Decorating In A Style That You Love

When you walk in to your home after a hard day at work, do you feel instant relaxation? Entering in to a place that you really love being, A place that fills you with calm and ease? A place you hate leaving and can't wait to get back to?

If not, you owe it to yourself to make it so. Why? Because you deserve it! You deserve a place of beauty that truly appeals to your emotional sense of well being. A place that you feel proud of, a place that shows off who you are.

Many times we feel restricted in our decorating. People who rent homes or apartments, spousal disapproval, lack of funds, fear of trying something new or just being lost in what should be done to accomplish that goal.

But there is always a solution if you just look for it. Apartment and rental home dwellers can decorate with removable decor, spouses can be compromised with, budgets can be adjusted to acquire the necessary instruments needed to design your dream home (other than expensive furnishings, most decorating can be done on a very limited budget) and as to where to start to improve your surroundings, look within yourself and ask yourself: "What do I dislike about my current decorating?" and "What type of decorating do I love?" Look to magazines for help and clip photos of styles that appeal to you for guidance.

Change the things you dislike by adopting the things you love.

Our home in Seattle, Washington is quite lovely and it was surely a labor of love. You would never tell that I did it all on a shoestring with paint, plaster, fabric and color choices. Even much of the framing for art came from thrift stores and was re-gilded or repaired. Many of my treasured furniture pieces were yard sale items that I will keep forever.

But I made a mistake with the Seattle house and that was to hold the reins on some of the decorating I would have loved to do. Why? Because I knew at some point we would sell that pretty place and move in to our dream home, recently purchased in the mountains of Idaho. My thought at the time was that if I decorated in too much ornate plaster, if I painted murals on the walls and ceilings or if I used a little too much "gold" accent , that the house would somehow be less appealing to potential buyers.

As I've spent the past few years making the Idaho house a true extension of my personality and my art with cast columns, wall and sky murals and gold decor items in nearly every room, I've realized that I shorted myself in not doing the same in our Seattle home.

I've found that though I decorated that house to please myself and my husband, I was also decorating it for potential buyers from the moment I moved in. By doing that, I kept myself from enjoying things I am now creating in Idaho. Things that make me happy, things that I have loved in other homes but didn't feel I could do to my own because it might displease a future owner.

My whole point is that your home really is your "castle". No matter how long you are meant to be there. Decorate for YOU. Decorate to please and comfort YOU and your family. Don't worry about what the future might hold.

The most important thing is to make your home a special place that is meant to be enjoyed "today". So if you want brilliant red walls, go for it... If you want to decorate in high style, have a ball! If you want to paint your walls black and carpet in white shag, then that's what must be done! In closing, I want to quote Eleanore Roosevelt: "Life has just got to be lived ~ Thats all there is to it".

The Toy Room: A Great Room for Children And Parents

Every child needs a special, magical place: a corner of the world (or at least the house) where he can escape, have fun, and rule his tiny kingdom. And this place is the toy room.

Why You Need a Toy Room

There are many benefits to having a designated Toy Room in the house. The first, and perhaps the most convincing argument, is that the sense of ownership—“this is my space, with my things”—helps develop a child’s security and self esteem. Just put yourself in your child’s shoes. He’s smaller than everyone else, the grown ups set the rules, and the world seems like such a big place with scary and unfamiliar things and experiences. But the toy room becomes his sanctuary. He is surrounded by everything he loves, and has complete control over what happens within the walls of the toy room. Does he play with the blocks or the ball? Will he read a book or paint? Nobody can tell him what to do. Child psychologists also believe that a toy room can help him become more independent, since it encourages him to make small but simple decisions without mom and dad hovering over his shoulder.

For parents, the toy room is an enclosed, designated area where they can leave the child and not worry about his safety. This leaves them free to attend to chores or get a precious half hour of “me time”.

How to Set up a Toy Room

-Make sure that the Toy Room is completely child-proof, especially if you cannot see the child from where you will be staying. Windows should be securely locked (you can buy clips or window guards). If you have Venetian blinds, make sure that the cords are tied well above the child’s reach (they can get strangled on them). Wall sockets must have plastic protectors. Other common hazards are: exposed cords, breakables, and sharp table corners. -Invest in a baby monitor for small children. It’s best if you can hear them if they cry—just so can quickly check that they haven’t gotten hurt.

-Choose furniture (tables and chairs, cabinets, book shelves, or coat racks) that are specifically designed for your child’s age and size. They can climb on a tall adult’s and then crash down to the floor, or slip while trying to reach a book on a shelf that’s too high. -If your child’s older and able to follow instructions, give simple toy room safety rules. Better yet, remove anything that would possibly cause danger beyond his ability to control himself. For example, instead of saying “Don’t run around with the sharp scissors” give him specially designed scissors for kids.

Purchasing Leather Furnishings

Personally, I love leather furnishings. If you do as well, this article will help you learn how to purchase leather furnishings with a minimum of fuss.

Leather furnishings can be a classy addition to your living room or den. Many consumers are turning towards leather furnishings because of their attractive styling and durability. However, leather furnishings are an investment and some care should be taken when selecting a piece for your home. Here are some simple tips to help you purchase leather furnishings that are the right choice for your lifestyle.

