A great room often has a high ceiling and an open second-floor corridor that overlooks the room below. It is an ideal gathering space for an entire family with its large size and open feel, but it can be a decorating dilemma with its extremely high walls. You can decorate great room walls in a tasteful manner, however, despite their height: The right decorating tactics will help you create a lovely space, making the walls a focal point rather than an ominous blank space. Contemplate the many different decorating options and decide which techniques best fit the size and current style of your great room.
1Paint the walls a dark shade and the ceiling the same shade or a few shades darker. This gives the feeling that the ceiling is closer and the walls are not as tall. If you prefer the look of the tall walls, paint them any light shade you desire.
2Paint large, horizontal stripes evenly around the room in an undistracting shade. The stripes give the visual effect of shorter walls. Use more than one accent color to add visual interest.
3Install chair rail molding around the perimeter of the great room. Place the molding 30 to 42 inches above the ground. The molding breaks up the wall, reducing the effect of a large empty wall. Paint or wallpaper the lower half of the wall a different color, if desired.
4Install decorative molding 1 to 2 feet below the ceiling line. You can use decorative molding in conjunction with crown molding for a dramatic effect. This works well on very tall walls because the added space does not make it overbearing.
5Hang long textured window coverings. The texture adds visual interest and depth to the walls. The long length fits the proportion of the room.
o 6Use shelving to display decorative accessories. Place the shelving on either side of a fireplace or expanding the width of an entire wall. Choose thick large shelves to complement the large wall proportions.
7Place decorative accessories on the shelves. Choose accessories that differ in texture, such as wood, glass, metal, grass and fabrics, to increase the visual appeal and break up the monotony of the height.
8Place large pieces of framed art on the walls. Arrange it in relationship to the furniture so it does not look randomly placed on the wall. Hang the artwork at eye level or over the fireplace.
9Hang a large artistic piece of artwork made of iron or a large tapestry over the fireplace or in a spot that serves as the focal point of the room. Choose a visually appealing piece with different shapes, such as swirls or lines, that will grasp a viewer's attention.
10Paint a large decorative mural on one of the walls. Hang curtains on either side to give the illusion of a grandiose window.
11Place a large potted tree next to a piece of furniture and beside one of the walls. Choose a plant that is full and tall to complement the size of the walls.
Wednesday 28 December 2011
Tuesday 27 December 2011
What Are the Dimensions of the Great Wall of China?
New Information
New mapping information proves the Great Wall
of China to be larger than previously thought. A Chinese government survey
discovered new sections in Liaoning and Gansu provinces, according to BBC News.
Misconceptions
Contrary to some expectations, the Great Wall
of China is a winding series of walls and barriers in Northern China, not a
single, long, continuous wall.
It has been photographed from orbit, but cannot be seen from space with the naked eye, according to a 2005 NASA article.
It has been photographed from orbit, but cannot be seen from space with the naked eye, according to a 2005 NASA article.
Length
Altogether, according to the BBC figures, the
length of the Great Wall of China totals 8,850 km, or 5,500 miles long. This
figure includes 6,259 km in actual wall sections, 2,232 km of natural defenses,
and trenches totaling 359 km in length.
Width
The width of the Great Wall of China varies
over different sections. By most estimates, such as those used by
engineering.com, the wall's width averages 6.5 m, or 21.3 feet, at the base,
and 5.8 m, or 19 feet, at the top.
Height
According to these same estimates, the height
of the Great Wall of China averages 7 to 8 m, or 23 to 26 feet high, with
fortifications reaching 10 m, or 30 feet in height.
Monday 26 December 2011
Summer Palace
So we were planning on going to the Olympic Square on the 17th but instead wound up staying in the hostel all day, literally from 10am til 4pm. We did manage to book several train tickets in the UK and a hostel for London, which was our goal and why we stayed in so it was actually a successful day. We got away for about an hour however to buy a new microphone for our computer to use on skype. Back at the hostel we once more sat around in the bar and chatted with Steve and Mike and this time also met a girl from the Netherlands (whose name we never really got simply because it's not one we recognize or could pronounce, haha).
