Tag Archive 'Interior Decorating'

Feb 15 2010

Simple Ways to Add Color to a Kitchen

If you’re like most families, you probably spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen. So why not make it more interesting by adding some color to the room? Maybe you don’t want a drab and dreary kitchen, but you don’t know quite how to add the right touch. Here are some easy ways to add color to your kitchen so you can change your décor from boring to fabulous.

Add Color by Dressing Up Your Table
Dress up your kitchen table as an easy way to add color to your kitchen. Add a colorful tablecloth or placemat set, or display some colorful dishware. Add flowers in a vase or basket to the center of your wood dining table to add some instant color to the room. Look for colors that will both add interest to the look but complement the overall décor.

Add Color with a Backsplash
Don’t let your kitchen backsplash be boring. You can always keep things simple with a neutral-colored tile or laminate, but you also have to option of venturing out a little and making things colorful. Tiles and laminates come in all different colors. If you want a totally unique look, try arranging colored glass that’s been broken up in a random pattern on the wall. Not only will you create a personalized, one-of-a-kind backsplash, but you’ll be able to get a some different colors worked into the décor.

Paint an Accent Wall a Different Color
If your kitchen is painted a neutral color, then paint an accent wall to incorporate some color into the décor. Choose the wall that’s the least covered with cabinets or appliances. Be sure to pick an accent color that will work well with the rest of your kitchen’s décor. For a more subtle look, go with a matching color. But if you want the wall to really stand out, pick a color that’s complementary.

Take the Doors Off the Cabinets
When you take the doors off your kitchen cabinets, you can display all your colorful dishes and other tableware. If you have neutral dishes, add some pop by painting the insides of the cabinets a contrasting color. You don’t need to remove every cabinet door in your kitchen, but instead choose anywhere from one to four prominent cabinets and make them your “color cabinets.”

Use Window Treatments to Add Interest
Another great option is to utilize the window area in your kitchen to add color. For your valance or drapes, choose a color that will really stand out in the décor. Red or purple window treatments would be a great way to add color to the room if you have, for example, a black-and-white or otherwise neutral kitchen.

Just because you want to incorporate some color into your kitchen doesn’t mean you have to redecorate the entire room. Rather, build upon what you already have to add your own colorful touches here and there.

About the Writer….
Leon Tuberman has been part of the furniture and interior decorating  business for 40 years. He owns and operates his family owned furniture store. They carry a large selection of American made solid oak furniture for your living room, bedroom and dining room furniture. Whether you’re looking for a dining table for your formal dining room or a sofa for your living room  then they have everything you need.

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Jan 29 2010

Decorating Your Home Using Murals

You can really add some interest and style to a room by adding a mural. Murals can be used in many different types of rooms, from the kitchen to the bedroom. This is a very popular way to add some design to a large area. Read on for some basic tips on decorating with murals in your home.

What Is a Mural?
Any type of design or picture that’s painted or drawn directly on the wall is called a mural. Murals can be composed of anything, from a beach or ocean scene to a pattern of dots or stripes on the wall. In terms of application, murals can be painted on, drawn on, or even stuck on the wall.

Tips for Painting or Drawing a Mural on the Wall
If you decide to paint or draw your own mural, be sure that you properly research your supplies. There is specific paint that is suitable for murals, and you also want to be sure the paint will go over whatever surface you’re painting on. If you really want to do your own mural but you’re not sure about your artistic abilities, there are a variety of stencils and kits that offer pictures you can blow up and trace on the wall available at most home décor and arts and crafts stores. More often than not, a stencil is a wise decision, as not many people can freehand a large mural.

Sticking Your Mural on the Wall
If painting and drawing really aren’t your thing, you always have to option of using wall decals or wallpaper murals. You pretty much just have to hang these murals on the wall, but they look just like real painted-on murals. For wallpaper murals, all you need is glue and water, as they are hung just like regular wallpaper. Decals, on the other hand, come with an adhesive already on the back of them and tend to be more like stickers.

Hire a Professional to Make Your Mural
If money is no object when it comes to creating a mural, you might want to hire a professional artist to do the work. This is a great option, particularly if you have a very large mural you want done or if you’re not artistic at all. Just be aware that this approach can quickly get expensive, particularly if the mural ends up being large and intricate. Some murals can take a few days. It all depends on just how detailed they are and how large the space is. Therefore, you want to be sure that you budget accordingly.

