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Architectural models are used in museums all over the world as educational tools to show visitors a building in its entirety on a smaller scale. From the Taj Mahal to a Native American Village to the interior of the Alhambra in Spain, architectural models are a great way to show museum visitors a building in fine detail so that they can understand it, whether or not they have ever seen it in real life.

An architectural model is a scale model that is a physical representation of a structure. It can be constructed from wooden blocks, cardboard, foam board or other materials and they are commonly used by architects and interior designers to present ideas and plans. While models are used in the commercial world when architects are explaining a design concept to the building team or meeting with engineers and planners, or when developers are selling a home, they are also used as show pieces in museum exhibitions as scale replicas of historical buildings.

Architectural Models in Museums

Architecture models are found in museums throughout the world, in addition to the other work in the museum’s collection including paintings, drawings, sketches, sculptures, blueprints and more.

For example, when the South Kensington Museum was first established in 1857, it had in its collection more than one hundred architectural models. These models were acquired through loans and gifts and they made up a significant part of the collection. This included models of buildings and monuments from the West as well as the Far East and Asia.

In almost every museum that you visit today, you are likely to see at least one architectural model. Perhaps it is showing a famous modern day building or a historical structure or perhaps it is a recreation of what a building might have looked like that doesn’t exist today. These models will usually be labelled with informational plaques that supply information about the history of the building, its inhabitants and the specific story behind its significance. They might also be populated with cars, animals and small people, going about the typical behaviours of the people from that setting and time period.

Scale Models Offer Educational Benefits

The benefit of a scale architectural model in a museum setting is that it conveys a lot of information about the subject matter in a very small surface area. On a table that is only a few feet in diameter either way, a scale model can depict an entire cathedral, castle or longhouse. The model can contain a lot of interesting detail and the accompanying plaques can aid visitors in understanding what they are seeing.

For example, a scale model of the Tower of London can be found within the Tower of London itself. The model is used to show the layout of this historical site, something that is difficult to understand when walking around it at ground level. Visitors are able to recognise the site and see it from a “bird’s eye view”. This can help them better understand why the Tower and its fortifications were constructed in the way they were back in 1078.

The Future of Scale Models

Museums are now becoming more and more technology based and dependant on touch screens and videos. Therefore it is questionable whether we will we see a decrease in the use of architectural models for educational purposes in this way or will we instead see technology add new layers of interest to the classic architectural model. It is already possible to create interactive models linked to touch screens that light up when the appropriate button is pushed, so perhaps technology and models will combine even more to create an educational experience that will captivate and inform museum-goers.

Paula Whately is a writer who understands the importance of using architectural models to display the layout of a building in its entirety on a small scale to help educate and inspire. These models are used widely in museums and are also important tools used often by architects.

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Whether you’ve just moved into a new property and are looking to add the finishing touches to your home décor, or are revamping your family home to add a fresh look, window coverings are the perfect place to start. Whether you choose curtains, blinds or screens, the right choice can pull your whole look together and ensure your home is cosy and inviting.

Finding the Perfect Curtains

It can be tricky to find the perfect curtains for your window, and many people pay to have bespoke curtains made to measure – this way you’re ensuring that your curtains will fit perfectly and you can choose from a wide range of fabrics and styles.  But why not go one better and use some of your creativity by creating your own curtains?  With so many websites offering an extensive range of fabrics, it has never been easier to find the perfect fabric for your curtains at an affordable price – and by spending less on fabric, you can afford to spend more on accessories such as curtain tie-backs, finials and decorative poles, such as curtain poles for bay windows.  But what is ‘in’ this season, and what should you avoid when it comes to choosing fabric that will look stylish and contemporary in your home?

