Home Decorating on a Budget: 6 Fantastic Tips


January 25th, 2009

If only decorating your home comes without a cost, you would probably have a new theme and design for your home many times every year. But just like most people, you shy away from home decorating and home improvement activities because you do not want to spend a lot of money on this. The truth is decorating your home does not need to hurt your pockets. In fact, there are many practical home decorating suggestions and ideas that can be worked out even with a small budget. Here is a list of six fantastic tips that will help you achieve just that. Tip 1: Form a plan

Planning is a crucial step in home decoration so that you will be able to accomplish it effectively and successfully. More importantly, this ensures that you do not end up wasting money or spending more than what you can afford. Before you start writing down your plans, visualize how you want your home to look. Decide on the theme and color style you want to adapt and from here, start planning the things that you will need for your home decoration project.

List the things you need and determine which ones you can make yourself or create from the things that you already have, and the ones that you really need to buy. Formulate a realistic budget allocation for your expenditures to avoid overspending.

Tip 2: Adapt a theme

Having a theme for your home does not only make the decorating project easier but if you choose a practical theme, you will be able to save a lot of money at the same time. For example, a tropical interior design theme can save you money because you can get some tropical decorative accessories for free if you go to the beach. This include seashells, corals, starfish, leaves, and driftwood. You can even use what you have collected to make tropical wall hangings.

Tip 3: Invest wisely

Just because you are on a budget does not mean that you have to get every cheap thing you can get your hands on. Sometimes spending more will save you in the long run. For example, if you want to repaint the walls in your home, it would make sense to buy a high quality paint that would last a long time rather than to go for cheap paints that are also cheap in quality.

Tip 4: Watch out for discount sales

Discount sales provide a good opportunity to get hold of home accessories at a low price so keep your eyes peeled for these events. You can also try checking out online stores because there are many excellent deals that will enable you to find nice and good quality products without having to spend much.

Tip 5: Shop around

If you want to find great deals on products you can use for your home decoration, you should not stop at the first shop that you see. Shop around widely so you will be able to compare products and prices, and find the best deals at the most affordable prices. Tip 6: DIY projects

You do not always have to buy everything. Some of the things you need you can make yourself. For example, create your own tropical wall hangings or wall sculpture art by framing a nice coastal photograph scene or by doing your own metal or clay sculpture.

If you have the patience, talent and imagination, you can make excellent decorating choices that will not only improve the overall style of your home but also be practical and realistic for the budget of your family.

Modernize Your Look With Italian Interior Decorating


January 24th, 2009

Are you thinking about Italian interior decorating? Are you looking for a way to transform your living space? If so, remember what interior design is. It is an interpretation and it is one person’s view. You may think of a room as having a country feel while someone else sees it as a country theme. If you wish to look for a modern interior design theme throughout your location, you do want to consider the overall options you have.

Your Living Area

You will find that the flat screen television has really helped to transfer the modern look of a home into that of a home theater. It offers a sleek and contemporary feel to it. There is no fuss, there is nothing but clean lines. If you wish to finish off this look and keep it as modern as possible, place the television into the wall, securing it as provided by the manufacturer, or you can use an anchored pedestal entertainment center that is made of glass, wood and steel. You will want to continue this look throughout the room. Remove the comfortable overstuffed recliner and instead add in materials that add to this look such as metals, sleek looking wood and chrome. Look at angles and shapes within the room for that modern feel.

Colors In Design

No matter if you are going with an Italian interior decorating method or you are going for ultra modern, color plays a role. You will want to look for quality products and avoid patterns that do not work as they may be too busy for the space. Colors should be bold like reds and oranges. You also want to accent the pieces of color with blacks, dark browns and gray. Some patterns will work with a modern interior design, but you may want to stick with having a very clean line and you do not want anything too busy.

Also think about the texture of the room. You want textures to come through in the rugs you place on the floor, the curtains that you hang and other linens you place throughout the room. Each piece should contribute to the modern or Italian Interior decorating design.