On the 18th our plan was to go to the summer palace but didn't manage to get there until noon cause we're getting tired and lazy, lol. Our trip on the metro didn't take very long though and we were at the summer palace before long
When you buy your tickets at the gates you have either the option of buying an 'all access pass' to all the exhibits or a cheaper one that doesn't give you access to any of the exhibits leaving you to buy individual ones inside. If I (James) could do it again I would buy the cheaper ticket and only pay for the extra one to 'the Temple of Buddha Insence' because the others were not all that great, but each to their own I guess.
We walked along the lake and over beautiful old bridges but we didn't even cover half of the park area; the entire place is massive. Jackie was very excited about being in a park area as she is still very much missing having a lawn and grass to sit on!
We saw pictures and explanations of how the temple was made and changes made to it over time and explanations of how it was destroyed and rebuilt twice. There was also portraits of the empress that was the main resident of the palace; it was cool to put a face to someone who called this place home.
We also walked down the 'worlds longest corridor' as well but Jackie didn't think it was the longest because when we were changing planes in Toronto there was a damn long corridor between terminals that we used a super fast floor escalator to get through the corridor with that seemed to go on forever, but I'm not a Guiness judge, so who knows
Once we got back to the hostel we met with our friends Steve and the girl from the netherlands to go out for peking duck as none of us had tried it yet and it's a big thing in China. After finally finding the restaurant that our hostel suggested we just pointed to the menu and hoped the waiter got our order right. They did and we had an amazing meal of duck! After that we went to the night food market by our hostel to gets some pictures of some of the strange foods they have. Steve and I tried the scorpian and said it wasn't bad, cz you mostly taste the oil they deep-fry it in, and Jackie tried a bit of snake skin which she said was tough and not real good.
Once again back at the hostel we sat around the bar visiting, this time we indulged in a few more drinks! Haha. We had been playing cards, enjoying our drinks and meeting even more people in the hostel before for quite some time when a guy decided we should all go out to a pub/bar he knew in Beijing. A group of us decided to head out on our way. When we got to the pub someone looked at their watch and realized it was already 2am!...we had thought it was more like 11pm, oops. We sat at the pub for a while more enjoying another drink and then finally everyone was getting too tired to last any longer and we all decided to return (at 4:30am!!). When we arrived at the hostel the sun was coming up....aaarrgh.
On the 18th our plan was to go to the summer palace but didn't manage to get there until noon cause we're getting tired and lazy, lol. Our trip on the metro didn't take very long though and we were at the summer palace before long
When you buy your tickets at the gates you have either the option of buying an 'all access pass' to all the exhibits or a cheaper one that doesn't give you access to any of the exhibits leaving you to buy individual ones inside. If I (James) could do it again I would buy the cheaper ticket and only pay for the extra one to 'the Temple of Buddha Insence' because the others were not all that great, but each to their own I guess.
We walked along the lake and over beautiful old bridges but we didn't even cover half of the park area; the entire place is massive. Jackie was very excited about being in a park area as she is still very much missing having a lawn and grass to sit on!
We saw pictures and explanations of how the temple was made and changes made to it over time and explanations of how it was destroyed and rebuilt twice. There was also portraits of the empress that was the main resident of the palace; it was cool to put a face to someone who called this place home.
We also walked down the 'worlds longest corridor' as well but Jackie didn't think it was the longest because when we were changing planes in Toronto there was a damn long corridor between terminals that we used a super fast floor escalator to get through the corridor with that seemed to go on forever, but I'm not a Guiness judge, so who knows
Once we got back to the hostel we met with our friends Steve and the girl from the netherlands to go out for peking duck as none of us had tried it yet and it's a big thing in China. After finally finding the restaurant that our hostel suggested we just pointed to the menu and hoped the waiter got our order right. They did and we had an amazing meal of duck! After that we went to the night food market by our hostel to gets some pictures of some of the strange foods they have. Steve and I tried the scorpian and said it wasn't bad, cz you mostly taste the oil they deep-fry it in, and Jackie tried a bit of snake skin which she said was tough and not real good.
