining room table. Add flowers to these vases in your bedrooms for a romantic garden look. These are also great gifts to FOUR different people.

Tiki Torches in Purple and Green The Hottest Colors this Summer!

2010-04-01T01:52:00.001-04:00

Green - it’s so pc to be green today. That’s the recycling-environmentally-friendly shade of green. And purple - what can anyone say about this color? It’s been the favorite color of kings and little girls for ages. When these colors combine you may think they create brown, but they really paint the hottest summer yet. How?

Okay, first get out the tiki torches. Now grab your jug of Purple Skeeter Beater - what? You don’t have any?? Well… this is going to be fun!

The Purple Skeeter Beater is a new fuel for tiki torches and is available online at BackyardBargain.com. And it may look purple, but it’s really green because:

Purple Skeeter Beater is made of 100% recycled vegetable oil

It contains citronella, which means you get tiki torch lighting and mosquito protection

Outdoor Garden Tiki Torch

Purple Skeeter Beater burns twice as long as standard tiki torch fuel, so it will save-save-save fuel and money

It won’t harm your grass, flowers or any of your landscaping

Purple Skeeter Beater burns clean - it’s environmentally friendly - no pollution at all!

Match this great new fuel with durable tiki torches and you have years of summer lighting ahead of you! The new line of tiki torches isn’t like the old torches: flimsy, easily breakable and usually only good for a few seasons. Nope.

Some tiki torches are made of metals and built to last as long as your backyard. The really great part, though, is the selection. Styles, colors, size… every square yard of your yard has its tiki torch match!

So if you have tiki torches from BackyardBargain.com and light them with Purple Skeeter Beater… well, you’ve just turned your little world as green as it gets!

Now can you see how purple can really be green this summer? Go ahead - make your yard even greener!

How is Your Outdoor Decor?

2010-03-29T02:42:00.004-04:00

A beautiful yard is like a fabulously decorated home: well thought out, purposefully designed and carefully put together. If the impression your yard gives is as important to you as the interior of your home, you’ll want to invest time and thought into this outdoor extension of your living space. You’ll enjoy the rewards of your efforts for many years - and receive many compliments along the way!

Okay, to start: you’re the landscape architect - pull up a chair and let’s get to work! Let’s start by deciding:

Solid Copper Outdoor Fire Pit

What you want to use the space for.

This can be single or multi-purpose. Talk to everyone in the house and brainstorm together. You may want to keep the entire space in thick, green grass just for putting practice (single-purpose). Or you may want to have a space for the kids and another for adults (multi-purpose). Do you cook outdoors? Want a flower bed? How about an area for your pets?

Caramel Finish Steel Hose Bowl

The other thing that goes hand-in-hand with this is considering what you’re working with.

Is your land flat, hilly, rocky or full of trees?

How much sun/shade does each area get at different times of the day - and will it make a difference for that area’s purpose?

Do you have a noisy neighbor? You probably wouldn’t want to put a meditation corner near them.

Red Glass Outdoor Tiki Torch

Safety should be the first consideration for children’s play areas. Place them away from streets and alleys, don’t position the slide to end in the pond (unless that’s what you want) and keep Fido’s pooh-pooh area far away from their little feet!

Now get out a pencil and paper - or landscaping software - and map out the spaces, keeping in mind the “lay of the land” and other pertinent factors. For now just make general circles or squares to mark the space for each purpose.

Copper Planters

What style you want to use.

Is it formal, informal, country, eclectic? And don’t forget to consider what’s already there, like the architecture of the house or the style of existing fencing. Consider the style of existing structures that will stay and how those styles will fit in your plan.

Cobalt Blue Outdoor Hanging Candle Lantern

What color palate you’ll use.

Of course you must consider other existing colors: siding and trim on existing buildings and fences, landscaping colors, maybe even the color of a neighbor’s garage if it’s butted up to your yard.

My house is blue with white trim, and that’s what I chose to use for the outdoor decor: my chair cushions are a great blue floral, the stone deck is colored blue-gray and I just planted one of those gorgeous blue hyacinths next to the neighbor’s white fence. Now, I could have gone with a green palate because there’s so much green in the yard already (grass, trees), but that’s just me.

Aluminum Animal Duck

Now comes the fun - uh, I mean the hard part: shopping for everything you need. And color coordinating it. And making sure the styles coordinate. And having friends over to analyze the work (over food and drinks of course). And somehow, somehow managing to hold up under the enormous amount of praise and compliments you’ll receive for your labors.

It’s a tough job. But someone’s got to do it. Might as well be you!

Curtain Rod Rings: Useful Helpful Delightful Things You Need to Know About

2010-03-23T06:12:00.003-04:00

Curtain rod rings… you know, there are many things in life you can go a long time, maybe forever, knowing nothing about. They’re usually the littlest things, the awful-est things, or the most mundane things. But then there are those things you wish you’d known about years ago because they’re so useful-helpful-delightful. And that’s the category for curtain rod rings.

Now, don’t be mistaken - even though some of you will think so, curtain rings really don’t fall into the I-don’t-need-to-know-about-this-ever category. They’re actually amazing, and for more reasons than you can hang a curtain on.

Why, you say, should I be interested in these, uh, ringy-thingys? Because, we say, your life will totally improve in useful-helpful-delightful little ways. Yes, curtain rod rings. Want proof? We’ve compiled a short list of uses for curtain rod rings, just enough to feed your own inspiration.

Gold Curtain Rings

In the kitchen.

Recipe holder. Yes, you read that right. Clip that recipe card or magazine page to the curtain rod ring and hang the ring on a cabinet door knob… Pretty cool, huh?

How about hanging a hand towel the same way? You can have it right where you need it while cooking or baking, and remove it when guests arrive!

For fun, use a curtain rod ring to hold cloth napkins for diners – you can clip them to the tablecloth, chair, glass or whatever makes you smile!

In the bath.

Shower: on the curtain rod to hold extras: loofas, wash cloths, sponges, razors, etc.

How about a Don’t-Knock-I’m-Busy sign on the door?

Of course there are always those little affirmation notecards - now you have an easier way to keep them in view: clip one to a curtain rod ring and hang it on anything around the mirror.

Bronze Curtain Rings

In the bedroom.

In the closet: curtain rings are perfect to hold scarves, necklaces - why, you can hang them right next to the outfits you love pairing them with!

In the closet: let’s take that first tip a little farther: some people actually have matching lingerie for outfits - really, we’re not joking - and a curtain ring would be a perfect way to keep them together. Easy to grab and no searching required.

Again in the closet: how about those trouser socks? Since they’re so easy to lose in the sock drawer, why not hang them from a curtain ring in the closet?

Still in the closet (yes, we know it’s not funny…): have an item that you just can’t fit anywhere, like that belt with the gigantic buckle?

Nickel Curtain Rings

In the hallway.

Kids’ mittens, hats, scarves - even the kids if they’re light enough! (Just kidding, of course!)

What about that collection of green save-the-earth shopping bags you’re always forgetting to take along? Need a place to keep them where you’ll actually remember to grab them?

And, of course, those fab designer handbags - now you can hang them in the hallway closet on a curtain ring so they’re at your fingertips when you’re ready to switch bags.

In the car.

The great thing about curtain rod rings is they hang easily on small knobs – and most cars have an abundance of those.

Things you can hang from a curtain rod ring in the car: phone cords, travel tissue boxes, maps (almost things of the past), notes, grocery lists…

Other ideas.

Hang your curtain rings on chairs and clip balloons to them for birthday parties.

Don’t forget the obvious: to hang curtains!

So now you know all about the double life of curtain rod rings - one of the true useful-helpful-delightful things you need to know about!

Simply Beautiful: Wall Sconces Add Interest and Beauty

2010-02-09T01:44:00.001-05:00

Crystal Glass Wall Sconce

The safety features a candle wall sconce offers are incomparable to a candle holder if you have children or pets. Attached firmly to a wall out of reach, you never have to worry about curious fingers or wagging tails reaching your candles - and that means no spills, no breaks, no worries!

Wall sconces are an easy way to add that final touch, the element of interest to your rooms. One great place for a wall sconce is up the stairway walls. If you have photos and frames hanging in your stairway, that’s even better – mix the wall sconces right in for added depth and interest.

Another great location for a wall sconce is around your bathtub. It’s the perfect alternative to candle holders set on the tub’s edge: no worries about knocking it into the water. Oh-h-h, you can feel the bubbles and smell the fragrances as you begin melting into the soft lighting already!

Candle Wall Sconce

Wall sconces are so easy to use anyone can add them to their home decor with success, and anyone with decorating genius is hanging theirs right now. Go ahead; get in on the excitement of adding interest and beauty to your home today with your own selection of wall sconces!

Wall Sconces - Back in Style!

2010-02-09T01:37:00.000-05:00

I once rented an apartment that had electric light wall sconces. It was an ancient building, a real architectural antique. I loved those wall sconces; they were beautiful and really lit the room well. I miss them.

I miss them because they were my “first”. Today I have sconces on my walls - but in a twist of fate I decided to go non-electric! It started out innocently enough…

Crystal Glass Wall Sconce

I’d decided to go all-out for an anniversary with my Significant Other, and wanted to try my hand at romance. Now, romance isn’t something that comes naturally to me so I did a little research and turned first to candles.

Obvious and easy choice, but I was concerned about the safety factor. After all, I planned to have those candles burning at a time I wouldn’t be paying any attention to them. And you guessed it: that’s when I discovered wall sconces for candles! Not only are they a safe alternative to candles sitting on flat surfaces but they’re also permanent - you can be romantic any time. (Did you know you can get silk rose petals to scatter for those special anniversaries?)

So that’s what started it. The next set of sconces was premeditated: when I was looking for sconces to match our bedroom décor I found these really crazy, really cool sconces and couldn’t forget them. I started looking around the house for a place they’d look great - so of course they’re hanging right there in the downstairs bath. (Did you know burning candles eliminates unpleasant bathroom odors?)

Then we had this great Mystery Party - you know, everyone comes in costume, plays out a mystery and guests have to guess who the villain is. We wanted “mysterious” candle lighting at the front entry, but without the danger of lighting a guest’s costume on fire. Enter more wall candle sconces! We love the lighting so much we use them all the time when we’re expecting guests.

