Here are 8 kitchen decorating tips to get you started:

Lovely Kitchen Decor

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.

Elegant kitchen design

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.

Kitchen Accents

With that in mind, there are some basic ideas and decor concepts we need to go over: choosing the right type of furniture, keeping things organized, and creating a flexible theme.

Basic Furniture Tips:

Kids room decorating ideas

Though every kid’s room needs a bed, desk, and storage items, the most important aspects of choosing the right furniture are selecting basic colors that can adapt to a changing room theme while at the same time selecting durable, well made pieces from the right materials. Popular materials are aluminum, plastic, MDF, and hardwood. In terms of safety, it’s important to do your research because materials such as MDF can cause irritability due to formaldehyde. There are definitely stores that do offer chemical free and eco-friendly kid’s furniture if you’re interested in moving towards organic decor.

In any case, make sure that the furniture you select has rounded edges, is easy to clean, can survive all sorts of “wear and tear,” and sits well on the ground. Lighter pieces of furniture have a danger of tipping over, so it’s crucial to secure them well. Versatile kid’s furniture can also be a great idea depending on your style. This type of furniture can transform as your child grows, such as cribs that turn into beds or multipurpose desks and dressers. There is no substitute for good furniture that can be passed on through the family line!

Organization Ideas:

Kids storage organizer

Keeping toys and accessories organized is of vital importance to any kids room. Although it’s easier said then done, there are many creative ideas to help keep things organized and tidy.  The best way to do this is to look at things from a child’s view point.  Kids have a hard time reaching high places, so only keep things out of reach that they aren’t using on a regular basis.  Hooks are great for holding coats, jewelry, bags, umbrellas and more and are kid friendly if they aren’t too high!

You can also try clear storage containers (kids use what they can see!).  Kid friendly closets have low hanging rods and minimal clutter.  Beds with compartments underneath such as captain’s beds are great storage solutions.

Kids bed with under storage

Flexible Theme:

Sports theme idea

Having a theme your kid will love is another important aspect of kid’s room decor.  There are many great theme ideas out there like fairy tales, sports, the jungle, ballet etc.  The most important thing is that your child’s room can be modified with his or her ever-changing hobbies and interests.  It’s therefore a good idea to keep walls and furniture neutral colors. To add color and style to the room, try using less permanent accessories such as: area rugs, bean bags, posters and wall stickers.  These fun decorating objects can be found in many colors and themes. And who knows…you may enjoy decorating the room as much as your kid will!

Butterfly theme

a) you don’t have a lot of time or money
b) all the cheap paintings in the stores just don’t match your home/style
c) everyone seems to already have them
d) that blank spot over your fireplace is really starting to depress you!

DIY Canvas Painting

After a long conversation with my interior designer sister-in-law, she let me in on a very important decorating tip. Whatever you can’t find ready-made within your budget, just do it yourself. There are tons of ideas out there on creative wall art ideas, but if you’re interested in hanging up more traditional canvas paintings around your home, then here’s what you do:

1) Go to your neighborhood art store or do a search online and purchase a couple of blank canvases (not a roll of canvas - you should get it already stretched and primed). You don’t need to purchase the highest quality canvas, so they should run very cheap.

2) Buy acrylic paint and brushes. Now here’s the important part; make sure that the acrylic paint colors you purchase match the color scheme of your home, but include one or two extra colors as unique accents. You’re already half way to creating your modern art masterpiece.

Easy Wall Art

3) Make sure you set up the canvas on some sort of drop cloth. Once your floor is protected, you can drip paint onto the canvas, spray it, use cups or any other tools to make interesting designs. You can also paint the canvas a solid color first depending on what look you’re going for. Be creative; there are no set rules when it comes to creating your own canvas art!

4) Let it dry. You can hang your paintings up on the wall as they are, or if you like, add a small frame.

Stay tuned for more budget decorating ideas. Next we’ll be discussing creative wall art by covering canvas with fabric for a unique effect.

Organic Towels

Organic decor is becoming an increasingly popular trend in 2009 as more and more people are looking to have eco-friendly, green homes that are healthier not only for the environment, but also for their bodies.

Going organic means choosing products that are grown from natural ingredients, are biodegradable, and manufactured without pesticides and all sorts of toxic chemicals. For the home, organic decor often refers to furniture that is ‘organic by construction,’ which means that in addition to the materials themselves being organically grown, the wood is also sustainable or reclaimed (the wood has either been recycled or taken without destroying anything). Therefore, all the components of the furniture are free of toxins and irritants.

So let’s get on to the organic decor! Here are some great ideas.

Organic bedding

One of the best areas to start going organic is with your bed. Everyone agrees that sleep is important, and research has shown that mattresses made of organic materials are much more breathable, therefore regulating your temperature and helping you sleep better. The natural next step is to get organic bedding, linens, and pillows which also help reduce allergies. Today, more and more designers are creating stylish organic bedding, so you can be assured that you won’t be sacrificing style when trying to create an organic bedroom.