Contemporary Choices

Modern curtains are fun and funky – think light, sheer voiles, bold patterns or solid neutrals.  Floral and paisley patterns look great, but opt for bold choices to avoid your curtains looking too ‘fussy’ and dated.  Light, sheer voiles are a great choice for the bedroom, but team with a lined roller blind or heavier curtains in a neutral or pastel shade to add privacy.  Avoid heavy fabrics such as chenille and velvet – unless you live in a period home and are trying to add a touch of opulence to your surroundings, these will generally look dated and out of place.  For the best value for money option, light, printed cotton fabrics are the ideal choice – available in a range of colours and designs they look as good in children’s bedrooms as they do in the kitchen.

Get Creative

Of course, you don’t have to stop at fabric choices – haberdashery stores and online retailers, as well as some department stores, sell a range of trims and accessories you could add to your curtains. Why not add a pretty ruffle trim or buttoned hem to a pair of curtains for a totally unique look?  You could even make your own co-ordinating tiebacks.  Look online and in interior design magazines for inspiration and keep copies of your favourite ideas to refer back to later.  If you’re not sure how to go about making your own curtains, there are plenty of guides available online, or pick up a book on the subject from your local library or book shop.  It’s easy once you know how, and provided you have access to a sewing machine, it should be a quick and simple process.  Beware the addictive nature of creating your own curtains though – soon you’ll be making cushion covers, throws and all kinds of home accessories!

Curtain Poles

Spend some time choosing the perfect curtain poles and finials to complement your new curtains – whether you opt for curtain poles for bay windows, contemporary metal poles with glass finials or traditional wooden curtain poles, there is a wide range available to choose from, and something to suit all tastes.  Metal poles with decorative glass or cast iron finials look great with bold, patterned curtains – if your home is more traditional, then a wooden pole complements simple neutral shades or floral curtains perfectly.

Spring is a great time to get creative and make your own curtains – it’s the perfect way to save money and end up with something entirely unique that will be the envy of all your friends and family!

Aimee Coppock is a freelance interior designer and part-time blogger from London.  When she’s not installing curtain poles for bay windows and whipping up the coolest contemporary curtains on her sewing machine, she can be found relaxing in Hyde Park, usually with the latest crime bestseller!

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Scott Kelby, the man who changed the “digital darkroom” forever with his groundbreaking, best-selling The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers, now tackles the most important side of digital photography—how to take professional-quality shots using the same tricks today’s top digital pros use (and it’s easier than you think). These aren’t books of theory, full of confusing jargon and detailed concepts. These are books on which button to push, which setting to use, and when to use it. Each page covers a single concept on how to make your photography better. Every time you turn the page, you’ll learn another pro setting, tool, or trick to transform your work from snapshots into gallery prints. If you’re tired of shots that look “okay,” and if you’re tired of looking in photography magazines and thinking, “Why don’t my shots look like that?” then these are the books for you.

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Have you ever wondered how those spectacular buildings in the Middle East achieve that contemporary architectural look? How iconic buildings in Dubai, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia stand proud, gleaming in the unrelenting sun? Well a lot of it is down to curtain walling.

What’s that when it’s at home?

Curtain walling is great for transforming the exteriors of buildings, in some cases giving them a sculptural look and feel. Different materials are favoured by architects and curtain walling specialist companies. These include glass and lightweight aluminium, sometimes adonised, to achieve a modern, yet aesthetic look on the skyline.

Curtain walling can help a building stand out amongst the competition or compliment its surroundings. They are effectively an exterior shroud that not only makes the building look extremely appealing, but also protects it against the elements, insulates and cools, as well as aiding ventilation.

Cloaked iconic buildings

The stunning Burj Khalifa is the jewel of Dubai’s skyline. This ultra-luxurious hotel is a fine example of curtain walling, which combines the use of glass, aluminium and textured stainless steel to convey its iconic look. Approximately 26,000 hand-cut glass panels were used in its construction. The Burj Khalifa’s clever curtain wall is designed to withstand the extreme heat of the summer and is the equivalent of 17 football pitches in size.

