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"Helpful Ideas and Tips for Room-by-Room Decorating"

Gone are the days of formal living rooms and parlors, now we all live literally in the great room! It is often integrally tied to the kitchen, and sits at the center of the house. It is the hub for all activity and entertaining both family and friends.

Whether it is TV watching, game playing, homework doing, project making, wrestling with the kids, curling up with your S.O. for a movie or just kicking back, feet up and cold one in hand, the great room is where it all happens. So let's look at some easy ways to make it really GREAT!

Make it hardwood! It always seems strange to me when a builder creates an island of carpet for the great room rather than continuing the elegance and durability of hardwood. Do hardwood!

Not only will it provide greater continuity but adding a large plush rug with pattern and color will hide a lot more sins than the typical off white carpet. The rug will also act as a springboard for your design.

Crown molding is a must! If you don't have it, add it. If you have it, maybe you want to add another piece for a deeper look and it will give the ceiling a boost in height.

Accent color at the back of the bookcases! Many great rooms have built-ins flanking the fireplace. While these need to match the trim, the back of the them can add a real punch in an accent color, maybe a rich cabernet, a warm gold, or a fresh sage. It can either mimic the walls or complement them, but definitely not plain old white.

High ceilings need color! In today's airy, vaulted homes ceilings are often cut adrift in space 15' or more above the room, wrap them in color. When you've got 10' plus ceilings they can comfortably be the same shade as the walls or a tint lighter, but they need color to pull it all together and showoff the architectural featuring of the molding.

Keep it flexible! Go with a sofa and two chairs, instead of a sofa and loveseat or a sectional. It is much more flexible and everyone tends to like their own space. With two chairs you can always add an ottoman and even a third accent chair or bench.Tables are a must!

So often I see rooms half finished, missing key tables and those essential surfaces for a drink, a book, a phone even. Mix up your shapes, rounds, squares, rectangles, even triangles. For cocktail tables, the bigger the better, and keep the edges clipped or rounded. Life and people move fast and we often run into corners, eliminate the dangerous ones!

Lamps give it warmth! Lighting is critical, don't rely on a Swiss cheese ceiling of recessed lights (don't do it period!), or the unwelcoming glare from the overhead fan fixture (I usually banish those anyway!).

Lamps are the answer - one at each end of the sofa, not matching unless you are so formal and have matching tables, and one between the chairs. More light can be gained by a well-placed torchiere (read uplight) in a corner. Proper lamp height is when the bottom of the shade is within 2"-4" of your eye level when seated. All should be three way and support 50-100-150 watt bulbs for optimal lighting.

Texture hides soil! If you focus your upholstery in quieter fabrics with a lot of texture you'll hide soil, add to durability, easy maintenance, and won't tire of a busy print. Keep the busy for pillows and accents you can change out quickly and as your mood changes.

Do drapery! Big windows need to be framed and softened with fabric and color. Don't ignore these, and don't do wood blinds or shutters. They are another hard surface and will only serve to aggravate acoustics and echoes. You don't have to cover the windows, just frame them, think of a generous wood rod with rings and stationary (not moving) panels at the sides. This will add softness, color, a bit of pattern and will cushion acoustics.© 2005 Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt, Lifestyle Designer, Speaker, & Author, is the owner of Melissa Galt, Inc., a full service interior design firm based in Atlanta. She has been decorating clients’ homes all over the Southeast for more than a decade, making their interior visions come true. She speaks to audiences nationally , on how to use design as the catalyst for “creating the life you’ve always dreamed of”. Melissa is the creator of Design Destinations, a free monthly guide to designing your signature life. To sign up for her FREE monthly newsletter, visit www.melissagalt.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Colors For the Small Bedroom - Chocolate Brown Creates a Calming Ambience

I was gleefully eating some dark bio-chocolate without feeling guilty. I had read that dark, wholesome chocolate is very good for the health and does not make you fat. Whilst enjoying the delicious flavor, the beautifully designed packaging caught my attention.

The text stated that chocolate is calming for the nerves. I realized that dark brown, as a basis for a color scheme for a bedroom, is not only extremely dignified but also has a very calming effect.

A small bedroom decorated in brown can be turned into a perfect refuge, where life slows down a little. It will be a place where you can get in touch with the inner-self again. This hue, including its various shades, conveys a presence and a deep sense of tranquility. It is the color of earth, brings us back to our roots.