You will want to continue the look through everything you add including adding glass tables, adding metals to frame artwork or even as the studs on chairs. These details will provide you with the best possible outcome.

Author: Adam Peters

Indoor and Outdoor home decorating ideas for relaxation


January 8th, 2009

When people picture a relaxing garden environment, personal space or home, they usually think of adding some sort of water feature or following feng shui rules. However, if these are not possible for you, you may think of some real cool ideas or be more creative when it comes to decorating indoor and outdoor space of your home for ultimate relaxation.

Here are some ideas to decorate your home for relaxation:

Bean bags
These are great seating arrangement. These may not be a traditional idea but offer great comfort. These are affordable and also add up some fun. A bean bag is sized to fit one or two people as per the customer’s requirements. Bean bags work towards adding some casual style to your room. These are available either in foam or filler form. This promises enhanced relaxation.

Hammocks
Hammocks are durable and can be easily used both indoors and outdoors. You won’t believe but it is true that hammocks are better than bed to sleep in. The reason is that they are capable of distributing the person’s weight evenly and reducing pressure points on the body. A hammock will be a great idea to enjoy aroma therapy. It is a total relaxation solution.

Scented candles and incense
When it is about decoration and relaxation, how can we ignore beautiful scented candles and incense? These are available in a wide variety. You can also make use of elegant oil diffuser. These work really well to decorate the environment and soothe one’s senses.

Plaques
You can also go for decorative plaques as an integral part of your garden decor. Plaques can easily identify a specific space as yours. This also provides a welcoming touch to your space.

Gazing globes
These are amazing decorative pieces. Grazing bales would add a touch of magic to your environment.

Bird bath
This looks great. This adds a unique touch to your garden. You would love when birds fly into have water, when they are thirsty. Bird baths are available in various sizes, shapes and designs.

Relaxation music
In case, you want some music, go for a CD of relaxation music. You can easily meditate, go to sleep with a CD relaxation music. It will produce a soothing effect to your mind.

It is very easy to create a relaxing and soothing environment outdoors as well as indoors via following the tips mentioned in this article above. You may add your own niche touch of creativity in conjunction with following the tips mentioned above.

Happy decorating your home interiors and exteriors for relaxation!

Home decorating ideas to make a small space look longer


December 24th, 2008

There are many people who live in smaller apartment as this is all they can afford. However, those people also want to decorate their home in different ways. Sometimes these home decoration ideas can also result into a lot of clutter and even make the room look better.

Here are some great ideas to make your smaller space look larger.

Clear out the clutter
There are many things that can make small space feel cluttered. Having too much stuff can make your room look smaller. Try creating certain ways to organize things behind doors, on shelves or table skirts. When you arrange certain things neatly, you would find your room looks much larger.

Opt for soft and lighter colors
Using dark colors can make your space feel cozy and intimate. Hence, you must focus on light and cool colors to make your room look open and airy. You can achieve best result via opting for soft tones of greens and blues.

Open the way
Most of the time, we tend to block the view into a room with heavy furniture and accessories. This makes a room looked like a mangled heap. You need to move the furniture out and far away from walk ways to open up the space and make it feel larger. You may also opt for short pieces of furniture such as an open chair, an ottoman, a low table, an armless or placing tall pieces along the wall to make your room look larger. The idea is to be able to see the floor. This will make the room look larger.

Monochromatic colors scheme
Experts always suggest using monochromatic color scheme. This means that you must opt for colors that are of the same family. Also try using tone-on-tone woven upholstery fabrics, delicate tonal drapery fabrics and textured wall finishes. Focus on using delicate warm colors on surfaces to provide an open look to your room.

Wall and furniture colors
You must avoid using contrast colors in your room as these tend to break up a space. The pieces of furniture should blend with the color of walls to give the room, a larger look.

Light up your space
You must let some light into the room. Try to keep your room well lit via allowing natural light in or using artificial lighting. Avoid using heavy draperies.

