Modern Home Decorating

We all can’t rush out and drop $5,000 on new furniture whenever we feel its time for a new look in our home. Those who can are lucky, but we all know you’re not really happy (just let the rest of us believe this). For the rest of us disposable income-deprived individuals there are things we can do to create new looks and freshen existing ones that won’t force a cancellation of a family vacation or put a dent in junior’s college fund. You’ll need to be a little flexible and creative to pull off some of these ideas and make them work, but hey, no pain, no gain, right?

“Think big,” the saying goes. Well, not here. In fact, just the opposite should be our rally cry. How about, “think less big”? Doesn’t have quite the same ring, does it? So, how do we put “think less big” into practice? Well, we do just that. If you want a new sofa, you settle for a chair or two. If you want a new coffee table, you may settle for some new side or end tables. You can still make an impact with furniture by choosing less expensive pieces to accompany your existing main pieces. If your sofa is battered and tattered and pretty much a repulsive eyesore, fear not, there may still be hope for it. This savior of the sofa is, of course, the slip cover. Slip covers have been vastly improved over the last few years to fit better and to look more natural. You may have to get one specially made if your sofa is an odd size, but this is still a cheaper way to go and it frees up money to be spent elsewhere.

Another option for making a big impact for little dough is looking into a new area rug. If you currently have wall-to-wall carpeting, tile or wood, a rug is a great way to break up that monotony. The right area rug can also pull colors out of your furniture and fixtures, changing the dynamic of a room drastically. If you have a standard rectangular coffee table, look into a round or oval rug to add some different lines to your room. Straight lines and sharp edges abound in most rooms, so throwing in a few curves is a great way to add a new dimension and add a little character at the same time.

Jim Allen
http://www.articlesbase.com/accessories-articles/inexpensive-decorating-ideas-196329.html

Flat screen televisions revolutionized the home decor scene by removing bulky and obtrusive TV sets and replacing them with sleek, low profile screens that fit into much smaller spaces. But now another innovative creation, the TV lift, is taking the relationship of television technology and interior decorating to a whole new level. With TV lifts – which are essentially mechanisms to lower or raise televisions and allow them to be concealed completely from view when not in use – it is possible to totally hide a television while adding extra needed storage and space to a room.

By incorporating TV lifts into a new decorative scheme or strategically adding them to existing designs, the whole television is camouflaged out of sight. When it is time to watch the TV, simply push a button and it magically reappears by remote control, as if rising from thin air out of nowhere.

The possibilities for TV lifts are limited only by the imagination and creative eye of the interior designer, so they can be installed virtually anywhere. Put one inside the foot of the bed, above the kitchen sink, or hidden out of sight within an office or conference room. A lift can even be used on a boat or in a recreational vehicle. Wherever people normally gather around a television, in other words, they can now enjoy the flexibility of having the television unit pop up for viewing and then be quickly and quietly tucked away and returned into hiding with the ease of fingertip touch controls.

Tom Kern
http://www.articlesbase.com/television-articles/tv-lifts-enhance-flat-screen-decorating-possibilities-711803.html

GIVE YOUR HOME SERENITY AND BEAUTY BY CHOOSING RIGHT WALL TAPESTRY

With a beautiful tapestry support mild furnishings gain a special identity. If the tapestry is selected and utilized applying a creative mind a decorating problem can be minimized and solved by a touch of color or providing a window to a different place or time. For viewing enjoyment for years together it is convenient now to select one from a wide variety of wall tapestries, such as http://www.european-wall-tapestries.com/store/customer/home.php?cat=4.

For a small room in the need of something to make it feel less cramped, better select a tapestry that will make you feel that your living space filled with fresh air. It can be seascape, land, city or a traditional tapestry of medieval design. To add length to a room you can select a horizontal tapestry while with a tapestry with windows and doorways you can open a space. By guiding the eyes of the viewer outward such tapestries generate an impression of an extended space.

By hanging a series of smaller tapestries together you can scale down a room if it is large. An impression of a smaller space it generates and that trims in size a large and blank wall. You have to select tapestries of similar theme and style to generate such illusion.

