When your days are lengthy plus the air is really hot, you would like to toss open all your house windows and consequently appreciate the days from the summer time months. Bring within the fresh appear of summer time time straight into your house by incorporating efficient an important additions or possibly removals of color, style, too as accessories.

Not everybody has got the luxury of going to the lake or possibly mountains to appreciate most from the “care-free days or weeks of summer time season.” But a majority of everybody is capable to obtain the appear of summer time within the house they do have.

You do not require to transform all the rooms and even get rid of numerous from the old pieces of furniture, nevertheless there are lots of solutions to lighten up and also freshen up your own house for a fantastic summer time seasonal alter. You are able to even feel like you’ve moved away for the summer time.

Restyle

Remove any type of dark accessories for example velvet pillows, wool throws, and possibly that dark leather club chair and ottoman. Do not get worried! You’ll be capable to carry them back in once the weather conditions changes.

Repaint

It will not take really lengthy to put a brand new coat of summery paint over a passageway and even on the walls of your drab room. Choose a refreshing color scheme of lemon yellow, apple green, and even sky blue.

Revive

Throw out leggy, brown house plants that you’re trying to nurse. Get fresh, flowering brand new ones and welcome summer time!

Renew

Get rid from the dried firelogs from the fire place and substitute all of them with a remarkable artificial fern or possibly a gurggling fountain. Alter your brass fire screen with painted hinged shutters and even a piece of rusted, painted iron gate.

Furniture and Decor

Keep it simple: Just because the room is large does not mean that you need to fill it with lots of things like exercise equipment computer systems. These things do not promote rest. All you really need in your bedroom is a bed, the bigger the better. All other items are expendable.

Get it off the wall: In a very large room, there is no reason to place your bed against the wall. Put it in the center of the room facing the windows with the best view. It is preferable for the bed to be facing a direction so someone entering the room would not be able to see the bed, but only the headboard. You can add to more privacy to the bed by placing a large armoire or dresser with the back of it to the headboard. If the back of the dresser shows through the headboard, you can upholster the back of the dresser with fabric, to coordinate with the bed. Sleigh beds
adapt well to this placement because they have high headboards. Canopy beds would work as well because you can use fabric hanging from the bed poles as a screen. Folding floor screens can be placed at the head of the bed if you do not have a dresser or armoire that will fit in the space. For side tables, find pieces that look good from all sides like round tables instead of traditional nightstands. You can also choose to purchase a headboard unit designed for such a placement. Side tables are usually attached.

Break it up: Break the room into two or three zones, sleeping, lounging and dressing. Creating a sleeping area is obvious. Place the bed and side tables in one area of the room. For the lounging area, add sofas and chairs to the bedroom for an area to sit and talk, or even furnish an area where the children can feel comfortable. If you find you are sharing your bed with children, and want them to transition into their own beds, make sure that your bedroom sofa or lounge chair is comfortable. You may even want to add a day bed to your room. This way they can sleep in your room, but not in your bed. Once they can sleep without being next to you, transitioning them to their own bed will be easier. For your dressing areas, you can place your dressers, armoires and mirrors grouped together and add a bench or chaise that you can sit on when dressing. You can separate the room for more privacy if you wish. To do this, add a folding screen to block the view to your dressing area or use a two-sided bookshelf. The shelves can display beautiful items on the side facing the bed, and clothing related items on the other side.

Super-size it: Buy big furniture. A big room calls for big furniture. Get a California king bed with a double pillow top mattress that sits high off the floor. Add a set of bed steps or stools so you will not have to pole vault into the bed. Instead of traditional side tables, use three or four-drawer dressers on each side of the bed. Placed next to a large bed, they will look like night tables. You can use the drawers to eliminate clutter around the bed as well. Instead of a bench or regular chest at the foot of the bed, as they will tend to look like miniatures, place a low dresser without the mirror. You will have a super sized footlocker in which you can store spare bedding. Another option for the foot of the bed is a cabinet in which a television on a hydraulic system is housed. This way the TV is seen only when it is in use. Instead of traditional dressers in a room of this size, you might opt for a full wall unit or built in cabinets instead.

Take advantage of the shape: Many large rooms are also odd shaped rooms. Use the shape of the room to your advantage. You can place one of your room zones, like your dressing area out of sight in an L-shaped room. Alternatively, you can tuck your sleeping area into the nook of a T-shaped room.

source

Design really is in the details, and those details don’t have to cost you hundreds of dollars. With these low-cost ideas that utilize the items you already own and love—along with a few others picked up at garage sales and thrift stores—you can create a home that really lets your personality come through!