Multi Colored Candle Wall Sconce

Of course the dogs were responsible for the next wall sconce purchase. They love spending evenings with us on the deck, but those tails are dangerous! We were having so much fun with our other new wall sconces we decided to put them on the deck too, and now enjoy lit candles well out of the reach of those wagging tails.

Our neighbors caught the wall sconce craze and they’ve even attached some to trees in their yard - well below any branches of course!

We’re not sure where the next wall sconce location will be, but we’re keeping our options open. I just saw some candle sconces done in a mosaic that would look great somewhere…

Copper Sink Buying Tips

2010-01-11T00:56:00.001-05:00

Copper sinks are popular right now, and for good reason: they’re beautiful, durable and low maintenance. But like other products on the market, you can find inexpensive sinks and you can find sinks that cost more than all your kitchen appliances together.

Most buyers aren’t looking to spend a small fortune on a copper sink, so how do you get a high quality sink at a reasonable price? Here are some tips to consider as you look around.

Antique Copper Sink

GAUGE OR THICKNESS

The first tip for buying a copper sink: look for thick copper. You’ll find copper sinks between 14 and 20 gauge – and be careful: 20 gauge isn’t the thickest, it’s the thinnest. For sinks you’ll want a 14-16 gauge copper. Of course the thicker the copper the high the price, so decide early how much you’re willing to spend and what gauge you want for your new sink.

Why a heavy gauge copper for your sink? The two biggest reasons:

You don’t want to hear a tinny sound when you run water in your copper sink.
Thin copper can actually dent, which would damage the beautiful looks of your sink.

100% COPPER

Another tip: make sure the sink is made of 100% copper, with no lead. Aha! Yes, some sinks are manufactured from copper mixed with lead. There can be two reasons for this. First, the copper isn’t purified so it still contains other natural byproducts like lead. Second, the copper is from recycled materials which also haven’t been cleaned up completely and contain lead. How can you assure your new sink is 100% copper? This is one of those basic know-who-you’re-buying-from answers: know who you’re buying from!

Also, check the manufacturing country of the sinks. India, Mexico and the

are the primary producers of copper sink and many manufacturers in these countries have excellent reputations.

WELDED SEAMS

Tip three: if there are seams on the unit make sure they’re welded, not soldered, for the greatest strength. And be sure they’re copper welds because other welding metals could change color over time, which could ruin the look of your sink.

Hammrd Copper Sink

The difference between welding and soldering? Welding actually melts the two metals together, and soldering just joins them by forming a seam. Makes sense that a welded seam is the stronger seam.

Okay, you’re ready to shop – take this information with you and start looking for your new, beautiful, low maintenance copper sink!

Outdoor Fire Pit: Grilling for the Big Game

2010-01-11T00:42:00.001-05:00

If you’re having a Super Bowl party at your place this year you’ll be serving up food to some hungry guests. How about making this a great party and using your grill for the food? If you really want to wow them, pull out your fire pit and use it for the food. In fact, you could sit around the pit and watch the game! That way the cook doesn’t miss anything.

Here are some food ideas for your Bowl party.

INSTANT REPLAY

Chili Cheese Dogs. Let your guests cook their own dogs over the fire pit, then slap them in buns and add chili, cheese, onions and whatever else you want. (Then, of course, just wait for that instant replay…!)

THE BLITZ

How about a big plate of hot wings with celery and dip! Add lots of extras – like seasoned grilled onions, grilled potato wedges with dips, grilled kabobs. Keep the pre-cooked wings hot on the pit - everything else can be cooked on the fire pit and served right from there!

TOUCH DOWN

Set out a variety of apps: chips, dips, nuts – anything you can eat with your hands. If you’ve got a big group set out two bowls of each. Just for fun you can serve one batch of apps in the first half and get out different apps for the second half.

Solid Copper Outdoor Fire Pit

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE

What’s your local favorite? This is the time to serve it up! Barbeques, sausages, wild game, seafood – whatever your part of the country has an abundance of and serves proudly. Not sure? Ask your local grocer what they recommend.

PIGSKIN MANIA

What could be better than pulled pork sandwiches and hot baked beans? Both these dishes can be prepared ahead of time so you can enjoy the pre-game shows. You and your guests can grill your buns over the fire before making the sandwiches. Don’t forget the pickles, onions, dips – grilled potato wedges would be a great addition too.

COACH’S CHOICE

Steak, of course, and plenty of it. Be sure to throw some potatoes and onions on the grill before the steaks so they’re ready at the same time. If you’re not handy at grilling, ask the best griller in the crowd to oversee the steak grilling so everyone gets theirs cooked exactly how they like it.

FAN MANIA

How about letting your guests do their own grilling, make their own kabobs? Prepare a bowl full of foods cut and prepared for grilling: seasoned steak, marinated onions, seasoned bread cubes, etc. With grilling sticks for each guest you can all relax right around the outdoor fire pit for the game.

One last idea: have all the makings for S’More ready. Those guests will love this sweet addition to the party. So let everyone know where the Big Game party’s at this year and plan to have a great time watching your favorite team play at the Bowl.

Freestanding Fire Pits: Now for Entertainment and Grilling

2010-01-11T00:38:00.001-05:00

Yes – you’ve got to see them: fire pits with grilling grates! Oh, just imagine the flavors and the fun you’ll have grilling over a real open flame.

Fire pits – the beautiful freestanding pits available today – are a natural place to grill outdoors. We’ve all held roasting sticks over open flames with marshmallows or hot dogs skewered on the ends. But now we’re talking fire pits with grilling racks for the best of both worlds: use the sticks for the kids’ hot dogs while the steaks for the adults sizzle away on the rack.

Whether you choose an open basin style fire pit or a modern version of a chiminea (Mexican-style outdoor oven), you can grill with enthusiasm and gusto. Cooking over an open flame is at once similar to and very different from cooking over coals. They’re both very hot and require close attention. But unlike glowing coals, flames can “lick” the flavors right out of your food and quickly leave a gray, ashen heap. Don’t despair – now’s the time to become the neighborhood guru in fire pit cooking, and here are some beginning tips to get you started.

First tip: use dry wood. Wet wood smokes a lot. Another wood tip: use hardwoods, like oak or maple. Hardwoods burn longer and more consistently than soft woods like pine. (And you don’t want pine pitch seasoning your steaks.)

Solid Copper Outdoor Fire Pit

This next tip may sound like a no-brainer, but if you forget it you’ll have a tough start to dinner: build your fire with chunks of wood small enough to allow the grate to set properly in place above it. In other words, don’t use big chunks or ones with irregular shapes that will get in the way of the grilling rack.

For convenience you may want to keep the smaller grilling wood separate from the larger “bonfire” wood. That way you won’t have to pick through the stack every time you want to grill. And it will save your back from constantly restacking the pile.

If you’re going to grill food that cooks quickly like hot dogs you can set it right on the rack and turn it often to keep from burning. It’ll cook fast so watch carefully. And don’t walk away – wood fires aren’t as consistent as charcoal. You will probably move the food around a lot to keep it in an ideal cooking environment.

If you’re going to cook food that takes longer like steaks there’s another way to set up your fire that’s just like cooking a large item on your charcoal or gas grill. This can be a bit trickier because wood burns faster and less consistently than charcoal.

Have a good pile of short sticks ready. Use these short chunks of wood for this fire because once the fire is burning well you’ll want to push it to the sides of the fire pits, leaving an open space in the middle for a drip pan. Set your pan in place, lower the grilling rack and start cooking.

Now for the tricky part: keep the wood burning hot around the edges. Just like cooking indirectly on a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add fuel – or wood – to the fire to keep it constant. Wood burns faster than charcoal so watch it closely.

And you’re off to a great start! Soon you’ll be savoring the real flavor of wood smoked foods, and you’ll be the envy of your neighborhood. Enjoy!

Fire Pit: How to Keep Your Fire Pit Handy for Winter Use

2010-01-11T00:29:00.001-05:00

It may be the end of summer, but it’s not time to pack up the yard and head inside yet. Fall and winter are great times to extend the use of your fire pit and create more memories with friends and family.

If you live in a white winterland climate fall is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and your yard before the snow flies. And if you don’t get snow in your part of the world you’re in an even better position to enjoy your fire pit during winter months: no shoveling!

Solid Copper Fire Pit

The ideal winter fire pit is portable, like the new copper pits on the market. If you live in a climate that regularly gets below freezing you’ll understand: digging out from ice and snow gets old real fast. But a portable fire pit can wait in the garage or slip under the eaves for easy access and use.

When can you use a fire pit in the winter? Well, unlike summer, in the winter months it’s fun to light a fire in the middle of the day. Weekend, weekday . . . whatever suits your fancy. Here are some times you can get the flames dancing in the winter.

At the end of an afternoon of ice skating – even if it was at an indoor rink!

On a “balmy” winter evening, just to shake things up.

Over the holidays when everyone’s home . . . or not home.

Have a winter birthday? What a great way to celebrate! You can serve S’Mores instead of cake.

After you return from vacation, to re-introduce yourself to home before jumping into the usual work routine.

When friends come over, when family stops by, when a neighbor drops in.

At the end of an evening of entertaining, as your guests are thinking about leaving. It’s a great way to send them off.

As a new family tradition: pot of great stew with fresh bread, and out to the fire together.

After the Big Game, complete with hot dogs or steaks cooked outside.

Brass Fire Pit

Tip: make sure your wood pile is accessible in the winter months. It would really stink if you planned a great outdoor New Year’s party and realized your wood was at the back fence under two feet of snow and ice.

Another tip for winter fire pit use: have a stash of extra coats, hats, mits and scarves for unprepared guests - they’ll appreciate it. Want to go all-out? Get heated seat warmers and provide a place to set those insulated mugs.

Sound like fun? If you don’t already have your own portable fire pit this may be the time to invest in one. After all, the memories will be . . . priceless.

Copper Planters Offer Diversity for Outdoor Spaces

2009-11-09T04:20:00.000-05:00

What Better Way to Show Your Taste – Use Copper Planters for All Your Outdoor Needs!
Got ice? BackyardBargain.com has the copper planter to hold it.

