Home Room Decor
Decorating Tips for Your Living RoomYour living room is the entertainment and living center of your home. Chances are that you've had some very memorable gatherings there, and it is where you relax and enjoy the company of family and friends. due to this room tends to be such a high traffic area, and to have so much time spent in it, it is often the first room to display signs of wear and tear and to begin to look dated. Luckily there are small changes (like switching out light bulbs) and big changes (like installing a new fireplace mantel) that can give your living room a new look and won't turn into a major DIY project, or turn your home into a construction site. Consider painting your living room. A splash of paint can brighten things up or give your living room a dissimilar vibe altogether. You can repaint your living room the very same color which will refresh the color and get rid of any scuff marks and dings. If you decide to paint the entire room, starting from the ceiling and working down is a good idea. On the other hand, if you'd like a bit of a color change without covering everything in plastic, a feature wall could be an option for you. Picking an interesting color that goes well with the room but adds a little spice can be an excellent way to transform your living room in no time at all. The fireplace is an often neglected area of many living rooms, and this is a pity due to it can be such a lovely focal point if handled properly. Installing a new fireplace mantel – either buying one for the first time or replacing an existing one – does not take as much work as you think. If you do not have a fireplace mantel, consider getting one as it will give your fireplace a more finished, polished look. If you have a fireplace mantel, replacing it with some thing a little different can have a major impact on your living room. A wood fireplace mantel is easy to install so you don’t have to hire a contractor. You can paint or stain a wood mantel to match the de'cor of your room. Fireplace mantels are excellent places to display items of importance to you and your family such as heirlooms and family pictures. A fireplace mantel is also an excellent place to hang stockings and display cards around Christmas time. Changing the lighting in your room can also make a major difference. Different lampshades can create a dissimilar atmosphere as they diffuse soft light with a hint of color about the room. If you find your living room a little dull, adding a few more lamps can brighten it up, and also add accent to certain areas. For an even simpler modification, attempt changing the wattage of your existing bulbs. Going from 60 to 120 watts makes a big difference; you might see things you had forgotten were there at all! Changing to a lower wattage can create a cozier, intimate feel. A little heavy lifting can change your living room; rearranging the furniture can create a totally different feeling in the room. Create a new focal point to the room by orienting the seating around the fireplace and not the television, or perhaps put the couches and chairs so that people are more encouraged to talk to one another. And don’t just think about the seating, moving the coffee table, the end tables and bookcases can make a difference. If you need a new look without buying new furniture consider switching out the living room furniture with items from other rooms of the home Finally, taking a look at what you have on display in your living room can give you some ideas for small changes that have a high impact. Do you have a vase of fake flowers that has been there for a decade? Perhaps now is a good time to replace it with some thing a little more modern. The artwork you have on your walls might also be due for some scrutiny as well. Prints can be obtained fairly cheaply, and can really change the ambiance of your room. Remember that every little item and picture adds some thing to the room – it is up to you to decide whether or not it should be made a change out for some thing new. About The Author Carol Agee is the vice president of Agee Woodworks which has been building quality custom fireplace mantels for 10 years. On the Web at http://www.ageewoodworks.com/custommantle.htm.
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Decorating Ideas for Small Rooms* Make the most of decorating small rooms. Color plays a vital role in a small room. It sets the decorative style and scheme, but also can change the room's appearance. Use bright colors on the walls. Darker colors may be more popular but using bright colors makes a room seem more spacious. For example: Cool colors such as blues, greens, (some) purples make a small room appear larger and airier. The reverse is true of warm colors such as reds and yellows as they will make a small room seem more intimate and intense. * A home decorating tip for integrating color into mostly white rooms—blend, blend, and blend! There are many shades of white and cream that work nicely with “graduations” of accent colors. Visualize three shades of rosy pink pillows against a white sofa! * Decorating ideas include painting the ceiling a lighter color than the walls. Use smaller patterns in wallpaper and furniture upholstery. Large patterns may be used in accessories such as pillows and throws. * Select fewer, larger pieces of furniture to make a room appear more open and less cluttered opposed to putting lots of small pieces of furniture in the room. Taller furniture should be placed along a far wall while shorter furniture may be placed away from the wall giving a sense of spaciousness. * The use of screens will help divide multi-purpose rooms in a small home or apartment. A bedroom or living room may have one corner as an office. A screen will provide privacy as well as hiding the “trappings” of the work area. * Daybeds with a pullout trundle are the answer for small bedrooms. They will accommodate two people but take up less space in the room on a daily basis. The room can also be used as an office, craft room or quiet sitting room. * Use