Let the Sunshine In

Turn a mirror into a light source. Place a large mirror where it can reflect natural sunlight into a room to give it a warm daytime glow. And with a heavy piece, there’s no need to hang it—simply propping it against a wall is just as effective and less stuffy.

Mix ‘n’ Match

Add personality to a solid-colored sofa with lots of throw pillows (make your own with remnant fabric from design shops) and drape a lovely blanket on the bottom couch cushions for added effect. Go wild and mix patterns, as long as the colors coordinate.

Flower Power

You don’t need a big bouquet in a crystal vase to create an interesting floral display. Using a few sculptural flowers—like these ranunculus—in simple milk bottles or mason jars is just as pretty. They’ll look gorgeous in any space that catches the light.

Step Right Up

Create a permanent runner without carpeting. This stairway design can be made by painting the steps white, then marking off stripes with masking tape and painting them in your choice of colors. A coat of varnish will keep your work from getting too scuffed.

Judge a Book by its Cover

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are a prominent feature, so treat your books like works of art. Instead of organizing by subject, why not group them by color? This design twist becomes a natural focal point of the room, adding color without being overwhelming.

Make It Work

Bedrooms always feel more serene when the bed faces the door, but sometimes an awkwardly shaped wall gets in the way. Building a wall-towall headboard out of wainscoting is an inexpensive way to solve that problem and create a simple, elegant space.

Art Exhibit

Create a stairwell gallery with a variety of frames (mix several styles by picking them up cheap at garage sales). Vary the size, shape and mat colors for best effect in showcasing memorabilia, photos, paintings and other special family memories.

source: womansday.com

Steps

1. Sketch your floor plan.

2. Superimpose the Bagua Map, the essential tool of feng shui, over the sketch of your floor plan by aligning the bottom of the map with the front door.

3.   Place the item that represents your goal in the area where your goal resides.

• Lower left: Knowledge. Knowledge is the sector of your room involving wisdom. Naturally, one should place objects pertaining to wisdom; for example, books.

• Lower-middle: Career. If you’re not doing well in work, try improving this area by adding some trophies, certificates, or anything that reminds you of prior accomplishments in the work force.

• Lower-right: Travel and helpful people. Helpful people means everyone you interact with on a daily basis: it’s the driver to your right that let you in their lane, your barista, banker, everyone. When considering how many people one deals with every day, this sector is very important. Keep objects that promote good energy towards others in this area, like travel souvenirs. Helpful people is also a good area to have reminders of heroes and people of influence.

• Middle-left: Family and health. Harness this area for better relationships, since this also extends to coworkers. You can put pictures of your family or souvenirs from family vacations here, or anything special relating to your family.

• Center: Self. All other squares influence the overall concept of health and your personal well-being. You can put everything that is important to you and that has to do with your style here.

• Middle-right: Child. Child basically means “creativity” as well. If you do any sort of art, play a musical instrument, write poetry, etc., place it here to enhance it. If there is anything you made or did when you were younger that is important to you, place that here, too. Also, place anything you have made and worked hard on here.

• Upper-left: Wealth. If your finances are down the drain, look to your finance corner. Keep things neat and clutter-free. There are many tokens of luck and good fortune to place here– your piggy bank, receipts (if they’re in good order since if they’re not it will lead to spiraling finances) or ledgers.

• Upper-center: Reputation/Fame. Your fame and reputation is pretty crucial in the role it plays towards all other sectors. A good reputation leads to promotions, better relationship with the family, trust from others, etc. Place any medals, trophies, and other kind of stuff here. Brightness and lighting are important here.

• Upper-right: Relationships/Marriage. Place tokens of love here.

4.    Assess your room based on the five elements: water, earth, fire, wood, and metal.

• Water: Water resides in the career area (bottom center). Its shape is wavy. So, goldfish and fountains can be used to give this area a good boost. Although it is bad feng shui to have a water feature in located in the bedroom, as it brings energy of worry to the bedroom.

• Earth: Earth resides in the center of the room. Plants or flowers are great to place in this part of room. Never use fake flowers. In fact, don’t even use dried flowers since as beautiful as they can be, they’re still dead and bring bad energy.

• Fire: Fire is in the career and fame area of the room (top center). Candles, anything red, and anything triangular or in a pyramid shape is good for this area.

• Wood: Wood is in the family sect (left center). If you have a nice wood bureau or shelf, place it here.

• Metal: Metal is in the child/creativity area (right center). Its shape is circular, so any metal design that’s circular is great. Wrought iron designs can really help circulate chi and creativity. Metal picture frames are another suggestion.