Got beer? BackyardBargain.com has the copper planter to keep ‘em chilled.

Got fireworks? BackyardBargain.com has the copper planter to hang on to them.

Got fresh summer fruit? BackyardBargain.com has . . . well, you’ve got the idea!

Copper planters are beautiful and useful. Not just for your favorite greenery anymore, BackyardBargain.com encourages its customers to take full advantage of these diverse containers.

“One woman bought a dozen copper planters in different sizes for her outdoor wedding,” said Rajan Shah, BackyardBargain.com’s V.P.Operations. “She used them to hold live gardenias, disposable cameras, even cards on the gift table. And she’s just as excited about using them in her own garden after the wedding because she likes them so much!”

A dozen copper planters may be a few too many for your yard, so BackyardBargain.com recommends starting with one or two planters. If you’re not confident in your decorating skills start by using them as planters. Then, as you enjoy them in your outdoor space, let your imagination go.

Need a bird bath in that corner? Let’s use the copper planter! Oh, the family’s coming – put the kids’ yard toys in that other copper planter. How about chilling Uncle Joe’s lemonade in the other copper planter?

BackyardBargain.com’s copper planters are available in three styles: fluted square, round and flared square. The unfinished copper will develop a beautiful patina over time, or can be polished to retain its natural color.

The best part of using copper planters in your landscaping scheme? When the weather turns cold they can huddle beside you inside, still holding your favorite plants, magazines, beverages . . . .

Decorative Pillows – Not Just A Soft Landing Place Anymore!

2009-11-09T04:15:00.000-05:00

Decorative Pillows Have Moved Beyond Basics to Challenge Your Imagination.

You know the type: still not grown up enough to actually invest in furniture, you sit on a pillow on the floor when you stop by – if you’re lucky enough to get the one pillow. Yeah. Great!

But do you know this type? The decorative pillow on the floor looks really inviting, so you move out of the overstuffed chair and onto the pillow. Better yet, you move on to the pile of decorative pillows!

Decorative pillows are finally getting front stage in designers’ eyes, and BackyardBargain.com offers a selection that won’t disappoint.

Once left to highlight the colors in the couch fabric, decorative pillows are now so creative, functional and beautiful that they’re the centerpieces in rooms. And BackyardBargain.com has many styles, shapes, colors, fabrics and trim available. Whether you already know what you want or haven’t thought about it before, it won’t take long to find several decorative pillows you’ll want to have from their wide selection.

“We just want to offer easy decorating ideas to our customers,” said Rajan Shah, BackyardBargain.com’s V.P.Operations. “Decorative pillows are a quick, easy way to change a room. Kind of like adding a necklace or tie to your outfit.”

BackyardBargain.com has decorative pillows in several shapes and sizes: 12x18” rectangles, 18” squares, 7x15” bolsters and even a round rosette. Do you want a warm, cozy color, or a bright, lively one? Tassels and trim are lots of fun and BackyardBargain.com has a wide variety of decorative pillows to choose from.

Take advantage of this great selection of decorative pillows to add some “wow” to your decorating schemes. BackyardBargain.com has pillows for everyone’s imagination!

Curtain Rods – One of the Best Selections at One of the Newest Site

2009-11-09T04:11:00.002-05:00

BackyardBargain.com’s line of decorative curtain rods is impressive for a new online retailer.

As one of the newest retailers of decorative curtain rods, BackyardBargain.com is quickly becoming one of the most popular curtain rod sites. One of the reasons, says BackyardBargain.com’s V.P.Operation Rajan Shah, is their pricing.

“On average, our prices are half as much as typical retailers,” said Shah. “Combined with our wide variety of product that’s translating into a lot of repeat customers.”

BackyardBargain.com handles each product from idea through manufacture and right up to the customer’s front door. Because of this innovative business model, this new online retailer is able to save customers more money on their wide variety of decorative curtain rods.

And they’re not kidding when they say variety. BackyardBargain.com’s curtain rods come in many different finishes and finials – the decorative ends on curtain rods – and are available in ½”, ¾” and 1¼” rod diameters. In all, BackyardBargain.com has nearly 80 decorative curtain rods to choose from.

“We’ve got a great selection of curtain rods to choose from, and that makes finding a coordinating rod easy for our customers,” said Shah. “We hear all the time how happy our customers are that they have a wide selection to choose from.”

BackyardBargain.com’s philosophy of 100% satisfaction will most likely be the ultimate customer-pleasing influence in assuring their place at the top of the list of curtain rod providers.

Deck and Patio Tiki Torches – An Alternative Summer Lighting Solution

2009-11-09T04:08:00.000-05:00

BackyardBargain.com offers a great alternative to outdoor lighting with the new deck and patio torches.

BackyardBargain.com has expanded its line of outdoor tiki torches to include several new deck and patio torches. These new torches bring your favorite island summer lighting right onto your deck or patio.

“These deck and patio torches are really popular with our customers,” said Mr. Rajan Shah, BackyardBargain.com’s V.P.Operation. “All our tiki torches are hot sellers but these deck and patio torches are practically flying off our shelves.”

Instead of having long stakes that push into the ground, these torches have 36” stakes and specialized hardware to allow easy attachment to your deck’s railing. The attached c-clamps on the torches adjust to your rail and hold the tiki torches securely in place while you enjoy the outdoor summer evening.

BackyardBargain.com believes customers are turning more toward this style torch because they’re spending more time at home with family and friends. And tiki torch lighting is easier on the eyes than deck flood lights, making it the lighting of choice for decks and patios.

BackyardBargain.com’s tiki torches use traditional torch fuel, or you can purchase Purple Skeeter Beater, an eco-friendly, 100% recyclable long-lasting fuel for your torches.

Each tiki torch has its own attached snuffer and a lifetime fiberglass wick and their 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy.

Hose Bowl: A New Yard Accessory

2009-11-09T04:01:00.000-05:00

Would you like to place hose bowl in your garden? Of course they have their place in the world, those hose reels, because they serve a purpose: they keep those unwieldy hoses conveniently wrapper together in one spot. Pretty utilitarian, but they work fairly well. Not very pretty, though, made of durable plastic in colors that could be dubbed Yard Weeds & Blah.

What would you say to a hose holder that is more than utilitarian? One that emphasizes your good taste and complements your attention to detail in your yard – your outdoor living space? Well, we’ve got it. (Drum roll, please.) Introducing the Hose Bowl!

It’s much more than utilitarian, and so much more than just a hose holder. Check this out:

Hose Bowls look a little like happy donuts: each one is 18” around and 12” deep, with a middle hub to wrap your hose around.

That’s right – they’re not very big. You can almost wrap your arms around one. Now imagine all the convenient places you can set them in your yard.

Hose Bowls are made of steel and finished with powder coating, a painting process that allows the finish to last nearly forever.

That means no repainting every few years because they can’t take the seasonal changes. Hose Bowls not only keep your hoses but they keep their good looks too!

You won’t believe this: each beautiful, compact Hose Bowl holds up to 100 feet of your garden hose!

Amazing – almost like they have hidden pockets they tuck all that length into.

And don’t fret: the drainage holes will get rid of any excess water from the hoses and Mother Nature.

Yes, not just beautiful but smart too! Any excess water from your hose simple drains away. Rain showers aren’t a problem either: after a storm you don’t have to run out to empty the Bowl – you can find something fun to do instead!

BackyardBargain.com carries Hose Bowls in two fashionable finishes, Caramel and Dark Chocolate, so choosing the right one for your yard is easy. Go ahead – use Hose Bowls in your back yard and enjoy the season in style!

Scented Curtain Tassels – The Best Idea Ever!

2009-11-09T02:48:00.002-05:00

You can throw away those plastic air fresheners and get rid of the oil-filled containers cluttering up your tabletops because there’s a new way to freshen the indoors: scented curtain tassels.

Scented curtain tassels are available in a variety of colors and scents, all designed to blend smoothly into your home and lifestyle. For starters, choose your tassel color: Burgundy, Chocolate Blue, Ivory, Rust, Olive, Mahagony – a sampling of some of the colors available.

And scents? Try a scented tassel of Citrus Blast. An energizing scent that will help you wake up in the morning, refresh you mid-day and keep you going before your evening out. This scented curtain tassel smells great anytime!

Or try Ocean Breeze on your scented tassels. For a clean, outdoor, alive scent, it will re-connect your sense of self to Nature, calm those frazzled nerves and walk you to a place of peace and calm. Imagine living with this every day!

Don’t forget to try a scented tassel of Vanilla Spice! You know that great smell of baking cookies? A tassel scented with Vanilla Spice has the same effect. And don’t forget to hang one by your front door so your guests experience the best first impression of your home.

There’s nothing like the remarkable feeling you experience from pulling a scented curtain tassels out of its beautiful packaging. Lifting the flap releases the scent . . . then you grasp the braided hanger cord and pull the tassel gently out . . . and remember the excitement of opening a really wonderful present! Lots of folks say it’s the little things in life.

Still not convinced scented tassels are the best thing since sliced bread? Okay, that’s because you haven’t actually seen one. Scented tassels are four inches long and available with several different finishing. Some are finished simply with braided cording. Others have coordinating beads hanging with the tassels. Others seem to sparkle from tiny beads peeking out. Some scented curtain tassels are embellished with matching ribbons and beads.

If it really is the little things that make life, then you really must scatter scented tassels through your life. All around your house, in the car, at the office and wrapped for any gift-giving occasion.

Enjoy the little things. Scented tassels and you.

Glass Candle Holders: Candles and Holders for the Non-Romantic

2009-11-09T02:45:00.002-05:00

Candles aren’t the reason to re-think it, though: what you place the candle in is what it’s all about. And think “in”. You can use the usual candle holders that are really just bases to set a candle on . . . or you can step up the style and find glass candle holders that you set a candle in, like a tall glass shape. A sleek fitted bowl. Like adult versions of those tea light cups – with style!

Imagine this: next to your fabulous collection of blue Depression glass you place ten-inch cut glass candle holders. Think about it.

