Black and White Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Black and white decor is elegant and simple! It is a relatively easy style  to decorate your bedroom with since you already have your colors picked out from the get-go! If you’re anything like me and get overwhelmed by too many choices, you’ll love black and white bedroom decorating ideas.

One of the main principles behind modern decor is minimalism. Decorating your bedroom in black and white is an easy way to give it a sleek, contemporary look and feel that is clean and put together. Wouldn’t you like to sleep in a neatly designed, stress-free bedroom?

Start with the walls. When decorating your bedroom, start with the walls. You don’t have to paint all your walls either black or white. You can paint some walls black and others white, play around with wall decals, or use wallpaper.  You might want to use a combination or paint, decals and wallpaper like in the picture on the left.  Black walls are great for creating contrast- anything stands out on a black wall! A striped wall can also look amazing in a bedroom.

Bedroom Furniture. Each piece of furniture must be taken into account if you are going to have a complete black and white look. You can paint all your furniture in either all-black, all-white or a black-and-white pattern if the furniture is against a solid color wall. Remember to keep things neat and not too busy. Make sure to pay attention to the furniture’s details and don’t forget the bed frame, window frames, headboard etc.

Accessories and Bedding: This is the fun part! There are so many black and white room decorating ideas for your bedding, lighting, rugs and walls! Black chandeliers are super glam in a black and white bedroom. Area rugs come in all types of designs and fabrics. For the walls, you can hang black and white pictures and place them in a colorful frame for contrast (or vice-versa). Black and white curtains will look amazing in your bedroom. Just make sure that most of your bedroom accessories are black and white only and don’t contain other colors.

Accent colors: Last but not least come the accent colors. The reason I mentioned this last is because it is very important not to overdo it. You want most of your room to be black and white and you can pick one or two main accent colors to highlight specific areas of your room. Anything in color will stand out in a black and white bedroom! Some great areas to accent are your bed, via a colorful comforter or an area on the walls with a beautiful painting. You might even consider painting an entire wall or part of a wall a bright color to create a dramatic look.

What else is left to do? Nothing but get ready to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep in your chic and elegant beautiful bedroom! Click here for more black and white room decorating ideas.

Featured Content Gallery Photo Credits: www.huelsta.com

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 key factor.  Walls can also be covered with colorful tapestries and art. Pay attention to the colors of the rest of the room.  Use a few multi-colored area rugs for the floor to create diversity.  If you are decorating a bedroom, don’t forget to choose colorful blankets and linens.

Bohemian furniture is unique.  Look for pieces that stand out on their own, or that you can make stand out with some paint.  Victorian sofas are great for bohemian decor, but you can also take a regular couch and throw on an elaborate tapestry.  Flea markets are great for finding bohemian furniture!

The most fun part about bohemian decorating is accessorizing.   Accessorize with objects that have meaning or look like they were from around the world. Aged photographs, ornate boxes, mirrors,  vintage perfume bottles and giant pictures are all great choices.  Things that look like they are from around the world, like animal statues, figurines or maps, are also great choices.   If you can’t afford the real deal, try imitations like a knock-off Persian rug.

Accessories that sparkle also go well with this decorating style.  Try glass beads, crystals hanging from lampshades and shiny light fixtures that give off a warm glow.

Decorating in bohemian style is definitely fun.  It is a chance to let your imagination and creativity run free…so enjoy!

If you have any pictures of rooms that you decorated using bohemian room decorating ideas we’d love to see them! Send your pictures to roomdecoratingideas@gmail.com.

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 floral prints, light greens and yellows or anything else that gives your bedroom a light, summery feel.

Storage

Summer is a time for less of everything- less clothing, less blankets, and less clutter.  To clear your bedroom of unnecessary clutter, try using stylish storage solutions that are perfect for summer! Wicker, bamboo and raffia storage boxes and night tables are great for adding a summery feel to your bedroom while keeping odds and ends from taking over your space.

Windows

Light is an essential part of any summer decor.  Dark shades or curtains should be exchanged for sheer drapes (or taken down altogether) to allow more light to shine through.  Choose white, neutral or pastel curtains.  You can also keep the windows open whenever possible to let in the fresh summer air.