Tinged often with history, European wall tapestries can lead you to different place and time altogether. A great role they play in encouraging thoughtful and calm moments and enlightening human spirit besides being great subjects of discussion themselves. Our decorative needs they elevate while soothing our souls and adding charm and warmth to our homes.

For art lovers, wall tapestries are popular choice for centuries. As centuries of design, art and tradition are added to modern textiles and fabrics, wall tapestries of today remain as charming, versatile and beautiful as they were in the past. For generations a tapestry wall hanging passes down as an heirloom.

Joshua Miller
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/choosing-wall-tapestries-for-home-decor-99311.html

The types of lighting used in a room can dramatically change the way that room looks. Lighting can be a complicated issue, so let’s start by defining some lighting terms.

Incandescent lights. These lights give a nice, golden glow to a room. They are much nicer to use than the cheaper looking flourescent lights.

Downlights are round or square cannisters, usually metal, that are recessed into or mounted onto the ceiling. These lights could be used as spotlights, floodlights or for general lighting.

Table lamps can be used as task lighting or for general lighting.

Uplights are normally one-bulb lights that are placed on the floor behind furniture, glass shelving or plants to give them a dramatic accent.

Strip lighting can be used behind shelves and on stairs and platforms for a dramatic result. The platforms lit this way can appear to be floating above the floor.

Track Lighting. A track makes it possible to use one electrical outlet to supply electricity to many lights along the track’s length. The track can be surface mounted or recessed. Track lighting is one of the most versatile lighting systems available and can be moved around to accent different areas of a room.

Track lighting and recessed lighting can be set to produce an effect called wall washing which, as it sounds, washes an entire wall with light.

Dimmer switches give the ability to provide a different level of light by turning the knob. Dimmers save electricity and provide mood lighting for special occasions.

Different rooms in the home need different lighting. Halls and stairs should be well lit to prevent accidents. Livingrooms need a mixture of lighting options: background, task lights and accent lighting. The best lighting for kitchens is bright overhead lights and extra under-counter lights for task lighting.

All types of lighting fixtures can be found for whatever your needs may be. They can run from very inexpensive to extremely high cost fixtures.

There are special considerations when using lighting for art or wall hangings.

If you are lighting a single picture or painting, try to place the light so that it does not show a reflection on the glass of the art piece. There are special picture lights made especially for lighting pictures but some of these are not very effective since they can only highlight the top or bottom of the picture. Downlights are a good alternative.

When lighting a group of pictures, it’s better to use individual lights in track lighting that can be positioned towards the pictures.

Lighting sculptures can be particularly challenging. You can use uplights, downlights or even strip lights, depending upon the sculpture and its placement. Experiment with different lights and their placement to get the best effect.

Creative use of lighting can really enhance your decorating project. Make use of all of the different types of lighting to make your home a beautiful showcase.

Jude Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/the-role-of-lighting-in-interior-decorating-110188.html

When it comes to flooring today, we do not have to be limited to carpeting, even if we want the soft feel of carpet under our feet. New designs in carpet tiles allow us to have the look and feel of carpeting without expensive installation. You can have carpet tiles in many different designs and materials and you can suit any decorating scheme. New carpet tiles will give a brand new look to any room.

Before you decide upon the carpet tiles, make sure you understand the surface that they are going to be installed upon. There are various thicknesses in carpet tiles, and for interior portions of your home, you want OT have carpet tiles that have thickness and are cushioned. This will make them more comfortable as well as provide insulation. For an office, deck or a high traffic area, you may want to consider thinner tiles.

There are so many different styles of carpet tiles that you can choose to instill an outdoorsy, natural look with bamboo tiles, or you can put down terracotta tiles to give an earthen feel to the room.

Tiles can be used to make a room bright and lively, or you can choose a color and texture that is more subdued, if that is the effect you want to achieve. Carpet tiles can be made from many different materials. Foam, rubber, linoleum and vinyl are the best choices for children’s rooms, offices, recreation rooms or other areas that will get a lot of wear. The cost of tiles is determined by thickness and density, so it can range from as little as $1 per square foot to up to $40 per square foot.