In your eclectic living room (never really left college, did you?) you set three really different candle holders together. Or three identically shaped candleholders in three contrasting colors or three different styles in identical colors (because you really are trying to act grown up).

Dining table – for the holiday centerpiece: use a beautiful footed floating candle bowl as the centerpiece. You can fill it with water and candles, or greenery, napkins, melon balls . . . .

How about Halloween fun? Candles in glass candle holders are the ideal way to add safety and an eerie lighting to your front door.

In that same spirit, they’re wonderful upgrades to the sand-filled paper bags with candles. Use the bags to line your driveway and use candleholders for the porch, deck and entry.

Ugh, that [insert whatever room makes you groan] needs something. Think candleholders. Get one or two in an unusual design, like tall hurricane glasses or rectangular colored glass. Find glass candle holders in unique finishes like mosaic, painted glass or cut aluminum. Use an eye-catching collection of colors, maybe deep moss green, sunshine yellow and burnt orange together.

So that’s it: the best and easiest way to fool those romantics into thinking you’re one of them. And then when you find yourself feeling romantic, well, you’re ready to act like one!

Copper Planters - A Sweet Little Landscaping Secret

2009-11-09T02:41:00.002-05:00

Copper planter is a sweet little landscaping secret for your garden. Now you can give your yard that professionally finished look easily - just upgrade to copper planters.

Think about this: what does more to jazz something up than a few carefully chosen details? That’s what copper planters can do for your outdoor spaces. These shiny beauties can turn your landscaping from nice to fantastic simply by sitting quietly around your yard.

Today’s outdoor spaces have evolved well beyond a manicured lawn and a few chairs. In fact, with outdoor kitchens the hottest thing under the sun, people are putting as much consideration into the details of their outdoor spaces as their indoor spaces.

And that’s where online stores come in and going strong, their carefully chosen selection of copper planters is all you need to add the finishing details to your carefully planned outdoor space. Available in small, medium and larger sizes, you can set them individually or group them together – whatever works best for your space.

One great advantage to utilizing copper planters in landscaping schemes is the wide variety of other copper yard and garden accessories available. You can buy matching copper torches, bird baths and more. And for that new outdoor kitchen? You’ve got to check out hammered copper sinks!

Copper planters add a natural “wow” to any decorating style without overwhelming it. They pair beautifully with black iron, stone, glass . . . whatever you can imagine. And if left to their natural inclinations, these copper planters will develop a beautiful natural patina over time.

This little landscaping secret is even greater when you consider how little effort it takes. The hardest part will be deciding what size copper planters you want to use and where to place them.

Can you see it yet? You know that look of admiration and envy on your neighbors’ faces when they see your “new” yard!

Curtain Panels: Time to Notice What’s Hanging on Your Windows!

2009-11-09T02:38:00.001-05:00

Think about the Cape Cod house with the billowing white cotton curtain panels. Stays in your mind, doesn’t it? What about the beautiful, heavy curtain tapestry panels that hung in castles? (No, you don’t have to remember why – the cold winter drafts!) Another curtain favorite of many: the door curtain panel softly belted in the middle.

The only time we usually notice the curtains on windows is when they’re really outdated or ratty. That’s sad – for all the time, money and effort put into choosing curtains they should at least be noticeable.

What’s the point? Just this: if we remember some of the bad curtains it’s because we really love some of the good curtains. So wade past those bad memories and discover your true loves of . . . uh, curtains. Well, you get the idea….

So what’s the problem with curtains? Maybe we should look at it another way: what’s right with great curtains?

Think about, for example, those billowing Cape Cod curtains. They’re perfect year-round in warm climates and the look is easily created. For those colder climates this curtain look can be used in just the warmer months when heavier insulated curtains can be taken down for the season. The secret to a really great Cape Cod look? Be sure the fabric is semi-transparent and flows well – a lot of synthetics fabrics don’t.

That brings up another point: don’t be afraid to change out your curtains each season. Why not? It’s a quick, refreshing way to bring life back to a room in the spring, and a warm, inviting way to welcome the holidays and winter in the fall.

Let’s pick another example – a harder one. How about your bath? You want privacy, right? And it should match or complement the décor. What style are you going with? Here’s a non-traditional thought for a traditional, elegant bath style: why not try a curtain tapestry? It will totally pull your look together like the crown jewels at the ball!

Okay, now let’s go right to the source of contention: the living area. Usually the room’s windows are the largest in the house which also means those sheets of glass are the most expensive to dress. Since there aren’t many affordable, interesting curtain panels out there when you’re looking for miles and miles of them, it’s hard to find anything really great. And once you find something tolerable it usually stays hung on the window long past its due date.

So what can you do? This will take some thinking outside the box, as they say, so start looking for ideas outside the curtain and drapery section. Like in the bedding section. Bath section. Even flooring! Another favorite non-curtain place to look for curtain help: the women’s accessories department. Here are some thoughts to get you going:

• Bedding. Have you seen some of the great bed sheets today? Can you use them as valances or window scarves?
• Bath. There’s nothing like a great bath sheet to cover up with . . . and that’s exactly what your window’s thinking!
• Flooring. Check out some of those area rugs. You may just go home with your next curtain panel!
• Women’s Accessories. So many scarves, so little time. Hang them over the tops of your curtains, use them as tiebacks. Hit the clearance rack for sparkly earrings and hang them like stars on your curtains.

Okay, it’s your turn – time to brighten up your windows with new and interesting curtains. Go for it – see how your windows turn out!

Curtain Accessories You Can not Live Without Holdbacks

2009-11-09T02:31:00.003-05:00

By using curtain holdbacks you can jazz up a room that’s lost its spark. And it will take very little time – unless you can’t decide which of the many styles you want!

I knew a woman once who re-arranged the furniture every time she cleaned a room. Said that was the only way the room felt clean to her. Yeowch, that’s a little much for me, but I still like a little change in my life once in a while. Like a good spring cleaning, a little change can make things feel fresh again.

There are some really easy ways to bring that fresh feeling into your home without spring cleaning or re-arranging the furniture. One of the easiest ways is to use curtain holdbacks. You can get a whole-room new look just by installing holdbacks to use with your existing curtains.

Okay, I can hear the cynics shaking their heads. Well, smarties, just try it. Use your hand to drape one side of your curtains back and take a look. Well? It’s surprising how different it looks, right? And that’s what this curtain accessory can do for your rooms.

Holdbacks are actually pieces of hardware that attach to your wall. They’re basically a U shape, although you’ll find creative variations of that shape in the wide variety of holdbacks available. Installed behind each side edge of the curtains, they’re actually hidden behind your curtains when not in use.

And that brings up another point: using holdbacks isn’t the same as painting or wallpapering a room. You’re not “stuck” with the change – you can use these curtain accessories or not use them, it’s your choice! Want to impress your guests at that formal dinner? Use the holdbacks. Having a Sunday football party? Don’t use them – and they’re out of sight!

The best part about curtain holdbacks? They don’t have to cost more than a lunch trip at the drive-through. And with the many, many styles available in so many different finishes you’ll have fun selecting coordinating holdbacks for your all windows!

Go ahead, make the easiest decorating decision of your lifetime and get curtain holdbacks!

Cool Summer Evenings in a Hot Summer – Thanks to Styling Tiki Torches

2009-11-09T02:24:00.001-05:00

Want to light up your summer? It’s not too late: you can have the coolest tiki torches for your summer nights!

Yes, really cool, really styling tiki torches. No more bamboo stakes, no more tacky lights . . . these tiki torches will do more than light up your nights. They’ll transform you yard and summer evenings. Not familiar with today’s tiki torches? Well, let’s introduce you! Here are some questions to get you started.

What colors do you have in your yard?

Let’s re-phrase that: besides green grass and flowers, what colors have you chosen to decorate your yard with? Think about the colors of:

Your house siding

Any fencing, patios and decks

Walkways: concrete, treated wood, bricks, pavers, etc.

Patio and deck furniture

Flower pots, bird feeders, etc.

Do you have a committed color scheme in your yard, or is it anything-goes coloring? Once you know you can begin selecting your new tiki torches. . . yes, they come in great colors now: cobalt blue, bronze, red, black, green, steel, amber, copper, smoked glass, honey brown, ocean blue, clear glass . . . .

What kind of finish do you want?

Great tiki torch colors in a variety of materials: glass, copper, and steel – even a selection of mosaic tiki torches!

Do you have a copper roof or trim? That’s your answer: you’ve got to have matching copper torches!

Lots of stained wood on your deck and porch? No problem – metal tiki torches come in caramel, honey brown, bronze, or an antiqued finish.

For a traditional look you may want black finished tiki torches. For a little different look some black torches have clear glass fuel containers!

Mosaic tiki torches? Yes – and in a variety of colors. Try a mirror mosaic to add sparkle to your night and day!

And of course there are several tiki torches with the cool finishes of pewter, stainless steel and nickel plating.

What size works best in your yard?

Yes, let’s repeat that: what size tiki torch do you want? That means you’re not stuck with just the bamboo stick anymore.

Have you heard about deck torches? At 36 inches tall they attach securely to your deck railing. That means you don’t need grass to set up a tiki torch anymore!

How about a set of garden tiki torches? At 16 and 17 inches high you can light up the garden, all the paths and your yard! This size is perfect around your ponds too.

And a favorite: the table torch. Twelve inches tall and more than big enough to light your gatherings, you can match any table setting with the style and color selections available.

Okay, and yes, the traditional tall staked tiki torch. Because we still love them, and we can pair them with other sizes now. Between 60 and 72 inches tall, they still look fabulous in your yard!

Well, that should give you an idea how far tiki torches have come . . . will they make it to your house this summer?

Glass Candle Holders – Bring Smiles to Your House Guests

2009-08-28T02:42:00.002-04:00

Glass candle holders are one of best way to bring smiles to your house guests. Candle holder is combination of candle and holder.

Candle:
Candle is well known form of wax. Now a day, you can find out different shape and colored candle to decor your home. In early life candle was a source of light and a source of heat.

Candle Holder:
Candle holder is made from different types of metal. Candle holder is specially to put candle and decorative purpose.

There are many types of candle holders are available in markets. Here, you can find out list of various candle holders types as follow.