textures for interest in a small room. Combining textures in your decor will give a small room interest, appeal, dimension and depth. Choose accessories and fabrics with texture for the best impact; for example: wrought iron, glass, stone, metal, chrome, copper, bronze, mirrors, detailed finishes, textured fabrics, shiny fabrics, and unique area rugs to mention a few. * Mirrors are a great way to create an illusion of space. If you have a wall in front of the entrance as you enter your home, hang a unique mirror on that wall to open it up and add interest to the area. *Quick change artist! Move furniture and furnishings around! do not be afraid to rearrange items in your home. Just changing the accessories or pictures from room to room can bring about a huge change. to assist keep your beautifully decorated home organized, download a free copy of the ebook “The Essential Guide to Organizing Your Home”. Go to http://www.lynnshomedecor.com/f/Opt-in_Pages.html for your free download. About The Author
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Bagua Mirror for Feng Shui
The traditional Bagua mirror is an crucial part of Feng Shui decor and design. This authentic Chinese Bagua mirror features the traditional 8 sided trigram frame, and the concave reflective surface to reverse negative energy. Made of shiny metal rather than glass, the Bagua mirror is tough enough to weather the elements without breaking. The Bagua mirror is always used on the outside of your home or office, unless you are in an apartment where you can not access the outside walls of the building. In that case, you would hang the bagua mirror in the window facing out. Placement of the mirror depends on which Feng Shui cure is needed. If you place it on the out side of your door, you deflect Sha Chi (negative energy) trying to enter. If a neighboring building has a corner pointing at yours building, that is considered a “poison arrow” that brings Sha Chi. The cure is then to put a Bagua mirror on the outside wall of your building where the poison arrow would hit, to deflect the Sha Chi. If you live at a T junction, or other type on intersection, you may need to hang a Bagua mirror on a tree trunk or external wall to deflect the Sha Chi from the road. This Bagua mirror is so affordable, you can buy as many as you need to cure your Feng Shui problems. They make great gifts as well! Click over here for price and more details
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the efficient small houseLiving in a small space can be a real challenge, especially for a family with kids, but not only them. Making the most of limited space is the topic of today's article - a real gem! Interior Design Space Saving Techniques By David McEvoy There is nothing worse than clutter for spoiling an otherwise perfectly beautiful home. as well many ornaments occupying the shelves, piles of papers and magazines lying on the table, boxes and bags filled with all those bits and pieces that do not have a home, books overflowing on the book case and so on. Clearing up the clutter and transforming your home in the process needn't be a nightmare. If you think you haven't got enough storage space then think once more. The following space saving tips and techniques will help you to change the look of your home and create a harmonious atmosphere that isn't only pleasing to the eye but calming for the mind. If you do not need it, ditch it The first step would be to gather absolutely everything that you do not need and get rid of it. There is no point in hanging on to things that you haven't even looked at for several years, just in case one day you think you might. Invariably, you won't. It can be hard to let go of some items, particularly if you have a tendency to hoard things, but the sheer exhilaration of clearing out the junk is more than worth it. Give items away, donate them to charity, sell them at a car boot sale or take them to your local recycling centre. One mans trash is another man's treasure as they say so pass it on. You may be quite surprised at how much you can gather in only a few years so make a point of having a clear out regularly. It's well worth it. Now that you've got rid of all the extras it's time to look at how you can display and store everything else. Walls can be space savers Walls are often underused when it comes to saving space. Just look at the amount of wall space there is in your home and start thinking about how this could be better used. For example, shelving is relatively inexpensive and yet a few corner shelves can be of immense value when it comes to finding a home for everything. Make your motto “a location for everything and everything in its place”. If everything has a location then of course it will be much easier to keep your home tidy and uncluttered. Shelves placed high up on the wall can be used for displaying items such as photographs, ornaments or plants or anything else that you want to be able to see but do not need to use. For items that you do not want to see, consider putting them behind a closed door in a cabinet or a cupboard. If you have a flat screen television then why not consider having it mounted on the wall. Televisions and stands can take up a great deal of space in a room so having it on the wall not only saves space, it is easier to view as well. Other items that can be wall mounted can include spice racks, soap dishes and dispensers, electrical equipment, shoe racks, just use your imagination. Behind closed doors Cupboards and cabinets can hide a multitude of sins but what you do not want is a cupboard that you're scared to open in case the contents spill out on top of you. You can buy clear storage boxes with lids very cheaply that you can then label with the contents and stack them on top of one another. This way, when you open the cupboard to put some thing away you will know where it belongs and it won't be a nightmare, or a health risk. Using the furniture If you are choosing new furniture spare a thought for any space saving aspects it might have. For example, a coffee