Your Heritage and Personal Decorating Style

Ethnic traditions, customs, and attitudes carry forward our family values. Paying tribute to family heritage and tradition also gives our children a strong sense of family ties. Our roots make us what we are, and showing respect for ancestral traditions gives the interior of your home a special individuality.

Vernacular Heritage

Regional architecture, called the vernacular, designs structures to harmonize and blend with the environment. Designed to reflect the past, using historical influences, vernacular houses complement rather than dominate their settings. These homes recreate the traditional neighborhoods of the past with a strong sense of place.

Many vernacular structures provide friendly zones and foster a relaxed lifestyle. For instance, Santa Fe stucco and adobe block homes often have central courtyards. Friendly porches customarily found on Florida cracker houses invite neighborly chats. Key Wests wood-framed "conch houses" and North Carolinas "low country" houses feature broad verandahs and large windows to take advantage of the areas cooling breezes.

Vernacular homes provide sheltering transitional space from the outside to the inside, but homes without such transitional spaces can benefit greatly when structural or landscaping details are added to bring the private interior space of the home into harmony with the outside world. If your home lacks a covered entry, consider adding a wood or iron framework or an awning to create a feeling of protection and shelter.

Ethnic Influence on American Architecture and Furnishings

Since Americans have always constructed houses that mimicked their native homelands, its not surprising that Italian and Mediterranean villas, grand English country houses, and simple French farmhouses can be found across the United States. From the earliest days of our nation, Americans have taken design details from all over the world and copied, adapted, and redesigned their ethnic patterns and furnishings.

Patterns originating in Africa, such as animal prints and intricate geometrics, have been duplicated in many ways. Mexican antiques, Danish and Swedish furniture, and Oriental-influenced accessories have intermingled in our homes. From New England Cape Cods to Santa Fe adobes, our diverse heritage has influenced American architecture and interior design, while log cabins, rustic western interiors, and American folk art have suggested distinct American origins.

Style and Emotional Ambience

Style is the end decorating result of the combination of detail characteristics reminiscent of an era, an artistic movement, or a particular region, such as the Victorian era, Art Nouveau period, or Midwestern Prairie style. Mood or emotional ambiance is the personal interpretation of style to evoke feelings, whether they are cleanly slick, elegantly formal, cozily informal, or romantically eclectic.

Architectural Styles: Structure and Furnishings

Rooms all of one period or style are best left for museums or exhibitions. Eclectic rooms mix furnishings from different periods, such as a contemporary sofa, a silver maple Chippendale side table, and a gilded Louis XVI mirror. The beautiful and the bizarre, the exquisite and the commonplace, mixed with frivolity and delight, create joyful homes.

Architectural style may refer to a structure or to a type of furnishing. Mixing period styles with todays lifestyles is called New Traditionalism. Combinations of styles with a light hearted flair create elegant, unpretentious rooms. A few grand pieces, interspersed with simple furnishings, will bring informality to an otherwise stodgy home.

Architectural style also influences interior design. Understand the architectural style of your home and use it as a reference point for your decorating. In my own case, our modern furniture looked totally out of place in our 1878 home, so we traded our glass dining table for a traditional wood one, and replaced a modular sofa with a squishy antique one.

Some Victorian homes look magnificent when furnished with contemporary furniture, but this is harder to accomplish than the reverse, which is a contemporary house, furnished with antiques. Grand old houses decorated with modern furnishings look better with plain, simple wall finishes and un-frilled window coverings.

Juxtaposing styles from your heritage with other styles that suit your fancy makes for interesting rooms and homes. Not all rooms in your home need to incorporate the same style, but some blending from room to room ensures harmony. Mixing heritage styles according to those who share your home also creates a harmonizing aura.

