Folding Fans On the Wall

A "Japanese fans" view on adding interest to your home with items such as a larger size ornamental (wall) fan.

Oriental Home Decor

The decor that is used to decorate an oriental style home is very ornate and colorful. Traditions from the Orient are displayed throughout these pieces. The pieces themselves can be found on walls in the form of artwork, displayed as statues or other ’show’ pieces, or the designs could be shown through the very furniture that is placed throughout the home.

Panel pieces in threes (such as a Japanese shoji screen) are very popular for displaying artwork in the oriental tradition. The artwork itself varies by what is displayed on the panels, but it is typically very traditional and colorful. There is a lot of gold, red, and black used as colors in this artwork.

Large, wall-sized fans are also popular for decorating in the oriental tradition. Again, the artwork displayed will vary, but the colors will be similar to those used in panel paintings. The displays may include traditional oriental women complete with hair pulled back and wearing traditional clothing, likewise for Oriental males. They may also display the mythological creature so often seen in oriental design, the dragon, often breathing fire from its mouth.

Colors of walls in an oriental decorated home are most typically white. The red, gold, and black are most often reserved for the complimentary pieces. Clean lines are important to the Oriental home, so the walls will enhance those clean lines by having been painted either white or very light beige.

Those walls will be lined on the bottom by wood grained shoe moulding and trim around doorways in the home. This further adds to those clean lines displayed throughout the home.

Knickknacks will be sparse. They will be well chosen after much contemplation. Not all Oriental pieces are red, black, and gold. Some use blues, blacks, and yellows too, but the first are the most typical.

These traditional colors will be found in a lot of the knickknacks that will be displayed throughout the home. There will be only a few chosen and they will compliment one another.

Plants will also be sparse. An orchid is a popular choice for Oriental decorating, but many green leafy plants will be appropriate too. Orchids can be hard to care for, so some may choose a simply ivy instead.

Artwork, other than fans and panels, will compliment the color choices of the knickknacks displayed. They will compliment the gold in a statue or the red sprinkled throughout the serving dish. There will never be too much color in the artwork, it should be simple, just like everything else discussed here.

Furnishings will be lower than typical to enhance the Zen tradition originated in the Orient. Some furnishing may not have legs at all, they may be nothing much more than cushions on the floor.

Coffee tables and end tables will also be placed lower than their American counterparts. Again, this is to compliment the furnishings that are set lower. Often the legs of the furniture and coffee and end tables turn in. This shape goes along with the Oriental tradition.

An Oriental home is a clean one that displays its cleanliness through the undisturbed lines in the home. There will never be clutter in this style home. All pieces will have been chosen with much effort.

The homes become pieces of artwork themselves and bring peace and serenity to those that are living among them.

Author: Lee Dobbins

Lee Dobbins writes for Decor How To where you can learn how to have great decor in your home and get more ideas for decorating with Oriental home decor.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

Do feel free to read more about decor in Japanese homes and the traditions and flavors of Japan here: Japanese Home Decor – Japanese Decorations & Paintings – Japanese Style Furniture – Japanese Decorating & Ancient Culture – Japanese Wall Decor & Traditional Japanese Decor – Japanese Bedrooms – Japanese Rooms – Japanese Shoji Screen – Japanese Futon – Japanese Wall Fans.

Asian Decor: Calm and Soothing

In Asian Decor both Japanese and Chinese philosophies believe that our most basic need is for space. Our spirits need room to breathe, move, and think with ease.

Keep the center of your room open. This principle comes from the Eastern belief that the center of the room represents the heart of your self and therefore should be kept open to allow the flow of energy to have full freedom of action.

One of the first steps necessary to transform a home into Asian decor is banishment of clutter. It is necessary to strip away all that is unnecessary in terms of furniture, accessories, and material possessions. For Westerners, this is a very difficult thing to do. If you want a true Asian style home, this is the first step.

Asian decor is attuned to nature and the environment. It would therefore follow that materials used in this style would be natural and bring good feelings to our senses. Oriental flower arranging in the Japanese Ikebana style and bonsai trees are often used. Bamboo is considered to bring good luck when used in a home. Water fountains are in use to bring calm and order to the mind.

Natural fabrics and materials tend to hold more interest for us. Unlike manufactured products, every piece of natural material is unique. It is impossible to get two stones, two pieces of wood, or two pieces of natural fabric to look exactly alike. Natural materials add a new dimension to a design every time they are used.

Here is a list of items you could use in your Asian decorating scheme:

• Shoji screens
• Tatami mats
• Lacquer furniture
• Rosewood furniture
• Ginger jars
• Items made of porcelain and jade
• Japanese fans and large wall fans
• Japanese lanterns
• Paper umbrellas
• Calligraphy wall hangings

If you are truly looking to create a peaceful haven from the outside world, if you are fed up with materialism and willing to part from your "stuff", if you are attracted to the spirit and philosophy of Asian culture, then perhaps the Asian Style of decorating is exactly what you are looking for.

