Home Interior and Design

Posts Tagged ‘Decorating’

If you are one of the many homeowners who would like to do more with the bathroom in your home, but find yourself limited on the funds it takes to undertake a remodeling project, you’ll be happy to know that there are ways to remodel your bathroom; even when you’re working with a tight budget.
Here’s a few decorating ideas to help you get started on your way to creating a new and totally improved bathroom for your home.
With all professional decorating projects you’re going to need skilled labor. That’s not the only cost though – materials for building and decorating can cost more than you might have imagined. This makes it even more important to plan each step of your project before one tile is removed or a hammer or nail are bought.
A big part of this planning process should be a wish-list, based on everything you’d love to have in your new bathroom. Once you’ve completed that list take it and compare it against all the absolute necessities that come in line with the budget for your redecorating project. There are lots of online and offline home improvement magazines for you to scan through for ideas – don’t be afraid to adapt or modify another design or layout that appeals to you.
As you start shopping for materials and supplies try your best to determine which things can be added easily and which ones can’t. A good way to do this is to take care of the floor plan and any structural requirements before you do anything else. Replacing a countertop is easy but if you’ve messed up the measurements or position for a sink or bath then things could get ugly very fast. Any major changes will mean spending major money – always remember that.
Bathroom Decorating Ideas That Save on Labor
One of the best ways to save on the labor costs associated with decorating your bathroom is to invest more of your own time, rather than the workers that get paid on an hourly rate. There are things that you can do before and after the workers that can speed up their time in your home. For example, you can pull up the old flooring and remove the old fixtures so that all the grunt work is out of the way before the professionals get there.
Take the time to discuss with the contractor the things you are willing to take care of personally, and work out the details of the specifics so that there are no misunderstandings. Make sure the agreement is a written contract and the cost of your work is deducted from their proposal. Verbal agreements might seem friendly but won’t stand up in court if that need were to arise.
Bathroom Decorating Ideas That Save on Material Costs
You don’t have to spend a fortune to achieve the expensive look that you’re aiming for. There are lots of substitutes for that expensive marble countertop, imported Italian fixture and hand-painted wall murals. Window shop for the high priced models of tubs, sinks and toilets you want. Then look for the more affordable options that have an almost identical style. Remember the high ticket items will always have a competitor making a product that looks identical to it but at about 50% of the cost (if not less).
Rather than paying for one slab of marble, you can buy marble tiles. Handmade ceramic wall tiles can be used as accents and tile border instead of on an entire wall.
It is possible to find similar looks that are within your budget. Just remember to make functionality a priority and keep the style simple. That way you won’t blow through your budget and wind up in debt.

While driving to a friend’s home recently, I was enjoying the beautiful sunny skies which we had not seen in Kentucky for quite a while. Glad that the gray winter days were finally leaving us, I was enjoying everyone’s freshly manicured homes, the greening grass, and leaves sprouting on the trees. I was paying particular attention to the homes’ front porches with their freshly placed furniture, wreaths and their overall curb appeal. Usually, homes in this area have the typical ferns and wind chimes but one particular home caught my attention with something different. A passerby had to notice it because it was bright and a beautiful gold color. It was spinning in the wind as the sun was reflecting off of it somehow producing a gorgeous sparkle. Unsure of what it was, I thought to myself that as I passed by the home again I would make a point to take a closer look at this eye-catching apparatus.

 

After ten more minutes of pleasant driving I finally pulled into my friend’s driveway only to notice a bright and beautiful blue spinning gadget like the one I had just passed. As I got out of the car I noticed that in the center of this spinning beauty was a lovely butterfly design. My friend steps out on the porch to greet me and asks if I liked her wind spinner.  I had to admit that I have never seen or even heard of such a thing as a Wind Spinner. When I heard the word “wind spinner” I thought of those little plastic pinwheel toys that you blow on as a kid!