Your Personal Style

If you have a strong affinity for a particular architectural style, incorporate it into your total design plan. Encourage respect for your family traditions by surrounding yourself with ethnic furnishings and family heirlooms. Any style can be adapted to your way of living, whether its serenely sleek, traditionally formal, or casually informal, by either dressing up or paring down your decorating embellishments.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Smoking Fish
Stop Smoking Health Canada
Metastasis Lung Cancer
Cigarette Smoke Dogs
Free Cigar
Cigarette Coupons
Peter Stokkebye Cigarette Tobacco
Quit Smoking Laser Therphy
Quit Smoking Get Fat And Depressed
Designer Cologne
Smokingarchive
Smokeless Motor Oil
Avon Far Away Fantasy Parfum
Smell Of Cigarette Smoke Smokers Ban Hockney
Removing Cigarette Smoke From Home
Pheromone Reviews
Dangers Of Chewing Tobacco
Clive Christian 1872 Perfume For Women Review
Essence Massage Table
Sitemap
Bach Flower Essences Training
Sitemap
Ethnic Cigarette Smokers
Cuban Cigar
Death With Nicotine Patches
Nhs Fee Stop Smoking Information Free Aids
Hypnosis Smoking Cessation Seminar Richmond Va
Ways To Prevent Lung Cancer
Amy Reileys Aphrodisiac
Discount Designer Perfume
Symptoms Of Lung Cancer Emphysema
Stop Smoking Aids
Famous Cigarette Smokers
Laser For Smoking Cessation
Opium Eau De Parfum For Men
Old Gold Cigarettes
Types Of Lung Cancer
Stop Smoking Dublin
How Health Improves Quit Smoking
Royal Barbados Cigars
A Tale Of Three Essences
Cigar Smoking Men
Foods To Help Quit Smoking
Sitemap
Best Smoking Cessation Products
Harder To Quit Smoking Or Chewing Tobacco
Original Clairol Herbal Essence
Ways To Quit Smoking Laser
Smoking Cessation Problems
Discount Fragrances Canada
Cigarette Smoke Tricks
Models Smoking
Jays Smoking Links
Stop Smoking Free Hypnosis
Smokeless Tobacco
Leptin And Smoking Cessation
Navigation Colognes Nintendo Electroniczilla Com
Snus Tobacco
Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Mouse
Incense Mens Cologne
Effects Of Cigarettes Smoking
Use Cologne Properly
Stop Smoking Aids
Quit Smoking Laser Concepts
Cigar Box Purses
Products To Help Stop Smoking
Stop Smoking Shots Georgia
Evan Essence
Release Depression Hypnosis Stop Smoking Hypnlosis
Smoking Accessories
Facts On Chewing Tobacco
Herbal Cigarettes
How Can I Get Nicotine Off Of My Fingers
Wolf Chewing Tobacco
Skydancer Cigarettes
Hyaluronic Acid Eye Essence
The Smoking Gun
Eric Burdon Tobacco Road
Smokers Lung
Stop Smoking Hypnosis
Solutions To Apple Blossom Cologne Company Case
Herbal Tobacco
Cms Coding For Smoking Cessation
Quit Smoking Laser Nanaimo
Symptoms Of Dying With Lung Cancer
Cigarette Smoke Can
Cigarette Machine
New Fragrance By Sarah Jessica Parker
Copenhagen Smokeless
Herbs To Stop Smoking
Addicted To Nicotine Patches
Parfum Original
Benefits Of Quitting Smoking
Quit Smoking With Laser In Illinois
Fragrance Oil
Sitemap
Sitemap
American Tobacco Tin Pictures
Nicotine Anonymous
Fragrances Intimate Besttreasures
Tag Mens Cologne
Symptoms Lung Cancer
Discount Perfume Escape
Homme De Gres Fragrance
Stop Smoking Shot
Life Insurance Nicotine Test
Cheap Colognes
Rolling Tobacco
Nicotine Remain In Bloodstream
Summary On How To Quit Smoking
Ortho Evra Cessation
Find Herbs That Help Stop Smoking
Free Nicorette Gum
Cg Smoking Cessation
Discount Nicotine Patches
Cigarette Coupons
Tobacco Plants
Candle Aromatherapy Catalogs
Hypnosis Quit Smoking Toronto
Essence Of Wudang Tai Chi
Electric Cigarette Machine
Brand Names Discount Fragrances
Smoking Cessation Airways
How To Make My Cologne To Last Longer
General Information On Lung Cancer
Cessation Code Counseling Cpt Smoking
Rid Home Second Hand Cigarette Smoke
Lung Cancer Facts
Women Smoking Beautiful
Kid Smoking
In Essence You Will Never Find
Second Hand Smoking
Smokeless Fuel Company
How To Quit Smoking Marijuana
How Long Is Nicotine In Your System
Mariah Fragrance
Temp
Nicotine Withdrawal Duration
Gurkha Cigars
Nicotine Abuse
Uk Hypnotherapy To Stop Smoking
Intervention For Cigarette Smoker