Once again back at the hostel we sat around the bar visiting, this time we indulged in a few more drinks! Haha. We had been playing cards, enjoying our drinks and meeting even more people in the hostel before for quite some time when a guy decided we should all go out to a pub/bar he knew in Beijing. A group of us decided to head out on our way. When we got to the pub someone looked at their watch and realized it was already 2am!...we had thought it was more like 11pm, oops. We sat at the pub for a while more enjoying another drink and then finally everyone was getting too tired to last any longer and we all decided to return (at 4:30am!!). When we arrived at the hostel the sun was coming up....aaarrgh.
Sunday 25 December 2011
Xu Beihong Museum
Xu Beihong Museum lies in No.53 Xinjiekou Beidajie, Xicheng District. It is a monumental museum featuring the life, works and precious collections of Xu Beihong, the father of Chinese modern painting. Consisting of an introductory hall and seven exhibit halls, the museum exhibits more than 1,100 pieces of his excellent works, including Chinese traditional paintings, oil paintings, sketches and seals. Also on display are a large amount of his precious collections of famous painters, art books, rubbings of stone inscription, and pictures.
In the court of the museum stands a white jade bust of Xu Beihong. The introductory hall exhibits Xu Beihong's self-portraits. Three halls display Xu Beihong's splendid Chinese traditional paintings. One of the most famous is a painting of the legend of Jiufang Gao, a remarkable man able to judge the qualities of horses. On a monumental scale, this painting shows his deep indignation and strong desire for the country's bright future. The Foolish Old Man Removing Mountains painted in 1940 encouraged people to win the victory of wars. In addition, his paintings of horses enjoy high prestige; no matter galloping horse, standing horse, or cantering horse, racing horse; they were all portrayed with human feelings of happiness or sadness.
Xu Beihong (1895-1953) is an outstanding and prolific painter and influential art educator. He had worked as the first president of the Chinese Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the first chairman of the Chinese Artists' Association. After eight years' study in Europe, he returned to China, and devoted himself to painting and art education. Besides, he is an enthusiastic patriot; his works, with his deep affection for the motherland, greatly inspired the suffering Chinese people. When he passed away, his wife, the incumbent curator of the museum, Liao Jingwen contributed his precious works, famous collections and other important things to the country.
Two halls feature his distinctive oil paintings. The well-known Five Hundred Soldiers in the Field was in praise of the Chinese people's fortitude and character. The sketches, including portraits and scenery sketches are also on display in another two halls. The last hall shows pictures and photos of the master's life and career. Here, one can see the master's tools of painting, his last collection and an uncompleted works.
Admission Fee:
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Free
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Opening Hours:
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09:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00 (Tuesday-Sunday)
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Transportation:
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Subway:
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Line 2 to Jishuitan (积水潭), and then walk to the museum.
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Bus Route:
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22, 38, 47, 409, 626, 726, 810, 826 to Jishuitan (积水潭桥南), then walk southwards for about 220 yards to the Xu Beihong Museum (徐悲鸿纪念馆).
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Saturday 24 December 2011
Lianhuachi Park
The Lianhuachi Park is very close to the Beijing West Railway Station, and is located at the junction of Xuanwu District, Fengtai District and Haidian District. With an area of 44.6 hectares (110 acres), the park is a modern garden and is well-known for its splendid lotus scenery.
