Spring Decorating

The seasons are changing and spring is almost here! Get your home ready by incorporating some beautiful spring decorating trends into your home.

This season, yellow is the hot decorating color for spring. By using yellow in your room decorating, you give your home a vibrant and trendy look that is just right for warmer, brighter days. If you want subtle color, try accessories with yellow patterned throw pillows, candles or vases. If you want to go for bolder style, try using yellow wallpaper or buying a yellow couch or chair like this one from Target.

Spring is also the time to start thinking about taking your room decorating ideas outside. You can create a beautiful outdoor space by using some colorful throw pillows or area rugs to dress up your outdoor furniture. Try hanging up some pendant lights or lanterns and decorate with candles to create a memorable and beautiful outdoor space that is perfect for entertaining guests or relaxing during warm spring days.

In the spirit of environmental friendliness and eco-awareness that increasingly pervades our daily consciousness comes the decorating trend of large natural prints. This trend is great for spring decorating because this is a season that brings us back out to nature. Try some beautiful bedding or wall décor made out of organic materials and donning large tree prints. White pine prints are beautiful, refreshing and look great on your couch on a slipcover or adorning throw pillows!

Get ready for spring in style with these trendy, fun 2009 spring decorating ideas!

How to Coordinate Different Sofa Styles in your Living Room

If you’re trying to put together a stylish living room but are stuck with a sofa and recliner that are not the same color or style, there is an easy way to turn the problem into a great room decorating idea. Lets use an actual example. My sister-in-law is an interior designer in Atlanta who had a challenging job blending the recliner my parent’s gave her as a wedding gift with her preexisting 2 piece couch set.

The addition of the recliner was welcome, but the challenge came when she placed it next to the couch set and the design, color, and fabric were radically different. The recliner was deep blue with a ribbed material, while the sofa was made of microfiber, beige, with matching solid beige pillows.

So what did she do? Brilliant and simple. First, she placed one of the beige pillows on the blue recliner, and after searching, purchased two pillows that included both beige, blue, gold,and a bit of brown and placed them with the existing pillows on the beige couch. Secondly, she bought a small, cozy beige blanket that matched the look of the microfiber and placed it over the back of the blue recliner.

Thirdly, to help with blending the color, she placed paintings nearby that also included a combination of the blue and beige though with slightly different hues, which worked beautifully in giving the living room a bit of life. She also painted the back wall behind the recliner a darker beige hue and used accessories to bring in a bit of brown.

If this isn’t an option, then always remember you can find rather inexpensive slipcovers today and give your whole living room a new look.

Nursery Room Decor

Coming up with adorable nursery room decor ideas can be a lot of fun given the wide range of accessories you have to experiment with.  Starting from scratch gives you the most options, so to begin, start by getting a feel for the shape of the room and the focal point when you walk in. Where is the light entering from? In general, having natural light in the nursery is important for softening the colors of the room and creates an overall feeling of openess and air.

Once you have a feel for the room, probably the most important element of nursery room decor is choosing your color scheme and painting the room (or using wallpaper). Colors have profound effects on mood and should be chosen wisely.

After painting the room, the next step is to choose a crib style. There are 3 basic crib styles: standard, round, and convertible. Within these style groups, you can find crips made from wood or metal with innovative design additions to make them more comfortable and practical. Traditional, rectangular, wooden cribs are popular, so just make sure that the wood color works with the background color of the room. Crib placement can either be against the wall, or can be placed in the center of the room so that you have easy access from any side as well as using the crib as the focal point. Other basic pieces of furniture can also match the crib color, such as cabinets or a rocking chair.

Now you can start filling in the rest of the room once your major pieces of furniture are in place. Having a nice, soft, cozy rug underneath or beside the crib not only adds to the room in terms of decor, but also is very practical. Try to choose a rug that is stylish and soft yet easy to clean. Choosing a color for the rug that is a lighter or darker hue of the same color you picked for the furniture usually blends quite nicely.