Dark brown will make the tiny bedroom look even smaller. However, it can convey a sense of being protected and cared for. The different shades of brown, from a deep chocolate brown to a light, pinkish mocha shade, contrasted with white and beige, provide depth and structure.

With blinders made of the diverse types of woven bast, you can add a Japanese elegance to a small room. Panels made of these fabrics would also look very sophisticated. They can be fixed to curtain rails, which allow you to draw the panels back and forth, according to the amount of light you require. This would give the room a very puristic, Japanese look.

Alternatively, you can create a sheer, medieval, textural richness by adding dark brown curtains made of shimmering brocades, smooth velvets, warm flannel or heavy, hand-woven linen. By making a bed-cover in the same material, you will bring the total look together.

This will also give a sense of unity, which will make the small bedroom seem much more spacious. The walls could be painted in a smooth mocha brown. Accessories in leather, dark wood and bronze would round up the luxurious effect.

Brown is so versatile, and there are many ways of adding an exquisite atmosphere to a small bedroom when using it as the basis for a color scheme. The end result will always be dignified and sophisticated, because of the very nature of this color.

If you would like to learn more on how to use color effectively for your home, you are welcome to visit my blog, where you will also see lots of pictures showing examples.http://www.colorcherish.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Iron & Wine for an Elegant Kitchen
by Tess Tackett

If you are like many others, your kitchen and dining area may be in serious need of an update. Iron and wine is the answer, if the elegant look of french vineyard is what you're searching for!

And since these accents are in high demand these days, you will easily find what you need to transform your kitchen and dining room from dull to breathtakingly gorgeous in no time.

Wrought iron is used in abundance in iron and wine decor. You will find beautiful wall shelves with intricate scrollwork, perfect for hanging wine glasses.

Cafe-style grapevine countertop wine bars add a sophisticated look to your decor and are very useful as well. A bakers style wine and glass rack will add enormous character and beauty, as well as serve a purpose.

Candleholders are extremely popular in this style of decor also. Exquisite wrought iron wall candleholders with their ornate scrollwork designs are in high demand, as well as the grapevine tabletop style. A few well placed candles add elegance and warmth to any room!

When it comes to your walls, there are many choices in the iron and wine look. Wine bottle pictures are beautiful, with most having a distressed and vintage look - it's absolutely charming. Rich colored grape pictures add more color to your rooms and blend perfect with your other decor.

Porcelain decorator wall plates are another option, with their gorgeous colors and intricately designed iron hangers, a perfect addition!

As you can see, you have endless options when it comes to decorating your home in the elegant style of iron and wine. These are just a few suggestions to help you get started. Look through a few magazines, use your imagination, and soon you will have a kitchen and dining room with the mesmerizing aura of a french cafe! Beautiful quality iron and wine decor for your home at budget prices!

All About Home Decor Exquisite Decor & Accents that Won't Break the BankInterior Motives Home decorating tips, ideas and resources
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

The Makeover Your Bedroom Deserves
by Alan Riley

A new look bedroom doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. Instead, using the tools given to you – your hands – you can achieve bedroom bliss, save money, and enjoy a bedroom that has been given new life and a modernized look. These nine steps will get you on the road to a fresh new look in the bedroom.

1. New bling for your bedroom

Your bedroom overhaul can be as easy as adding a few new handles and knobs to transform the old into the new. New handles on a dresser can make it look a million dollars and can save you the need to buy new furnishings. Even some new door knobs can add a new element to the bedroom at relatively little expense.

2. Pillow power

Pillows are a simple way to create a new-look bedroom. Pillows coordinated with your bed linen can add that dazzle to the room you are looking for. Different sized shapes and pillows in contrasting designs are a great, cheap interior design trick. This might be as simple as carrying elements of a Chinese design from the drapes and comforter through to the pillows, or matching your shams with the funky pink zebra print bedding you already have.

3. The window to your new room

Styling up your windows is a great way to freshen up the bedroom. Long drapes can achieve the depth your walls might be lacking all by their own. Pairing the drapes with the wall will achieve that contemporary, light feel, while valances can jazz things up when it comes to the room’s style department. Don’t forget window treatments also serve a purpose so don’t forget drapes for privacy.