Antique: These wax light stands are unique in appearance and decor. They are praised for the historical theme, on which they are made.

Christmas: These holders, as the name suggest are made specially for the Christmas festival. They serve the purpose of Christmas and after that can be used for decoration.

Candelabra: This variety of candle stands have two or more arms for holding candles. Thus multiple candles can be arranged in them to give a pleasant look.

Floating: As the name suggests, these wick light holders can float over water. Thus, they are used mainly in ponds, bathtubs, bowls etc. They are really eye-catching.

Wall Mounted: Unlike others, these holders can be hanged on the wall. They are made in different shapes and sizes and look very attractive.

Glass Candle Holder: Hand made and different shaped glass candle holders will put unique look for your home.

In this down time, If you are searching for discount glass candle holders so, visit our online store to get more detail.

BackyardBargain LLC have wide selection of glass candle holders, which are hand made and crystal glass.

50% Discount on Glass Candle Holders

BackyardBargain.com offers candle holders with 50% discount. You can find out list of candle holders as follow.

At 10 Inch tall, this hourglass shaped hand made candle holder will bring smiles to your house guests. The duo-toned red glass, bronze metal finish and wire scroll work around the rim will simply shine when you add a lit candle.

Accent any décor with this beautiful candleholder. The base is a deep chocolate color. The glass shade is a modern shape in a neutral color. This piece is perfect for classic to modern styles and everything in between!

Accent any décor with this beautiful candleholder. The base is a deep chocolate color. The glass shade is a modern shape in a neutral color. This piece is perfect for classic to modern styles and everything in between!

Accent any décor with this beautiful candleholder. The base is a deep chocolate color. The glass shade is a modern shape in a neutral color. This piece is perfect for classic to modern styles and everything in between!

New Green Bio Fuel for Your Tiki Torches

2009-06-23T06:06:00.004-04:00

Have you ever heard of The Purple Skeeter Beater? Well, now that you have heard of it you can consider your world turned upside-down and greener than ever!

BackyardBargains.com and Patriot Bio Products, Inc. have partnered up to give you the best of both worlds: the greatest selection of tiki torches on the planet and a green bio fuel!

Look at these specs:

• 100% recycled material (vegetable oil)
• 100% renewable
• Burns clean, environmentally friendly – no pollution at all
• Contains citronella – lighting and mosquito protection
• Burns twice as long as standard torch fuel
• Won’t harm your grass, flowers or any of your landscaping

Your backyard parties will never be the same, and you can brag to your guests that you’re saving the planet while pouring their lemonade! That’s thanks to The Purple Skeeter Beater, one mean and green product that will change your outdoor enjoyment forever.

Let’s talk about this new and interesting fuel. You may have heard about burning vegetable oil in your car’s diesel engine in place of gas. This is the same thing. That same bio fuel can now be used to fuel your tiki torches thanks to a company called Patriot Bio Products, the company that produces The Purple Skeeter Beater.

The Purple Skeeter Beater burns clean – that means no pollution. Period. Patriot Bio Products manufactures The Purple Skeeter Beater to meet the highest quality standards for recycled bio fuel. No more nasty smell from that wicked black smoke swirling around your tiki torches, and no more wondering where it all ends up.

You know, the US has historically been a leader in energy consumption . . . and, unfortunately, pollution. That’s what we get for being a global manufacturing leader. But we’re changing our tune, and especially our way of making stuff, so our energy footprint is slowly decreasing. If each one of us starts small – like using The Purple Skeeter Beater – we’ll make a difference over time.

It may sound like a small thing, using The Purple Skeeter Beater instead of a non-renewable fuel, but when you add up your small thing to your neighbor’s small thing, and add that sum to your community’s, and then to our global efforts – well, it adds up to a lot. And that’s how we’re going to make a difference, one little thing at a time. But back to The Purple Skeeter Beater –

One of the sweet advantages of using The Purple Skeeter Beater is that it’s totally renewable. That’s 100%, in fact. Because where does vegetable oil come from? You guessed it: vegetables! And every year we grow more and more of them. So it’s not at all like drilling, excavating or mining for non-renewable resources like coal, oil and gas. As long as we’ve got ground to plant in and sunshine and rain to nourish, we’ll always have vegetable oil.

And to add more green to an already-green product: The Purple Skeeter Beater burns twice as long as other fuels – and you know what kind of savings that means! Yessiree, we’re all about g-r-e-e-n energy savings . . . Washington, Lincoln, Jackson….

Another advantage of using The Purple Skeeter Beater is you don’t need any other mosquito repellant techniques and tools hanging around your yard to stumble over. You can throw away those candles, sell the zapper in a yard sale and roll up the netting for good. The Purple Skeeter Beater contains citronella, a widely recognized mosquito repellant, so while you enjoy the warm, islander flames you’ll also be enjoying a mosquito-free environment!

And one more advantage for those who are, uh, “balance” challenged: no more dead spots in your lawn from spilled fuel. The Purple Skeeter Beater is totally safe for all your outdoor greenery. That also means you don’t have to worry if you find a fuel spill in the spring from stored torches – and you don’t have to call the Hazmat team to clean up: The Purple Skeeter Beater cleans up with soap and water. And that’s that. You can’t get a better product from a better company.

BackyardBargains.com has a goal of making your life better by providing quality home and garden accessories at the best prices around. In their search to continually improve their offerings to you, they began a partnership with Patriot Bio Company to provide their customers with the best, safest and most eco-friendly fuel for their tiki torches. Backyard Bargains.com is a perfect fit with Patriot Bio Company.

When it comes to providing a safe, friendly renewable fuel source, Patriot Bio Company is leading the pack. Their goal is to help the US wean itself off foreign oil – and their product The Purple Skeeter Beater is only the beginning. Patriot Bio Company also uses recycled plastic bottles because they believe in saving and protecting what we already have.

The Purple Skeeter Beater and the largest selection of tiki torches anywhere . . . what could be a more perfect match than a partnership between Backyard Bargains.com and Patriot Bio Company? Sort of like when syrup and pancakes first met, don’t you think?

Tiki Torches and Whole Outdoor Decor Ideas

2009-06-23T06:05:00.001-04:00

Summer will be here before we know it, and we'll be spending a large amount of time in our outdoor living area or patio. There are many outdoor decor ideas just like outdoor torches, planters, containers, lanterns, aluminum animals and many others.

Copper Planters: Copper planters can transform an uninspiring exterior into a superb wonderland. Turning a patio, terrace or even a deck into a peaceful paradise is made simple. It’s a matter of pooling the appropriate components. When will you think to décor your outdoor area with copper planters so, concentrate on these points. First colors, second plants and foliage, third handcrafted or not last but not in list antique copper planters.

Lanterns: In outdoor decoration and lightning, lanterns are really good way to make your outdoor area impressive. It can really bring exotic feel in combination with the stars in the sky, with everyone looking lovely in moonlight. If you want to enjoy your time outdoors that is even better. Outdoor lanterns can light up your garden, your patio, and your porch with their cozy glow.

Aluminum Animals and Furniture: Aluminum outdoor furniture is beautiful but also long-lasting. Aluminum can stand up to summer and winter conditions. It is even heavy enough to hold up winds that blow and collapse over other patio furniture. Because the furniture is made of aluminum, it will not rust. Most quality aluminum outdoor furniture is powder coated. Powder coating is the technique of applying dry paint to a part that is then placed in an oven. The powder particles melt and coalesce to form a continuous film. These all are related to production of aluminum animals and furniture. Aluminum animals and furniture will put extra glow in your backyard area.

Tiki Torches and Lights: Tiki torches and lights come in a wide variety of types and styles. Simply plug a few of them in around your backyard for the night time look and feel of the tropics. If you really want to bring the tropics to your home then there is nothing better to do this with then a tiki style bar or snack station.

Tiki torches and lights cover a larger area, and can be used especially when you are having guests over for a garden party. Garden tiki torches can be used as accent lights to highlight certain areas of your landscape. These are also available in different shapes, sizes and materials and can add to your property looks.

To know more about tiki torch and outdoor torch visit BackyardBargain.com.

How do I Add Fuel to My Tiki Torch and Safety Instructions

2009-06-23T06:02:00.001-04:00

To fill your tiki torch with tiki torch fuel, first unbolt the metal flame guard and wick from the fuel container. Fill fuel container with tiki torches citronella torch fuel only.

Follow the steps that come with your particular tiki torch, or if you don’t have them follow these regular suggestions. Of course, be sure to follow the directions that come with your particular tiki lamp – different tiki torches may have different suggestions as to how to fill them.

1. Do not fill past line marked on bottle.
2. Never use gasoline, kerosene, or other inflammable fuel.
3. Screw flame guard and wick assembly back onto fuel container.
4. Do not over tighten.
5. Place bottle into torch.

Fill up your torch to the fill line (if there is no fill line, be sure to leave at least half an inch between the top of your tiki torch fuel and the top of the lamp). Screw the flame guard and wick back on. The above is just a general suggestion. However, one thing that is important to remember is to only use approved tiki torch fuel in your torches – never use kerosene, gasoline, or any other flammable material (unless recommended by the tiki torch manufacturer).

Tiki Torches Safety instructions:

Keep your fuel supply securely stored. When you’re actively using your tiki torches, fuel and flame will naturally be in close nearness. Absent that, keep flame safely away. Your jug of tiki torch oil should be stored in a cold, dry, well circulate air location. Don’t keep it in your house. Similarly, if you own propane tiki torches keep your extra propane tanks outside, well away from your home and in a fresh or sheltered location.

Always put out your tiki torches when you expect them to be unattended for extended periods. Running inside to take another 6 pack for the cooler is all right. But if you’ve said your farewells to your last guests and are planning to turn in, don’t just leave your torches unattended to flame out. Not only is it a waste of tiki torch oil or propane, but an open and unattended flame is just an open and unattended invitation for tragedy.

Keep a chemical fire extinguisher handy. I consider a fire extinguisher a home safety necessary but it is entirely critical item to have on hand if you entertain with tiki torches. Don’t rely on your faithful hose. Water will only spread tiki torch oil without extinguishing the flame and compound an already terrible condition. A chemical fire extinguisher is the only good alternative.