 

After explaining to her that I had just seen another eye-catching gold wind spinner on my drive to her home, she laughed and said that they are also called eycatchers. Made from 18-gauge steel and powder coated to withstand the elements, these wind spinners are apparently a hot item that I was just becoming privy to. My friend went on to explain how they have a layered metal design so that you can bend them to catch the wind better and the powder coating not only protects them but gives them the reflective element that causes them to be so eye-catching.

 

For someone who prides themselves in seeing a bit of everything, I have to admit that I was completely ignorant when it came to this lovely outdoor décor. Hang them on your porch, shepherd’s rods in the flower bed or in the garden to add a beautiful touch of class to your outdoor décor. Of course, I had to buy two of them and chose to hang one on my porch and the other in my flower bed on a shepherd’s rod. Never have I received so many compliments as I have since hanging up these brilliant wind spinners.

 

If you want to decorate the outside of your home with something different I would definitely recommend these eycatcher wind spinners. You can also simply add them with your already hanging ferns and wind chimes to add a touch of class and uniqueness that will have your neighbors talking.

http://www.metalwallartbiz.com/decorating-with-outdoor-eycatchers-wind-spinners

Contemporary decorating can look really nice in the bedroom though many people do have trouble knowing where to start. By making simple changes such as painting the walls or changing the bedding, you can really make a difference so it might be a good idea to start with that first.
Many homeowners love the look and style of contemporary design, however when it comes to developing the look in the bedroom they simply just do not have a clue as to how to achieve it.
The good news is that no matter how terrible your decorating skills may be, contemporary style decorating is fairly simple to do. It could be something as simple as painting the room a different color or even just changing your bedding and obviously that does not cost a fortune either.
Creating a Contemporary Look
The main thing that you have to remember with contemporary design is that it should be simple and have clean lines. You do not have to worry so much about every piece of furniture coordinating with each other; just as long as you keep the look simple you should be ok. Chrome and metal furnishings go particularly well in contemporary design as well as both dark and light stained wood and black lacquer furniture.
Accessories are not overly used in contemporary style decorating either but it is important to know that the accessories which you will be using will need to be well thought out. Simple vases with just one flower in them and metal sculptures make excellent accessories within the bedroom and decorative pillows on the bed can also look really good too.
You need to ensure that the lighting is perfect and one way to make that happen is to use chandelier type lighting and bedside lamps work well too. Chrome ceiling fixtures work really well with recessed lighting but you should ideally stay well clear of fancy lighting.
The color of the walls is the next thing which you should focus on and generally brown colors are usually preferred along with the use of black and white which creates a striking contrast. By painting the room a neutral color you can then let the accessories and the furniture take over the main theme. This means that you do not have to spend a huge amount of money creating a contemporary theme which is ideal if you have a small budget.
Plain artwork finishes off the contemporary look and they can make really plain walls look a little more exciting. Whilst simplicity is part of the contemporary style, there is such a thing as being too simplistic so do not have the walls too bare otherwise it will just look unlived in. If you want to make your room look a little more modern then adding tribal masks and abstract art onto the walls will really help to create the look.
Overall it is fairly simple to get the look which you require from contemporary decorating in the bedroom and it does not break the bank either. Just changing the bedding can make a huge difference so do what you can with the money that you have.