table with a couple of drawers, a bed that can accommodate under the bed storage, a display cabinet with closed cabinet space as well. If your current table has space underneath it, think about investing in a good quality tablecloth that reaches the floor, not only will this act as an attractive feature in your room, it can hide videos or CDs or anything else for that matter underneath. Other ideas There are always ways to maximise the use of available space in any room no matter how small it is. Take a look round your home and identify any area that can be better utilised. Look above eye level to the ceiling and under to the floor, and remember to look underneath pieces of furniture as well. You will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of wasted space you already have and when you've made the effort to rectify this, you can sit back and enjoy your new and uncluttered surroundings. David McEvoy is an expert in interior design. If you are looking for a leather sofa to give the finishing touches to a newly decorated room then please come and visit our site. |
Six Easy Steps for Victorian DecoratingVictorian decorating is considered one of the most inticate of all the different interior decorating styles that you can choose from. The reason for this is due to the colors, fabrics, furniture and decorations are all elaborate and full. Victorian decorating is based on the period during the 19th century in jolly old England. So, the more authentic you want your Victorian room to be, you can expect that the furnishings and other decorative items can be quite expensive. You will need to be very creative and crafty if you wish to make the most of this theme. But, it's possible to makeover a room with a Victorian style, even if you are on a tight budget. Following is an example of how you can use Victorian decorating to transform the look of your living room: Step 1 - So that you know the size of the area you must work with, the first thing you should do before beginning your Victorian decorating is to measure the space of the room. Step 2 - Use colors such as deep green, red, dark pink, mauve, burgundy, and purple for walls, rugs, upholstery and other accessory colors. These were the most popular colors of the Victorian period. It's also a great idea to add crown molding and wallpaper borders around the top of walls. And don’t be afraid to use more than one color when decorating the room. Step 3 - You can choose rich wooden furnishings such as sofas and chairs when selecting furniture for Victorian decorating. The legs, backs and arms of these furnishings are carved to stand out, while the upholstery is usually velvet, embroidered fabrics, and brocade. Accompanying these pieces are pillows that are created with similar fabrics, and trimmed with lace, frills, beading, ribbons or bows. The other furnishings in the room for Victorian decorating are various marbletop tables or they could be made of wood such as bamboo. Step 4 - Decorations that are placed on the tables, such as candleholders, crystal lamps, porcelain figurines, or a vase of dried flowers, should be set on embroidered doilies to add affect. All paintings are usually in gold or wooden frames. Other exciting Victorian pieces that can be added to the living room are a grandfather clock, porcelain dolls and decorative plates. Other Victorian decorating accessories that you can add to the room to give it authenticity include paintings of young maidens, kids, a portrait of your family, or perhaps of your ancestors. Step 5 - When Victorian decorating windows, you need to make them elaborate with draperies, swags and braided tiebacks. Popular fabrics for the window are also brocades and velvet. Step 6 - The floors of the living room can either be hardwood floors or wall-to-wall carpeting. But, no matter which flooring type you choose, it is a good idea to add an area rug that is fashioned in an oriental style to complete the authenticity of the Victorian decorating look. As you can see, Victorian decorating is very involved and comes with a heavy feel to it. That being the case, make sure you pick a room that can handle this de'cor. That way, you can enjoy it to its fullest. About The Author Michael Holland is the creator of http://www.kids-rooms-and-crafts.com and http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com. His web sites offers lots of FREE decorating tips and ideas for decorating your home. |
Make Your Kitchen Decor EnjoyableRemember, you aren't a ship's galley slave; the kitchen must be pleasant as well as functional. This means, for instance, that you should design your kitchen with lovely windows that look out at a beautiful view. Large windows keep the kitchen from becoming claustrophobic. If the view is nothing special, use window boxes to create a garden view that will obstruct the view of anything ugly.
If your kitchen is dark and the light from the windows has a blue quality to it, use yellow or orange filmy gauze curtains to create a warm sunny glow; it will improve your mood, motivation, and the look of most food. Your artificial lighting should be warm colored as well. Now available are energy saving florescent light bulbs with a warm soft light that doesn't flicker. Decorate your walls with just a few sparsely placed pieces of art that add splashes of color. This will not shrink or crowd the room visually, and yet it will make the kitchen more homey and personal. Finally, avoid the ultra modern kitchen designs where every surface is metallic. Those were developed for easy sterilization, but are alienating and harsh when you sit in them. You aren't running a hospital cafeteria. Give your chairs cloth covered cushions in beautiful colors , and use a pretty potted plant or flower as a focal point for the table. Use bamboo or polished stone counter tops , both of which are strong and easy to sterilize, but give the room an earthier feel and a splash of color. When your kitchen is both lovely and practical, the food will taste and look better. Your happiness and comfort will affect your cooking. |