Using carpet tiles will give you a distinct advantage over wall to wall carpeting. They are very easy to install without all of the hassle of moving all of the furniture out of the room. Carpet tiles are extremely durable, and will outlast most kinds of carpeting, especially in Goth traffic areas.

Carpet tiles allow you to be very creative. You can mix and match colors and styles, create borders of a different design, or create a focal point in the middle of the room. Unlike wall to wall carpeting, you can lift one section of the carpet if it is torn or stained, and replace it without worrying about the rest of the carpet.

Whatever your budget, whatever your decorating style, you will find carpet tiles to suit you. Because of the reasonable price of carpet tiles, you can experiment with different looks without spending a fortune. Of course, you still have to have a properly prepared surface to put your carpet tiles on.

Carpet tiles should be installed on a hard surface such as ceramic tile, cement or stone. Make sure the surface is clean and smooth, in order for the adhesive to adhere properly and have a smooth look in the room. Carpet tiles usually have cushion or padding already attached. This extends the life of the tile while it reduces cost.

Linden J. Walhard
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/linoleum-tiles-in-the-home-104554.html

Tired of endless mall walking in search of a perfect Christmas gift that is nowhere to be found? Hate giving gift cards or gift certificates and cash just because it seems impossible to come up with anything better?

This holiday season, find unique ways to let the people in your life know that you care. Get creative, get personal and get fun; get a gift that will bring joy to her or him you love this Christmas.

Projects to Do and Make

Instead of toys that quickly lose their appeal, projects to make and do entertain during the process of creation and then become all the more special because they were made by the recipient. A craft set for making beaded jewelry, a T-shirt or canvas bag and special fabric crayons and pens for decorating, or a small set of wood working tools and pieces of cut wood can provide hours of entertainment. These gifts also often teach useful skills and encourage artistic abilities. Some kits can be purchased with the supplies and tools included. For a more personalized gift or to monitor the quality of the tools included a gift giver might choose the supplies and tools and pick a useful bag or box that could serve as storage later.

Homemade Items that Everyone Needs

Sometimes a gift item of a usable, consumable product with a personalized touch can be both affordable and appreciated. Children’s artwork can be scanned and made into calendars or greeting cards. Lip balm, bath salts, or bath oil can be made with items from the grocery and craft store. For kids simple recipes abound for play dough, homemade bath crayons, and homemade sidewalk chalk.

Since everyone needs to eat, ready-to-make meal mixes such as soup in a jar or muffin and bread mix can be great gifts as well. The gift of something useful need not be boring. It can be a playful twist on the usual or something a bit more extravagant than expected. But the element of usefulness ensures the gift will be appreciated rather than stored away.

Gift Tickets to Local Attractions, Museums or Performances

Gifts of tickets to local attractions, museums, or performances can encourage the appreciation of the arts. Families might appreciate an annual pass to a zoo or Children’s Museum near their home. Some performing arts centers offer packets of tickets to various events. Concerts or even movie theater tickets can be great gifts especially as families cut back on the entertainment budget and such attractions become a rare treat.

Instead of focusing on things to purchase, gifts that focus on activities can bring smiles and avoid both the shopping pitfalls and the return lines.Gifts that interest and give fun to the recipient need not be expensive or even purchased. With some planning and creative ideas, thought, smart gift givers can get through Christmas with some money left in their pocket.

Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com)
http://www.articlesbase.com/gifts-articles/creative-christmas-gift-ideas-for-her-him-687030.html

i am a teen girl my theme i am going for is black,red,and white.I have curtens that are white with black pok-a-dots.my bed is red,black,and white.iq painted some splait paintings with the three colors.any cheap ways to decorate even more.(home made things are great because i am a creative person)

haha, thats the colors of my room=] anyway, i gathered up so sticks and spray painted them black and tied them with a red ribbon!!=] cute!! ikea has cheap cute stuff!!! check it out!!=]