Home Decorating Ideas ? Changing Seasons!

Posted on 17 July 2010 by admin

A simple home decorating idea to invigorate a room is to let it reflect the change in seasons. Here are several home decorating ideas for making those seasonal transitions simple and easy.

Home decorating ideas for making the switch to summer:

*Replace heavy draperies with lace curtains or sheer panels to give that light, airy look.

*Rearrange furniture to let in light and air and to take in the view of outdoors

*Drape a summery throw over the sofa or use striped or lighter-weight white or cream slipcovers.

*Put away the heavier wool rugs and use cotton rugs, straw mats or leave the floors bare.

*Dress up the fireplace with dried flowers, a candle arrangement, or unique, summery home decor.

*Add a touch of color with items such as painted flower pots and colorful table linens.

*Bring the garden indoors with a wicker chair, a glass-top wrought iron table and birdhouses.

Home decorating ideas for transitioning to winter:

*Use traditional wool, Oriental, or Navajo rugs as area rugs over carpet or bare floors.

*Add winter warmth to any décor with velvet slipcovers and chenille and mohair throws.

*Burrow under flannel sheets, vintage quilts and comforters for a good night’s rest.

*Go for deep, rich colors—navy blue, russet, burgundy, and eggplant

*Bring the outdoors inside with a rustic basket filled with pinecones and urns filled with evergreens or branches with winter berries.

*Display bowls of winter fruits on tables and countertops—apples, pears, and pomegranates.

*Provide a soothing, comforting glow to any room in the house with candles.

*Bring furniture closer together for that warm, cozy feeling.

See how easy it is to shift from one season to the next by implementing these simple home decorating ideas. Don’t forget to add a touch of spring and fall décor for the in-between seasons.

Home Decorating Any Room On A Budget

Posted on 14 July 2010 by admin

There are a lot of things that you can do to decorate your home on any budget. You will find that there are certain things that everyone uses when decorating and you can get this items at generic stores. You will find that these items can be very cheap when you go to the dollar store or other types of generic stores. You will be able to save a lot of money on the home decorating projects that you have.


Some of these generic items are mirrors, candles, and fabrics. When it comes to mirrors you will find that there are many sizes that will fit your needs and that there are many different types of designs that you will learn to love too. You will also find that there are mirrors that will fit into any decor and there are mirrors that will help you with many of your decorating ideas. Keep in mind that there are ways to make a room look bigger because you strategically use a good-sized mirror. When it comes to candles, people find that it’s very famine to have candles everywhere.


However, for those who are bachelors, candles without scents will allow you to show off your romantic side. Then you have fabric. Fabric is a way that you can make any room seem dramatic. You will also find that there is a lot of cheap fabric for you to use in the decor of your home, so that you are able to make it look like you have spent a million bucks, but really only $2.00 a square foot.


You will also want to consider the color schemes that you use, because it is cheaper if you put colors and designs that are really popular at the moment. You will want to make sure that you consider some of the things that you would like to purchase for the home, but whatever takes you over your budget you will have some idea of what your goal is. You will then be able to save some of you money and take on further decorating ideas later in the near future.


You will find that there are a lot of things on the market for you to purchase for your home. If you would like to find interesting artifacts, then you may want to hit the antique stores so that you can get some older pieces, but also not break your bank account. You will also find that if you don’t hire a professional painter or decorator then you will be able to save yourself a lot of money no matter what room you happen to be redoing. You will also be able to save a lot of money when you learn what stores and shops to purchase things for your home.

Moroccan Furniture: 3 Ways to Bring Life Into Your Home Decor

Posted on 11 July 2010 by admin

One of the most popular decor that you can incorporate in your home includes Moroccan furniture as well as accessories. If you want interior design, you can add both functionality as well as art to your home.


Moroccan furniture uses the look of Moorish ethnic design that will invoke beauty as well as charm in your home. Everyone wants their home to look a bit different than other homes and one way to do it is to use Moroccan furniture as well as other decor that will all blend together but add warmth and comfort, as well as artistic flavor to your home decor. One of the reasons why Moroccan furniture is so very well liked is that it will blend in well with your existing furniture.


