Need a Home Decorating Idea?
We have Easy Decorating Tips
by Deborah Gaskill
Coming up with ahome decorating idea is a challenge that not all of us find easy toaccomplish. I personally don't happen to be a professional interior decorator,but have educated myself enough though trial and error, televisionhome decorating shows and the internet that I feel strong enough to take astab at do-it-yourself home decorating. Apparently it has paid off as myfriends and family often look to me for home decor tips. It's fun do decorate...so jump in and go for it!
You'll be amazed to discover a true home decorating talent you didn't know you had.To get started, I have outlined some home decorating tips to get your project started on the right foot.
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First and foremost, the number one place to start with decoratingyour home is to choose your home style. Specific styles often requirea small range of color schemes and specific design features.Therefore, before choosing your exact colors or architecturalfeatures you may want to do a little research on the home style youhave chosen. A great resource to help you stay true to your home decorating style iswith homedécor books.
Your home style will also determine the architectural elements that should be added to your room decor. For example, if you are wanting a Neoclassical style (Greek & Roman Style) then columns, arched doorways and windows, strong dentil mouldings and an elaborate hand-forged staircase should be considered.
The following three resources for choosing your home decorating style will help you get started:
Please Note: Inorder to keep all your decorating ideas organized, don't forget todownload your free copy of my e-book "ScrapbookingYour Home Plans".
* Secondwould be to select your colors. This is one of the greatestchallenges I have had in the past—coming up with a color scheme.Gosh, all those paint colors...what to choose. Well, if you're likeme you need help! You can find many different places on the web thatoffer help in choosing paint colors that will ease the pain in selecting the color palate of your room decor. Here's a few of them.
http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/ has a Color Visualizer program that you can work with to select your paint colors. When I worked with the program I kept getting an error message. Perhaps, you'll have better luck.
http://www.behr.com/ offers a program to help you select your colors too, however I did not find it very helpful. And the inspiration area made me a little dizzy with how they move the photos in and out to view. Though, I love working with this paint brand as it is quite easy to work with and is very durable.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com offers another paint program to use. It is fairly easy to use and the overall visualization will at least help you discover the tone of color you are leaning towards.
Save yourselfmoney and time:
One fo the most Important Decorating Tips to keep in mind: You will not get an exact color match over your computer screen or byprinting it out on paper. The only way to get an exact match is to get a paint sample. In addition, a paint color can take on many different color appearances in your home due to lighting andshadowing of your room.
For instance, youmay love a specific golden yellow shade so you buy it, paint yourwalls and when you are finished are horrified with the color. This iswhy it is so crucial to purchase a little sample of paint beforepurchasing a huge quantity.
Paint at least a 1sq. ft. area on each of your walls to see the difference the lightingof the room makes with the color. After you have painted the areassee how the paint color appears both day and night. IF you are happy with thecolor then go ahead and buy it. However, if you are incorporating fabrics into your room decor, it is a good idea to get all your fabrics selected priorto buying your paint so that you can make sure your overall room decor stays on track as some fabric choices offer colors that are difficult to match paint colors.
* Third –Select your flooring. Decidingon a flooring material can often times be difficult. Let me helpnarrow your search by helping you rule out some obvious choices.Please Note: You must have the colors of your room picked out beforechoosing your flooring so that your floor will compliment your wallsand visa-versa.
WouldYou Prefer:
a.___Hardsurface or b.___Soft Surface
If you chose "a." you might consider floor tile, ceramic, marble, or stone or woodflooring. However, if your household has the tendency to drop heavyobjects on the floor you'll want to protect the floor with acushioned area rug to prevent breakage and expensive repairs.
c.___PermanentFlooring or d.___I'd like the option to change the flooring
If you selected "d." stay away from tile, marble, stone andwood flooring and consider either carpet or the new floating floorsthat are available in the wood floor and ceramic tile look. Ifsomeone in your household has asthma or allergies it is best to stayaway from wall to wall carpet as it is a great place to harborallergens.
e.___NeutralShades or f.___Color Specific Hews
If you would like the option to change your room's color palate then you should stay awayfrom a floor with color specific hews.
g.___Ihave small children/pets or h.___no kids or pets
The best way to keep your flooring more durable with children and pets is to stayaway from carpeting. If you would like a softer feel on your feetthen consider inexpensive area rugs over a tough washable surface,such as tile. Hard wood flooring should also be steered away from aspet's toe nails can scratch and those "accidents" canpermanently warp and sustain odors fairly easily.
i.___Ilive in a humid area or j.___I live in a dry area
If you live in a humid area it is best to stay away from natural fibers such ascarpeting and solid wood flooring as they can be a catalyst toharboring mold and mildew in your carpet and warping wood floors. Itis best to use permanent flooring such as ceramic, porcelain, marble,stone or terra cotta tile in extremely humid areas.
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*Fourth- choosing your furniture,which kind of goes hand in hand with the above aforementioned. Thefurniture you choose for your room can either make or break the lookyou are trying to achieve. Although, nowadays, it is the design trendto make your rooms look as if your furniture has been collected overtime.
TheEuropeans have been decorating this way for centuries; we Americansare just catching on. We previously required that every piece offurniture match exactly in style and color. Nowadays it's okay tohave odd pieces from different eras as long as they enhance thegeneral scope of the decorating scheme.
*Fifth - when planning your home décor it is crucial toknow exactly how everything will fit in a room before wasting moneyon buying furniture that won't fit.
Ihave created a furniture template guide to easily make yourown templates at very little cost, if any, to you! It takes onlyseconds to createa furniture, cabinet, or appliance template accurately. All you haveto do is follow my simple instructions and violà, you haveroom arrangement at its best. Thisone of a kind guide offers easy instructions and "ConversionCharts" to help you make precisetemplates – even for that uniqueand unusual piece of furniture!
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*Sixth – Accessorize! Nothing pulls a room together more thanaccessories! Whether you are a minimalist or like to go all out,selecting the right accessories will make your room sing! Accessoriesinclude pillows, throws, books, baskets, plants and art pieces (suchas framed work, vases, statues, plates, etc.) that bring out thecharacter of your room design.
*Seventh – Let there be light! Nothing enhances a room'sappearance and sets the mood more than lighting. Lighting can bringout the best features to make your room shine.
Fill Lighting – This type lighting is intended to evenly fill up your entire room with light, such as overhead lighting from either a chandelier or fixed ceiling light.
Spot Lighting – This type of lighting is intended to show off a special room feature such as a painting, furniture piece, and especially, your room's focal point. It should grace the object without overpowering it. A soft flood of light should be directed at the object it is enhancing. This can be accomplished by using either recessed lighting or tract lighting.
Task Lighting – Lamps are especially needed when you want to have a place to read and/or work. Whether it be a floor lamp or desk lamp no room should be left without task lighting.
Mood Lighting – This type of lighting can be either in the form of a wall sconce, candles, or rope lighting—your mission is to create a soft relaxing atmosphere. Tip: Place a string of rope lighting atop cove moulding set a few inches below the ceiling to softly light your entire room. Or, you can place rope lighting above or below your cabinets to give your kitchen that designer panache.
Up Lighting – This type of lighting is placed on the floor behind a plant or piece of furniture in order to cast shadows to set a dramatic scene for your visual pleasure. Caution: Make sure you use up lights that are made specifically for sitting on the floor in order to prevent fires from occurring.
We will continue to add more Home Decorating Information to help you achieve the home you've always dreamed of.
My best to you,
Deborah Gaskill
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