The Chrysler Building in New York

Did you know that the iconic Chrysler Building is not only one of the city’s most famous landmarks, but is also a great example of early steel curtain walling?

This beautiful building, designed by architect William Van Alen for Walter P. Chrysler, is cloaked in approximately 12,500 stainless steel panels. Its steel curtain walling covers a mix of common brick and terracotta blocks used to construct the building that was completed in May 1930. However, the steel panels are attached directly to the structural steel of the spire, which provide its only protection and waterproofing.

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

This amazing building, which is considerably younger than the Chrysler Building, is beautiful in design and befitting of its role as keeper of the arts.

The Guggenheim was designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry and opened in 1997. A mix of 0.5mm-thick titanium cladding and glass curtain walls help this modern day icon shine brightly in its Bilbao setting. However, the structure could have looked completely different if Gehry had settled for one of the many other materials suggested for the exterior. There were 29 different materials up for consideration which included aluminium, stainless steel and copper.

The Guggenheim Museum in New York

In stark contrast, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum created by Frank Lloyd Wright in New York has a concrete curtain wall. This was achieved by shotcreting 5 inches of concrete onto curved plywood forms, which were then smoothed and painted. Shotcreting involves projecting concrete onto a surface through a hose at high velocity. The museum opened in 1959.

Curtain Walling is a great building technique that transforms the exteriors of buildings, uplifting the appearance of once ordinary or weathered constructions.

Rob Rudd spends his day time researching and writing on his specialist subjects which range from architecture to DIY. In his spare time he enjoys keeping up to date with motor sports.

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This is a series of posts that keboto presents every Tuesday and Friday. The posts consist of a color palette made by keboto and the color analysis of the palette colors:

• White background palette testing
• Black background palette testing
• Matching options
• Transparency
• Complementary palette colors
• Color data

White background palette testing

By white background palette testing you can see how the colors of the palette react to white background.

Black background palette testing

By black background palette testing you can see how the colors of the palette react to black background.

Matching options

This is a color matching system of eight tri-color representations produced by the color palette. The size of each square represents the amount of color that we can use when coloring surfaces. This amount of color isn’t an absolute percentage, which means that we can choose the surfaces (drawings, designs, walls, clothes, product parts etc.) in order to fit better to our needs. Every color inside the tri-color matching representation has at least 10% contrast value from the other colors. These tri-color representations are a very quick option when we have to extract colors from a palette with a large number of colors.

Transparency

This is the transparency test for the palette colors, using a scale with steps of 5%. The test is applied to white and black background in order to give you more information about the palette colors.

Complementary palette colors

Complementary colors are pairs of colors with opposite hue values in the same color model. In color theory, two colors are called complementary if their mixture produces a neutral color. The use of complementary colors is an important aspect of aesthetically pleasing art and graphic design. This also extends to other fields such as contrasting colors in logos and retail display, fashion, product design and many others.

Color data

Color data is the section of the post that you can find information about the palette colors in 13 different color models. That is very helpful to anyone who is not able to convert colors through the different colors models.

Color data is given to the next Color Models:

HTTP, Web safe, RGB 0-255, RGB 0-FF, RGB 0-0.1, CMY 0-0.1, CMYK %, XYZ, Yxy, CIE-L*ab, CIE-L*CH, CIE-L*uv, HunterLab

Note: Color data may produce different results due to color management and color reproduction mismatch.

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The sunny weather makes most of us feel considerably more cheerful. With this in mind, it makes sense that lighting homes properly, whether through gothic lighting or a classic style, makes the space appear a whole lot happier.

Let’s Go Au Naturel

Every house comes with its own source of natural light and there are a couple of quick fixes which enhance this. For instance, hanging mirrors opposite the window bounces the light around the room and makes the most of even a few weak rays of sunshine. Curtains of a light material such as muslin allow light to disperse effortlessly, with blinds deployed at night when you are ready to get your forty winks. If a makeover is on the cards, select light coloured carpets and fixtures and fittings, as these go some way to making rooms feel roomy and bright.