To know more about tiki torch and outdoor torch visit BackyardBargain.com.

Copper Tiki Torches Creates an Effective and Creative Atmosphere in the Backyard

2009-06-23T05:55:00.002-04:00

Today tiki torches are made of almost anything like glass, ceramic, copper, brass, steel, and of course, bamboo. Your outdoor gatherings will never be the same after you set up tiki torches and create some beautiful atmosphere.

Tiki torches are pleasing, but copper tiki torches are more than pleasant, they say style. Copper, in any form, is almost like easily spread a setting sun and holding it forever in an unusual metal. When the fire glints off the copper tiki torches, they become more than just mood illumination, they become the showpiece. It creates an effective and creative atmosphere in the backyard, at the patio and at the entrance, the entire year round.

These torches aren’t turn off because of windy conditions, nor do they cause glowing crumble of paper airborne around. With weather conditions and time, copper tiki torches will eventually attain a verdigris look, which is a slightly greenish mellowing of the copper. Some decorators even try to emulate verdigris colors in new decorations, but it is very hard to emulate. So your copper tiki torches will grow more stylish with time. If you want a tiki torch that will last more than one summer and provide years of delight, then try copper tiki torches.

Copper tiki torches are safe to use if situated away from flammable objects and the children are either taught to stay away from them, or there are limited amounts of children in the area. Copper tiki torches are a great way to light up a garden at night and provide fun decorations for a party. Light up your outdoor party area by copper plated Outdoor garden tiki torch with matching table torch or patio torch. Its easy fill container uses standard lamp oil or citronella torch oil to repel insects.

Each outdoor garden torch comes complete with fiberglass wick that will last a lifetime. And if you encounter other issues, the retailer or manufacturer is always at the service by e-mail, phone, letter or fax.

Therefore, a copper tiki torch is a harmless purchase if you are looking for long life. You will have many years of pleasure from your copper tiki torch.

To know more about tiki torch and outdoor torch visit BackyardBargain.com.

Which kind of window covering is best for your window?

2009-06-23T05:51:00.002-04:00

So, you’ve finally decided it’s time to pick a window covering. What’ll it be, blinds, curtains, curtain rods, shades . . . ? The choice can be simple – just flip a coin! – but that may not be so smart. Or you can make a smart choice.

How do you do that? It’s kind of like putting a puzzle together. Once you’ve got all the pieces in place you can see the picture – or window covering, in this case!

There are just a few “pieces” to your window covering puzzle, so let’s take a look at them. The pieces are light control, function and style. First we’ll get the puzzle’s outside edges in place – light control and function. These are the basics, the foundational pieces to help you make that smart choice. Next we’ll place that final piece, style.

Ought to be easy, right? After all, how hard can a three-piece puzzle be? This isn’t a trick question – it really is this easy! So let’s get started.

To begin we’ll ask a few questions about each puzzle piece. Some of your answers will be automatic – you will just know the answer, and won’t have to think about them. Some questions you’ll have to think about – but hey, this isn’t rocket science, and it’s a whole lot easier than a 1000-piece puzzle!

After we’ve answered the questions we’ll be on to our next step . . . uh, well, there really isn’t a next step. After you’ve answered the questions you’ll have all your answers and will know what kind of window covering and curtain rods you need . . . and the puzzle is done!

So, here we go. Let’s start with light control. This one’s pretty easy, just answer these questions:
• Is this room used for sleeping?
• What kind of privacy do you want at night?

Pretty simple, really. For most windows in most settings we want at least a minimum of light control. After all, most of us live in urban or semi-urban settings and we’re more comfortable with keeping our bizness to ourselves.

The next puzzle piece is function. That means we’ll consider all the details in this window. Here are some questions to get you thinking.
• Is it a really big window or really small?
• Does it open? If it does, which way and how?
• Are there any things that will make hanging a window covering difficult, like its proximity to a corner?

Just take a close look at the window to get the whole picture for function.

These are critical answers that will save you from making a bad decision when you pick out your window covering. You know, like when you’re in a store and really fall in love with something and buy it, but when you get it home realize you should have thought it through ‘cause it’s not right for what you wanted. If you’ve answered these questions you should be able to avoid that mistake . . . (unless you’re a hopeless shopaholic…).

Let’s move on. Style. The Big S. The last puzzle piece to put in place, and the fun one. One question: what’s your style? Okay, two questions: what will look great in the room?

Now match these answers up with your answers from the earlier questions and you’re ready to go shopping! So . . . what’re you waiting for? Let’s cover that window!

Methods of Curtain Rods Selection

2009-06-23T05:47:00.003-04:00

Hey, we’re here – are you there? Looking for window covering answers? Well, you’ve come to the right place. We’re not saying we’re experts or anything, but we sorta know a little about window coverings, curtain rods, finials, hold backs, curtains . . . you know, that stuff.

So ask away, but in the meantime we’ll get the ball rolling. And we’ll start with a tough one: curtain rods and never used to be a big thing, finding a curtain rod. That was before the explosion in choices turned the hunt into finding the right curtain rod.

You know, curtain rods used to be easy to pick out: a limited selection of styles and a few basic sizes. It made choosing a curtain rod fairly easy, with few decisions to make. This is simple, in fact.

Not any more. If you haven’t looked lately, you’ll be amazed at the assortment of options available when choosing curtain rods – not only a dramatic improvement in available curtain rod sizes but the variation in styles . . . types . . . accessories . . . . Wow.

Some of you are really excited about all the options, and some of you are heading for the aspirin. No matter what your reaction to the overwhelming selection of curtain rods, most of you will appreciate a little assistance in narrowing your choices of curtain rods. And that’s what we’re here for!

We’ll take you on a journey through the deep jungles of curtain rods (don’t worry; you’ll be home in time for lunch!). You’ll learn how to figure out just what you want and what you should be looking for, all before beginning your curtain rod purchase process!

Even if you don’t know your “style” we’ll help you figure it out. Before you know it you’ll be scrutinizing curtain rods like a pro, knowing just what will look best in your rooms.

And if you already have some idea what you want you’ll get tips on details that will make your new curtain rods the perfect choice for your windows!

So sign in, ask questions, tell everyone what you think – and it doesn’t have to be about curtain rods. What’s on your mind? How can our expertise at BackyardBargains.com help you?

Curtain Rods Selecting the Right Type for Your Window Eat Your Wheaties before Making a Decision

2009-06-23T05:20:00.003-04:00

Curtain rods and breakfast cereals have something in common: there are way too many kinds to choose from. How do you narrow down today’s nearly infinite selection of curtain rods – and pick something that looks great?

So today we’ve got . . . choices. Lots of choices: the white metal rods are still available and popular, and have been joined by all sorts of other curtain rods: decorative rods, pressure rods, café rods, traverse rods, sash rods, continental rods, cable rods . . . . Then there are the variations on those: flat rods, round rods, double rods, triple rods, continental corner connectors, combination traverse rods, curved rods . . . .

Get the picture? Sort of makes you feel like you’re walking down the breakfast cereal isle. And just like cereals, the key to finding the right curtain rod knows a little about each one, so let’s make this all a little more handle-able. There are many kinds of rods, but a few basic types.

Basic White Metal Rod. This is the Corn Flakes of curtain rods. They’re sometimes called valance rods and come in flat and round styles. Most of these are somewhat lightweight and made for lighter weight window coverings. Today you can get them as single, double and even triple rods. The double and triple rods are used for a layered look, like a semi-sheer curtain behind a room darkening drape. With a triple rod you can add a valance to your layered coverings.

Traverse rods – the corded variation of the white metal rod, something like Life cereal: still a basic cereal, but pretty tasty. These are usually a little heavier construction and come in sizes that can handle some pretty heavy window coverings. These also come in the single, double and triple variations. And here’s something really cool: you can actually add a motor to these rods to open and close them at the touch of a button!

Pressure rods – can you handle another bowl of Grape Nuts? These are another type of mostly invisible curtain rod. The “pressure” is usually some kind of spring that holds the rod in place with . . . you guessed it: pressure! Not sure what this is? It’s just like some shower curtain rods, the kind you put in place and then twist till they’re tight against the walls. One reason for picking a pressure rod is because you can’t actually permanently attach a rod to the window or wall. Another reason is you want the window treatment to hang inside the frame, and this is the easiest option for that.

Decorative rods will remind you of Kashi granola cereal: they’re great to look at and do a terrific job! They’re also pretty popular, and sometimes called café rods. (Café rods are usually a short decorative curtain rod.) They’re mostly visible and sometimes look like poles that stick out past the curtain. There are several ways to hang drapery from these curtain rods. Sometimes they’re slipped into a pocket on the curtain or drape. Sometimes a ring attached to the curtain hangs from the rod. Some curtains have tabbed tops that slip over the rod, and some regular curtains are clipped onto clip rings that hang from the rod.

Cable rods are a newer type curtain rod. The ends that attach to your wall are visible all the time, but the metal cable that attaches them and holds your curtains is pretty much invisible! This type has as many appropriate uses as any other type curtain rod – the possibilities are nearly endless.

There, that’s better. Now you have knowledge of the basic types of curtain rods, so picking out your next one will be much easier. And if you start panicking, just remember: when in doubt always buy Captain Crunch!

Visible Curtain Rods Selecting the Right Type for Your Window

2009-05-14T08:01:00.003-04:00

Visible, Invisible . . . How do I choose?

What difference does it make if your curtain rod is visible or not? A lot! Just like the necklace, scarf or tie you pick to complete your day’s outfit, your choice of curtain rod completes your window covering and complements (hopefully!) your room’s decorating style. A curtain rod really has the ability to make or break your whole room’s look.

So let’s take a look at one of the first decisions you’ll make when picking out a new curtain rod: visible or invisible rods. And that requires a clarification: the invisible rods really aren’t totally invisible. The mostly invisible rods are completely covered – invisible – only when the drapes or curtains are closed. When your curtains are open part of the rod is visible. In other words your curtain rod still needs to complement your décor whether it’s mostly visible or mostly invisible.

Mostly visible rods are at least partially visible even when your window coverings are closed. When your drapes or curtains are open they’re totally visible, and play a big part in your decorating statement. How do you know which to pick?