Plain Upholstery
Keeping the upholstery plain will do the trick. Strictly avoid using bold stripes, prints or plaids. Use neutral tones if possible. This will make your space look larger.

Home decoration tips to add a touch of class into your room


December 8th, 2008

Designing the room in a certain way is a personal choice. However, the way one embellishes only room has become more of a status symbol. If your home is decorated in a stylish and modern way with latest equipments and trendy furniture, you would feel proud to show it to your friends and other guests.

Some people prefer decorating their rooms in a manner that is depicted in a fashion or interior decoration magazine. However, what one doesn’t understand is that something shown in a particular magazine may look interesting on the paper but would not look great when done practically. Some of these designs may also require you to spend a good amount of money so what to do? Confused?

There are some superb tips to add a touch of class to your room without having to spend a fortune.

Antique objects
It is a great idea to invest in antique objects to Jazz up your room. For instance, an antique wall clock is a unique piece of furniture that will add a good amount of character to any room. The best part is that antique wall clock seem to tell a story and this is what provides a beautiful edge to your room.

Furniture
Antique and classic furniture will make your room look great. If you are not in a mood to spend on the whole set of furniture purchase a set of antique chairs, centre table or a centre piece. You would be amazed to see the look your room has adorned at last.

Paintings
Ever thought of buying antique paintings? If not, just give it a thought. These are not always expensive. You would be surprised to see the variety and price range these are available with. Just one interesting painting on the main wall of your living room will do the trick.

Music appliance
You would never go wrong on this. Try purchasing a gramophone. Just placing this antique object in your home would let you enjoy a classic look in your room. Your guests will also appreciate it. Purchase one that fits in the space you can spare to fit it in.

Shop around
The best way to purchase some of the most interesting items to decorate your home is to shop around as much as you can. Try to look for items that would great when placed in your room. Also try to compare prices in order to get the best deal possible.

Follow all the tips mentioned above and you would be able to decorate your room with a touch of class added to it.

Modern rules for home decoration


October 12th, 2008

If you have been thinking of decorating your home for a long time, read this article. With changing times, there have also been some changes in the trends of decorating home. There are some rules that you need to follow in order to decorate your home in a stylish way. Here are some steps to follow:

Step 1: Arrange the hardware
You must have an idea of the decorating hardware available in your home. You must take into account everything including bell pushes, door handles, decorative hinges, lever latches, clavos nails, door knockers etc. You must also include window door, garage and cabinet hardware.

Step 2: Allot places
Now locate different hardware to different places such as kitchen, bedroom, outdoors, bathroom etc. Try including a wish list column while planning for the decoration.

Step 3: Browse
Browsing through some of the beautiful web pages will give you an idea of the kind of look that will suit a specific area of your house.

Step 4: Reshuffling
You would not believe that sometimes, simple reshuffling of old decorative pieces in your house can do wonders to the whole environment. It may also prove to be beneficial to replace your kitchen hardware.

Step 5: Hues
Go for light cool colors to make your personal space feel more airy and open. This will also provide new life to your room. For best results, try opting for super soft tones of greens and blues.

Step 6: Mono chromatic color scheme
If you want your room to look bigger and brighter, opt for hues that belongs to the same family. Mix the colors with tone-on-tone woven upholstery fabrics, beautiful and soft tonal drapery fabrics and textured wall finishes. Remember that cool colors and beautiful warm colors on wall surfaces work towards providing open look to a room.

Step 7: Wall and furniture colors
It is not a good idea to use contrast colors in a room as these tend to break up a space. Try coordinating wall and furniture colors.

Step 8: Allow some light
You must focus on allowing some light into your house. If natural light is not possible, you may use artificial lighting.

Step 9: Love nature
Back to nature is the new style mantra. Try following the art of exquisite vintage interiors and give it a touch of glamour. You would simply love the end result.

Step 10: Nordic style
This is all about going for cool, comfy, soothing and fresh color palatte. The best thing to try would be soft shades of green belonging to the forest.

Decorating your house is all about using some tricks. Following the tips mentioned above will help you.