Furthermore, filling rooms with light-reflective surfaces means that rays are diffused even more easily. If these remedies do not quite cut it, more serious and expensive methods are available.  Windows can be enlarged through dropping the sill down a couple of inches, allowing more precious light into the room. Windows facing onto a garden are easily converted into French doors, although it is always a good idea to get the space checked over by a builder before commencing.

Shadows and Spotlights

If enhancing the natural light in your house does not make the space quite as airy as you would like, do not fear! Accent and task lighting are there to make your living and working areas as perfect as possible. Whether you purchase gothic lighting styles or spotlights, placing accent lighting in tactile positions adds depth to the general feel of a room. For example, you can highlight objects such as glass by lighting it from beneath or behind. If you wish to show off your book collection at a swish dinner party, then place a spotlight on the base of the bookshelf.

As well as getting the accent lighting right, working from home or completing certain tasks such as sewing or reading requires task lighting to be deployed. Whichever lamp you choose needs to be adjustable, with the option to elevate or lower the bulb so that it meets your needs exactly. A top tip for the writers amongst you is to put the lamp on the side of your less dominant hand. This way, the light will cover your working area and you will not be fighting for the spotlight with your own shadow.

Living in the Limelight

When throwing a dinner party or a social event, lighting is one way to make sure you appear super sophisticated. Candles create a great ambience, with reflective surfaces passing the glow around the rest of the room. Highlighting key features such as the aforementioned bookcase or a painting draws attention to the object and hence creates a natural conversation starter. If you are dealing with a particularly large space, ensure that there are different types of lighting at each level.

By adding smaller lamps, gothic lightingor lanterns lower down, the space instantly feels cosier and a tad more welcoming. Lanterns are easily arranged so as to create interesting patterns on the ceiling, so get your creative juices flowing and give it a go. During the summer months, many parties get underway outdoors. If this is the case, crack out the Christmas fairy lights; draping them down the garden path adds a splash of colour to proceedings. Tea lights and fibre-optics are also readily available to ramp up the colours and shapes being thrown around. Whether you are working, partying or relaxing, there is a light and style to suit your needs.

Aimee Coppock is a freelance writer specialising in interior design. She recommends that employing gothic lighting, amongst other styles, helps to improve the overall feel of a space.

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At the end of the day, it’s nice to have your own private sanctuary where you can get away from it all. For most of us, that sanctuary is our bedroom. Read on for five design tips that will make your bedroom divine.

A Matching Decor

Aesthetics is important in everything, but especially in your bedroom. By investing in matching sheets, a matching comforter, matching drapes, and perhaps even matching or complementary wallpaper or paint, your bedroom will become a pleasing retreat in more ways than one. Having a matching decor offers a sense of crispness as well as serenity.

Space

Even if your bedroom isn’t particularly large, you can create the illusion that it is by strategically placing your bed and furniture to present a more “open” look. For those of you who are lucky enough to have large bedrooms, keep your space neat and organized, as clutter is an eyesore that also destroys any sense of harmony or serenity. Mirrors work wonders when it comes to creating an illusion of more space, as does decorating with the color white. Windows also add that “airy” feeling, especially the floor to ceiling variety. To increase the effect of having a spacious, airy bedroom, you can choose to either leave your windows uncovered, or cover them with sheer drapes only, which offers a bit of privacy but doesn’t turn your bedroom into a darkened shrine.

Flooring

Since flooring is an intensely personal issue, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to wake up every morning and sink your toes into plush carpeting, or if you prefer the clean, smooth elegance of wood or stone flooring. Whether you prefer pastels or bright, flashy colors, make sure that your flooring doesn’t “clash” with your bedroom’s overall decor.