Author: Gloria Daniels

Gloria Daniels has worked in many areas of the home decorating field and has been helping clients decorate their homes creatively for over 20 years. For more help and hints on creative ways to decorate you home, visit her website at Home Decorating Room by Room While there sign up for her ezine Home Decorating Workshop Each month receive a dozen home decorating tips along with a lesson in how to develop your creativity when decorating your home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gloria_Daniels

Asian Inspired Wedding Favor Ideas

Asian themed weddings are on the rise, and they aren’t just limited to those people of Asian heritage. Many brides are finding themselves drawn to the festivity of Chinese themed weddings or the simplicity of "Zen" Japanese weddings. Perhpas you practice a bit of feng shui in your home, to bring peace and tranquility. Or perhaps your tastes reflect the traditional Chinese style and glamour. Whatever your tastes dictate, an Asian themed wedding is a wonderful way to celebrate your marriage connected to your values and lifestyle.

If you’re considering an Asian themed wedding, here are some ideas to inspire your Asian themed wedding favors.

In Chinese themed weddings, white is considered bad luck (the color of death) and red and black are good (colors of luck and prosperity). You’ll want to keep that in mind while planning your wedding and selecting your wedding favors. These Asian themed wedding favors typically feature bright colors and nature motifs.

Some ideas to consider for your Chinese themed wedding are:

• Red and gold place cards held in a Asian themed place
• Card holder
• Take out containers filled with fortune cookies
• Lucky bamboo stalks
• Chopsticks
• Items with the double happiness character
• Brocade sachets or boxes
• Red mini lanterns
• Hand held fans, Japanese or Chinese
• Red envelopes with lucky coins tucked inside
• Asian themed mints and candies

The above are just some ideas you could select for your favors.

In Japanese or Zen themed weddings, brides should look for simplicity, elegance and natural materials when planning their wedding and selecting their Japanese inspired wedding favors. Crane motifs are used in Japanese weddings, wedding kimono and Japanese wedding decorations because cranes mate for life and are devoted to their partners in all seasons.

Some wedding favor ideas to consider are:

• Japanese paper lanterns
• Chinese or Japanese hand fans
• Chopsticks
• Sake gift sets
• Lucky cat ornaments or figurines
• Kaeru frog charms
• Cherry blossom designed items
• Incense cones or sticks.

Whatever your Asian wedding style, make sure your wedding favors are infused with Far East flair to complement your theme. With a little thought and a bit of searching, you’re sure to find your perfect Asian themed wedding favor.

Author: Erica Tevis

Erica Tevis is the owner of Little Things Wedding Favors which carries thousands of wedding favors and wedding accessories to suit every couple’s style, theme and budget.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erica_Tevis

Here are more sites about Japanese wall fans, oriental decor fans and other, related topics:

‘Tis a gift to be simple
Kabuki fans are large and graphically dramatic; tea-ceremony fans tiny and more ornamental than functional; and rakugo (comic storytelling) fans are purposely plain so they can be used as stage props symbolizing chopsticks, scissors, (…)

Cool Items
Mini kakejiku Japanese Scroll Art An item that’s custom made for us foreigners, these are small and attractive kakejiku (traditional Japanese wall scrolls) that you can hang up to Japanify your room. … Niko Niko Seaweed Punch for Bento Fans of Japanese Boxed Lunch.

Decorate Your Walls With Oriental Wall Hangings
These attractive wall hangings come in different sizes and designs. Whether you buy them individually or an assorted lot, Paper Cut Wall Hangings are a great way to add culture and color to your walls.

Give Your Room An Asian-Inspired Makeover
Add in some of those beautiful paper fans that add flair of more Asian to your room. These fans will also add color to the neutral color you have painted the walls. Coordinate the fans with pillows that are in the room, or curtains.

Oriental Feng Shui Wall Fan-Blue Horses
This classic oriental wall fan Handcrafted in bamboo and handpainted on heavy paper.Oriental fans has a history of two thousand years in ancient China. Artists express their artworks by drawing and writing on the oriental fans.

Decoration Tips, Ideas, And Technique
Opened Oriental fans attached to the wall at different angles add character. Have your teenager’s favorite quotes, funny sayings, or pleasant reminders plastered on their wall. Cut out comic strips and tack to the walls – this may keep (…)

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Japanese Futon For Your Home

Should It Be Traditional Or Western?

A futon, simply put, is a small couch which turns into a bed when unfolded. It is actually one type of mattress that makes up a Japanese bed, sold at specialty stores called futon-Ya in Japan and other department stores. A Japanese futon set usually costs under 10,000 yen (around$83).

Traditional Futon and Western Versions

A traditional Japanese futon set generally consists of a mattress called a shikibuton, a comforter called Kakebuton, blanket called m fu, and a pillow called makura. The makura is usually filled with beans, buckwheat chaff, or plastic beads. The 4 to 5 cm thick futon itself is flat, having a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton and/or synthetic batting.