Choosing the best sofa fabrics for home decoration


September 19th, 2008

Choosing sofa fabrics for decorating your home may be really confusing. There is a great variety available on the market, these days. The price range is also different. You would be easily confused on the kind of fabrics you need to choose with such a wide variety of fabrics and prices.

However, with a little research and patience on your part, you can easily choose the best for your home decoration without having to spend a fortune.

Here are certain questions that you must ask yourself prior to actually purchasing certain stuff.

– Is the fabric apt for my lifestyle?
– What kind of wear would my upholstery get?
– Would I be using this stuff in the family room?
– Will this stuff be O.K. with the small children and pets at my home?
– Is this stuff suitable for the living room that I would use only occasionally?
– Where will I be placing the upholstery?
– Would the fabric color fade with the sunlight?
– Can the fabric resist soil, abrasion and soil?
– How would the color of the upholstery look like with my room’s lighting?
– What care should I give to the fabric?

There are two main things that you need to keep in mind when opting for a particular fabric for decorating your home.

– Fibre content
– Weave of the fabric

Remember that the method of finishing and coloring can affect the durability of the fabric. With a little knowledge about the fabric construction and fiber construction methods, you can easily make choice that would meet the specific requirements of your family.

The fibers can be classified into three major categories. Each fiber has distinct characteristics.

– Cellulosic Fibers
These are obtained from plants such as rayon, cotton and linen.

– Protein fibers
These are of animal origin and include wool and silk.

– Manmade polymers
These are obtained from petrochemicals such as polyester, nylon, and olefin.
Some of the fibers can be used alone or blended with two or more than two material that would be apt for your sofa.

Here is an information on different fabrics available for sofa decoration:

– Cotton
It is a natural fiber that can be dyed and printed well. This fiber can be used in different applications. It is very strong and durable.

– Linen

This is sunlight resistant.

– Rayon
It can be used in blends

– Wool
It is a durable fiber.

– Silk
It is strong and very durable.

– Nylon
It can resist to abrasion, stretching and wrinkling.

Fantastic budget home decorating tips


July 25th, 2008

Who doesn’t like beautifully decorated home with stylish paintings, ecstatic centre pieces, amazing lighting, elegant flowers and glamorous drapery. Well, all of us do. However, what makes most of us shirk away from our duties toward making the living space beautiful is lack of money. Most people are not aware of the art of decorating home in a stipulated budget that suits their pocket.

Fortunately there are some fantastic ways for decorating home without having to make a deep hole in your pocket.

Here is how you can make the most out of your home decorating budget.

Tip 1: Create a plan

Planning is very essential for any task to be accomplish as desired and successfully. If you don’t have a plan. You would end up wasting your hard earned money that you didn’t actually require or doesn’t fit into your house well. Prior to planning, just imagine your new room, the colors you want to paint it with, the accessories you want to use, the size of furniture that would be accurate and the kind of money you can easily spend on the whole set up. You may change your plan anytime you think that you are not comfortable with the whole thing.

Tip 2: Invest wisely

Here, it is not about investing money. This is about certain things inside your home that represent an investment. This indicates that spending more sometimes will certainly save you some money in the long run. Don’t purchase a carpet that you don’t approve of or is not of good quality just because it’s available at half the price. An expansive one will look beautiful and would last for more than about ten years.

Tip 3: Do it yourself

Some people are not good when it comes to accomplishing certain heavy tasks. However, these days, it’s getting very easy to get into certain remodeling projects at home. There are many useful resources that you can find on the World Wide Web and also in certain stores near your house. It would be a great idea to start with something small and you would be surprised to know what you can actually do.

Tip 4: Keep tabs on sales

Sometimes, you would find great products on sale at very reasonable prices. You must keep an eye on various sales that you come across. Make sure that you visit these sales regularly even if you don’t want to purchase anything. Even if you do, invest your money wisely.

Tip 5: Comparison shopping

If you want to shop for the best products for home decoration, visit more than one shop. Compare the products and late deals. This will let you purchase the best at the most affordable prices.