Fireplaces

Whether you live in the country or the city, having a fireplace in your bedroom is a treat. Whether you view your home as rustic, chic and modern, or simply average, there’s nothing better than snuggling in front of a crackling fire on a cold winter’s evening. For those of you whose tastes are of the rustic variety (think log cabin), having a huge, soft leather sofa complete with comfy pillows and a throw is the perfect complement to your fireplace. For the more chic and modern bedrooms, a corner fireplace, or a slender, stand-alone fireplace adds a touch of elegance and sophistication.

Closet Space And Wardrobes

Whether you have lots of clothes or not, nothing beats the convenience of having a walk-in closet in the master bedroom. If this isn’t the case, however, you can still have a comfortable and tastefully decorated bedroom by investing in some nice furniture for your clothing. If space is limited, investing in a single, large dresser or wardrobe with ample drawer space should be sufficient. A mirror, whether on the dresser or headboard, adds the illusion of extra space. A bed with built-in drawers offers the ultimate in sleek, smooth design as well as storage space.

Written by Susan Brown.  Susan is an interior decorator who loves to travel and finding new furniture ideas, rather it be a latex mattress in Sydney, or a coffee table in Paris.

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Bedrooms can get a bit neglected in regards to decorating. Most people will tend to focus on the living areas or rooms guests will see before spending money on revamping their private space. Your bedroom is your haven and rest place, so don’t neglect it. Refreshing a tired and drab room need not cost a fortune. Here are some tips to help you beautify your bedroom for under $500.

Crazy for colour

You know the saying; a change can be as good as a holiday. The same goes for the colour on your walls. A fresh coat of paint can give your bedroom a complete makeover, even it’s the only change you make to the room. If you want to save money, why not choose one wall to paint and make it a bold and brightly coloured accent wall.

If your walls don’t need any attention, why not add some new colour in the form of accessories. Some brightly coloured lamps, photo frames or vases will do the trick nicely.

Dress your bed

New bed linen will automatically breathe life into a dull room. Choose a design and colour for your bedding that will match the colour and theme of your bedroom. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but remember quality bedding will last and look better for longer. Any excuse to go shopping for new bed linen right?

Add a reading corner

A reading corner will turn a boring room into a cosy and inviting space that will help you relax at the end of a long day. All you need to do, if you have the space for it, is find a comfy chair and put it in your favourite corner. If you want to get creative, why not buy a second hand recliner and re-cover it with some funky fabric? Add a floor lamp and, if it fits, a book table for your favourite books or mags.

Plantastic!

By adding a few carefully selected pot plants to your room, you can give the space a fresh and tropical feel. The human eye loves to see green, especially that of a thriving juicy plant, so make your eyes smile and wake up in your own natural sanctuary. This would particularly work well with an Asian themed bedroom teamed with bamboo shutters.

Clean up!

It’s the simplest and most inexpensive way to revamp your bedroom. Stand back at look at your bedroom through a guest’s eyes. You may be so used to the clutter that you don’t see it anymore. If this is the case, sort through what you need and don’t need. You may need to invest in some more storage space or have a garage sale and get rid of unnecessary items you may be hoarding. If that doesn’t help, try rearranging the set up of your bedroom. Move the furniture around and it will feel like brand new.

Get Creative

Art is the ideal way to decorate walls. It can also be expensive. If you have spent your budget on other things, why not get yourself some paints and a canvas and experiment with throwing some colours together. If you don’t have a creative bone in your body, never fear. Team an inexpensive picture frame with some funky printed wrapping paper or material, cut it to size and hang it on the wall. It may sound a little crazy, but give it a go. You can also use pictures the kids have made or photos of friends and family.

Are you still sitting there? Get up and get started. Beautifying your bedroom is fun and more satisfying than you realise if you haven’t already done it. Put on your creative goggles, get to your bedroom and let your imagination run wild.

Amanda Jurrissen is a Newcastle based freelance writer and mother to a busy toddler. When she is not writing for Newcastle Interior Design companies, she writes for a wedding publication, regular clients both in Australia and abroad.

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