The park is exquisite, elegant and classical, where pavilions, rockeries, ponds, bridges, stones, fragrant flowers, luxuriant grass and trees are built and planted. On the both sides of the biggest pond, there are verdant Chinese pines, cedars, ginkgos, locust trees, white waxes, and magnolia trees. About 80,000 lotuses with 250 species or so are planted in the clear pond. The most stunning is the lotus scenery. In summer, all kinds of lotus flowers are in full bloom as if they are competing for the most beautiful title. As an ancient poem wrote: 'The Lotus leaves stretch to the sky a boundless green; the lotus flower in sunlight with unusual red to glow'. A breeze ripples with the surface of the hectares of the Lotus Pond, which forms a wonderful picture. A delicate white marble statue stands at the bank of the pond, telling a beautiful love tale between a Lotus-flower Fairy and Lotus-root Man. Next to the pond, there is an outdoor theatre with a stage in a 'T' style and music fountains pools on both sides. The pools are full of water lilies blooming different floral colors of summer.
The park was built on the site of a place of historical interest-the Lotus Pond. The pond is regarded as the birthplace of the city of Beijing, and bears a history of over 3,000 years. The capital of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) was built to the southwest of the Lotus Pond in 1153 and the pond provided most of water for the capital at that time. Therefore, the park is of great significance for studying the location and landscape of the ancient capital of the Jin Dynasty.
Besides the lotus scenery, there are many activities to join and scenery to enjoy in the park. For example, the Exercising Square, Outdoor Dancing Area, Fishing Area, Children's Playground, Peacocks and Drovers' Garden, a lotus Propagation Place, Wind and Lotus Pavilion. Every year, the park will hold a quite traditional temple fair, making the park an ideal place to enjoy the Chinese folk arts and food.
Admission Fee:
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CNY 2
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Opening Hours:
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06:00-21:00
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Bus Route:
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1, 4, 50, 323, 324, 845, 964, 937 Zhi (937支), Te 2 (特2) to Liuliqiao Beili (六里桥北里), and then go northwards about 200 meters to the west gate of the Lianhuachi Park (莲花池公园).
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6, 38, 57, 122, 201, 340 368, 620, 704, 715, 719, 830 to Lianhuachi (莲花池), and then go to the east gate of the Lianhuachi Park through the South Square of Beijing West Railway Station.
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Friday 23 December 2011
The Oddness Springs of Simatai Great Wall
Mandarin Duck Springs There are two springs at the foot of Simatai Great Wall. it is called the 'Mandarin Duck Springs' .The west is warm, while the east one is cold. The Two springs join into one lake so half the lake is cold and the other half is warm. In winter, hot steam rises from the lake, forming a marvelous spectacle.
Thursday 22 December 2011
Day 3: The Great Wall & Summer Palace
Today was a truly amazing day. You read about it. You hear about it. You even see it on TV. But to actually see the Great Wall of China is humbling. Badaling is one of the sections of the Great Wall that has been restored, and we were able to hike a good portion of it today. Only a small portion of the 5500 foot-long wall has been restored and much of it is crumbling away. Badaling is the most visited section and is about 50 miles outside of Beijing. Luckily, we had an incredibly talented driver to get us there, as the traffic here is like nothing I have ever experienced before (more on that in an upcoming "afterward" blog, so that my mom can remain calm while I am still here).
It was chilly today, in the low 30s, and the added wind up in the mountains compounded the cold. As soon as we stepped out of our car the vendors were trying to sell us "Great Wall" hats and gloves. Until we pulled ours out of our pockets and put them on, they kept pushing. Even with the intense cold, after hiking for a few minutes we
were all shedding layers and breaking out our bottled water. I wish I had counted how many steps we traversed today, or that they had some markings along the path, but I do know that it was a LONG way up! Some sections have stairs (which are not uniform in any way in their spacing or height) and some sections have slopes so steep you need to grab the handrail to hoist yourself forward! The highest point at this section of the wall is over 3300 feet above sea level, which provides for some breath-taking views of the scenery for miles and miles. I can't imagine the military forces who were out there guarding the wall in the middle of a blizzard! You can easily see why this area was chosen for the wall. Surrounded by trecherous mountains, it would be nearly impossible to breach this area unseen.
I didn't realize how mountainous this area was until we arrived. Within the city of Beijing it seems mostly flat or with small hills (though the way the highways zigzag through the sky may be misleading). I was thrilled when I looked out the window and saw the beautiful hills in
the distance, and they made for some beautiful photos. A cable car line and tram also run up the mountain along the Great Wall for those less inclined to make the hike, but we wanted to experience the journey first-hand.
