Modern Home Decorating

Last year my mother reported she only had 5 kids come to door. So, this year I helped her out, and only 8 kids came to the door. As odd as it was, I had never seen more decorations in my life in my old town. Not many real pumpkins, but as far as lights and other decor products, there were over 18 people with it in an area of 100 homes. There was even a Halloween shop less than 1 mile from her house. Eighteen or more people decorated but only 8 people came around. I remember Crestwood homes used to be jumping until 10:00 p.m., yet, I didn’t see a single kid around 8:30 p.m. Royal Palm Beach blvd. also had no kids in sight. It looks as if Halloween is illegal there, now.

This town used to hold haunted houses in the libraries, and contests in Camilia Park. The turnout was astonishing. Easily 200 people would show up. Twenty to twenty five years ago Halloween was always huge, and remained pretty good at least until 2004.

I have to say, the weather was perfect this year and people were making an effort to make it look welcome. What happened? Why is it a ghost town on Halloween?

I call Florida the Permanent Retirement State." That is the state where many people go when they retire. You’ll see many senior citizens in FL. Although there are still children in the state, I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t a big turn-out of kids coming to your door. (More left-over candy for you.)

All the mags i see always feature million dollar homes with celebrities. I’m looking for a magazine that shows how to decorate a tract house that don’t have 30 ft tall ceilings, and overlooks the beach.
A mag with a lot of pictures and ideas. Like a crate and barrel catalog or ??

I think catalogs are excellent sources for inspiration. Some more "reasonable" ideas for us poor folk can be found in Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping and Country living.
But I enjoy walking through design centers that have vignettes of rooms set up just to steal ideas. I find that what they’ve done, I can modify to my own color scheme, my own lifestyle and my own budget!
I live very near the beach (no view) and I draw much inspiration from nature around me.

for years now, i have slowly built up a collection of really unusual pretty rocks. its not really a hobby but if i am someplace like an agate beach or anywhere there are lots of cool rocks i will bring a couple of them home. SO. now i have these rocks and although i am a crafter, i cannot think of anything to do which would display them in a nice way. i have thought of those little meditation waterfalls but its too involved. i need something simple. just a way to display their beauty, maybe on one of the porches or garden or something. i am blank when it comes to decorating anyway! i know this sounds lame, but its not a joke!)

Our family loves to collect rocks, too. I made a beautiful rock "shelf" out of our rocks. I gathered some of our favorite rocks of all sizes and used landscape glue (typically used for building keystone walls) and glued them together to form a shelf. I used the flattest stones for the top of the shelf, then tapered the rocks underneath this ledge to form a point. I hung the shelf on our mud room wall. Everyone who sees the shelf, really likes it. The shelf is kind of hard to explain without pictures, but if you were looking straight at the shelf, it is in the shape of an upside-down triangle – the point being at the bottom. If you looked at the shelf from the side view, it looks like half a pyramid. I sealed the rocks with Delta Dreamcoat Gloss Varnish. The shelf was really easy to make and looks great.

You could also use a cement drill bit and drill a hole through 5 to 7 rocks of various sizes. Place a piece of rod stock through the holes and stack the rocks to form a cairn. Here’s an example of this project: http://www.escapadedirect.com/stonecairn.html

I hope this helps!

So in a week and a half, I shall embark on a 12 hour plane ride. I need things to do. As a serious reader, I know that I will finish a book within 3 or 4 hours, and then, being a teenager, get too lazy to read another. I have an iPod, which can only last so long, and a laptop, which won’t get me far considering the lack of internet. I need some goofy activities to keep me preoccupied. I need some more Ideas. This is what my plan is THUS FAR:
-Dance down the isles with my iPod. Yes, this does include moonwalking.
-Bring coloring books and crayons. Give to hot teenage boys.
-Throw odd-yet-harmless things at people and act like nothing happened.
-Make up a life story to chat to the person next to me with.
-Try to order an alcoholic beverage although I am 6 years underage.
-Bring miniature decorations (home sweet home banner, small velcro curtains, and maybe a rug) to decorate my seat
-Blow up a beach ball and try to bounce around the plane.