3 Ways to Use Moroccan Furniture Inside and Outside


1.Moroccan furnishings look wonderful and vibrant when you use them to create Moroccan living rooms. Not only are the vibrant colors that are used in Moroccan sofas, chairs and tables easy to blend with other furnishings in your home, but you can also use Moroccan lamps and continue to add to this decor. One of the best aspects of creating a Moroccan living room is the fact that you do not need a lot of furnishings for your Moroccan living room to come alive. In addition to that, as Moroccan lamps are truly works of art themselves, they tend to be the focal point.


You can decorate your home using these furnishings that are affordable and make a good choice for someone just starting out who wants to gradually add to their living room decor with these furnishings.


2.For the bedroom, Moroccan bedding will do wonders. The bedding itself is made from vibrant colors and exquisite materials. In addition to bedding, you will want your Moroccan bedroom to have hand carved bedroom Moroccan furniture as that includes beds, mirrors and dressers.


Of course, you will also want to throw in a few Moroccan lamps as well as a rug to give the room a great deal of Moroccan warmth. If you are looking or interior design that is both artistic and functional, you should consider Moroccan furniture for your bedroom.


3.You have your choice when it comes to outdoor tables for Moroccan patios. These include mosaic tables as well as other outdoor Moroccan furniture including fountains and patio furniture.


Your deck or patio will take on new life when you incorporate Moroccan furniture into the mix. In addition to mosaic styling, you can also find wooden tables as well as those that are intricately carved when you are looking for Moroccan furniture for the outdoors. Of course, you will want to use Moroccan lanterns as well.


One of the best aspects of using Moroccan furniture is that it is timeless. This means that it will fit in to any decor that you already have. You can gradually start incorporating the Moroccan furniture into your living space and will find that you enjoy gathering more of the furniture, lamps as well as accessories that make Moroccan furniture so very timeless, useful and artistic.


If you want to start using Moroccan design, take a look online at some of the most beautiful and original designs in furniture, lamps and bedding that use Moroccan design and Moroccan furniture.

Home Decorating for the Independent Personality

Posted on 08 July 2010 by admin

Putting your personality into your house is the best way to make it a home. Whether you’re using your own muse or someone else’s put yourself into everything you create at home for a relaxing life experience.

One of the first things I realized about home decorating-after my three thousand or so attempts at making my place look like all the pictures from the magazines-is that home decorating should reflect your personal style. Your home should reflect who you are and what you love.

Of course, I’m not saying that this revelation made me prance around my house with two cans of pink and yellow paint or that I plastered bunnies and butterflies everywhere-and yes, I do actually love pink, yellow, bunnies and butterflies-but I did put a little bit of myself into every room.

I got a certain sense of personal satisfaction from painting my ugly orange countertops a vibrant country red that matched my lust for life and the décor I actually wanted to toss around my kitchen. And my own personal works of art-paintings, photographs, sculptures-are set up around my place as well, giving it just that look of being lived in by somebody who loves and experiences life.

Of course, I recognize that we can’t all spend our evenings splashing around in water colors, or spend our weekends chasing a gaggle of baby quails about the yard trying to take their pictures.

That’s why there are professional designers out there who dedicate their lives to creating home décor that other people can use to express themselves and their individuality. And it’s okay to buy your curtains and blankets if you don’t know how to sew-crafty as I am, I still bought all my curtains and most of my blankets.

Of the things I love most in my home, my furniture doesn’t even come close to counting. It’s the accessories in my home that make it look like I personally live there and that no one else can shake my individuality.

One of my favorite items is a cotton area rug I recently purchased on a trip to the Deep South. This area rug was handmade in mills in the Deep South, where the cotton was picked fresh, milled in a southern mill, cleaned, spun and woven all by the same family of rug makers. When the bed is too hot at night, I frequently sleep on this rug and it makes me feel like I’m back in the Deep South all over again.

I realize that area rugs are not for everyone, but it can be an excellent place to start in learning to develop a personality for your home that meshes with your own personality rather than clashing and making you feel uncomfortable in your own home.