Next, consider window valances which can add a bit of spunk to the color scheme. You can match them to wall borders or pillows and teddy bears. When choosing accessories for the nursery decor, think of them as an opportunity to add splashes of stimulating color. There are a variety of different lamps, pictures (including frames), and knickknacks that help bring the nursery to life.

Finally, bedding plays a huge role in your nursery room decor since there are numerous themes and designs. You can purchase themed crib sets with everything from bedding to matching diaper stacker. Try to find a set that includes as part of its design the color you painted the room, or the color you chose for the valance and wall borders. You can also easily find a matching mobile in all sorts of shapes and sizes that will fit right into the color scheme.

The most important thing to remember when thinking of nursery room decorating ideas is ultimately comfort and practicality, since you want the room to be easy to clean, cozy though not cluttered, and safe for your newborn baby.

Shabby Chic Bedroom Ideas

A bedroom designed to look shabby chic will be relaxing and cozy. One of the reasons why shabby chic decorating is still so popular is because it combines feminine softness and comfort with subtle elegance. Here are some shabby chic bedroom decorating ideas to get you started.

Certain fabrics can give your bedroom a shabby chic look. Try using pillow cases and bedding with lace, ruffled edges and bullion fringe. Bed skirts are nice in a shabby chic bedroom. Use a variety of different fabrics for a cozy and inviting style.

A beautiful aspect of shabby chic bedroom decorating is glistening glass lighting. To incorporate this element, try hanging a chandelier over the bed or put glass candle holders around your room. You can also use lamps that have prisms or glass beads hanging from the shade or the base.

Shabby chic décor uses mostly white, pastels and floral colors and patterns. The general tones of the room should be in these colors. Also try added some floral elements like a wall hanging or a flower patterned bed cover.

To fit in old pieces that you love, try painting them white and giving them a distressed look. You can do this with old nightstands, lamps, dressers and any other piece of furniture you want to blend in with your bedroom’s new look.

I hope you enjoyed these shabby chic bedroom ideas! Have fun giving your bedroom a feminine, soothing style.

Magic with Slipcovers

Whether you’re furnishing an empty apartment or you simply want to give your existing room a makeover, one of easiest ways to save money with budget decorating is by using a slipcover over your couch.

A slipcover is a piece of fabric specially designed to fit snugly over couches of any shape and size once you tuck them in properly along their self-anchoring seems. There are fancier slip covers made of more expensive fabrics and cheaper ones that can also do the trick. Many manufacturers of slipcovers also provide matching pillows to add to the overall look.

So instead of buying a new couch, take a couple minutes and browse sites such as craigslist for used furniture. If you can find a cheap couch that is structurally sound, then a slipcover can make that piece of furniture look like new and even match a new room decor theme you were going for. You can literally save hundreds (even thousands) of dollars, while also having the luxury of changing your mind if you don’t happen to like the color you’ve chosen.

Make sure to do your research though as slipcovers will fit certain sofa structures better than other. Also, after researching some of the sites that sell them online, customers have complained that certain materials have a tendency to attract a ridiculous amount of lint.

Overall, if you have the extra time and are looking forward to a budget decorating adventure, then slipcovers are definitely the way to go.

Simplicity with Zen Decor

Many of us are moving in the direction of a more holistic approach to living and one of the most important areas which affect our overall health is our home space. As a result, room designs that incorporate Zen decorating concepts and decor styles have become increasingly popular.

The key to Zen decor is simplicity. The goal is to create a harmonious interior that simply flows, without any obsticals, clutter, or uneccesary items in the way which allows you to ‘be’ in the present moment.  Although Zen decorating is minimalistic, the items that are in the home should each have a specific use, visible, and highly functional despite their simplicity.

Working within the Zen means beginning to use more natural materials when decorating your home. The color tones in the home should be earthy, and the furniture you have around the house should have simple, clean lines and be in keeping with the color scheme. You can still add accessories when creating a zen room, but think more in terms of woven area rugs, different plants and simple floral arrangements, rice lamps, and even the use of rocks and silk pillows on the sofa.