Where to Add Murals in Your Home
Murals will make a great addition to just about any room in your home. You might consider adding a great nursery mural to welcome a new little one. Or you might want to add a mural to that large empty wall in your dining room that fits the style of the room. Bathrooms and kitchens are also great places to put murals. A wall mural doesn’t necessarily need to be huge, nor does it need to be the only thing on the wall, but you do want to be sure it’s highlighted in the room.

With so many options, you don’t necessarily have to be artistic to add a mural to your home. If you have the budget, you can always hire a professional artist. Or you can choose to go the wallpaper or decal route instead. Murals will add some design style to your décor and are also a good way to demonstrate your personality in your home.

About the Writer
Leon Tuberman has four decades of experience in the furniture and interior design industry. He owns and operates his family owned furniture store. They offer a huge assortment of solid amish furniture for your living room, bedroom and dining room that’s built in the Heartland of America. Are you searching for bookcases for your family room or a oak tv stand for your family room then they probably have everything you need.

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Dec 01 2009

5 Tips for Decorating a Nursery

One important element that many new parents think about is how they are going to decorate the baby’s nursery. Decorating a baby nursery is certainly a lot of fun, but there are some essential things that new parents need to keep in mind concerning the decorating process.

1. Keep Safety in Mind at All Times
The baby’s safety needs to be a top priority when you are planning your nursery’s décor. Thus, you might have to sacrifice some design elements if they could be potentially unsafe for your baby. Make sure that there are: no small pieces that might pose a choking hazard, no items that contain toxic chemicals, no strangling hazards, and no uncovered electrical outlets.

2. Set a Budget and Stick to It
It’s not at all hard to end up way over budget when it comes to decorating your baby’s nursery. It’s very easy to get lured in by all the cute baby items that are available. Your best bet is to make a reasonable budget for the room before you do anything else and then make sure you stick to it. If your budget is limited, you want to spend the bulk of the money you have on a quality crib and furniture rather than other décor items.

3. You Don’t Have to Choose a Theme
One thing that many new parents insist on is that they have to choose a theme for their baby’s nursery. Yet without a theme, a nursery’s décor can look just as nice. With some nice paint colors and great furniture, you can create a wonderful nursery that’s refreshingly simple. Once your baby becomes a toddler or young child, then it will be easier to change the room according to what he or she wants. A nursery theme is only one nursery decorating option. Don’t let others convince you that a theme is absolutely necessary.

4. Use Your Creativity and Talents
Some of the best baby nurseries have been create by parents who have channeled their creativity and talents into a completely unique nursery design. For instance, if you are able to paint or draw, then you might consider designing your own mural for the nursery wall. Unique items for the nursery’s décor might also be stitched by those of you who are sewers or knitters. New parents will often find that they like the nursery a lot better when they have included their own creative touch.

5. Make Sure the Nursery Is Functional and Practical
Some new parents end up learning the hard way when it comes to the functionality of their baby nursery. Above all else, the nursery needs to be practical rather than just aesthetically pleasing. Finding furniture and baby items that you will actually use is one of the most important keys to creating a functional and practical room. So if that rocking chair is not comfortable, even though it might look really cute in the corner, chances are that you’re probably not going to use it and you will have wasted your money.

Most new parents genuinely look forward to decorating the baby’s nursery. With a little help from these suggestions, you’ll be able to create the best possible baby nursery for your little one.

About the Writer…
Leon Tuberman has been part of the furniture and interior design  business for 40 years. He owns and operates a popular furniture store in California. They offer a huge assortment of solid wood furniture for your living room, home office and dining room that’s built in the Heartland of America. Are you searching for wood file cabinets for your home office or wood end tables for your living room then they probably have everything you need.

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Oct 30 2009

Budget Decorating – 3 Easy Ways to Add Artwork

Artwork is one of the most popular ways to decorate a home. But most people believe that in order for artwork to look good, it has to be expensive. This is absolutely not the case. There are many ways to decorate your home with art that’s inexpensive and still results in a wonderfully decorated room. If you want to include art in your home décor but don’t have a lot of money to spend, then here are some great ways to add interest and character to your home on a budget.