First, don’t be afraid of purchasing leather! It is actually four times more durable than fabric covered furnishings. Leather also improves as it ages, so you won’t have to worry about a piece looking worn. Leather can be used in an office space or formal setting, but families with children do not need to shy away from it. Families might want to purchase leather furnishings that have unzipping cushions. This way you can remove the cushions to freshen them up or to have them replaced.

There are three different finishes on leather. Aniline is the softest of the leather choices. It is also the most expensive. It is made with no protective coating over the leather. Semi-aniline has a small amount of coating on it, and pigmented leather is fully coated. When you decide to purchase a leather piece, you will need to first think about what you are doing to do with the piece and what your lifestyle is like. The aniline leather is soft and beautifully dyed, but it is not protected from stains. A spill on pigmented leather can typically just be wiped up, but the leather is not as luxurious.

Although leather/vinyl combinations typically save you some money, they wear at different rates. The vinyl part of your couch or chair will wear quicker than your leather. For this reason, make sure that the piece you are choosing is 100 percent leather. Leather couches and chairs are a good investment because they last much longer than fabric couches. Some people are turned off by the higher prices, but you should keep in mind that you will likely purchase two or more fabric couches in the same time span that you would keep your leather couch.

Today, about half of upholstered furniture sold is made from leather. Once you have selected the right leather piece for your lifestyle, make sure you receive some education on how to properly care for your new addition. Frankly, this is a critical step to getting the most for your money when your purchase leather furnishings.

At the time of your purchase, you should receive information regarding any care instructions specific to the pieces you bought. In general, you will just need to take a dry cloth and dust off your leather every few days. You should take a vacuum with a crevice tool and clean along the bottom and in between cushions. You should use a leather conditioner every six to twelve months to keep the leather looking good and feeling soft. As simple as this may all sound, the purchase of leather pieces is a good choice and a fairly easy process.

Guide to Buying Furnishings for Your Home

When it comes time to start buying furnishings, the hardest step is often figuring out how to go about it. This guide to buying furnishings solves the problem nicely!

When buying furnishings there is much you need to take into consideration. Your furnishings are something that you will have for many years to come, and picking the right piece can be an overwhelming experience. Taking this guide to buying furnishings into consideration before you head to the store will aid you in finding the perfect piece for your home.

Make sure you are prepared. Thinking of your long-term goals is extremely important. Before you visit your first store, make a floor plan of the room you are buying furnishings for to determine how a piece will fit and whether it will look right. Dimensions are equally as important. Know the exact square footage of the room, as well as the dimensions of each piece. You may see a couch that will look like it will fit but after you return home, you find out it is too large. This can all be avoided by traveling to all stores with a tape measure.

When buying upholstered furnishings, never buy a piece when you first see it without taking home a piece of fabric to test against your other pieces. Also, fabric looks different under various lights, so you want to make sure you try the fabric during both day and night to make sure you truly love it.

Testing the furnishings is probably the most valuable tip you should take from this guide. Make sure that it is comfortable for a long period of time. It may seem strange to be stretching out on a couch in the middle of a showroom, but furnishings are something that you can’t change your mind about later. Take your shoes off and get comfortable, and stay on it for a while before deciding. You’ll notice soon if the dining room table chairs you are sitting on put a strain on your back, or the couch you are sitting on becomes stiff.

Last, but definitely not least, never buy on impulse. You may see an item marked down 50 percent, but before you buy make sure that it is the exact color and shape you want. A sale makes you feel good about buying, but when you get home and realize that it doesn’t match or fit in, you will find yourself spending even more money to find a perfect piece later on.

Give Your Kitchen A Classy New Look

We all think kitchens are the hardest room to decorate on a budget. Why? Because, there are fixed elements that we often can't do anything about when funds are limited. For instance, appliances, cabinets and counter tops are elements that are expensive to replace. Flooring also falls in to that category.

Heck, if we could simply replace all of those items at once, we would have it made, right? But many of us can't, and in most cases we are talking about $10,000-$20,000 dollars to do it right. So what do we do? Add to them!

OK, there's little that can be done to change the range, but everything from refrigerators, to dishwasher fronts, counter tops and cabinets can be added to in elegant ways. In this article, we will tackle the subject of your cabinets.

Molding is a fabulous way to give an updated and beautiful look to plain cabinets and come in many styles. Try adding crown molding at the very top of your cupboards, next to the ceiling and watch them take on a new, more modern look. Architectural trim always gives more detail to walls, so let it do the same for your cabinetry.

If you don’t want to deal with a miter saw and a measuring tape, there are foam moldings that can be cut with a kitchen knife and don't need special tools to install. I found great, twistable molding that anyone can apply all by themselves. Just do a search for foam moldings on the internet and you’ll find it. It’s super easy to install and literally cuts like butter!

Add Raised Stenciling, or Cast Plaster Ornamental pieces to the fronts of the cupboard doors then give the molding and your cupboards a new coat of neutral colored paint. Add new door pulls and you have a whole new set of cabinets!