Natural lighting is also very important, since zen decor encourages a meditative state throughout the home and big windows that let in light are very good for creating a more relaxing feel. If you are ready to take your home to the next level, then also consider creating a zen garden. The idea is to work with your home in such a way that you find a balance between form and space wherever you look or go.

Creating a Gorgeous Contemporary Living Room

It’s the year 2009, and even contemporary (or modern) decor has moved forward in new directions. Nowadays, contemporary designs don’t necessarily mean cold and uncomfortable. Particularly when it comes to contemporary living rooms, today we find that what was strictly modern before has come to take on warmer tones as a lovely contrast to the more ‘metal’ or ‘plastic’ elements. The result is a striking combination of accents, textures, and colors which create a living room space that feels fresh and stylish while at the same time comfortable and practical.

In order to create a gorgeous contemporary living room, we have to first begin with the basics of contemporary design in general.  Contemporary decor is primarily minimalistic, lacks intricate details on visible surfaces, uses accents sparingly, and focuses on clean, clear lines. So how do we apply this to our living room? First of all, the concept of minimalism doesn’t mean ‘bare’; it simply means that the elements of color, texture, and accents are twice as important since the little details stand out so much more in an uncluttered room.

Contemporary colors are usually neutrals or muted, following a more monochromatic color scheme and that plays heavily on the idea of contrast and usually includes black.  Sometimes a contrasting, darker color can be used as an accent on one wall while the other walls are painted in a more neutral hue. The use of bright colors can also work, but is usually added in by accessories or accents throughout the room.

The furniture you choose for the room can either be unconventionally shaped or more standard, but the basis is the lack of carved details and more focus on smooth surfaces and the material. New innovative materials and especially ‘green’ furniture (environmentally friendly) is becoming more trendy.

Woods and metals are also key to the overall contemporary living room decor. The metal, which can be anything from steel to chrome, brings in a sleek, stylish feel to the room through the use of small accents, which works beautifully with wood. In contemporary design, wooden flooring and the appearance of wood in similar tones in various accessories is very popular, as long as the wood you use is smooth. Click here to read our article on creative shelving ideas.

Choosing elements to bring in a bit of texture to offset all the smooth surfaces is also very important. One of the main ways people bring in a burst of texture is by placing a tasteful, fluffy rug in the living room.  Don’t forget that you can add in fabrics here and there and that the pillows on your sofa can also be textured.

Finally, we can’t forget about the lighting, which in modern living rooms includes track lighting, creatively placed spots, and often times a funky floor lamp. The lighting you choose can also be one of the ways of adding some metal into the room. Modern living rooms also are usually well-lit with natural lighting and large windows. Combine all these elements and you can create a gorgeous, trendy, contemporary living room in your home. If you’re looking for more options, read up on decorating styles and more room decorating ideas.

Practical Small Bathroom Design

Small bathroom design is very challenging, especially if you’re starting from scratch and are given the option to choose everything from toilet to cabinet, sink, and shower/tub size. So designing a small bathroom can be divided into two parts: 1) determining the basic layout of the main items 2) working with color and accessories to maximize the remaining area and create a sense of style.

So let’s be realistic; if you have a tiny bathroom, the most practical move would be to invest in a toilet with a shorter projection, small sink (which can either be grounded on the floor or smalller and attached only to the wall), and probably a shower minus the bath tub. You can include a bathtub, but be prepared for the consequences in terms of losing extra space that could be very useful for storing items such as towels and other knicknacks.

I would hold off on the traditional bathroom cabinets in favor of more modern storage, which tends to be highly compact and uses vertical space more effectively and creatively.Since these cabinets take up less space and are more flexible, I would begin with sorting out the location of the sink, toilet, and shower first in relation to eachother and the door. A word of advice; make sure that you take your measurements correctly so that entering and exiting the bathroom or even the shower is comfortable and not a challenge.