Different types of accessories are truly the way to bring out your personality in your home. Whether it is an area rug, artwork, photographs, drapery, throw pillows or knick knacks that represent different moments in your life, you can always find a way to make yourself feel at home if you just put a little bit of yourself into your own home.

Home Decorating: Less Is More

Posted on 05 July 2010 by admin

With the huge boom in interior designers and home decorating stores and businesses it is easy to feel unqualified to take on the decoration of your own home. The only thing is, people have been decorating their own homes for years, it isn’t until recently that we suddenly needed the help of interior designers and such to make our homes look like we want them to. You just need to know what you want and then think like an interior designer.

You first need to pick a space or a room that you are going to work on decorating. Only do one at a time, spreading your time over several rooms may lead you to become frustrated since the progress will seem very slow. Once you have your area choose a color that you like. If you are going with a bold or bright color it is better to make that an accent color rather than covering the entire wall. An entire room of bright red or deep purple can make the room hard to relax in since your eyes will constantly be trying to adjust to the extreme colors.

After the color, find yourself a theme. It doesn’t need to be anything crazy like cowboys or space ships, but decide if you want the items in the room to be modern or antique. Then head out and find a few items that fit into that theme. It is necessary that you don’t cram the room with figurines. Once you try to fit too many things in one room, whether it be too many colors or too much stuff or more than one theme the room just looks messy and unorganized all the time.

If you can’t come up with any ideas for what to put in your home, walk through a dollar store or craft store or simply search the web for interior decorating ideas.

Cheap Home Decorating Ideas

Posted on 02 July 2010 by admin

When it comes to cheap home decorating ideas, one of the biggest hurdles that you may face is finding the right idea to beautifully decorate the walls of your house. Since your goal is not only to create a warm atmosphere with the design of your choice, your mission is also to find the most cost-effective ways to create the design changes you wish to make..


Cheap home decorating idea #1: On your main wall, try to avoid the common mistake of just ‘filling up space/.


For those of you that are not exactly ‘trained’ for interior design but are doing your best to come up with cheap home decorating ideas, try to avoid the natural tendency to fill up space on the walls of your home with anything you can find. Trust me, it’s perfectly natural to do so, especially on a tight budget, however, there is a better way to do this that will look more appealing.


Instead, using tape or even an imaginary line, create a triangle in any spot on your wall. My advice would be to start with the main wall in the very first room that your guests enter when they come inside. This wall should be considered the main area that you’re looking to fancy up a bit.


The next step is very simple: fill the inside of this imaginary triangle with works of art that you find appealing. These pieces can consist of picture portraits to hang on your wall, artwork that you find soothing, or even uniquely designed clocks that have a touch of color to them. Remember, your goal is not to clutter the entire wall up with your displays, but instead only place these items inside your triangle. Once finished, step back, and appreciate this one simple cheap home decorating idea that has helped you accomplish your goal and cost next to nothing.


Cheap home decorating idea #2: Make life easier by displaying one large piece on your main wall


If our first idea of creating a centerpiece with multiple wall decorations does not appeal to you, then perhaps you may want to try something much simpler. What is the idea? Find just one thing, yes – just one item – and hang it in the very center of your main wall. In fact, you can do this in every room of your house and create a very structured, yet appealing design to your wall. You’re probably thinking that it is extremely expensive to purchase a large painting, and it can be! However, you do not have to run out and spend hundreds of dollars to do this.


If you look hard enough and enjoy shopping around, you will be surprised at just how many bargains you can find in your local newspaper, flea markets, and even garage sales on the weekends. On the other hand, one of my favorite items to use for wall displays is a colorful rug or a quilt.


We even have one room where the main wall shows off a piece of white painted wood that our 10-year-old used to create her own artwork on. Of course not everybody may find this large children’s painting appealing, but we do, and that is what is important here – find the right cheap home decorating ideas that makes you and your family happy!

Designing A Home Decorating Party

Posted on 29 June 2010 by admin

You should keep in mind that the best way to get a lot of decorating down is to take a few of your closest friends and ask them to come over and help you get your home decorating done. There are a lot of people who have painting parties. This is a cheap way to get your painting needs met without having to put a lot of time into the home. You will also find that there are many other things that you can do to keep the budget down too. Keep in mind that there are some other things that you can do to keep the decorating prices down. For those who have never had a professional come in and decorate a home, it can be very expensive. Instead of paying someone, you and your friends may be able to handle some of the decorating tasks and it could save you hundreds of money.