We took so many wonderful photos it was difficult to select the few to display here. Since our Chinese guide also took many photos he instructed us that instead of saying "cheese" like we do in the US to take a photo, in China they say "qiézi", or eggplant!
After several hours of taking in the scenery, we had a nice Thai lunch to warm up, during which I chose an interesting looking beverage (I will save all the wonderful details of my meals for another "afterward" blog in the future!), and headed to our next stop, the Summer Palace.
While we toured the Forbidden City yesterday, the Summer Palace often came up, as this was the "get-away" destination outside of the city for the Imperials. I was very pleased to be able to visit the Summer Palace today, which is over 1.1 square miles in size, 3/4 of which is dominated by a man-made lake. The
soil removed to construct the lake was used to create "Longevity Hill", which is where the Palace itself sits.
A walkway lined with trees winds along Kunmig Lake. Another covered walkway sits beside this paved walkway and runs over 3000 feet and contains over 14,000 unique paintings on it. These paintings have mostly been restored and are beautiful depictions of Chinese scenery, nature and daily life. Many vendors of food and trinkets peddle their wares inside the Palace. As soon as they see I am "měiguórén" or American, they come after me! In fact, as we were decending the Great Wall, a woman selling memorabelia, first offered her items to Liang and Tina for 2 yuan, and then offered them to be for 5 yuan!
After an interesting drive through evening rush-hour traffic back to Beijing, we had a dinner that I have been looking forward to for several days called "HotPot" where raw food is brought to the table and you cook it in a personal pan of boiling water. Liang has been taking photos of me with my meals and I will be sure to have more details in a future blog!
Now, my legs
feel like noodles from all the hiking and I am ready to hit the hay! Tomorrow? I don't know, we shall see in the morning!
It was chilly today, in the low 30s, and the added wind up in the mountains compounded the cold. As soon as we stepped out of our car the vendors were trying to sell us "Great Wall" hats and gloves. Until we pulled ours out of our pockets and put them on, they kept pushing. Even with the intense cold, after hiking for a few minutes we
I didn't realize how mountainous this area was until we arrived. Within the city of Beijing it seems mostly flat or with small hills (though the way the highways zigzag through the sky may be misleading). I was thrilled when I looked out the window and saw the beautiful hills in
We took so many wonderful photos it was difficult to select the few to display here. Since our Chinese guide also took many photos he instructed us that instead of saying "cheese" like we do in the US to take a photo, in China they say "qiézi", or eggplant!
After several hours of taking in the scenery, we had a nice Thai lunch to warm up, during which I chose an interesting looking beverage (I will save all the wonderful details of my meals for another "afterward" blog in the future!), and headed to our next stop, the Summer Palace.
While we toured the Forbidden City yesterday, the Summer Palace often came up, as this was the "get-away" destination outside of the city for the Imperials. I was very pleased to be able to visit the Summer Palace today, which is over 1.1 square miles in size, 3/4 of which is dominated by a man-made lake. The
A walkway lined with trees winds along Kunmig Lake. Another covered walkway sits beside this paved walkway and runs over 3000 feet and contains over 14,000 unique paintings on it. These paintings have mostly been restored and are beautiful depictions of Chinese scenery, nature and daily life. Many vendors of food and trinkets peddle their wares inside the Palace. As soon as they see I am "měiguórén" or American, they come after me! In fact, as we were decending the Great Wall, a woman selling memorabelia, first offered her items to Liang and Tina for 2 yuan, and then offered them to be for 5 yuan!
After an interesting drive through evening rush-hour traffic back to Beijing, we had a dinner that I have been looking forward to for several days called "HotPot" where raw food is brought to the table and you cook it in a personal pan of boiling water. Liang has been taking photos of me with my meals and I will be sure to have more details in a future blog!
Now, my legs
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