5.   Mix and match the elements accordingly.

Based on the powers harnessed by the elements, some elements compliment each other while some elements counteract or destroy the power of other elements. Fire burns wood. Wood absorbs water. Water erodes metal. Metal destroys Earth. Earth dampers fire.

The elements can also compliment, or enhance the other. Water helps wood grow. Wood helps flames burn. Fire helps earth anew. Earth wields metal, and metal gives life to water.

Elements each have their own color and shape. Fire is red and pointy. Water is black and wavy. Wood is blue/green and tall/slender. Metal is rounded and white. Earth is square, boxed, and yellow.

Use at least some of these shapes, colors, and elements when designing your room.

Note:

These instructions for the placement of the Bagua Map are for the Black Hat Sect of Feng Shui. For other schools such as the Original Form School or the Compass School, you will have to reorient the map according to their rules.

Be very careful about where you place your bed. Your bed should never be directly facing the door, as that is highly unlucky and is the funeral position as well. The best placement of the bed is farthest from the door in a position where one can always see the entrance.

Don’t use feng shui as a miracle cure for any major life problem. Having good chi helps enhance your life and works as a good guiding force; ultimately, it is you alone that will do the actions necessary for life change.

Watch out for wooden beams and vaulted ceilings, since they bring bad chi. To remedy this, hang a crystal from the beam.

Never use wavy, cracked, or sub-par mirrors since they bring bad energy.
Do not get mad at others if they don’t believe in this stuff. They might call it hooey or something like that. If they do it enough to annoy you, just never invite them over again to keep bad forces out, and show them how much they offended you.

Things You’ll Need

* The Bagua Map
* A sketch of your floor plan
* An item that represents your goal in life

source: wikihow

Finding the right lighting for your bath can be tricky since your bathroom requires many different kinds of light to meet all your needs. It needs task lighting that’s bright when you’re putting on your makeup or brushing your teeth, but you also want to be able to turn the lights down when you’re relaxing in the tub. One inexpensive way to adjust your lighting is to install a dimmer switch. They’re available at most hardware stores and are easy to install.

Clean and Organized

A disorganized bathroom can feel cramped, so be sure to keep the clutter of toiletries to a minimum. Stash cosmetics and other products in the medicine cabinet, under the vanity or in the linen closet. The clean, sparse effect will help you let go of your worries so you can relax without the reminders of your daily routine.

Pamper Yourself

There’s nothing like the feeling of wrapping yourself in a big, plush spa towel. Pamper yourself by splurging on a large bath sheet that will envelope you completely when you step out of the bath. Choose a towel that’s soft and absorbent for that spa-like feeling.

Protect Your Feet

A bath mat is essential for a spa bath. Nothing can shock you back down to earth after your relaxing bath like the feeling of cold tile on your warm toes. Choose a mat that covers a large section of the floor so that you’ll have room to move around without having to step on the floor.

Set the Mood

Set a spa-like mood for your bath with the right accessories. Candles lightly flickering in the background and soft music are sure to help you forget your worries, at least for a little while.

Connect with Nature

Natural elements abound in spas. Softly running water, stone and living plants help create a calming connection with nature. Bring a potted plant into your spa bath to give it a similar feeling. Plus, plants often thrive in the bath thanks to the high levels of moisture and humidity.

Expand the Look of Your Space

Anyone with a small bath knows that there’s not much you can do to make it bigger without spending a fortune on renovation. The good news is that you can make it look bigger with an affordable alternative. Hang large mirrors to give the illusion that your space isn’t quite so tight.

Color Change

One of the easiest ways to give your bath a new look is with a color change. A coat of paint is an inexpensive option that can completely transform the feel of your bath. Try white for a clean, crisp, sparse look. Or consider a rich neutral for an earthy effect. Either way, a couple gallons of paint and a few hours of work could give you the bath of your dreams.

home.ivillage.com

Many moms-to-be have an idea of their “dream nursery.” But their visions may not always be the most practical for a new baby. Here are some things to keep in mind before decorating the room for your new arrival:
1. Plan for the room to last through childhood. Avoid giving it too much of a baby feel — once your child hits preschool, light blue or pink might seem like it’s “for babies.” Choose wall treatments and furniture that are appropriate for any age and use accessories to give the room a baby feel. Also make sure there’s a place for a bed once your baby grows out of the crib.
2. Take note of the light in the room. Check out the angles that the sun comes in at different times of day. Don’t put the crib in a spot that gets direct sunlight in the morning, or in a spot that a streetlight shines on all night.
3. Consider double-duty furniture. You might find a changing table that can convert to a dresser once your baby grows out of diapers. The longer you can use the furniture, the better the value.
4. Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting. Use area rugs on a wood or cork floor, if possible. Hard floors are easier to clean up and they don’t harbor allergy-aggravating dust. Area rugs can be replaced much more easily than carpeting as they get dirty or your child’s tastes change.
5. Give yourself lots of storage space. You’ll probably need more room than you think. Once the clothes get bigger and are joined by shoes and other accessories, you’ll need every inch of closet space you can get. Not to mention a place to put all those toys!
6. Don’t forget a place for you to sit in the nursery. Pick a comfortable chair. You’ll be spending many nights there with your baby, reading her stories or rocking her to sleep.