4. Light up your life

Turn the lights on to your bedroom makeover – literally. Who would have thought something as simple as some new light fixtures could transform the bedroom into your own private sanctuary. Light dimmers to add romance, or as an option in a children’s room for security are options. Also consider where you need light in the bedroom, including softer lighting near the bed to make sleeping easier.

5. DIY flooring

Not only can you incorporate a range of flooring options into the bedroom – whether it be carpets, floorboards, polished concrete, bamboo or cork flooring – but you can also make the floor over yourself for a fraction of the cost. Think about painting or a re-polish of your floors or as an even easier option, why not incorporate a large rug.

6. Go to the head of the redesign class

A headboard is a simple way to freshen up the look of your bedroom. Look at painting, staining or reupholstering an existing headboard or alternatively, try a do-it-yourself option. Wallpaper is another option to create the optical illusion of a headboard and you won’t even have to get the nail gun out.

7. Bed spread

Colors and materials which mirror your style, flair and personality are an important element – after all, it is the one bedroom in the house which is truly yours and for this reason, can truly reflect who you are. Is your favorite color blue? Do you like birds or floral prints? Is animal print your thing? Whatever it may be, make it you.

8. Splash out with a paint job

Perhaps one of the most rewarding and transforming things you can do to your bedroom is to get into your glad rags and get painting. The best thing about painting is you can go DIY and sit back after you have finished the job and take in the complete transformation right before your eyes. You can make a space appear more open or lighter by painting with lighter colors. This is a fantastic trick to lighten a room with limited natural light. When it comes to selecting your paint have a good think about the colors and the size and shape of the room. Decrease the height of the room by painting the ceiling a darker color or to create an even more intimate space, consider dark flooring. Even a feature wall in a lighter color paired with warmer colors on other walls can make the room appear narrower.

9. Has the clutter monster taken hold?

Getting a new look bedroom isn’t always about what you add to it, but can also be about the clutter you take away. This is the cheapest and easiest way to breathe new life to your bedroom and you could even make some money selling off the items you no longer want, need or use. Who knows, profits from a de-clutter sale could even be used to purchase new pillows or window furnishings. Look at what items need to stay, which should go and which ones that are staying can be put in storage to lighten the load in your bedroom.

Author bio

Alan Riley is the publisher of www.beautifulbeddingsets.com who loves helping people reinvent their bedrooms with stunning bedding. Not only does Alan work with a number of bed linen providers, but he can also help you style-up a bedroom with handy tips. A new bedding set could be as simple as some new Kimlor sheets, a stylish array of new pillows or some contrasting sheets. Alan knows all too well what is needed to overhaul a bedroom, having moved homes several times with his wife Merilyn and their children Ellie and Nathan. The family lives in picturesque Melbourne, in the South East corner of Australia. When he isn’t passing on handy bedroom design tips, Alan enjoys sailing and the Riley family are members of their local church.

How Do Pocket Spring Mattresses Work?
by Sarah Black

The difference between a pocket spring mattress and a normal sprung mattress is simply that the pocket spring has individually wrapped springs, rather than just a mass of springs. This gives the springs independence and allows each one to react to the movement of your body individually.

Individuality in how the mattress is sprung is also an option. You can have tailor made pocket spring mattresses that deal with your body’s pressure points. They will raise, lower, or tighten certain springs to accommodate, for example, your right shoulder. This can eliminate those annoying aches and pains that so often materialize on a morning.

These types of beds are also an investment. They are proven to last a lot longer than your average sprung bed. The reason for this is simple; pocket springs last longer. In fact they are reported to last 20% longer than an open coil mattress. The open coil mattresses get an overall battering every night, whereas the individually wrapped springs only work when in contact with the body, giving them less chance to wear out.

All these things add up to an ‘A’ for the pocket spring beds, but with the final advantage it will be bumped up to an ‘A*’. Due to its single spring mechanism you will not bounce around with your partner when they toss and turn in the night.

This is due to the bed springs not being connected, Your side will deal with you, your partners side will deal with them. Never again will you wake because your partner is performing some form of acrobatic mayhem on the other side!

Sarah Black is a student of sleep science. She has studied the effects of mattresses on the quality of sleep. She is a huge fan of Dreams and what they have to offer.