Accessories

Summer is the time to get rid of your heavy winter accessories, like rugs and draperies.  Instead fill your bedroom with accessories from the great outdoors! Bamboo plants, cut flowers and other greenery can create a refeshing atmosphere in your bedroom and can bring in a pleasant scent.  Other accessories can also be exchanged for more summery ones.  If your wall art is dark or heavy, try hanging a piece with brighter, paler colors.  Dark objects such as decorative bowls or candlesticks can be exchanged for clear ones made of crystal or glass that allow light to shine through.

Bringing summer into your bedroom for summer can help you be more relaxed and comfortable while facing those hot months.  So take the time and give your room a summer makeover today.

Flea Market Decorating Ideas

Summer is approaching and a a great time to check out your local flea markets for great room decorating ideas! But amidst the maze of chachkas and chinkets, where do you begin?  And how do you turn junk into something that can beautify your home?

First of all, you should arrive at a flea market early (i.e. before everything good is taken!).  Dress down, be friendly and prepare to bargain! It is good to come prepared with a tape measure and some basic measurements of your home (especially if you are planning on purchasing furniture).

An easy way to make your way through a flea market, is by color.  Try picking out a color or a few colors that you are looking for to decorate your home.  Do you have a picture on your wall that you are looking to compliment? A couch you would like to match? With a color in mind, searching for flea market decorating ideas becomes much simpler.

In general, check to see if an object is in good condition.  If you are planning on buying furniture, make sure that it is stable.  A new paint job is easy to do, but furniture that is falling apart might not be worth it.  Also check that the object will go with what you already have in your home and that there’s room for it.  Ask yourself what purpose it will serve.  Some objects, such as old trunks, can be great finds because they are versatile.  They can be used as a coffee table, a bed end, for storage and more!

Here are some more great flea market decorating ideas:

1.  Mirrors and frames. Mirrors and frames are classic flea market finds.  You can never have too many mirrors; they open up small spaces and refelct light.  Flea markets are a great place to find unique and antique frames that can be used to add decor to any room of your home.  Frames can be used not only for regular paintings but to turn less expensive items into wall art such as: tea towels, posters and even plates.

2.  Lighting. All sorts of lighting can be found at flea markets. From candles to chandeliers a flea market is full of remarkable finds.  Lighting never goes our of style and old fixtures can often be rewired without too much hassle.  New paint, shades and trims can be added to older fixtures so don’t be afraid to buy things with alittle character.

3.  Storage Items. Flea markets are loaded with storage items.  Baskets made from wicker or wire can be used to store towels in your bathroom, living room clutter such as magazines and odds and ends, and more!  Hat boxes are also great finds.  They can be stacked to create a nice display.

4.  Brass objects. Brass items are trendy now.  It may be tarnished but brass can be easily polished.  Candelsticks made from brass are a personal favorite of mine!

5.  Furniture. Last but not least- furniture.  Furniture can be repainted and often used for many different purposes.  Dressers can be sideboards and a a sofa can seat people by a table.  Look for armoirs and outdoor furniture too! Who says you can’t use an ourdoor sofa for your living room?

Do you have any unique flea market finds?

Kitchen Makeovers: 8 Quick Tips

Giving your kitchen a makeover can seem like a daunting task, but it is definitely possible and can even be achieved within a reasonable budget. The trick to not getting overwhelmed is focusing on specific areas where you can make quick changes and see immediate results.

Here are 8 kitchen decorating tips to get you started:

Tip 1: Start with the kitchen cabinets

Rather than spending a fortune on replacing old cabinets, there may be an opportunity to salvage them and give them a whole new look. You can achieve this by sanding down the existing layer of paint and going for a whole new color. Make sure you wipe the cabinets clean before sanding. Here is a clear guide on how to repaint your cabinets.

When selecting a color, keep in mind the entire color scheme of your kitchen. If you have many stainless steel appliances, the trend has been moving away from lighter pale color schemes to darker, more saturated cabinet colors.

Tip 2: Upgrade your cabinet knobs

Changing the knobs on your cabinets is an easy and very effective way to upgrade your cabinets without replacing them. There are tons of sites online that allow you to browse through thousands of different shapes and sizes, ranging from ultra modern to country in a variety of metal or wooden finishes.

