Home Decorating/Interior Design - Tips & Ideas
Style on a Budget: Simple Changes = Dramatic Results
Copyright 2004, Colin McDougall
Would you like to add more elegance and style to your home?
Would you like to know how to do it for less money?
You’re not alone. Americans spent $343 billion on home enhancement, according to a recent study by the Barnard Retail Consulting Group of Upper Montclair, N.J. So if you are thinking of improving your home decor, you are in good company.
Trends driving today’s decorating
People are changing their decor more often than in the past.
This is due to the greater pace of life in general, as well
as shorter design cycles in other style areas such as clothing
fashions.
Consumers are more style and fashion conscious and want to
express their individual taste. The Internet, movies, magazines,
and TV programs all display a much wider range of home decor
styles—elements of which consumers want to incorporate
into their lives.
People are investing less in decor items. Young people especially,
often leave the old decor items behind, rather than pay to
move them to their new homes.
Can I decorate without a decorator?
Today, more people than ever are making exciting changes to
their homes, and they are doing so without the expense of
a professional decorator. If you are thinking of improving
your decor you may be wondering:
Can I make the changes myself?
Will the results look professional?
Can I learn about my options?
Can I make the changes for a reasonable amount of money?
In a word—yes! Not only can you successfully decorate
your home yourself, there are compelling reasons for doing
it yourself. These include:
Saving money
Getting exactly what you want Implementing the decor changes
on a time frame that matches you budget and available time
Expressing your unique sense of style —go high end on
one room, more modest on another
Where to find decor ideas:
Home decor trends change often. To find the latest trends:
Read home design magazines
Go window-shopping at furniture and design stores
Talk to in-store designers
Will my new decor work with what I have?
One of the exciting design trends of recent years in the “eclectic”
look—the mixing and matching of various items, fabrics,
colors and styles. Many people today typically have an assortment
of home furnishings: antique items they inherited, items bought
while single, and items chosen as a couple. Today
you can combine these in creative and fun ways for a look
that is pleasing and uniquely yours. This is quite a contrast
to the more stuffy approach of period furniture and decor
of the past.
Where do I start?
With the home decor choices available, starting a project can seem a bit intimidating.
Like all successful projects, you need a plan before you
start. Consider your objectives—do you want to add a
new piece of furniture or redo a whole room? Rather than get
bogged down with reviewing endless possible decor improvements,
let’s focus on the following four areas that yield impressive
results for a reasonable price:
Paint
Area rugs
Furniture
Lamps
Paint
Painting a room is one of the easiest but most impressive
decor changes you can make. You can make a small room look
larger with lighter colors. You can also make a smaller apartment
look larger by tying its rooms together with a lighter color.
Conversely, you can make a large room more intimate by using
darker colors. A splash of color can brighten a drab space.
Have a favourite rug or piece of furniture? Then you can use
this as the basis of your decor and select a paint color that
complements it.
Purchase your paint from a quality speciality paint retailer.
National paint retailers have the latest colors and can instruct
you on new painting techniques. Since they only sell paint,
they have very knowledgeable staff that can assist you in
finding the perfect color for your project.
How to paint like a pro
Select one or two dominant colors for your room. While the
choice of paint colors is up to you, you can get the best
results by ensuring that you:
Buy quality paint.
Rule number 1: You cannot afford cheap paint! Why? The biggest
cost of painting is labor—yours or someone else’s.
Quality paint covers better, goes farther, looks better when
finished, and wears longer. Saving a few dollars a gallon
is false economy. Unless you are painting a kitchen or bathroom
that will experience frequent scrubbings, use a quality latex
paint. Latex paint produces fewer fumes when drying and allows
you to clean your implements with soap and water rather than
with mineral spirits, such as turpentine.