Don’t forget organic rugs and carpets. These can be made from organic wool, bamboo fiber, jute, cotton, hemp, and are dye free, which makes them so healthy that you should consider making a change now in your child’s room or baby’s room. Normal rugs usually are full of additives such as biocides to prevent mold. The air we breathe in a room is almost always affected by our carpeting, particularly if your home is fully carpeted.

Furniture that is organic by construction is also becoming more widespread. You can find stylish furniture made from sustainable wood that is upholstered with organic fabrics. Flooring is also important and can become a lovely decor element in your home. Organic bamboo or cork flooring is not only incredibly durable and healthy, it is also a beautiful decor element and can compliment your organic furniture.

Organically constructed living room

Today, the organic decor trend fits in well with zen decor, feng shui, and other trends and is synonomous with a holistic approach to overall wellness. Nearly every store for home products or furniture has a ‘green’ section and carries organic products.

Here are some links:

www.organicconsumers.org - Has a section that provides a listing of all businesses carrying organic products in your area.

www.modgreenpod.com - Has organic home textiles and a neat link to a room creator.

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!

The bedroom was so naturally beautiful on its own, whatever i chose to put in it ‎had to live up to it gorgeous structural standard.‎ On top of that, I didn’t have very much money, so I needed to figure out a way of decorating my bedroom on a budget.

Looking for Ideas:

Whenever I entered a cool shop I snapped pictures on my phone of different blankets, ‎bed spreads, lamps, etc so I could then check them out while in the context of my room. ‎I also took pics of the room with my phone so that I could compare the patterns and ‎colors to prospective purchases while in the stores. ‎

This way I could get a feel for whether things fit without having to commit to buying ‎anything. I like things simple and functional but with intrigue and uniqueness, so ‎keeping an eye out was key. Also, I like to use materials that I already have or can ‎come by easily to recycle them into something pretty and useful. ‎

Then came decision making time…‎

The Bedroom:

The heaters and doors are dark blue and the floor titles have a mainly dark blue pattern, ‎so I tried to look for little highlights in dark blue to keep things united.  I found a little ‎lamp at a home goods store for a great price.

I used the leftovers from our living room drapes to make my curtains which turned out to ‎be a perfect fit.

I wanted my big bed to match the eclectic grandeur of the room so I found a cool pattern ‎that included dark blue in it. ‎
‎
A flower pot from the home goods store became my trash bin and was a much cheaper ‎option than many of the actual trash bins!‎

Creative budget decorating idea

The Bathroom:‎

There is a cool store that specializes in soaps and candles and I remember seeing their ‎sinks filled with colorful rocks. I thought this was a cool touch so I went for a walk and ‎picked up rocks along the way. They add a really nice zen touch to my sink. I also ‎picked up two cool sea shells and placed them on the top of the toilet.‎

To help with the color coordination, I also try to buy yellow colored toilet paper to match ‎the toilet seat. I find it’s the little things that count.‎

‎….‎
In the future:‎

My next project is to get some artwork up on the walls. Also it is so healthy to express ‎yourself. Why spend money on a picture when the act of making the picture is often the ‎best part? Even if your skill isn’t top notch, I’ve found that with a serious-looking picture ‎frame, anything seems professional.‎

I do love supporting artists but I think I’d be broke if I went to buy the art I really like.‎
Luckily, nature is the most detailed and intriguing art around… and for the most part it is ‎free! In this vain, I dried some flowers a friend bought me and am hoping to turn them ‎into some kind of picture or collage.‎

Your first task is to do your research. Different dorms have different rules. Check out if your dormitory allows you to paint the walls, hang thing up with nails and change the furniture. Then you’ll know what you have to work with.

A shoe hanger is a useful dorm room decorating idea

Next it’s time to arrange your space. A dorm room is your home away from home so make it comfortable and welcoming to guests. Arranging your room like a living room is great if you want to have people hanging out there a lot. You can put the furniture around the room with open space in the middle. Placing an area rug on the floor with a bunch of cushions or large floor pillows transforms your floor into chilling space.

Another important element to keep in mind when decorating your dorm room is lighting. The bright florescent lights that dorms often come equipt are good for one thing only and that’s studying. To create a nice ambiance in your dorm room, buy a few inexpensive lamps or candles. You can try having one big and noticable lamps (you can find some great ones at thrift shops) and a few small ones. Putting a lamp on the floor behind a piece of furniture is a great ambiance creating trick.

Storage is always an issue in dorm rooms so if you are allowed to bring your own furniture make sure it has a lot of extra storage space. If not, a few key items to purchase are hanging storage (like one to put your shoes in that fits in the closet), a high shelf or closet (because floor space is limited) and under the bed storage. If you have a bed with storage space, then great but if not make sure that your bed is elevated from the ground so you can fit storage containers underneath. Wall shelves are good too if you are allowed to put them up. To hide messy storage space, try putting a funky room divider in front of it. They come in all different colors and designs.

Last but not least, make sure to have great music, lots of snacks and other fun things that will make your room the place everyone wants to be!

Stay tuned for more dorm room decorating ideas,coming soon!

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.

Yellow is great for spring decorating.

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.

Decorate an outdoor room for spring!

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!

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.

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.