Tip 3: Paint the walls

Here is where you have an opportunity to be creative in a subtle way. Since there isn’t as much wall space as in other rooms, you can use the area available for painting to produce creative color combination that work to soften the kichen as well as bring out the cabinet colors. It is generally recommended to take a very close look at the color base of the cabinet color you chose and find a color for the walls in the same paint family. Don’t forget to repaint your trim around the windows and door frames. Here is a wonderful article with some great color combination ideas.

Tip 4: Replace your old curtains

Although a relatively simple step, replacing your current kitchen curtains with new ones can bring new life into your kitchen. There are many different curtain styles and textures specifically designed for kitchens which can do wonders for complimenting your new cabinet and wall colors.

Tip 5: Lighting

Kitchen lighting is an area of decor where you can really be creative. A popular trend is to have pendant lighting over your kitchen island, but you can add in track lighting, chandeliers and any number of lighting solutions depending on the look you’re going for. The style of lighting you’re going for should really be thought through since it can make a very powerful decor statement on its own, whether by its design or the type of light it produces.

Tip 6: Fun with Shelving

One little tip for shelving is to not be afraid of having open shelves in the kitchen. Placed strategically, sometimes having items exposed can automatically create decor accents. Don’t be afraid to experiment, especially if you’re used to very traditional cabinetry.

Tip 7: Trendy kitchen stools

Thanks to stores such as Ikea, there is an incredibly large supply out there of kitchen stools to match any color, style, or trend. If you have many steel appliances in your kitchen, you can try for bar stools that combine a bit of metal with synthetic leather to give a modern yet homey look.

Tip 8: New accessories

Little decor accents are a great way to bring a kitchen to life. Look into options such as adding a trendy wine rack, country style vases with beautiful flowers, small plants, old, warm-colored paintings, new spice holders, or pottery. These items can be picked up either second hand or from home decor stores and can be wonderful color accents. The goal is to use these items wisely; having too many accessories will only create clutter rather than adding life to the kitchen decor.

Black and White Decorating Ideas

Black and white décor is an affordable way to make your home look sophisticated, elegant and dramatic. You can easily transform any room into this style by repainting old furniture and purchasing a few basic accessories.

Try framing pictures such as black and white photos, with bold black frames. These will provide a great contrast to a stark-white wall. Using other black and white artwork or framing objects is also a great black and white room decorating idea. The point is to have lots of contrast.

To keep your black and white rooms from being too boring try using large, interesting accessories with unusual and creative shapes. Large black candle sticks on a bright white table can add to the dramatic effect, and you can find candle sticks in all different shapes and designs. You can also try using a funky contemporary looking black or white lamp, bowl or coffee table.

A black and white checkerboard tiled floor is classic and never gets boring, but it can be pricey to redo your whole floor. An area rug can have the same effect for a much lower price. Try using contrast here again having either a black table on a white rug or the opposite.

An important principle to keep to when decorating in black and white is to only buy one or two items that are both black AND white. Otherwise, have your pieces be only one color to avoid making the room look too busy. Also, if you ever want to change to another color scheme, you can easily integrate the solid color pieces.

If a room that is entirely black and white seems too much for you, try using an accent color. Kelly green and yellow can be great accent colors, but the best is to stick to what you like. Remember, only to use a little bit of this color, like in a photo on the wall, a pillow case or a few small accessories.

Black and white decorating ideas aren’t too hard to come up with and they make your room look elegant almost instantly. This is why I personally love them!

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.

Kitchen Decorating Ideas

One of the easiest ways to find good, solid ideas for decorating your kitchen is to begin by looking at different themes. The kitchen is one of the main rooms in our homes that we often overlook in terms of decor potential. When you buy a new home or remodel an old kitchen, you have a lot of flexibility in deciding which ‘theme’ to go with and can decorate from top to bottom accordingly. If remodeling your kitchen isn’t in the budget for the near future, then there are also ways to borrow kitchen decorating ideas from existing themes, have fun with a bit of color and accessories such as pottery, plants, or paintings, enhance your current setup, and give your kitchen a fun makeover. Most importantly, keep your eye out for ideas that don’t sacrifice practicality, because ultimately, we still have to use our kitchens to cook!