Ideas for kitchen decorating to blow your mind


July 17th, 2008

Kitchen is supposed to be the most used room in the house. There are several kitchen decorating ideas that you can come across, these days. These ideas were not present a few years ago.

When it comes to decorating the kitchen, it can be very difficult to decide on the kind of look that would be better for your kitchen that would prove to be the best. There are different options such as retro and the latest cookery space available on the market, these days.

The modern kitchen style decoration allows you to hide all your appliances behind different cabinets. The clean lines and smoothed out edges look great. You can also hide all your appliances into the walls or place them into countertops.

You can find latest appliances for your kitchen that can easily blend into the décor of your kitchen. It is possible to coat huge kitchen appliances such as ovens and refrigerators with facing similar to cabinets.

Here are some useful tips to decorate your kitchen in country style.

Colors
You must focus on using fresh, clean and warm colors to decorate your kitchen in country style. The ideal colors would be shades of whites, pinks, greens and yellows.

Accents
Try adding some accents to your kitchen such as flowers, vegetables, fruit and plants to give your kitchen the feel that you want to achieve.

Furniture
Try using lighter woods or wicker furniture to make your kitchen look beautiful. You need to upholster the kitchen in either floral or gingham patterns. You can save a lot of money via creating slip covers for your old furniture instead of purchasing new furniture.

Flooring
The flooring of your country style kitchen should be created from natural materials such as tile, wood or flagstones. Incase, these do not suit your budget, try using wall to wall carpeting or lamination. The color of the flooring should be given good importance. The lighter the shade, the betters. You can even use braded or hooked rugs. This will give an authentic look to your kitchen.

Accessories
Accessories would be the final thing to consider when decorating your kitchen design. Try looking for accessories that will work best and suit well. You may try putting your family pictures in wooden frames. A painted rustic scene would be a great idea.

Remember that you need to have an open mind when decorating the kitchen. This way, you would be able to follow some of the great ideas available for decorating kitchen in country style.

Home decorating tips to modernize your bedroom


June 19th, 2008

Your bedroom is a personal space. It is a space where you would like to relax, indulge in private talk with your partner and soothe yourself after a hard day’s work. This space must have a cool color scheme, look bigger and relaxing. It should be free of any dirt or clutter and also the most comfortably decorated room of your house.

Here are some great tips to give your bedroom, a modern look. Follow these tips and give a new life you, your personal space.

Color theme
In the past, people use to consider pink, white, tones of yellow and shades of browns as the ideal color choices. However, the modern decor rules are different. You can spice up your bedroom with shades of black, red, orange, and even bright green. Try using dark and rich chocolate color for a dramatic effect.

Pattern
The rugs and patterns used these days in the bedroom decor are quite different from what they were used to be in the past. These days, you will not find fancy patterns. The emphasis is totally on geometric patterns.

Furniture
These days, the furniture are available with simple and clean lines. You need to use darker shades of wood for better effect. Don’t go for rounded lines. This will spoil the whole effect. Don’t go for anything fancy. All you require to do is to stick to straight lines and simple details. You may try to go for brushed metal. It looks great and provide simple hardware look.

Accessories
When it comes to decorating bedroom with a touch of modernization, the idea is to keep it less. Keep the accessories to a minimum. Go for long lined glass vases and single flowers. Don’t use ornate, intricate or frilly materials in your bedroom. You may add modern painting to your modern bedroom to complete the look. Also keep your room free of clutter.

Photos
Purchase some unique photo frames and stick yours, your family’s or your loved ones photo into the frame. The frame should not have any antique design or jewels. Keep it simple and clean. You may also stick your’s and your loved one’s photo as a couple for a romantic effect.

All the tips mentioned above will allow you to provide a modernized look to your bedroom.

Giving a modernized look to your bedroom is not difficult. All you require to do is to keep it simple and clean. Try using your niche creativity for enhanced effect. This will also provide you a creative satisfaction.

Happy home decorating!