Any more ideas? Peace to your mother.

when the hostess walks down the isle and asks if you want anything ask for something you know they don’t have, when she apologises for not having it, bring your feet up into the feotal position and begin rocking back and forward in your seat saying "why why why why why".
Another thing is when an annoucment comes over the speakers stand up and shout "The VOICES!!"

Please could you read this and tell me if the punctuation/paragraphing/spelling is good? & If there’s anything more I could add, I have a GCSE exam tomorrow and have to write this..

Shattered destroyed shells were scattered across the scrumpled sand, glistening in the sunlight as the sea secretively stole them with a swoosh from the soft wind. Warming to the dazzling sun, the heavenly beach welcomes everybody. Its decorative palm tree’s branches almost dance along to the soothing music gently flowing out of the hidden speakers layed comfortabley in the heads of the pretty palm trees.
All the sun-seekers have lurred into the trap. Each spread across their salty towels softly held in place on the bumps of the damp sand. Once the families are settled, the heat begins to crawl all over the burnt bodies.
Near the sea were a family of four. Two stressed parents having a break from their chaotic lives at home; the wife slapping on sun-tan oil as the husband shoves his sun bed into the protective shade of the large floppy umbrella. With the couple were their two children; a little girl making a picture in the sand with shells and pretty things she could find, along with a little boy excitedly filling his bucket with water.
Faces light up as everyone is delighted to hear the ice-cream van joyfully approaching the beach. The smell of candyfloss and sugar fill the air as the children skip over. Inside the van colours amaze each little child waiting in line. There are all sorts of fancy sweets and magical looking ice-cream flavours. Little fingers drip with melted ice-cream as they stumble over to their towels.
The bright sun is nearly hot enough to cover each person in an invisible blanket of warmth. Shimmering expanse of endless white that cushions the oceans timeless arrival bringing with it the seas flotsam to decorate the sands soft bed. Carelessly, the warm, golden sand runs between toes with the gentle breeze. The smell of salt consumes the sleepy tourists as the water splashes along the sandy shores. There are children wandering along the sand, stopping every so often to pick up anything they find interesting.
As the day comes to an end, the icecream van speeds off into the distance while everyone is gathering their things together. All that’s left behind is litter and the smell of sweat from the beaches visitors. The sky is now a deep purple and sparkly stars are beginning to show. A last sigh of the wind sweeps across as though the beach is now falling asleep while the odd romantic couple strolls along.

Ive just added a few commas, and connectives(i think theyre called) :
Shattered and destroyed shells were scattered across the scrumpled sand, glistening in the sunlight, as the sea secretively stole them with a swoosh from the soft wind. 
Warming to the dazzling sun, the heavenly beach welcomes everybody. Its decorative palm tree’s branches almost dance along to the soothing music, gently flowing out of the hidden speakers layed comfortabley in the heads of the pretty palm trees.
All the sun-seekers have lurred into the trap. Each spread across their salty towels, softly held in place on the bumps of the damp sand. Once the families are settled, the heat begins to crawl all over the burnt bodies.
Near the sea were a family of four. Two stressed parents, having a break from their chaotic lives at home; the wife slapping on sun-tan oil, as the husband shoves his sun bed into the protective shade of the large but floppy umbrella. 
With the couple were their two children; a little girl, making a picture in the sand with shells and pretty things she could find, along with a little boy, excitedly filling his bucket with water.
Faces light up as everyone is delighted to hear the ice-cream van, joyfully approaching the beach. The smell of candyfloss and sugar fill the air as the children skip over. Inside the van, colours amaze each little child waiting in line. 
There are all sorts of fancy sweets and magical-looking ice-cream flavours. Little fingers drip with melted ice-cream, as they stumble over to their towels.
The bright sun is nearly hot enough to cover each person in an invisible blanket of warmth. Shimmering expanse of endless white, that cushions the oceans’ timeless arrival, bringing with it the seas flotsam to decorate the sands soft bed. Carelessly, the warm, golden sand runs between toes with the gentle breeze. 
The smell of salt consumes the sleepy tourists as the water splashes along the sandy shores. There are children wandering along the sand, stopping every so often to pick up anything they find interesting.
As the day comes to an end, the icecream van speeds off into the distance, while everyone is gathering their things together. All that’s left behind, is litter and the smell of sweat from the beaches visitors. The sky is now a deep purple and sparkly stars are beginning to show. A last sigh of the wind sweeps across, as though the beach is now falling asleep while the odd romantic couple strolls along.