Lets start with the classics. Here is a lovely country kitchen idea. Notice the use of wood and the coloring of the cabinets and the floor. The country kitchen design itself is not fancy, yet by being simple and orderly the small addition of yellow and green coloring here and there (such as the flowers and vase) enhances the overall look and feel without breaking your budget. This kitchen creates a warm and homey country feel without going overboard.

In a somewhat similar vein as the country kitchen, Tuscan kitchen designs have become very popular. After doing some research and checking, it seems that most modern Tuscan kitchens are not quite in line with the original idea which was intended to create a beautiful rustic feel through humble means (not spending thousands of dollars on expensive vases). Architecture seems to be the main element that defines true Tuscan design (click here for a nice short article on the subject), yet for those of us who are looking to improvise, then dark, earthy colored, simple furniture balanced by natural lighting in addition to pottery, knickknacks and tapestries will do. The Tuscan style kitchen featured here does exactly the kind of improvising we are talking about: notice the pottery on top of the cabinets. The small addition of the pottery helped turn an average kitchen into something a little more exotic.

Moving on, we have another beautiful kitchen based on a modern contemporary design. The shapes of the cabinets are very plain and smooth, and the coloring is less ‘warm’ in the traditional sense. You can see here the use of a bit of purple and blue, which is meant to contrast with the cream and white cabinets while bringing out the coloring of the floor. The small kitchen table is also thin with a combination of the use of glass and metal. Rather than wood, the chairs are plastic which works very nicely to balance the wooden floor to create a modern feel without leaving you completely cold.

For those of us having to deal with smaller homes or apartments, then here is a great small kitchen design that successfully combines the element of practicality with warmth and modernity. Excellent use of shelving, counter, and cabinet space add tremendously to this small kitchen.

Lastly we have two differently themed kitchens that both make use of color as a primary decorating element. The white kitchen has a bit of a French decorating flavor to it. The use of white allows all the small additional small decorating accessories to really stand out in contrast without being dominant, which gives the overall kitchen a very clean, pristine feel. The second kitchen blatantly makes full use of rich, warm, and bright colors to give it a very fun and active atmosphere. Both uses of color help set the emotional tone of kitchen to create an interesting decorating style.

Check back with us at room decorating ideas for more kitchen decorating ideas.

Bedroom Design

Finding a proper balance between space, color, texture, and lighting is essential to quality bedroom design. We don’t all have the luxury of a large and spacious bedroom, but we do have the ability to take inspiration from great designers and architects who understood that balancing a number of elements is key.

One of the most difficult elements to work with is the limitations of space. In the many places I have lived, the structure of the bedrooms themselves have ranged from asymmetrical to perfectly square, abnormally narrow and long, tiny, low or high ceilings, or even simply very large. Each time the challenge was to analyze the potential of bedroom design versus the limitation of space. Buying new furniture simplifies the issue, but if we are working with existing furniture, then we have to be prepared to find creative solutions to maximize our design potential through paying attention to furniture placement.

Lighting also plays a large role in bedroom design once spacial considerations have been taken into account. Ideally, the primary lighting should be natural and if your windows are large, well-chosen curtains can add tremendously to the color and mood of the bedroom. If the option for utilizing natural lighting doesn’t exist, then focusing on the proper ceiling lights and lamps can do nearly the same thing. The options today for creative lighting are endless and relatively inexpensive.

If you’re working with new furniture, the color of the bedroom should be considered beforehand, especially if you have the option to paint. Color plays a large role in effecting our mood and contributes to the overall ambiance. If you prefer white, then a fresh layer of paint will help create a more new and clean feel to the room. If you’re willing to put in a little extra effort, you can paint a slight cream and give the bedroom a warmer feel. Those who find themselves a bit riskier can consider greens or any other variety of more powerful colors. It’s important to settle on the color before setting out to by the new furniture and accessories so that the color theme is relatively consistent.

Once you’re managed to arrange the furniture properly, utilize the lighting, and work with color, the next step is to consider the element of texture. Many people forget that texture is an incredibly powerful element in bedroom design, from the texture of the carpet to even the texture of the paintings you have on the walls. When developing and experimenting with different room decorating ideas, remember that the contrast between different textures of complementary colors can make the difference between a simple bedroom and one in which anyone who walks in will feel the touch of inspired design.

Next Page »