The first thing that you will want to think about when putting a home decorating party together is so that you can try to talk some of your skilled friends into helping you. You are going to have to have some people will some basic carpentry skills. The carpentry skills my come from your husband and his friends, but then you still have to find people who are trustworthy to come in and paint and hang some of your pictures. This is why is it always best to go with close friends and family members that you can trust.


The second thing that you have to think about is how you can stay within your budget. You will want to make sure that you consider telling this helpers that they are pretty just donating their time to you and that you have no concern in paying them. Even your best friend may expect some form of payment, however, you can always tell them that the drinks and pizza is one you for the night.


The third thing is that you will need to find some nicely priced supplies. It is very easy and very quick to decorate a home when you just try to use things like fabric, mirrors, and candles. This will make a room dramatic and lovely without having to waste a lot of your time or taking a lot of your money.


When you have a home decorating party you will find that there are a lot of opinions that you will have and you’ll get a lot of great ideas. These same ideas would be the ones that a professional home decorator would make. You will be able to save money on not having a home decorator and having professional painters come in to do the job that your friends have helped you to start and finish.

Home Decorating On A Budget

Posted on 26 June 2010 by admin

For those who are trying to decorate a home, but need to stick to a specific budget may want to learn how to approach the art of buying decorating accessories and items. You will want to think about setting your budget together before you end up buying things to decorate. You will find that there are some things that you will want to purchase to go cheap when it comes to decorating. You will want to keep a few ideas in mind and you will also want to sit down with some mail catalogs and other magazines to see if there is anything that interests you. You will want to make sure that you consider the budget with every purchase that you make.


When it comes to home decorating you will want to focus on the areas that people are going to see on a regular basis. You will want to make sure that you first take care of the entry-level rooms first, because most people do not go upstairs when just a guest. You will find that there are many ways that you will be able to decorate, even the smallest of spaces, however, you will want to keep the three basic decorating tips in mind.


First, you will need to keep in mind fabric. Fabric is a cheap and easy way for you to be able to make a dramatic effect in any room. You will be able to add a whimsical look to any room and it is very nice to add bunting fabric in the setting rooms and in the family rooms.


Secondly you will find that candles are cheap and easy to use in the decor of your home. It makes any home seem more like a family home and you will also find that there are tons of ways to use the candles. You can use candles to make a dramatic effect as well. You will be able to keep you home decorating simple with candles, but you will at least be able to give the home a clean, country look or rustic medieval look.


When it comes to mirrors you will be able to sue them to your advantage. You should be able to use the mirrors in a way that will allow you to play around with the size of a room. Mirrors tend to make small or narrow rooms seem so much bigger. You will want to keep in mind that these tricks are used in practically any home. You’ll love the fact that people see your room differently over a couple candles and a good-sized mirror. You will find that this is a great and cheap way of doing things.

Creole Home Decorating Ideas to Try Out

Posted on 23 June 2010 by admin

Of all the styles of architecture and decorating around the world very few have taken the best of all the others and made it a little bit better in quite the way that the style often referred to as “French Creole” has managed to do. The truth is that while this style of architecture that New Orleans is famous for is really heavily borrowed from many other cultures and yet uniquely New Orleans at the same time.

Creole architecture for many brings to mind intricate wrought iron work, long shutters (to cover the windows during hurricanes originally), huge windows and doors (these were designed larger than typical homes in other parts of the country in order to create breezeways for the wind to come through in the sweltering hot summer months), and bright colors that you aren’t likely to find in most million dollar neighborhoods. This style of architecture and home décor is also famous for huge balconies-also with wrought iron railing.

The amazing thing about the Creole style of home decorating is that there is no one identifiable feature that labels a design style as decidedly Creole. Lagniappe is a term that people here quite often in and around New Orleans. For those who do not know, it means “a little something extra”. From an extra donut to a freebie bookmark and many things in between, that little something extra has a long history in New Orleans from the architecture to the music there always seems to be a little something extra that you couldn’t get anywhere else.