Love the look of fabulous Italian decor? Try adding corbels to the underside lip or sides of your cabinets. This is also a great treatment for kitchen islands. Corbels come in many styles and can be found on line by doing a search for "Corbels". Prices range anywhere from $10.00 and up depending on the styling and material they are made of. You can opt for expensive hand carved corbels or do what I do and opt for the resin variety which are just as ornate and attractive for less that ½ the cost.

Give a Room A Refreshed Look Without Spending A Dime

Winter is a time for all of us to come inside; to no longer be outdoors among the greenery, warm sun, fresh air and blooming flowers. We see little but the four walls for months on end.

Week after week, we will be cooped up within the confines of our homes which makes it the perfect time to do a bit of re-designing and re-decorating. Heres how you can do it without spending a single dime: Giving our homes a fresh, new look tends to give us a fresh new "outlook". Fresh, exciting and full of promise. The impact is really quite amazing.

A fun activity such as a re-decoration project goes a very long way to taking the dull out of dark, boring winter months. Something as simple as a cheery new paint color, a new arrangement of existing furnishings, maybe a change of accessories can give a room a whole new look and give your spirits a boost as well.

So the holidays have put a "bust" on your budget? Until you can afford to re-decorate the way you dream, try this:

Since it's typically the most used room in the house, empty your living room of all accessories (area rugs, lamps, end tables, artwork, display items) except your sofa and coffee table. Move your sofa and coffee table to a new location, planning for a smooth traffic flow or focusing on a new focal point such as a fireplace, window view, etc.

Search other rooms in the house for replacement art, tables, rugs and chairs to now place in the living room. Let your imagination go wild and try placements you have never tried before. Do the same with accent pieces such as vases, coffee table books, plants and so on. Once you are finished, you will have a refreshed space that creates a whole new feel to the room. Different accessories can give the same old room a whole new look and feel. We tend to get stuck in a "rut" when it comes to how our homes look and these simple tricks can refresh your living space without spending a dime!

Stylish Decorating With Thrift Store Finds

Finding really great, quality items at thrift or consignment stores, yard sales or swap meets takes time. But it’s well worth the foot work you will do to score great items that would cost you a fortune otherwise and can take your home beyond the "basics", turning it in to something really fabulous! The trick to great finds is to go often.

Frequent your favorites at least every two weeks (giving them time to get more merchandise in stock). The early bird really does catch the worm in this case because unique or quality items are snatched up quickly. When I am in search of a particular item, I tend to go every week on Mondays. This is typically the day when new merchandise is set out after the weekend rush.

What you are looking for are items in your decorating style that have quality construction (even if you need to turn a screw, replace a hinge or do a bit of paint or repair). Decide what your room needs, make a list that you keep with you when perusing these wonderful treasure shops to keep you from purchasing things you really don’t need.

Fully examine the item then ask yourself what you will have to do to get it in shape. Recover it? Paint it? Fix it? And are you willing to do it.Remember that these types of outlets are fabulous for finding accessories as well!

I used to see beautiful chaise lounge chairs in romantic old movies and found them to be so sophisticated and classy. I always dreamed of having one. But check out the prices of a new one! But one day, while roaming the aisles of our local swap meet, a woman was selling a rather shabby looking model for a mere $35.00. I grabbed it without even a thought of dickering the price. Ones similar to it retail at over $700.00 Knowing I could re-cover it, I hauled it home with great pride!

Check out do it yourself home decorating websites for step by step instructions on how to recover furniture. It’s really quite easy.

A very stylish occasional table cost me only $20.00 at an out of the way antique store. With high gloss black paint and a stenciled design in gold, the table now graces a guest bedroom and commands raves from visiting overnight guests.

Perfectly "Traditional" in styling and in great shape, I ran across a marble base table lamp with Victorian iron scroll work and all I had to do was to redo the gold finish on the metal with a antiquing kit from the paint store. $10.00 is all I paid for it. A $12.00 replacement shade completed this now treasured piece.

I nearly threw myself through the windshield when I slammed on the brakes in front of a yard sale that featured an exquisite, hand carved occasional chair. $40.00 later (they wanted much more!), I was laying it gently in the back seat and screaming home to place it in my living room. I've since found the perfect material in which to create a padded seat on it. This chair looks so expensive that visitors to my home comment about what a fortune I must have paid for it.

By now you are beginning to see that thrift store and yard sale finds don't have to mean that you are decorating your home with "junk". If you make good choices, use a bit of common sense and hone your "fix it" skills, you can have a very classy home on a dime.

For many wood items such as chairs and tables, a simple coat of paint, an antique finish and a stencil can create an elegant, one of a kind piece for your home.

I found a luscious oval coffee table at a thrift store that is made of very heavy wood (it took everything I had just to get it in the truck all by myself!). But I couldn't resist with its oval top and super quality, let alone the shocking price tag of just $5.00. Why was it $5.00? Because it had the most ugly, bright blue paint on it! A can of orange gel paint stripper later, the application of one of the designs from my stencil collection done with gold acrylic paint made it fabulous!