My Best Friend’s Living Room

I first discovered what a living room could be through a friend of mine named Talya. She was moving into a studio apartment with only one large room and a separate, very small kitchen-bathroom area. There was only a tiny bit of space to work with. But Talya was determined to make her home a place where people would feel welcome and could really enjoy themselves. For Talya, the most important thing was a create a beautiful warm space where all her guests could feel relaxed and connect to each other in a comfortable and open way.

Since she already knew what kind of feeling she wanted in the room, her next step was creating a blueprint. Because every inch of space was so valuable, Talya made sure to get the measurements down exactly. She then drew in an approximation of where the furniture would be placed. Next came shopping; since she had been living in dorms for a few years, she had almost no furniture of her own. (I can put in here a link to the Ikea reviews website- by saying most of the furniture came from IKEA/ Or to see the pieces she used in her room click here). She first measured and then chose pieces that were simple but attractive, versatile and didn’t take up too much space. She then thoughtfully placed them all against the walls, making sure no piece took up more than its allotted area. Everything faced inward, creating an open space in the middle of the room so that all visitors could see one another.

She chose a color theme of creamy white, deep red and dark brown and styled almost everything in these colors. To hide her cold, bright-white tiled floor, she put down a Persian rug that was large enough to cover the entire room. A beautiful Chinese styled lamp stood in one corner. One couch was draped with an imitation bear fur cover and the other couch was encased with a cream sheet and a red and black hand-woven shawl. She purchased one inexpensive colorful painting from an artist selling his work on the street and let it hang frameless above her couch.

Candles graced every corner filling the air with a pleasant, subtle aroma. Soft music could usually be heard playing from speakers dispersed carefully around the room. Talya’s endless tea collection was a favorite accessory among many of her guests and she made sure that next to every seating area was place to put down a cup.

As you could imagine, people came by day and night to hang out in this relaxed, fun, beautiful apartment. Many jam sessions, meals, and late night conversations took place in her tiny space. But the best part of the charming apartment was that it was a direct reflection of Talya herself- beautiful, humble, musical, inviting and warm.

Your Decorating Style

In today’s world we have so many choices, especially when it comes to style. When deciding which style is best for your home, begin by checking our 5 favorite themes used in interior decorating.

1. Traditional Style

Do you love homes that exude a homey, all-American feel? Then try decorating your home with a traditional style. This style is elegant yet simple giving off a warm and cozy feel. In the traditional room, furniture is upholstered and functional but not at all flashy or high-tech looking. Everything is supposed to appear even and organized, so furniture is arranged with that in mind. The colors used in a traditional design are usually neutrals and mid-range tones. Floors are wood or carpeted and windows are definitely decorated with full, flowing fabrics. Accessories are classics; like china, framed art or embroidered pieces.

2. Contemporary Style

If you like keeping up with what’s in style and love things with a chic modern look, you might want to decorate with a contemporary style. This style embraces clean lines, geometric shapes and clear colors to convey a sophisticated, uncluttered and spacious feel. Furniture is simple without frills or trim and floors remain uncovered and smooth. Colors used are generally neutrals, black and white but bright colors can be used to highlight certain areas. Accessories are kept to a minimum in contemporary style decorating and are arranged so that each piece stands out on its own.

3. Country Style

Tired of city life and style? Even if you can’t pick up and move out to the country, you can make your home feel like you did! Decorating your home country style means giving it a non-fussy, comfortable look that makes room for a lot of personal touch. Furnishing country style includes using wooden furniture without much upholstery that can be covered with a quilt or a mat. Natural colors are used and floors can be flagstone, ceramic tiles or hardwood. One of the ways the country look appears lived-in is by accessorizing with rustic household items, like pails or wicket baskets.

4. Feng Shui

This interesting Chinese based decorating style tries to control the energy in a room. Its strict rules of design might seem hard to follow but the basics can make any home feel more “Zen-like”. Decorating with Feng Shui means keeping energy flowing in a home. This is done by arranging furniture in an open way and being careful to choose colors that evoke calm, peaceful emotions. Decorative objects and artworks have a symbolic meaning and are meant to impact the energy. Because the sound of water symbolizes tranquility and relaxation, a small fountain is a common Feng Shui accessory.