Buy quality brushes and rollers. You want to apply your quality
paint with quality tools. Ensure you have the correct brush
for the job. For latex paint, you want to use a quality brush
that has synthetic bristles. For oil paint, purchase a brush
with natural bristles. Purchase high quality rollers with
the
appropriate “nap.” Nap refers to the length of the
fabric on the roller. In general, a shorter nap will produce
a smoother finish. Don’t try to clean rollers. If you
finish a wall and need to stop for the day, use a fresh roller
when you start again. By purchasing quality paint and applying
it carefully with quality tools, you will be ensuring the
best possible result for your efforts.
Don’t skimp on preparation. Actually painting the room
is the final step. The time you spend getting your room ready
to paint will reward you with a much better finished look.
Don’t paint over dirt. Begin by washing the walls and
ceiling with Tri Sodium Phosphate or TSP. This comes in powdered
form and you mix it with a bucket of hot water. Wear rubber
gloves and use a clean sponge. Sponge the room with clear
water when you are finished. Don’t skip this step, because
you will be
amazed at how much grime comes off from clean-looking walls.Once
the walls are clean, fill nail holes and any imperfections
with drywall patching compound. Fill the nicks and scratches;
let dry, then sand smooth. Always prime the areas you have
patched before painting, otherwise the areas will show through
as dull spots.
Remove or cover all furniture with drop cloths. Cover your
floors and any baseboard trim before starting.Take your time.
One of the great things about doing it yourself is that you
can work carefully and do a superior job. Relax,
work carefully, and you will be amazed at what you have accomplished.
Area Rugs
A new area rug represents one of the best home decor purchases
you can make. These affordable rugs come in a multitude of
styles, fabrics, and colors. You can use them to brighten
a room, accent your furniture, or provide a lively contrast
to the primary decorating theme. Area rugs work well in living
rooms of course, but also in bedrooms, halls, even bathrooms.
There are three broad categories of area rugs.
Persian Rugs
Persian rugs have a well-deserved reputation as the finest in world. All Persian rugs are made by hand, visit http://www.area-rugs-source.com/persianrugs.html for more details. Each rug is a beautiful and complex original, painstakingly made by skilled humans. Many weavers come from families that have been making rugs for generations. The symmetry and accuracy of the complex designs is stunning. A Persian rug represents an investment in gracious living that, with proper care, will yield decades of beauty and elegance to your home.
Four main factors contribute Persian’s legacy of excellence:
Beautiful colors—rich vibrant colors reflect the use
of the finest dyes
Enchanting designs—while each rug is unique there are
three broad categories of design, each stunning in its own
way: geometric designs, curvilinear and floral designs, and
pictorial designs
High knot count—simply put, more knots are better because
they result in a tighter weave Highest quality materials—these
rugs feature the highest
quality wool, silk, and dyes. The highest quality materials
yield the finest rugs.
Oriental Rugs
Oriental rugs come from Asia and are less expensive than Persian
rugs. Oriental rugs come in a vast array of sizes, colors,
and designs. All Oriental rugs have the following key characteristics:
Stunning Colors—rich, lush colors that blend together
beautifully predominate
Beautiful Designs—complex patterns and even pictures characterize these rugs. The religion of Islam inspires many of the designs and themes, giving the rugs an elegant and exotic look.
Contemporary Rugs
Generally the most affordable of area rugs, contemporary rugs tend to defy description; there are so many great possibilities. Broadly speaking, however, contemporary area rugs have the following characteristics:
Bright colors
Bold designs and patterns
High tech fabrics such as acrylic, polypropylene, rayon, and wool (low tech but high quality)Unique shapes—unconventional shapes abound
Who has the best selection of area rugs at the lowest prices?
Internet merchants. A quality Internet-based retailer can carry far more stock than the local carpet store. They have lower prices because their overhead is lower and they tend to deal directly with the carpet makers—thereby cutting out layers of middlemen and the expensive mark-ups.
If buying a carpet over the Internet seems unusual, don’t worry. (People didn’t used to buy computers over the Internet either.) The key to buying a great carpet you will love is finding a reputable online merchant. You want someone who has a solid reputation, great selection, excellent product knowledge, and guarantees.