Discount Cologne Perfume
Stages Of Change Smoking Cessation
Nicotine Chloride
Sitemap
Diagram Replace Cigarette Lighter Socket
Nicotine Patch Stop Smoking Today
Chewing Tobacco And Bull
Wholesale Perfume Oil Burners
Aromatherapy Goddess
Medicine To Help Stop Smoking
Home Remedies For Nicotine Withdrawal
Aromatherapy And Circulation
Essence Of South America Tauck
Hypnotherapy Lose Weight Hyposis Stop Smoking Hypn
Health Wellness Quit Smoking Blue Cross Shield
Nursing Theory Smoking Cessation
Discount Cologne And Perfume
Nz Nicorette Patches
Temp
Allen Carr Easy Way To Stop Smoking
Nicotine Byproduct
Thompson Cigar
Soapstone Aromatherapy Products
Stop Smoking Hypnosis Cds
Free Samples Of Smokeless Tobacco
Red Man Chewing Tobacco
Smokeless Pipes
West Cheap Cigarettes
Painless Smoking Cessation
Quit Smoking Hypnosis Information
Youthful Essence
Fendi Parfum
Cigarette Smoke Air Purifier
Lung Cancer Lawyers Houston
Perfumeeaudeperfumeverawang
Smoking Cessation Medication
Aromatech
Smoking Pics
Perfume Samples
Grizzly Smokeless Tobacco
Cigar Ratings
Quit Smoking Health Spas Classes
5 Years After Quitting Smoking
Temp
Crosscreek Chefmaster Smokeless Indoor Barbeque
Nicotine Levels In Cigarette Brands
Zero Nicotine Plus
Best Lung Cancer Hospitals
Get Rid Of Cigarette Smoke Smells
Ways To Quit Smoking Health
Sitemap
Sitemap
Chewing Tobacco And High Cholesterol
Releave Depression Hypnosis Online Lose Weight Stop Smoking
Dripless Smokeless Candles
4oz Smokeless Mist Sage 4oz
Sitemap
Sitemap
How To Make A Homemade Aphrodisiac
Stop Smoking Programs In Fort Worth Texas
Aromatherapy Herbal Packs
Zig Zag Tobacco
Methods Of Smoking Crack
Sitemap
Cigar Smoking Women
Dana Perfumes Corporation
Effects Cigarette Smoke
Sitemap
Cigar Cutters
Sitemap
Chinese Cigarette Vending Machines
Fat Women Cigarette Smokers
Anthem Eau De Toilette Philosophy
Sitemap
Avo Cigars
Smoking Cessation Forum
Aphrodisiac Bow Wow
Smoking Cessation Medications
Lung Cancer Advocacy
Signs And Symptoms Of Lung Cancer
Smoking Cessation Companies
Doral Cigarettes
Audio Books Easy Way To Stop Smoking
Life Essence Vitamins
Peterson Cork Tobacco Pipes
Stop Smoking Lose Weight Releave Depression Releav
Smoking Meat Tips
Lung Cancer Survival Rate
Colonial Maryland Port Tobacco Courthouse
Stop Smoking Marijuana
Nicotine Withdrawl Symptoms
The Witch Of Cologne
How To Quit Smoking For Women Alan Carr
Age For Buying Cigarettes Smoking People
Zyban Free Perscriptions To Quit Smoking
Florida Water Cologne
Tobacco Hornworm
Temp
Sitemap
Stop Smoking Symptom Time Line
Scent Free Conference Parfum
Stage 3 Lung Cancer Alternative Treatment
End Stage Symptoms Of Lung Cancer
Day Quit Smoking
Nicotine Libido
Free Florida Stop Smoking Programs
Quitting Chewing Tobacco
Sitemap
Similar To Cigarette Smoke Printer Health Australia
Tobacco Pipe Wichita Falls
Calvin Klein Obsession Perfume Discount
Lung Cancer Lawyers Dallas
Perfume Oils
Bruce Weber Model For Gio Cologne For Men
Creed Discount Perfume
Herbal Health Products To Stop Smoking
Risks Of Chewing Tobacco
Smoking Cessation Treatment Centers Retreats
Aromatic Bath Salts
Essence F
Nicotine Patches Side Effects
Cheap Cigarettes Online
Nicotine Poison
Pipe Smoking Tobacco
Taylor Of London Herbal Aromatheraby
Marlboro Cigarettes
Aroma Stream Diffuser
Wisconsin And Smokeless Tobacco Settlement
Quit Smoking Laser Treatment
Aromatase Arthralgia
Smoking Cessation Hypnosis Cds
Lung Cancer Attorneys Dallas
Stop Smoking Hypnosis In The Chicago Aea
Glass Tobacco Pipes
Sitemap
Free Stop Smoking Hypnosis Steps
Tobacco Lessons
Stop Smoking Hypnosis Cd
Cartier Parfum
Smoking Cessation Companies
Stop Stop Smoking Programs
Life Expectancy For Lung Cancer
Smokeless Oil
Free Anti Tobacco Posters
Marlboro Cigarettes Shop
Baymont Discount Cologne
Pipe Smoking
Nicorette Side Effects
Perfume Shopping
Cigar Smoking
Growing Tobacco
Discount Womens Perfume
Quit Smoking Laser Therpist In Virginia
Releave Depression Lose Weight Hypnosis Online Stop Smoking
Cologne Airport
How To Make Aromatherapy Pillow
Smoking With Style
Free Stop Smoking With Relaxation