Once you’ve sorted out the basic layout and measurements, we can begin to look at ways to enhance the bathroom design. A major element in creating an illusion of space is the use of lighter colors, so consider painting your bathroom in a light color scheme and also working with natural light. If you do choose to go with darker, warmer, colors, make sure you have enough lighter colors in the bathroom to contrast to keep the bathroom from becoming too suffocating.

Accessories such as colorful flowers, candles, and soap, in addition to creative shelving are very important in creating the actual style of the bathroom. Many stores sell sets of bathroom accessories so that there is a consistent feel in the design which helps reduce the impression of clutter.

You can find beautiful soap holders, toothbrush holders, trash cans, tissue holders, and much more. Themed towels (in various colors or white, depending on the color scheme you chose for the walls), perfumes, lotions, and even a well-chosen painting can also contribute immensly to the overall look of the small bathroom. And last but not least, choose a elegant, simple, mirror that will be noticable but not dominant.

By combining an effective layout with an attractive color scheme and the right accessories, you can be proud of yourself for creating and implementing a gorgeous small bathroom design.

Creative Shelving Ideas

As traditional styles of home decor give way to more modern designs, one of the areas which have enjoyed a burst of creativity is shelving. Where once homes were filled with standard bookshelves, today there is no end to the variety of shelving styles that complement the walls of any room, including kitchens and bathrooms. There has been a conceptual shift from standard, vertical, solid, wooden bookshelves to shelving made from any number of materials in any manner of shape, as long as it is capable of holding objects.

There are obviously some highly impractical designs, but just like in the world of fashion, the new concepts eventually trickle down into the department stores which then carry a more ‘reasonable’ variation of the original. So for creative shelving ideas, we’ve collected some of the more interesting designs and then moved towards more practical modern shelving.

This chair isn’t exactly standard or comfortable, but it is definitely a creative way to store books. In shelving, we generally see the designs split into two groups: shelving based on the ground and wall shelves.

The next design is also ground-based yet is a brilliant manipulation of wood to simulate fluidity whereas most ground shelves give off a very rigid, stiff feel.  Though the design isn’t so practical and wouldn’t exactly work in everyone’s living room, we can still take from the general idea when decorating a room in our home and think more in terms of bended wood rather than strictly vertical or horizontal.

Here is another example of a bookshelf based on a similar concept, though slightly more practical. This unique shelving concept bends the wood entirely to create circular shaped shelving. Although it may be strange to the eye at first, it is a very creative use of shelving and can potentially complement any modern living room.

Moving on to creative wall shelving ideas, we have here a set of shelves suspended off the ground simulating running. This is a very creative concept, though I’m sure the pricetag on this type of setup wouldn’t be so cheap even though it would add tremendously to anyone’s home. People are willing to spend so much money on artwork; here we have an example of the shelving itself becoming the art.

A more practical (and probably more affordable) single unit of wall mounted shelving can also add to a room. This smaller unit has a very dramatic design and would have a pronounced effect on any wall it is placed on. Notice that on these types of shelves, stuffing them with all sorts of books is not exactly the best use. A delicate blend of novels mixed with modern accessories will help keep them from looking cluttered and maintain the contemporary feel created by the shelves themselves.

Painting a Room

Painting a room can be an amazing DIY project with the right tools. patience, and attention to detail. Though most of us don’t know what is really involved in a proper paint job, here are some tips that give a fairly good outline of how to paint a room.

Depending on your budget and time constraints, there is always room to improvise and cut corners, but if you’re looking for professional results, attention to details and following the process makes all the difference. Speaking from experience, sometimes hiring a professional ends up being worth every penny. I would recommend really looking at the scope of your project (how many rooms, etc) and making your decision based on how large/difficult it will end up being. In either case, whether or not you decide to paint professionally or paint the room yourself, choosing the right color to enhance your living space is crucial.