Furniture
Furniture makes a big decor statement in a room. Casual or
elegant, bold or subtle, there’s nothing like the right
pieces to set a room off.
Here’s a little secret they won’t tell you at the furniture store—chances are good you don’t need to replace the furniture you already have to get a fresh new look in your home.
Furniture,especially older furniture, is often extremely well made. The frame is often hardwood and very sound. Likely the cushions are fine too. What might be a bit out of date is the fabric and pattern. Do you need to spend a bundle on having the item reupholstered? No you don’t!
Savvy consumers know that today’s innovative slipcovers can rejuvenate your couch or chair at a fraction of the cost of replacing them or having them reupholstered. Modern slipcovers fit beautifully, giving you a tailored look. Here are the benefits of using slipcovers:
Save money. Why spend $1,000 or more for a new couch when you can get the same look for a fraction of the cost?
Achieve a high quality look inexpensively with hundreds styles, patterns, and colors of fabrics to choose from. Many high-class fabrics are available such as suede.
Change the look whenever you want. Buy two slipcovers for a sofa—a casual one for everyday use and a second one for entertaining. In minutes you can transform from casual to elegant.
Enjoy your furniture more, because you worry less. Unlike in magazines, real children spill things and pets mess up the sofa. This is not a problem if a slipcover protects your sofa. Pop it in the wash and presto—the sofa looks immaculate again!
Respect the environment—don’t trash good furniture when it can still provide years of stylish service with slipcovers.
Best of all, you can view, order, and have these slipcovers delivered without leaving the house. Internet retailers have the widest selection and the lowest prices. Here is great example of lamps and light fixtures site http://www.a1-light-fixtures.com
Lamps
In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.
Aaron Rose
Interior designers use lighting to bring a room alive, and so can you. Consider the beauty of a pool of light in a room, adding mood and elegance.
One of the best ways make a lighting decor statement is through a combination of floor and table lamps. Lamps represent your best lighting value because they require no wiring alterations to your home and because they can be moved from room to room and from house to house. By only lighting the areas you want, you can save energy and money. And you can add or take away focus from different parts of a room, according to your decorating scheme.
Using lamps effectively
Begin by asking yourself what you are trying to achieve. Do you want general illumination in a corner of the room or a lamp to light a task area, such as a desk or comfy reading chair? This will help you narrow the choice to freestanding floor lamps or table lamps.
Next think of styles. Today you can choose from literally hundreds of different styles of lamps in classical, contemporary, and futuristic styles. Both floor lamps and table lamps (visit http://www.a1-light-fixtures.com/floor-lamps.html and http://www.a1-light-fixtures.com/table-lamps.html for more details) also come in a vast array of colors and materials including brass and other metals, plastic and wood. Whatever your style, there is a lamp for you.
Finally, consider the light it casts. Today you can get lamps with bulbs that cast distinct lights. The oldest and most familiar bulb is the incandescent that casts a warm light. These bulbs are inexpensive, but not very energy efficient. Consider a lamp with a dimmer that accepts tri-light bulbs, so you can tailor the light to the mood and save energy.
Two other choices not available in the past are compact fluorescent bulbs and halogen bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs fit in standard light sockets and are super energy efficient. These bulbs come in a variety of lighting tones so you can have both energy efficiency and a warm, inviting light. The other choice today is halogen bulbs. These tiny bulbs cast a bright, whitish light—ideal for spot illumination.
Final decor thoughts
Whatever the scope of your project, be bold, take chances, and express yourself. If you’ve always wanted a red wall—do it. The suggestions above are modest in cost, allowing you to experiment and find just the right home decor look. Have fun!
Colin McDougall is a successful freelance writer for
several home decor websites. For more tips and ideas visit http://www.area-rugs-source.com , http://www.furniture-slipcovers.com and http://www.a1-light-fixtures.com