Sources: Better Homes and Gardens; Sheffield School of Interior Design

An obvious interest in pieces that evoke a respect for nature and are sustainable accounts for the some of the mix, but for many it’s the desire to blend simple lines with warm finishes that has caused this transitional look to take hold. Transitional design is perfect for homeowners who want an easy take on modern or a slightly edgier approach to traditional. The room most comfortably wearing this transitional cloak is the kitchen. Here, the look is accomplished by designing a kitchen with clean lines, featuring contemporary full access cabinetry while incorporating a very traditional walnut wood. The benefit of a transitional kitchen is that homeowners can still have the comfort of traditional elements without sacrificing modern technology and up-to-date amenities and storage features.

The easiest way to accomplish the look is to work with a custom kitchen designer. Custom cabinetry allows designers and homeowners to make a number of modifications including finishes, materials, sizes and shapes. Additionally, custom kitchens can incorporate more or less of either style.

“By combining contemporary and traditional looks, you can bring a fresh twist to something familiar or take a little risk without losing comfort,” says George (Butch) Achey, president of Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry. “Transitional kitchens often mix European and American details, bringing a bit of Milan together with a slice of Philadelphia. Cool and warm.”

An easy way to achieve the transitional look in the kitchen is through wood species, custom colors and a variety of accessories. The trick is to find the perfect combination that suits your personal taste. If you happen to like modern amenities such as glass, steel and concrete, but don’t want a strictly contemporary kitchen, select a door style that reflects a more traditional design to warm up the space. To modify a traditional space, think hardware, stainless steel appliances and a simple, flat door style. Go for cool warmth. Go transitional.

To learn more about transitional design and the benefits of custom cabinetry, log on to www.plainfancycabinetry.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

How do you dress them up in a way that will make a statement without blowing your decorating budget? Borrow a page — or a wall — from the handbook of top designers and add impact with a wallpaper mural. Easy-to-install wallpaper murals are as flexible and eye-catching as hand-painted murals, plus they are cost-effective and do-it-yourself friendly.

“Murals right now are my favorite design element because I can go big, bold and beautiful in a way that’s really fresh,” says Jonathan Fong, a Los Angeles-based interior decorator and author of “Walls that Wow.” Fong found a cost-effective source for wallpaper murals in MuralsYourWay.com. “Murals create a dramatic focal point for a room. Have one wall with a mural and your whole room changes.”

Modern murals have gone far beyond the whole-wall look you might remember from the ‘70s. Technology has allowed mural makers to delve into an inspiring array of designs, create more vibrant colors and eye-opening perspectives. It’s even possible to create your own custom wallpaper mural from a favorite photograph.

Here are a few ideas to use wallpaper murals to create a statement in virtually any room of your house:

• Turn a blank wall into a full-size accent with a floor-to-ceiling mural. It’s possible to find a wallpaper mural to match any decorating theme — from a view of Yankee Stadium as seen from home plate for your basement game room, to your favorite scenic photo from your honeymoon to dress up your family room.

• If a full wall is too much a statement for you, consider framing a smaller mural or a series of small murals in a central location in a room. Small, framed murals are a great way to make a snug room, or one lacking windows, feel bigger and more open.
• If your hallway is just a pass-through for your family, consider spicing it up with murals. Fong used larger-than-life custom murals of chandeliers to accent one wall of a hallway in a Beverly Hills mansion. A smaller scale mural can create interest and flow in a hallway in your home too.

• Many contemporary designs feature architectural niches as accents throughout the home. Rather than simply hanging framed artwork in the niche, consider creating a more striking effect with a wall mural cut to fit the space. For example, if you have a niche over your garden tub, place a tropical or woodland scene or a close up of a large bloom there to bring the outdoors in and create a focal point for the room.

Using a wallpaper mural to make a statement can be a very cost-effective design tool. “I wanted to see if it was possible to do large custom graphics for the home at an affordable price,” Fong says. “So I did an Internet search and found MuralsYourWay.com. I was surprised at how affordable it was. I’ve priced out regular wallpaper and to create your own custom wallpaper with the exact image you want costs even less.”