Remodeling or renovating your bathroom can be an involved undertaking and even require expert skills, but you will find that the bathroom decorating ideas below are not hard for the average homeowner and don’t cost a lot or make a mess either!
Simplify
Here’s a bathroom decorating idea that won’t break the bank – clean off the junk on the vanity and also other surfaces and that should provide a big improvement. You may even put it in the vanity or buy decorative holders or containers and put the stuff in there.
Accessorize
Don’t forget to accessorize your bathroom by using selected toothbrush holders, soap dishes and even unique soaps. It’s the attention to detail that will give the interior design a put together style.
Artwork
Who wouldn’t want to gaze at framed artwork in the powder room? Putting up some pleasant works of art in beautiful frames can give your guests something pleasing to look at plus add ambiance to the room.
Paint
This is really the least pricey way that will alter the look of the bathroom the most. It won’t take a long time to paint and a new color can affect the entire appeal. Don’t be afraid to use bright paint – you could always repaint. Coordinate your shades with any accessories or curtains you already have and would like to continue using.
Plants
Plants look perfect in most every space and the bath is no exception. If you don’t get enough light in the bath to allow for thriving plant life, think about getting a few silk plants, but, be aware that inexpensive ones won’t look decent so you do have to select decent quality silk plants.
Lighting
Is your bathroom well lit? Modern bathroom lighting might create a huge difference and is one of the brightest bathroom decorating ideas although it might need an electrician. Think about using recessed bathroom lighting if it is within your budget or just purchase new lighting over the vanity for a less pricey answer.
Shower Curtain
You most likely change your shower curtain out regularly, but do you really give a great deal of thought to it? This time why not choose something that is that is more pricey yet will get a great look. Complete the look with rugs and accessories that match.
Rugs
Every bathroom should have a decent bathmat so why not add bath mats that match with all your other pieces?
Towels
Obviously you take advantage of towels in the bathroom on a daily basis, but do you use them to decorate? To enhance a fantastic appeal place decorative towels in a container or basket on the floor.
There it is, simple and inexpensive bathroom decorating ideas that you can pull off in a weekend without breaking the bank!

Like any other room in our home, we want our bedrooms to be put-together and stylish. But we also want our bedrooms to be a real heaven, very comfortable and cozy – after all it’s the first and last thing we see every day.
Your bedding is what I call your ‘anchor’ in the room – the largest piece of fabric and the most important pattern in the room. If you want a coordinating, put-together room, you need to make sure your window treatments compliment (they may or may not match) your bedding. You CAN bring your room together whether you’re buying ‘ready-mades’ or ‘custom’.
For the DYI’er.
1. If you’re in the process of shopping for new bedding, I would strongly suggest that you purchase the coordinating window treatments as well. Most often, the retail stores do carry coordinating accessories with their assortment of bedding – so if you’ve already found the pattern that you like, it’s easy to just purchase the whole set. You can always get more information on ready-made curtains at www.CurtainHowTo.com.
2. If you’re happy with the bedding, but unhappy with the type of the window treatments available, you can always purchase them anyway, and then just use the fabric to make up any other window treatment you like (you will be getting into some custom work here)
3. If you’re happy with your current bedding and are looking for just the window treatments here are a couple of tips:
a. Be sure to match the main color pallet from both the bedding and the treatment. Not all colors have to match, but the most prevalent one does.
b. If your bedding is highly patterned, it’s easier to select solid drapes (this works the other way around too).
c. Purchase an extra panel and make up a pillow – even a little touch like this can make a difference. Your local cleaner can make one up for you.
d. If you want to be really audacious, purchase several panels, and use the fabric to make a bed skirt and several pillows or shams. This might be a bit too advanced for a local cleaner and you’ll have to find a seamstress.
4. Purchase an extra panel and use it as a throw at the foot of the bed. While there is nothing wrong with mixing patterns, it will be easier for you to use a solid throw on a patterned comforter (and the other way around).
Custom work.
As with anything with custom, the sky is the limit, but here are your basic considerations:
1. Be sure to select the fabric for your bedding first. It is your anchor and all other elements are derived from it. As such, make sure you really love it!
2. It’s best when your comforter fabric and window treatments fabric do not match. That’s right, I said do not. Because both will use such a large amount of fabric, seeing the same pattern in 75% of your room will just be too much of the same thing. Of course, having said it, some of design is subjective and personal – if you really love it, go for it!
3. Choose at lease three patterns: one main one and two secondary. If you love high pattern and not afraid to try, go for five or six.
4. It will be easier for you to select a solid comforter fabric and use various patterns for pillows and shams.
5. Custom bedrooms look best when completed with a bench at the foot of the bed.
If you’re completing your bedroom through a retail store, there are some simple steps you can take to make your bedroom beautiful, put-together, and on the budget. If you’re making custom treatments, decide how much risk you’re willing to take with your patterns and what feel you want to accomplish. The designer will help you with selecting the right fabrics.