Modern Home Decorating

If you are new to home decorating, you may not know where to start. Hiring a pro is usually too costly and very few of us can afford to do that. The bottom line is somehow, you will have to figure out hwo to create that ideal home all by yourself.

Lighting is one of the most important factors when it comes to how a room looks. Lamp position and ceiling lighting, brightness and overall design of the fixtures can have a powerful impact on the overall atmosphere of that particular room. Getting the look and effect you want does not require you to have high priced designer lamps. Lamps can be found in all price ranges, and you can often find good used ones at flea markets or yard sales. Of course you’ll want to be sure you are getting lighting that fits well with the style of your other home furniture or accessories

Make sure that you have the right home decorating colors to go with. You can also check out your favorite home decorating magazine to get additional ideas on how to go about your task. There you will see a lot of photos that you can easily imitate.

More suggestions can be found here

Adding a couple of accessories to your home’s décor will give it that personal touch that you are looking for.  Your choice when it comes to home decorating ideas such as  what you have on your table, walls and other surfaces will not only add beauty to your home but will be able to reflect your personality in some ways. Here are a couple of choices you have in the matter that can be found at VivaTerra.com

On the table

These colorful Bright Stripe coasters are made from bamboo and feature a fabric border. Also available in natural and black. 4 1/3 inches square. $1.99 for a set of six.  Evolution’s place mats are created from recycled bottles turned into a polyester yarn.  Available in Sea (blue), Sage (green), Ivory and Linen. 18 by 13 inches, $4.99 each. All from Bed Bath & Beyond.

Recycling bin

This is a great place to hold your magazines and newspapers.  It’s made from old newspapers woven over a metal frame so is a very eco friendly choice It’s 12 1/2 inches high and runs for $24.

Vase variety

These elegant frosted glass vases are made from recycled bottles that come in different sizes. Small vase, 7 inches tall; medium vase, 14 1/2 inches; large vase, 18 inches. $39-$79 each; all three for $165 (on sale at press time).

To read the entire article, visit this site.

A lot of people jump into home decorating projects without first thinking about the commitment that’s needed once the project has started. Before starting off on any project, tone down the excitement level a little bit and have a clear vision of what you want the space to look like.

The first thing that you need to do is to collect images of what you want your space to look like approximately.  Create a “style file” catalog that you can look at and draw inspiration from there.  The reason for this is that so you can show to other people working on the project what it is you’re actually trying to achieve. Trying to explain a vision in your mind rarely works because of different interpretations.

If you can’t get a clear vision of what you want, then it’s time to consult with a professional.  It’s cheaper to get a professional and get everything down on paper before starting any work because once you’ve started work and you find out that you don’t like it, it’s going to be too late or too expensive to shift targets.

Full article over at Record Online

Here’s a quick and simple way to add pop to those boring bookends.  Instead of the typical metal brace or wooden frame, why not try out this yellow stenciled typography laser-cut book end?

The bright yellow color and the simple design will definitely attract looks from your guests and visitors.  Not only that, it will draw your attention as well so anytime you feel bored, you’ll get drawn to the bookshelf where information awaits you.

There are a lot of other cute designs for bookends available over at the Designer Pad but for me, it’s “The End” that takes the cake.

For those that want to do home decorating on a budget, nothing beats the elegance that a few well-decorated candles can bring to a room. Candles are very cheap to purchase and they’re available in almost any color so you’re sure to have something that matches with the current color setup that you have in your room.  The high-end candles are quite pricey so to stick to home decorating on a budget, we’re going to decorate our own candles and use those.

To start off, you’ll need the following supples: Ribbon, beads, paint, sequins, decorative wire, markers, tissue paper and stamps.  Once you have these then you’re all set to go.

There’s no set way of decorating these candles so you’ll just have to let your imagination run wild!

Original Source: Integra Project

First off, what’s a pouf? a pouf is basically a hybrid between a throw pillow and a bean bag for the lack of a better term. Designers Cristina Menlo, Angela Mensi and Ingrid Taro are starting to shock the home decorating scene by creating objects and furniture out of waste material.

Check out these sub $100 poufs that are made from waste shoe insole patterns.

These are just some of the examples of what new and daring designers are making from waste materials.  And since they’re made out of latex and rubber, they’re practically guaranteed to last forever!

Check out Better Living Through Design for more photos and the full article.

Some people won’t admit it, but there will be times that we all need some help when it comes to home decorating.  C. Dianne Zweig has shared on her blog some signs to look out for that points out that it’s time we had some professional help in our home decorating choices.

1. You’ve changed the colors in your kitchen at least four times.

2. You love different colors, but for some reason you stuck to “neutral” colors when painting.

3. You got rid of your old “old” furniture, now you’re looking for new “old” furniture.

4. Your wedding photo doesn’t match your bedroom.

5. You let someone else tell YOU what YOU want.

6. You’re considering paying hundreds of dollars for a pillow when you can get one for a few bucks.

7. You spend more money on books and magazines on HOW to decorate than food.

Source C. Dianne Zweig’s blog

Photo from Straight Line Designs.