Before you read further, it’s confession time. We’re a little biased – but for good reason. You see, some draperies are made to hang from mostly invisible curtain rods. But not all. And this is where our bias comes in: the way we figure it, if you’re going to see all or part of the curtain rod at one time or another, why not pick one you love looking at? Why should you ever have to stare at a long, white metal rod (read: not pretty)? Okay, now you know our little secret, so read on –

Back to that question: how do you know whether to pick visible or invisible? Let’s ask another question first: what kind of window coverings are you using? Like we said, some curtains require the invisible rod called a traverse rod. Pleated drapes are made to attach to hooks that hang from this curtain rod and open-and-close by pulling the cord hanging down one side. So if you’ve got pleated draperies you’ve already got your answer: use the traverse curtain rod.

For all other drape and curtain styles we recommend a visible curtain rods just because it give you the advantage of emphasizing your style. That could mean choosing a natural wood that matches the carved wooden elephant coffee table (everyone has one, right?). Or hanging a gold-toned curtain rod to complement the warm tones in your room. What about using a colorful metal curtain rod to go with that casual, playful look in the sun room?

You can see how a decorative, mostly visible curtain rod can be a great choice for your window, and even if your guests never had a clue your choice can show them what a great decorator you really are!

Curtain Rods Selecting the Right Style for You

2009-05-14T07:37:00.002-04:00

It’s All About Knowing Your Personal Style – Can You Imagine That?

Imagination: the ability to connect to your creative juices. The act of pulling together the perfect elements for your projects. The knowledge necessary for selecting the perfect curtain rod.

It’s funny; most of us don’t think we’re creative, especially when it comes to decorating our homes. We’ve all heard someone say, “Oh, I just don’t think that way. I’m just not creative!” But you know they are – everything in their lives proves it. And you know if they had to pick a new curtain rod they wouldn’t be as overwhelmed as you.

Don’t laugh – curtain rods are an important part of your decorating scheme. They’re like wardrobe accessories: they finish the outfit, make the room pull together and give your windows a completed look. Just start looking at photos of rooms and imagine different curtain rods for the window treatments – you’ll understand. It really is important to choose the right curtain rod! Let’s break this process down into a few fast and east steps. Here we’ll address that imagination thing – how to know what will fit best in your room.

The trick to choosing a curtain rods knows your style, your window, your room . . . your self. Now don’t panic, we’re going to explain how you can do this without losing any brain cells or sanity. It can be as easy as just looking around your room.

So let’s start there: look around your room. Do you know your style? Define it, and name the items in the room that match it. Want to take this a step further? Ask yourself: if you could, what would you add to the room to make it even better? This will sharpen your focus while you look for a curtain rod.

That didn’t help figure out your style? It’s okay, that’s why we’re here, to help you figure it out. Let’s go back to the room.

Sit down in the room and make a list of everything in it you like. Now take a close look at the list. What do all these things have in common: color, style, texture? This exercise may be all you need to get a good idea of what your style is and lead you easily to the next step of picking out a curtain rod: deciding on the right type curtain rod.

Or it might not. If you’re still not sure go to your clothes closet and take a look. What kind of clothes do you prefer? Now the key word here is preferred. Lots of us have a closet full of work clothes but they may not be what we put on Saturday morning. So look at the clothes you like – or love – to wear. Are they all-dressed-up fancy, casual, grungy, themed (you know, like sports)? What color is most predominant?

Now think. Do your rooms and clothes have anything in common? If they do you’re set, and ready for the next step in narrowing down your selection of curtain rods: choosing that right type curtain rod.

Still not sure what your style is? We get it – for some people there are just way too many other things in life that are more important. That’s okay. But you’re still reading this, so it’s time to move on and figure out your style for your new curtain rods!

Here’s a simple strategy: go to a bookstore or library and get a stack of decorating books – ones with lots of pictures. Sit down in a comfy chair and start thumbing through. Make notes while you’re looking. What do you like in each picture? Maybe it’s the color of the walls, or the combination of room colors. Do you like the trim style? Perhaps it’s the furniture that’s grabbed you. Maybe there’s nothing you like, or something you really don’t like. When you’re done look at your list: what do they all have in common?

By now you should feel a lot more confident about what your style is, and picking out your new curtain rods will be so much easier! And don’t worry: if you’re thinking you’re still totally un-imaginative and this just won’t work for you, hang in there. You might be one of those people who has to go through all the steps before the light comes on and you understand. So just keep moving forward.

And congratulate yourself - you’ve taken the first step toward choosing those new curtain rods. You’ve got your style nailed down, or at least loosely gripped, and it’s time for the next step: deciding what type rod will work best for your window treatment. Are you ready?

How to Buy Curtain Rods

2009-05-14T07:28:00.002-04:00

Are you finally replacing those dated window coverings? Don’t forget to replace that curtain rod too – with so many styles, materials, colors and decorative hardware available today, you’ll have a great time picking out your new curtain rods!

Maybe you’re moving into a new place and get to decorate. Don’t overlook the effect a great curtain rod can have on your room. If you haven’t noticed the selections today in curtain rods you’re in for a real surprise.

What are your options? You can choose from standard rods, spring-loaded rods, traverse rods, decorative curtain rods, adjustable rods, magnetic rods, double and triple rods . . . made from brass, chrome, ivory, graphite, mahogany, teak, walnut, plastic, metal . . . . And we haven’t even mentioned color or style yet!

So how do you narrow all these options down to the perfect curtain rod for your window? It’s not as hard as it sounds. Like most projects you’ll need to have a plan, so start deciding - -

Do you want your curtain rod exposed or hidden by the curtains? If it’s exposed it should match the room’s style and decor, so look around the room to figure that out. (A lot of you don’t have to do that; you just know your style. But there are others….)

Now consider what kind of curtain or drape you’ll be hanging. Will it be light and billowy, heavy and insulating or something in between? You guessed it: the weight of the coverings will be instrumental in choosing your rod. Maybe you want a layered look, so you’ll be considering double or triple rods.

How will your rods be hung – inside or outside the window frame? For outside the frame – on the wall: the idea here is usually to cover the window completely. Measure 2-5” out from each side of the window trim. The total curtain rod length should be about 12” longer than your window width. And don’t be fooled: measure each window in the room – they may look the same size, but they may not be!

If you’re hanging a curtain rod inside the window frame (typically spring or magnetic rods) measure at the inside point of the window. Again, measure each and every window – you don’t want any surprises later!

Don’t get scared off and quit yet – this is all easier than you might be thinking. You’ll probably just know what rod is right when you see it. After all, it will probably catch your eye because it‘s your style. So hang in there ‘cause now’s the fun part: shopping!

Today you have the option of buying a pre-packaged curtain rod set with all the parts and pieces you need. That can save you time and energy, and easily meet your window covering needs.

Or you can individually select each part for your curtain rods. Thanks to our access to online stores today you can easily customize your curtain rods. Just mix and match rods, finials, rings, pinch clips, brackets, holdbacks, tiebacks. And don’t hold back (oops!) – go for it all!

Whoa - what are all those things? Well, the finial is that decorative thing that attaches to the end of the rod. You can get them in pretty much any style, size and color you want. Be sure to match it to the rod size, room style and color scheme.

Curtain Rod Rings and pinch clips are similar: they slide on the curtain rod and attach to the curtains. In other words the rod and rings or clips are visible, sort of like some shower curtains.

Brackets are used to hold decorative rods on the wall. They come in every imaginable color, material, style . . . . You won’t have trouble finding a pair to fit your room.

Curtain Hold backs and tiebacks serve the same purpose: to gently scoop up your curtains and hold them at the side of the window. Holdbacks are attached directly to the wall. Tiebacks are often lengths of cording, some with tassel ends that tie around the “belly” of your open curtains to hold them back.

So here you are then, ready to make that plan, Stan, for creating a room you’ll love – all by beginning with the perfect curtain rods! . . . Who’d a though?

Okay, so How do I hang curtain rods?

2009-05-01T06:11:00.000-04:00

If you’ve ever hung a picture you can hang curtain rods – same principles, mostly the same tools. Really – you can do this!

To hang most curtain rods you will need a pencil, measuring tape, hammer, drill, screwdriver and a level. Having an extra pair of hands is really helpful too. You can follow the instructions the come with your curtain rod or just follow these general guidelines.

Remember how you measured to buy the rods? You decided how far out from each side of the window you want your curtains to hang. For most windows you’ll want the curtain to start about 1½ inches above the window trim.

Now look at your curtain rod. For standard hidden rods measure out from the window 3-5” (whatever you decided on) and up from the top 1½”. Mark this spot on each side of the window and make sure it’s level, even, straight – whatever you call it, it’s important! Now just follow the instructions that came with your curtain rod for hanging that particular type of hardware.

For exposed curtain rods, like today’s popular decorative curtain rods, you’ll want to determine where to hang the brackets. Follow the above directions for a hidden rod, except you’ll be marking the spot the bracket hangs – which may a different distance from the window.

Here’s some really helpful information: find out where the “cripple studs” are located. They’re wood studs right around your window. Find out how far out from your window they extend and you’ll have an easy-breezy time hanging your rod – you won’t need anchors or cussing or lots of beer later.

How do you do this? You’ve gotta have a stud finder. It’s an electronic gadget you can get at a hardware store for $10-50. You really only need an inexpensive one if you’re just hanging curtain rods and the occasional wall hanging. Follow the instructions to find your studs and then mark your spots.

If you’re not going to mess around with a stud finder, be sure to attach your rods very close to the window trim – you’ll more than likely find a stud there.

(It’s also handy to know about the window’s header. It’s a solid chunk of wood right above the window that spans the length of the window. It usually doesn’t extend much past the window so you won’t be screwing into it for most rods, but you never know when this kind of info comes in handy!)

Whatever you do, don’t waste your time by using screws too short to do the job. You’ve got to get that screw through the drywall and into the wood so it doesn’t loosen later and fall out!

If you’re hanging a rod inside the window trim you don’t have to find any studs – you’ll be screwing right into solid wood. You’ll also be using special hardware called inside mounting brackets.

