Coffee Table Decorating

Coffee tables are a decorating essential for any living room.  They help set the general spacing of the room, as the sofa and chairs  are generally displayed around them.  Coffee tables are not only useful but they are the place where you can put decorative center-pieces and books.  They serve as footstools, game areas and conversation starters.  They can also be the focal point in a room.  Here are some coffee table decorating basics to consider before you make your purchase. Use & Style. Before purchasing a coffee table, think about its purpose.  Are you going to want a table with extra storage? Will it be in a room with a lot of traffic? Do you want a table that will last a long time or are you okay with a table that will last a few years?  If you have children, you may want a table that is difficult to scratch.  In addition, when shopping for a table keep in mind what room decorating ideas you’ve already implemented in your space.  You will want….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Bohemian Decorating

Bohemian decorating is original and personal.  It is about turning the mundane into chic decor with vintage items and lots of creativity.  ”Bohemians” are technically people who live non-traditional lifestyles and reject social conventions; such as artists, writers and musicians.  Although it may seem like an oxymoron to adopt a design style that is “individual” by definition, there are enough basic elements of Bohemian style that make it possible to incorporate it into your home decor. Bohemian style is all about creating warmth and interest.  It is a busy, cluttered style with a lot of interesting things going on.  There is a lot of freedom with this style and many room decorating ideas to choose from. Regarding color, think rich, warm and deep.  Bohemian styled rooms usually have multiple colors; although a general palette should be chosen to create some kind of cohesive look.  The walls can be painted red, orange, blue, purple, deep brown or any other  rich color.  Stay away from neons or colors that are very bright, like white.  Warmth is a….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Dorm Room Accessories

Who says your dorm room can’t feel like home…or even better? Even if you are initially repulsed by stark white walls, ugly floors and outdated furniture, the right dorm room accessories can make your space fun and comfortable.  Here are a few dorm room accessories you won’t want to leave home without! A Cork Board. A cork board (or bulletin board) is a great place to hang you class schedule, memos, pictures and calendar.  The great thing about cork boards is that they can add tons of decor and personal style to your room.  You can cover the board with a funky material from a fabric shop or by “recycling” an old t-shirt or sheet with a pattern you love.  Cork boards can also be painted, decorated with ribbons or colored paper.  All you need is a staple gun and some glue. Painting the frame of the cork board (or adding one if it doesn’t come with) is another awesome dorm room decorating idea. Bed Pockets. Everyone knows that in a dorm room space is….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Nursery Wall Decor

There are many ways to design the walls of your baby’s nursery.  You can paint, wallpaper, decorate with wall stickers and much more! Painting is one of the most inexpensive ways to decorate the nursery walls.  Turquoise is a wonderful color for nursery wall decor and was chosen as Pantone’s color of the year for 2010.  Mix it with chocolate brown or baby pink!  Other fun paint colors are yellow which goes great with blues and greens to create a fun bright look.  You can also pair it with cream or brown to soften it up.  If you want to go with traditional blue for a boy or pink for a girl, try new exciting shades of blue or lilac. Wallpaper comes in all sorts of cute themes, patterns and colors.  Since wallpaper can be expensive, you should consider how long it will last.  Cowboy or princess wallpaper is cute but you may grow tired of looking at it for years on end.  You may want to consider wallpapering in simpler patterns and neutral colors….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Turquoise Decor

Turquoise is Pantone’s color of the year.  This makes me very happy as turquoise is my favorite color, hands down.  The reason turquoise was chosen is because it is considered a happy color and reminds us of beautiful tropical oceans far off in some Caribbean paradise.  It is a serene color and according to Pantone “turquoise reminisces of the waters of the sea, renewing our sense of well being”. Why save the beautiful tropics for vacations only? Bring the depth of the ocean into your home by incorporating turquoise into your decor.  Turquoise can be combined with dark and light colors and bring some cheer into any room.  Don’t be afraid to combine it with reds, pinks, white or browns.  If you are feeling more daring, you can even try combining it with yellows or greens.  I love the bold turquoise wall paper featured here from crownwallpaper. If you want to add some turquoise room decorating ideas to your home without making too much of a change, try some accessories.  It’s easy to find area rugs, throw pillows,….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

White Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Decorating a room can often be overwhelming.  There are so many patterns, colors and designs to choose from!  For this reason, one of my room decorating ideas is creating a white room. The best room to give an all-white makeover is the bedroom. Since white gets dirty really easily, it is best to keep your all-white room one that won’t be getting too much traffic.  Your bedroom will probably get minimal traffic (compared with the rest of the house) and is usually a place where you don’t allow food or dirty shoes! Keep in mind that there are many shades of white.  When decorating a white bedroom, it is important to match and coordinate the different whites just as you would with other colors.  White comes in off white, ivory, eggshell, cloud white, ballet white, ghost white, snow white, ice white and much more!  So it is important to pay attention to the subtleties in the “whites” you choose. There are so many ways to bring white into a room! Many people often already have….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Kitchen Lighting Ideas

Choosing the right lighting is a crucial part of home decorating. Lighting can affect the look and ambiance of a room in so many ways. The right lighting is necessary to carry out the every day functions of the different rooms of your home. Striking this balance is especially important in the kitchen where a lot of light is needed for cooking and cleaning. Here are a few kitchen lighting ideas to get you started.   General Indirect Light. Recessed lighting is a great way to provide your kitchen with neat general lighting. It is a modern alternative to general overhead kitchen lighting that is much more efficient and doesn’t involve any annoying dangling cords, lightbulbs or lampshades. Recessed light fixtures, bulbs and wiriting are all installed inside the ceiling and turned on through a switch. They are a wonderful way to add indirect, discreet general light to your kitchen. Direct Light. Pendant lights are one of my favorite room decorating ideas. There are a few reasons for this. First of all, they literally bring….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Summer Bedroom

It might happen on the first day the air feels warm and a pleasant summery breeze passes gently through your window. On the other hand, it may not happen until you are already a few good weeks into summer and realize your bedroom is much hotter and stuffier than you can bare.  Regardless of when it happens, you are sure to feel an urge to bring summer into your home in general, and into your bedroom in particular.  Here are some summer bedroom decorating ideas that can help you turn your space into a summer haven. The Bed To update your bed for summer, put away those flannel sheets and heavy comforters.  Summer is the time for crisp bed linens made from breathable fabrics such as cotton.  Avoid using sheets made from synthetic fibers, as they tend to keep the heat in.  The color of your bedding is also important in creating summer ambience in your bedroom.  White is a great choice for your summer bedroom’s linens and covers. You can also play around with….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Curtains Design

Walking through the curtain section in any house and home store can make me a little dizzy.  The problem I find is that there are so many options!  Curtains are available in all different colors, textures, lengths and pattern it’s hard to figure out what to buy.  Here are some of my favorite tips for finding the perfect curtains design for your space. Color is one of the most important things to look for when looking for curtains design.  If you aren’t planning on redecorating your whole room, it is important that your curtains match or blend on some level with the rest of the colors you already have in your room.  Neutral colors tend to complement furniture and wallpaper colors.   Solid color and patterend designs bring more attention to the window.  You may be looking to spice up your room with bold, colorful curtains. They are a great way to turn your windows into a focal point. How long you want your curtains to be is another consideration.  If you have a small….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

Painting Furniture Basics

One of my favorite room decorating ideas is painting furniture.  This is partially because my husband and I have a lot of furniture that’s been given to us before we were married and isn’t exactly our taste.  We recently discovered the “magic” of painting- it literally can breath new life into any piece!  Even if you’ve never painted or sanded before (like I hadn’t…) you can still take on a painting project without worrying that you’ll turn what you have into a disaster.  Painting furniture is a relatively easy and fun DIY project.  Remember- it should always be done in a well-ventilated area and the work area should be covered with newspapers to prevent stains. The first step is sand down the piece you want to paint.  Sanding the furniture gets rid of the wax or finish that the piece already has.  I recommend using an electric sander, as it is much easier than sanding by hand! Just make sure that you sand each part evenly and clean up all the dust afterwards. The next….Read the Rest of this Decor Idea

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