5. Style Goes Green

Did you know that having a stylish home can help the planet? Eco friendly room decorating ideas have infiltrated the world of style. “Green Decorating” means keeping the environment in mind while you design. When “going green”, remember that the more things are reusable, biodegradable, and chemical-free, the better! Painting can be done with paints that give off low fumes and odors. Using bamboo or cork flooring, although expensive, needs to be replaced less that wood and doesn’t produce the formaldehyde gases that carpet does. Many companies now produce eco-friendly decorative accessories and household items out of recycled materials.

There are many more decorating styles out there. Don’t be afraid to combine styles or just incorporate a few new elements to create your own unique and personalized look.

7 Easy Ways to Decorate on a Budget

Stylish decorating doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some chic tips for decorating on a budget.

1.  Poster Art:

Beautiful framed art is great for adding color and style to a room. That’s why I love the idea of “poster art”- one of the cheapest but most elegant room decorating ideas. There are numerous sites (such as http://www.postercheckout.com) where you can browse through stunning posters with a huge variety of themes and designs. Pick up a classy, inexpensive frame at an art supplies store or a discount department store and voila! You have a masterpiece.

2.  Lamps:

Lamps are some of the most functional items in interior design. By arranging the lighting in a room you can choose what stands out and what gets hidden. Lighting can be positioned to highlight artwork, plants or any other object you want to accent. You can also place lamps behind your furniture to create an upward glow.

Lamps come in all sorts of shapes and designs and take up very little space. Unusual shapes, like ovals and squares give your room a modern edge, whereas bell-shaped lampshades are standard but classic. Colorful shades and bulbs are used to create a mood. Lighter shades allow more light through and darker shades reflect light downward. You can even create or remodel your own lampshades with ribbon, fabrics and other household items!

3. Vases:

Another fun and inexpensive way to revamp your room is by accessorizing it with beautiful vases. Vases have many different functions. They can spice up an ordinary room by adding color and texture. They can also serve to distract the eye from worn or out-dated pieces of furniture. Vases are also a great focal point in a room, especially if they are large or made of crystal.

Don’t think vases are only for plants or flowers! You can fill them with a variety of objects such as coral, colored sand, marbles, tree branches and more. Many vases, like ones made of colored or hand blown glass can be so colorful and unique on their own that you don’t need to add anything else.

4. Rugs:

Area rugs have a transformative effect. They can add a lot of color and texture which influences the whole mood of a room. Area rugs come in loads of different designs and patterns giving you endless opportunities to be creative. Light colored rugs can make a room seem larger and deep, dark colors make the room seem cozy and warm. Rugs come in all shapes and sizes. You can try adding ones with a round or hexagonal shape for major style. Don’t forget about rugs with fluff, fringe and other flair! These rugs might need a little extra vacuuming and careful handling, but its worth it.

5. Paint:

Painting is one of the best ways to redecorate on a budget. It is not only inexpensive, but it makes a dramatic difference in a room and doesn’t require any special skills. Painting the walls in a room make it feel fresh and new again.

And you don’t have to paint your entire room! Painting one wall or a piece of furniture can have a powerful effect. It is also a good opportunity to use bold, daring colors that you might not want to paint your whole room with. And don’t forget about your kitchen cabinets! A new coat of paint can do wonders!

6. Curtains:

Give your windows a makeover with a new set of curtains. Curtains can be put up in a way that affects the whole look of your room. If you want to freshen and brighten your room, you can hang curtains wide of the actual window frame by just buying a rod that extends out from each side. This lets you see the whole window when the curtains are open. Curtains can also help make your feel spacious by giving length to your walls. Hanging the rod above the window’s height close to the ceiling makes it appear higher.

You can also paint the rod and brackets the same color as the wall to enhance the illusion.
Generous fabric gives the room a relaxed and gracious feel, especially when they’re closed.

7. Candles

Candles are a budget friendly way to create a fragrant and warm environment and are an excellent finishing touch in a room. They are wonderful for accenting a kitchen, dining room and coffee tables. Candles can also be used to accent furniture, cabinets, countertops, bathrooms, or bedrooms. They can help turn an average or piece of furniture into the room’s focal point.

Candles can be placed in decorative holders blend with and enhance your room’s theme. Try adding flowers or other decorative elements around your candle. For extra glow, you place your candle arrangement in front of a mirror.

Remember that you don’t need tons of money to create an amazing design. Decorating is about expressing your individuality and personal style. A great design can be achieved, even on a right budget.