“The decor of your home should represent your personality as well as your interest,” says Thom Filicia, former design specialist for the Emmy-winning Bravo series “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” and current host of Style Network’s “Dress My Next.” “MuralsYourWay is a great resource to add your personal stamp in a creative, fun and whimsical way.”

“Your walls are the largest decorating canvas in your home,” says Fong. “If you do something interesting with your walls, it can make more of an impact than any piece of furniture or accessory in the room.”

For more ideas on how to make a statement with murals, visit www.MuralsYourWay.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent

But if you’re an empty-nester feeling pangs of loss as adult children move out, look for the silver lining — you can finally reclaim those areas of your house previously dedicated to the kids.

By 2012, 40 percent of all American households will be headed by someone 55 and older, according to the National Association of Home Builders. If you’re among them, it’s time to think about how you will redecorate and repurpose spaces in your home, including bedrooms and playrooms, which have been kid-controlled for so long.

Reclaiming your home after the kids move out can lead to improved homeowner satisfaction and enjoyment, improve your home value, and even — some studies show — increase marital satisfaction. Not sure where to start? Here are a few helpful hints:

Bedrooms

You may not have been permitted to enter your child’s room throughout her teen years, but now that she’s off on her own it’s time to get in there, rip down those rock band posters, toss out the closet-worth of clothes that she outgrew years ago, and turn her room back into a functioning part of the household again.

You can either turn the room into the guest bedroom of your dreams, complete with linens and drapes out of a home fashion magazine, or you can tailor the space to your own needs as a home office or crafting room. Simply turning the space into a more adult environment can enhance home value, real estate experts agree. Home selling shows regularly feature selling specialists advising homeowners to replace kids’ clutter with a more grown-up look that will be more appealing to potential buyers.

The quickest way to help a kid’s room grow up — after you remove the bunk beds
and lava lamp — is to repaint walls in neutral, sophisticated tones; replace worn, stained carpet; and replace kid-friendly curtains in primary colors with drapes in more subtle patterns and hues.

Play areas

If your family rec room has long served as a staging area for kids’ slumber parties or acted as a repository for excess toys, it’s time to turn the space into something the grown-ups will enjoy. Clear out kid-specific items like the foosball table and the racks of Sponge Bob DVDs, and bring in that big-screen, high-def plasma TV you didn’t buy before because you couldn’t bear the thought of sticky fingerprints all over it.

Add that wet bar that you always wanted but were afraid would prove too much of a temptation for your teens. Install a surround-sound system and turn the space into a home theater.

Freshen the decor with adult colors or further personalize the space with an easy-to-hang wallpaper mural. Imagine replacing that wall of chalkboard paint with a mural of the New York City skyline, or a restful image of a lush, green forest. You’ll find a variety of grown-up-friendly images at www.MuralsYourWay.com. You can even have your own favorite photo — from that second honeymoon you finally got to take or your glory days on the high school football team — turned into a customized wall mural.

Seize the opportunity to re-feather your empty nest to your tastes. And don’t feel bad about doing it. Studies show that redecorating an adult child’s room so they know they “can’t go home again” actually helps them better make the transition to independence.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Here’s How:

1. Collect the books you want to work with. Sort them by category or author.
2. Stack books vertically on a bookshelf as in a library. Start with taller books to the left and shorter books on the right.
3. Lay the books on their backs with all the titles facing up for easy reading. Have the larger books on the bottom of the pile and the smaller ones on top.
4. Install a shelf about 15″ from the ceiling of a room. Line the books up either standing of flat. Be sure you have a step stool within easy reach so that you can get to the book you want.
5. Place collectible or first-edition books in a closed cabinet or bookcase to preserve them and keep them dust-free.
6. Place cookbooks on the kitchen counter where they’ll be used. Keep splatters off the book with a plastic stand and protector.
7. For a large collection of good books, build a narrow set of built-in shelving filling a whole wall. Shelves about 12″ will hold most books and won’t take up too much floor space. Use decorative molding to frame it off and go around any windows on the wall.
8. Place some large books atop a footstool or small ottoman beside a chair. Have a piece of Plexiglass or glass cut to cover the top book and use the stack for a side table. Add a reading lamp if there’s enough room.
9. Build shelving above your computer screen for reference books used at your desk. They’ll be within easy reach as you work at your desk.

Tips:

1. Do not store any books in a damp garage or basement.
2. Store each category of books that you’ve sorted where they’ll be used. Cookbooks should be in the kitchen, novels in the family room or bedroom, reference books near the desk.
3. Alternate vertical books with books lying down and add plants or objet d’arts for interest.
4. Dust off the books regularly to preserve them.

Courtesy of About.com