The interior design style of the Creole is also very similar. Some consider it gaudy but the locals consider it that little something extra and it is. You may find a little Gothic style, a little bit of Jazz, and a whole lot of Mardi Gras in one room and it s quite all right because you are getting all that and just a little bit of lagniappe too. Home decorating in Creole country is an art form that defies logic and yet makes perfect sense for the rich culture and heritage that it encompasses.

For those that need a little inspiration who would love to incorporate a little Cajun or Creole spice into their living spaces, perhaps the following suggestions will prove to be helpful.

1) Red peppers. Nothing says spice quite like a red pepper. There are all kinds of items you can find with red peppers in them these days from wallpaper borders to hand blown glass peppers, jar toppers, pot holders, kitchen towels, strings of lights for patios-even kitchen canisters decorated with red peppers. There are all kinds of options available to incorporate this theme into your home or one room of your home.

2) Music notes. Most people cannot think of Cajun country without thinking of the music that calls this great section of the country home. Music notes are a great way to symbolize the music that made New Orleans famous.

3) Mardi Gras Masks. Many people find that New Orleans symbolizes Mardi gras in their hearts and minds though New Orleans is not the birthplace of Mardi gras. The masks are a way that people from around the country can bring the ’spirit of New Orleans’ home with them and decorate their homes with that attitude that can only be referred to as Creole in many hearts and minds.

4) Food. Believe it or not the food is as much a part of the Creole home as any other design element. For this reason a French Creole style kitchen is often the way to go when it comes to home decorating in the Creole fashion. The kitchen is the heart of a Cajun home and food is what makes it that heart. Use jars of beans, rice, pastas, and other lagniappe as part of the overall design and you might just be amazed at just how Creole the room begins to look.

Bringing the Old West to Modern Home Decorating

Posted on 20 June 2010 by admin

What could be more fun when you think about it than incorporating the age-old story of cowboys and Indians into your home décor? For those who love a great story and have a wild sense of adventure this could be an incredibly fabulous design theme for your next home decorating project. This is a great way to bring the rustic charm of the old west into the modern world of today’s busy lifestyles.

Immediately visions of the hacienda with knotty pine and leather upholstered furniture comes to mind. Massive fireplaces and antlers everywhere are also first and foremost in my mind when this design idea pops into my head. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination and only limited by your budget in all honesty. This is a look that could be pulled off however on almost any budget for those that are willing to make a few thrift store purchases along the way while investing a fair amount of elbow grease.

One thing you want to be careful of with this particular theme is not taking it too far. This could be so easy to do and it will only subtract from the charm and appeal if you do so. Choose the accessories carefully but implement them minimally. This should also help with potential budget restrictions as well as keep you on track for finding the perfect accessories rather than picking up everything you see only to find later that many simply will not work with the style and design you are hoping to achieve in the long run.

Wood floors and wood paneled walls are a great statement for this sort of décor as well as stone for a fireplace (if there is a fireplace of courses). You want solid furniture rather than something that appear fragile or dainty and you definitely want to keep the room masculine in appearance if at all possible. Home decorating in the style of the old west isn’t for bachelors alone but too much of a feminine touch will simply kill the appeal all together. In fact, the less feminine touches the better save these touches for a romantic bedroom or bathroom rather than the primary areas that friends and family will visit.

You will also want to take great pains to imitate the rustic nature of the old west within the kitchen. No delicate china patterns or tables with legs that look like that might fall off with a hard wind. This is a ‘mans’ style of decorating and it needs to look as though it will withstand any punishment a man can dish out in order to maintain the fun and light appeal of the remainder of the home. You can find modern sinks, fixtures, and hardware that are designed to resemble those of the old west and beyond if you look in the right places.

For those who are looking for something a little out of the ordinary this is one style of decorating that definitely fits the bill. See what wonderful schemes and dreams you can come up with and what sort of tall tale will go along with your old west design story then create the story within the walls of your home. There is no better way to go about home decorating than this.

Article Source : http://blogatme.com/2008/09/11/bringing-the-old-west-to-modern-home-decorating/