Using Roller Blinds In The Kitchen
by Jack Oldham

Decorating any room is a tough task with a number of things to consider. The kitchen is perhaps the toughest of all rooms, largely due to the amount of health hazards caused by cooking equipment such as hot stoves and naked flames.

Window treatments are just one of a number of furnishings that require a lot of thought in the kitchen. Whilst curtains may be aesthetically pleasing in a number of rooms throughout the home, they are simply impractical due to the amount of hazards around and they gather dust very easily. Roller blinds are a much safer choice and are much more practical when it comes to cleaning.

Safety First

One of the main benefits of roller blinds is the fact that they can simply be rolled out of the way to avoid any contact with hot kitchen equipment, meaning that the chance of a fire is greatly decreased. This is one of the main concerns with window treatments in a kitchen and an open window can run the risk of wind blowing curtains into potential hazards.

Blinds are securely fitted to the wall, meaning that there is less room to manoeuvre and they are much less likely to sway into the path of any naked flames. In addition, they can also be rolled out of the reach of children, reducing the chance of more potential damage.

Visual Appeal

When it comes to blinds, the simpler option is usually better in terms of design. Whilst curtains can be flamboyant and take up a lot of room, roller blinds are slick, fitted options that do a simple job without much fuss. They can be purchased in a variety of different colours to have the desired aesthetic effect without standing out too much.

Choosing The Right Blinds

As well as colour and style, there are also a number of other factors to consider when purchasing roller blinds for your kitchen. The opacity of your blinds is something to bear in mind as they can help set the right mood with perfect lighting. Some people may wish to block out the sunlight 100%, whilst other may use the kitchen as a dining room and therefore want to set a nice atmosphere during mealtimes. There is also a decision to be made on the materials used with your blinds. One very popular choice is bamboo, as it is particularly eco-friendly and also quite attractive to boot.

Once you’ve taken into account the factors listed above, you should be in a good position to make a choice with regards to window fittings in your kitchen. Roller blinds provide a safer option to curtains whilst remaining easy on the eye.

Remodeling Your Bathroom With Bathroom Furniture: how cabinets can change your life!
by Helen Davies

Bathroom cabinets are ideal for many bathrooms; they’re practical, pleasing to the eye, and a great space saver. Fitting a bathroom with cabinets and vanities ensures that all your beauty and hygiene products are neatly stored away and you can pick out items from a single range to ensure an integrated finish across the room, if you prefer a coordinated look.

Starting from nothing can be a little intimidating. The bathroom vanity unit is an ideal place to begin and may be the focal point for your finished scheme. Everyone who uses your bathroom will wash their hands (we hope!) so the vanity unit supporting your washbasin will always be noticed.

Vanities can be built in or freestanding (although even freestanding vanities must be fixed to the floor to prevent any accidental movement damaging the sink’s plumbing) and there are a variety of designs and finishes, from modern wall hung pieces in high gloss laminate to freestanding, traditionally styled pieces in solid wood. Basins can be inset (sunk into the surface) or countertop and there’s a huge range of tap styles and designs to perfect the look you want.

Medicine cabinets and small, wall hung cabinets are often popular, accommodating smaller items (and those that need to be kept out of reach of little fingers), and tall cabinets can be especially useful in a small bathroom space, providing optimum storage for minimum floor space used.

An integrated linen unit can be really useful to keep all that dirty laundry in one place and out of sight, and a WC unit can coordinate a back to wall or wall hung toilet with the rest of your room scheme (and provides a handy shelf for storage – or a vase of flowers – behind the loo).

It’s essential, in order to get the most out of your bathroom furniture, that you think in advance about the type of storage space that’s going to be most useful for you. You want storage that’s suited to the stuff you have to store, and that’s going to be easy for you to maintain.

If it’s much more complicated to put things away than leave them out, you’ll have cluttered bathroom surfaces again soon enough, and all that money spent on your bathroom cabinets will not have been worthwhile.

So decide before you begin shopping whether large or small cupboards, drawer units or open shelving will be best for you, and think about how much of each type you might need. Be prepared to compromise to get a better price or to find the perfect size of units, but begin your bathroom remodel fully aware of what will make your bathroom space perfect for you.

Helen Davies is a bathroom designer and writer with ten years experience. She is currently working at Better Bathrooms, a UK company.