You have a great use of vocab ! Thumbs up for that ! You should maybe try to add a rhetorical question if u like. Also when u have a series of long sentences, throw in a short sentence to make it less tiring to read (im not saying it is) lol. Any way do whats best for u. Good luck in ur exam ! Hope i helped

I’ve had my own apartment here on the beach for a while now and I love it. Due to some extremely unfortunate circumstances, I’m moving back in with my parents next month. It’s only 10 minutes away from the beach, but still, I’ll miss being right across the street.
Anyways, I have a wide variety of styles I like. And the western/horse theme I had going on before isn’t cutting it for me anymore. I’m considering a few things:

1. Beach theme- the walls would be painted a light blue and an off white. I’d put in white furniture. I think this theme might make me feel more ‘at home’ because this beach truly feels like my home now. And the decor might be reminiscent of this- http://cache-images.pronto.com/thumb2.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.pronto.com%2Fimages%2Fproduction%2Fproducts%2Ff0%2Fcd%2Fhome937d6a95a3ea3f5962be0d47d9c9-1270899898_560x407.jpg&wmax=180&hmax=180&quality=80&bgcol=FFFFFF

2. Dark Red/Orange- Orange is my favorite color by far and I’d love to be surrounded by it. I’d paint the walls a deep reddish orange and put some dark cherry wood furniture in OR put in some wrought iron furniture and give it a Mediterranean feel. I love Mediterranean architecture and decor. This picture really inspires me, particularly the wine rack on the wall, although the color of my walls would be a much more rich red/orange – http://s3.hubimg.com/u/736506_f496.jpg

3. Retro/Car Theme- I’ve always thought I was born in the wrong decade. I’m 18 and have a nice vinyl collection. I’m also a HUGE car fan and when I was in high school ceramics I made some actually awesome pieces that could go into a retro room. Mostly including 57 Chevy Bel airs, 50s-2010 Corvettes (including the 70s stingray) and 60s-2010 mustangs (excluding the fox body and 90s crap stangs XD). Think – http://imagecache6.allposters.com/LRG/8/881/SAYJ000Z.jpg I’d also display my record collection and maybe make a wall piece out of records. This idea just seems a little more juvenile to me and I’m not sure what colors I’d paint the walls or what furniture pieces I’d get.

Those are the ideas at the top of my list. What’s your opinion?
Me calling them "crap stangs" was not at all ignorant. It’s my personal opinion, and my not liking the fox bodies or the 90s mustangs doesn’t make me ignorant. I’m free to express my opinion and you’re free to express yours, but it’s not cool to put someone down for their opinion.

The beach theme would be appropriate since you are only 10 minutes away from the beach. You can even get some materials for decor or crafts while walking on the seaside. I also like the Mediterranean look but painting the four walls orange is not up to my taste. Anyway,the final decision is really up to you because you’re the one who will be living in it.

There are lots of architectural details like beams and lots of levels of walls.
(good opportunity for accent colors)

The living room would be neutral colors to go with the theme of our furniture, but i don’t know what colors…

The art room is small but could be colorful and creative. Any ideas for crafty, cheap organization for paint brushes, buttons, etc?

My bathroom is small and I want to do a beach theme but I need storage ideas!

Thanks for ideas, and suggestions.
(pictures welcome!!!!!!)

Hi, here are some reference materials

If you need ideas about color, this article will direct you to an online color visualizer so you can upload a picture of your room and let the computer give you color suggestions:

The Most Popular House Colors

http://www.brighthub.com/diy/decorating/articles/71470.aspx

For storage ideas for your bathroom:

Stylish and Functional Hanging Bathroom Baskets

http://www.brighthub.com/diy/decorating/articles/75739.aspx

For organizing:

Tips on Organizing Clothing

http://www.brighthub.com/diy/decorating/articles/73333.aspx

For curtains:

Ideas for Valances for Window Treatments to Suit Your Style

http://www.brighthub.com/diy/decorating/articles/75649.aspx

You can check out the other articles about decorating tips that are useful, like this one:

Home Decorating in Hollywood Style

http://www.brighthub.com/diy/decorating/articles/75951.aspx

Good luck and happy decorating!