Tip 1: Choosing the Right Color Paint for your Room

Although this sounds relatively simple, choosing the right paint color is more than just going to the store and looking at buckets of paint. When painting a room, the color you’ve chosen will actually change based on the lighting throughout the day as well as the lighting you have in the room. Take yellow for example; what might start out as pleasant, softer yellow will intensify towards sunset and take on a much darker, powerful hue.

So how do you practically choose the right color? Easy. Take several paint swatches you like home with you and hold them up to your wall at different times during the day. You’ll get a fairly good idea of how the color will appear.

If you’re still having a difficult time choosing the color scheme, a useful tip is to base it on how large your room is. Using lighter, pastel colored paints for small rooms actually creates a feeling of openess and space. If the room is large, darker, bolder colors are good for creating a cozier feel. Remember that you are also not limited to one color for the entire room. One of the techniques for creating a more balanced feel is to paint one wall a more dramatic color such as a dark red and then complement it with a lovely cream color on a neighboring wall. Make sure to also consider the furniture and fabric schemes you have when choosing the color for the room since you don’t want them to clash.

Once you’ve settled on the general color, you can paint white pieces of cardboard with several coats of a paint sample so that you can choose exactly the right hue you’re looking for. Follow the same technique with the paint swatches and hold them up to your walls in the morning, afternoon, and evening. You should then have a very good idea of how your room will appear.

Tip 2: Getting the proper tools for painting a room

If you’ve decided to take on the paint project yourself, then getting the proper tools is very important. I’ve painted my home using less-than-adequate tools and it turned out quite nice, but i wouldn’t say the paint job looks “professional.” Then again, I was on a tight budget and “professional” was not the goal.

So I am going to present you with two lists; the first one for the less picky/professional home painter, and the second for those looking to create a masterpiece.

Basic paint job supplies:
-paint
-roller, sleave, and tray or bucket and cage
-extension for roller
-brush (2″ and 4″)
-drop cloth
-ladder

Professional paint job supplies:
-ladder
-drop cloth
-scraper
-tape
-putty knife
-caulk
-sand paper
-mask
-rollers, sleaves, bucket, cage
-extension pole
-sponge
-primer
-set of coarse brushes 1″ to 4″
-semi gloss for the trim
-paint

Tip 3: Preparing the Room before Painting

Remove everything you can. Paint, believe it or not, is incredibly messy, and we don’t always cover things properly before painting (even though we could’ve sworn we did!). Next, if you’re among the more professionaly-minded painters, you need to begin by taking care of all the cracks, scraping away chipped paint, taping over, treating holes in the wall, using sandpaper, filling them in, taping over, and then covering them all with primer. The faster painters will skip this step and hope for the best. Once you’ve swept the floor from all the dust and paint chips, you’re ready to put down your drop cloth. I personally used regular plastic, but the proper way to protect your floors is to use a good quality drop cloth to guarantee that the paint will not get through.

Tip 4: Painting the Room

The best place to start when painting the room is actually the ceiling. There is a proper technique to using the roller once you’ve covered it evenly with paint. Also, getting paint in the edges requires a little trick, moving the sleave of the roller a bit off from it’s regular placement. Once you’ve finished the ceiling, move on to the walls. There is a technique called “cutting in” which requires you to use one of the wider brushes to paint along the edges of the wall percisely. You then go back to using your roller to fill in the gaps. It is recommended to paint with the roller in long strokes in a type of ‘M’shape to make sure that you’re putting on an even coating all accross the wall. After you’ve completed the walls, the next step is to paint the trimming Don’t forget that when painting, you will need to apply more than one coat on all the painted surfaces after they dry.

Tip 5: Cleaning Up

For very simple, basic, easy to follow tips on how to clean up after painting a room, here’s a little article that can help: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/cleanupafterpainting

Painting a room is one of the most fun and exciting room decorating ideas. Make sure to look through home and interior design magazines to see just how creative you can be with painting your home.

Here is some additional, professional painting advice:

This Old House has incredible tips:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/house-painting

Painting Video tutorial from eHow:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4413155_tools-supplies-painting.html

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