What happens if you can’t find any studs or any solid wood to screw into? You’ve still got options, and they will work well for you. Go to your hardware store and ask for toggles or anchors. The EZ toggles and anchors work great, and guess what? They come with instructions and . . . they’re EZ!

Now, at then end of the day, just sit back, relax and enjoy the view of your work and the new curtains decorating your room!

Summer Special Stock of Outdoor Torches to Decor Your Backyard

2009-04-06T02:08:00.000-04:00

An online home and garden store, decorated with high quality items at bargain prices. BackyardBargain.com has figured out the best way to provide high quality products at bargain prices, by cutting out all the middlemen and passing the savings on to you. No one else touches their products, just us – They handle each one from first imagining it . . . to sending it off to your home. The people who make their products – Product Developers, Engineers, Quality Inspectors, even the Shipping Staff – are all on their team, dedicated to offering the highest quality products at bargain prices. They're right here in Jonesboro, Georgia, in the deep South of the United States, and They've been in business for over 20 years.

Backyardbargain.com stocks a wide selection of outdoor decor items but store has recently added many summer special items with attractive OFFERS. Outdoor tiki torches that you can use for your backyard and patio. Their twelve 6 ft tall tiki torches make some pleasant atmosphere in your backyard. It has an L shaped shepherd hook base for easy insertion into the ground. The stem is made out of square pipe and twisted for added elegance. There is a decorative finial that transitions the rod to the can. The can is copper plated under a process to prevent rusting. Each outdoor garden torch comes complete with fiberglass wick that will last a lifetime. There is also a snuffer/cap attached by a chain. When not in use, the torches can be covered to keep out rainwater Light up your outdoor party area by combining this 72 inch ground torch with matching table torch or patio torch. The torches take regular citronella oil or lamp oil. They are very popular for keeping mosquitoes at bay or just decorating the yard.

At BackyardBargain.com- quality is just the beginning. They also know your time is valuable, so we made shopping as easy and enjoyable as possible. With a simple click of your mouse to Backyard Bargains, you can choose from an eclectic selection of home and garden items. No matter what your taste, you'll find just what you're looking for. Wood, metal, fabrics, glass – in a great splash of trendy colors, and so many styles you can't not find something you love!

Outdoor Tiki Torches Always a Fun and Enjoyable Addition to Any Home or Party

2009-03-31T07:55:00.000-04:00

Today tiki torches are made of almost anything: glass, ceramic, copper, brass, steel, and of course, bamboo. Your preference will depend on your personal taste and your garden or patio decor. But how do you narrow down the choices?

The flames on the tiki torch dance in the warm, evening breeze while the thick, rich scent of island flowers fills the night air and gentle sounds of quiet waves lap the beach. Ahhhh . . . paradise!

And what would paradise be without tiki torches? They just go together so well. A backyard garden or deck wouldn’t be complete without at least one tiki torch! Maybe because they’ve been around so long….

Not so long ago tiki torches were still the primary source of light on many islands. They were constructed of bamboo and fueled with oil. Today, though, tiki torches are made of many different types of materials and even the fuels are varied. Want to know more? Just keep following along!

First decide what style you want. For example, if your tastes are more eclectic or art deco, you might appreciate ceramic tiki torches, usually very colorful. In fact, they can become your focal point instead of just a subtle side light. Since ceramic is breakable you’ll have to be more careful when cleaning and storing these tiki torches.

Another decision: do you want the traditional in-ground variety, table top, floor standing, deck rail attachments or . . . ? Yes, tiki torches have come a long way!

What about fuel sources? Some tiki torches are now battery-operated and have no flame. These torches can be used indoors and outdoors as well. This is an especially intelligent choice when you have a lot of children around, and they look so real it’s hard to tell the difference! And now another choice just in time for the energy crisis – you can get a solar tiki torch!

Oh, but you’re feeling a little exotic? Want to run around your own little patch of “jungle” and sing like Tarzan? Sounds like you’ll want the traditional favorite: the bamboo tiki torch. They’re the original tiki torch and the most authentic . . . you’ll be beating your chest in no time!

All outdoor tiki torches are easy to maintain and store. To clean a bamboo tiki torch you just need mild soap, water, and a rag. When storing your tiki torches, stand them upright if you don’t drain the fuel. You can lay the torches on their sides if you drain and store the fuel separately, but make sure to lay them on tarps or other plastic to prevent scratches to the torches.

Tiki torches are always a fun and entertaining addition to any home or party. They’re always ready for whatever mood you’re in. Kind of like a really good friend, someone you can just be yourself with . . . while you’re beating your chest and swinging from trees, of course!

Delightful Summer Evenings with Outdoor Tiki Torches

2009-03-23T05:20:00.002-04:00

Many have has valued the use of tiki torches for decorative purposes. Outdoor torches are a great idea to make your gathering great.

Your outdoor gatherings will never be the same after you set up tiki torches and create some beautiful atmosphere. Outdoor tiki torches are an enchanting way to create paradise in your backyard, as long as you use them safely. With a little care, you can prevent accidents and enjoy your outdoor tiki torches worry-free.

The flames on the tiki torches dance in the warm, evening breeze. The scent of Hawaiian Plumes fills the night air, and gentle sounds of quiet waves lap the beach. Ahhhh . . . paradise! Something about tiki torches always seem to invoke this sensation. Why a backyard luau would not be complete without them!

Outdoor tiki torches not only add to the ambiance of your tiki-themed hot recipient, but they also aid in keep annoying bugs away from you and your guests. Outdoor tiki torches are easily made, organized and are wireless to keep decorating simple and your guest secure.

Backyardbargain.com stocks a wide selection of outdoor torches that you can use for your backyard and patio. Our twelve 6 ft tall tiki torches make some pleasant atmosphere in your backyard. It has an L shaped shepherd hook base for easy insertion into the ground. The stem is made out of square pipe and twisted for added elegance. There is a decorative finial that transitions the rod to the can. The can is copper plated under a process to prevent rusting. Each outdoor garden torch comes complete with fiberglass wick that will last a lifetime. There is also a snuffer/cap attached by a chain. When not in use, the torches can be covered to keep out rainwater Light up your outdoor party area by combining this 72 inch ground torch with matching table torch or patio torch. The torches take regular citronella oil or lamp oil. They are very popular for keeping mosquitoes at bay or just decorating the yard.

How to Use Outdoor Decor to fall in Love with Your Backyard

2009-03-23T05:16:00.000-04:00

A great yard is like a fabulously decorated home: well thought out, designed and put together. Outdoor decor is the primary element for making that great yard happen.

If you're staring at a pathetic excuse for a yard or just want to change the decor, be sure to start with a plan. Answer the questions below to decide on your plan, and you'll be on the path to creating your perfect backyard living space.

What's your style?

With the extensive array of outdoor decor available today, this is your first and most important decision. Have you ever fallen in love with something in a store just to bring it home and discover it doesn't fit in anywhere? So look at what's available in outdoor decor first – the styles are nearly endless, and you may fall in love with something you'll want to design your backyard around.

What do you want to use the space for?

This is the second most important question to answer. Talk to everyone in the house and brainstorm together. You may want to keep the entire outdoor space in thick, green grass just for putting practice. Or you may want to have a decor for kids and another decor for adults. Do you cook outdoors, have a green thumb? How about an area for your pets? Want to show off your collection of garden statues?

What color is your, uh, umbrella?

Or outdoor serving dishes? Or favorite chair cushions? Maybe you've found that fabulous yard thing that decides the color for you – outdoor decor items can easily help you pick a palate. Remember to consider colors already outside: siding and trim on existing buildings and fences, landscaping, maybe even the color of a neighbor's garage.

Lighting – huh?

Yes, think about this – don't make the mistake of forgetting about outdoor lighting till it's too late. Plan for brighter lighting where you walk, cook and play, and softer lighting for entertaining and conversation. What about pond lighting – do you want lighting in the water, around it or maybe hanging over it? Outdoor lighting options today are fantastic – you can choose from traditional wired fixtures, solar power, candles, lanterns and an expanded selection of tiki torches, including a new table top design.

The Basics of Window Coverings Hang It Up and Close It

2009-03-23T04:56:00.000-04:00

Window coverings are both functional and decorative: they let fresh air in, allow you to see outside activity, complete the design of your room and – from the outside – add to the finished look of your home’s exterior.

Window coverings can lower your heating and cooling bills, give you privacy and block harmful rays from the sun – even the sheerest draperies will give your furniture some insurance against fading.

Window Coverings are drapery panels, curtains, blinds, shutters, shades, louvers – they literally “cover” the window. They come in any fabric, color and style you can imagine. There are many options to accessorize your window coverings: curtain rods, tiebacks, hold backs, valances, tassels – all available in whatever decorating style you prefer! This article will explain what these accessories are and how they can be used.

Curtain Rods – the most familiar form for holding curtains and draperies in place. Some styles are purely functional, but many today are designed to be part of your window’s decorating scheme. The materials are varied: they are made from wood, plastics and metals, and available in colors that will fit your room, and are available in single and double rod styles.

Tiebacks are used on hanging curtains and draperies, usually to hold them to a side of the window, but can also tie a panel in the middle of an expanse of glass. Some tiebacks are attached to a hook on the wall behind the curtain; others are simply tied around the curtain. Like the hold back, a tieback can be invisible when not in use.

Hold backs are U-shaped pieces of metal that anchor to your wall. The open top of the “U” faces away from the drapery, which can then be nestled into the body of the U. When not in use the hold back is hidden behind the curtain.

Valances are a great window accessory – they often serve to give your window decoration that finished look and easily reinforce your decorating scheme. A valance can be made of the same fabric as your window covering, or you can choose a coordinating color. How about a contrasting color to liven things up?

Tassels can fancy up a window in no time! They are often used on valances and tiebacks to add instant elegance. You can also get tassels on pillows and chair ties, and they’re combined with a wide variety of materials: beads, cording, ribbon, fringes, lace and even buttons!

This not-anywhere-near exhaustive list of window covering descriptions is just the beginning to discovering the exciting opportunities available for your home’s windows. So when it comes to your window coverings, get ready to hang it up – and close it!