Find Free Artwork around the House
With a simple look around your house, you are bound to find free artwork that can easily be framed for a beautiful addition to any room. You might find items such as hanging illustrated calendars, postcards, greeting cards, and perhaps even a decorative flag. You can make these pieces look even more professional by matting them with matting board in the frame.

Look to Nature for Art Pieces
A shadow box or even a matted frame can be used to frame quite a few different things from nature. For instance, you can frame a collage you’ve created from pressed flowers and leaves. Sea shells, seeds, pinecones, branches, flowers, and other items from nature can all be used as pieces of artwork. With a little creativity, you can come up with a collage of these items that will fit perfectly with your décor.

Take Your Own Photographs for Your Artwork
The artistic possibilities are endless if you have your own camera or can borrow one from a friend. Anything can become the subject for a photograph, from flowers and trees to houses and the sky. To add your own creative touch, use a photo editing website and develop the pictures in black and white or sepia. Have the photographs developed in the proper size, regardless of whether you enlarge them or print them in normal size.

Get creative and display your photographs together on a wall in matching frames of different sizes. Or you can also collect the photographs into a book and place it as a center piece on wood end tables or oak coffee tables. You might also enlist the help of a friend to take photos, especially if you’re not that creative. Or you can go the traditional route and take pictures of your family to hang on the walls.

By getting creative, you should be able to find any type of artwork for your home without having to spend a lot of money. It’s easy to turn everyday objects into pieces of art. Look through any illustrated books you have and see if there’s a picture you can frame and hang to fit the style of your room. Or collect things like fabric swatches, buttons, magazine clippings, and other small items from which you can make a collage for a frame or shadowbox. There are so many possibilities for inexpensive artwork. You just need to take the time to look around your home and then use what you have.

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Oct 15 2009

4 Simple Ways to Decorate on a Budget

Published by L.A. Remodeler under Interior Decorating

BedroomBelieve it or not, no matter how small your budget, it’s possible to bring style to any room in your home. There are so many inexpensive ways to add style to your home, giving it a whole new look. Following are some great ways to decorate any room in your home while sticking to your budget.

1. Paint is the best way to spruce up a room on a tight budget.

With just a couple gallons of paint that will cost you less than 50 dollars, you can give any room an entirely new look. You might use bright or bold colors to add drama to the room, or go with more neutral colors for a more natural appearance. You’ll be surprised how creative you can get with paint. You might choose to paint only one wall an accent color, which will make that wall the focal point of the room. There are many ways to add some real interest to your walls, by painting strips or trying a textured painting technique.

2.  Your windows are another great place to make a big impact on a room without spending a lot of money.

There are a variety of different window coverings to choose from for any type of room. Even if your windows are already covered with blinds, adding a valance to the top will add much more drama to the area.

There are many different creative options to try when dressing a window. Try taking sheer material and draping over a decorative curtain rod as a simple and inexpensive decorating idea. Another easy idea is long curtain panels tied back with thick ribbon or velvet.

3. You can largely impact the look of a room by simply adding some accessories that will tie the room together.

So often it’s the little things that count when it comes to décor. When used the correct way, accessories such as candles, photos, flowers, and baskets on a oak dresser can add a lot to a room. By simply adding a row of candles to a coffee table or wood night stand, you can give a room a more intimate feeling. With a vase of flowers, any kitchen can look more inviting. Even the smallest touches, such as new towels in a bathroom, can make a big difference.

By shopping flea markets and consignment stores for these items, you’ll be able to stick to your budget. Shopping this way may be a bit more time consuming, but it will save you a ton of money, especially if you have your entire house to decorate.

4.  For a new look, try rearranging the furniture or pull items from one room and use them in another.
If your budget is really tight, it makes sense to work with what you have. Always be on the lookout for pieces you can refurbish and add your own style to. For instance, the old vase that use to hold flowers in the family room could be spray painted with a metallic finish to add the perfect touch to your dining room table. Carefully consider the items you have and envision how you might change them to fit the style you’re looking for.

Decorating doesn’t have to cost you thousands of dollars. You’ll be surprised at how far 100 dollars or 200 dollars will get you in bringing style to your home on a tight budget.

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