Futons are designed to be laid on Tatami – a traditional Japanese flooring created from individual woven straw mats of uniform size and shape, bordered by brocade or plain black cloth, and packed with straw. Styrofoam may also be used with the recent ones. The futon can be folded away and stored in a closet called oshiire when not in used.

There is also a futon alternative called a "zabuton" (za, sitting + futon) which is a cushion for sitting, on tatami floors.

Western futons are thicker and larger than Japanese traditional futons, typically filled with foam and batting in a number of layers, and closely resembling conventional furniture.

Unlike traditional futons, western versions are not designed to be stored away when not in use. It is actually a bed -cum- couch to be placed on a configurable frame for the dual purpose.

The western style has also gained some popularity in Japan. These futons are constructed primarily out of cotton and usually handmade. Though having close resemblance with conventional mattresses, they lack the same type of springs and synthetic casings. The western futon version is a cheaper and more convenient substitute to conventional beds.

Basic Elements of a Western Futon

There are three main elements of a western futon – the frame, the mattress and the cover and pillows.

The frame is the foundation for strength, durability and ease of use. It has to be made of a strong, dense wood which can withstand the stress of frequent conversions. The Futon frames are of three types – Bifold, Trifold and Loveseat frame.

In the Trifold frame, the mattress folds in thirds the long way while in the Bifold frame, the mattress folds in half and is best for couches and everyday conversion from bed to couch. In the Loveseat frame, the mattress comes in two parts – couch and ottoman – and is best for small spaces.

The mattress is the seat cushion to provide comfort for both sitting and sleeping. Futon mattresses have to be of good quality in order to avoid hard and uncomfortable futons.

The cover and the pillows are the finishing touches for looks and protection. The futon cover is supposed to be essentially decorative but it is also the component which protects the mattress from dirt and spills.

By: Carl Walker

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Futons are stylish, functional, and versatile; they can be integrated into nearly any setting.

Feel free to read more about decor in Japanese homes and the traditions and flavors of Japan here: Japanese Home Decor – Japanese Decorations & Paintings – Japanese Style Furniture – Japanese Decorating & Ancient Culture – Japanese Wall Decor & Traditional Japanese Decor – Japanese Bedrooms – Japanese Rooms – Japanese Shoji Screen – Japanese Futon – Japanese Wall Fans.

About Futon – Japanese Mattresses

If you have a difficult of finding the way out from the problem of finding a corner to sleep in a very small rooms, you are not alone! As there are also millions of people who have same problem who are living in cramped quarters, whether they are college students, have too many roommates, or living in a tiny room space.

Apart from saving room space, there are also another benefit of using futon, which is its flexibility of use. You can use futon in the guest room where you also might have limited space and have a wonderfully decorated room making the most out of your limited space.

You can purchase a Futon in a number of different patterns and styles, that will enable you to make the Futon suitable for any guest room’s decor as well as your house style.

Futon is a kind of mattress which originates from Japan. Even though it is now very popular among western countries, the style of mattress itself as well as the usage is not always the same as what they are used for in Japan.

Here, mattress rests upon a Tatami mat and isn’t set upon a bed frame, as is the norm in the West. The Futon mattress also is folded and stored away during the day in Japan.

In fact, Japanese futon are made from natural cotton so it is not harmful to the environment. The normal way to clean this kind of futon is a simple procedure. One would only put it outside in the sun and hit it by using hard bamboo stick to get rid of dust and mold. This is actually a very healthy practice as science is just now releasing facts regarding the problem with germs and bacteria thriving on mattresses and pillows.

In western countries, as mentioned above, the futon is generally placed in a bed frame. Hence, it is uncommon to have it cleaned regularly or taken out from its frame and put outside in sunlight daily (which would be almost impossible). However, one thing is similar, and that is that most western futon mattresses are eco-friendly as well and are made with foam style batting.

Although thicker than their Japanese counterparts, they are often springless mattresses.

By: Tuchchai Suwanawong

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

An Introduction to Futons
What most people probably don’t know is that futon beds originated in Japan. For hundreds of years, Japanese people have slept on thin futon mattresses placed directly on the floor. They saw no need to have an elaborate bed with a frame and box (…)

Where to buy a Japan type futon?
I live in the US and I was wondering where I could buy a japanese-style futon. I would do a search, but I know that all that would turn up is the couchy things that westerners call futons. So does anyone know?

Airing the futon – a daily Japanese ritual
(…) Futon’s absorb body moisture. Remember to air them outside on the balcony in the sun and (…)

Japanese Futons
I personally have no experience with a traditional Japanese futon mattress, or shiki futon, but whenever I see a Japanese style futon on tatami I’m always very envious. Too me, a Japanese bedroom set up on tatami looks super comfy and (…)

How to clean a Japanese futon
You see them smacking the futons to help shake out the dust. Japan is humid and you need to take your futon out of the house now and then for some good sunshine. You don’t sleep directly on the futon. It’s like a bed mattress and I’ve (…)

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