Two Types of Brass Stair Rods

Principally there are 2 main types of brass stair rods available. The first type is made from a cased steel tube which is available either as a round tube or a quadrant - otherwise known as a triangular tube - is a steel tube which has been rolled from a flat strip to form the tube. This tube is then covered with a sleeve, consisting of a thin layer of brass or chrome. Cased tube is an inexpensive way of making brass stair rods, running the full width of the carpet tread, the tube fits into stair eye's which are locators to secure the tube across the carpet. The stair eyes are fitted to the stairs each side of the carpet. The stair eyes have a plate on the side into which you can screw a variety of different finials.

The alternative and more prestigious form of rods are made and turned from solid brass rodding. The brass rodding is cut to the overall size required, which is then placed in a capstan lathe. As the brass rodding rotates rapidly along its horizontal axis, a specially designed cutter, or tool then shaves and cuts away the brass, shaping it to make either a ball, acorn or spun end. Fixing these brass stair rods to the stairs is a different principal than on the cased brass stair rods, again brass stair eyes are fitted to the stairwell either side of the carpet, however in this instance the eyes are "open" and have a hole to accommodate the rod.

The rod is fed through the hole, thus preventing the carpet from moving as you walk up and down the stairs. Brass stair rods look stunning against the carpet and hold the carpet in a fine and distinguished manner. They also add an additional safety factor to your stairs where carpet runners have been used. The carpet remains much more secure and the edges fixed tightly down so that trip hazards are avoided. This is particularly important when you have children who so often run up and down the stairs without being aware of any dangers!

Putting the Mirror

Many homes are reverting to the classic feel and some homeowners are taking 'home and hearth' quite literally. A fireplace is considered the focal point of a home, so what better way to accentuate it than to add a mirror. The fireplace mirror seemingly enlarges the living space and adds dimension and light. It's a great way to give your fireplace a new look.

Mirror Work on the Wall

Regardless of if your fireplace is real or just for show, having a mirror above it can do wonders. If you have a fireplace juts out of the wall and has a fireplace mantel, you can add a large mirror just above it to add dramatization and style. Another option is to add several small mirrors joined together, which provides a similar affect with a slight twist. Therefore, there are various options at decoration depending on the glamour and the economy you need. You can even add mirrors to the short walls on either side of the fireplace. Your options are endless.

If the fireplace doesn't jut out, you can mirror the portion above the mantel right up to the ceiling. This gives a visual boundary to the mirror and converts it into a stylish element, catching the eye straightaway.

Modern Look

A more modern look can be had by using six small square mirrors and arranging them in various formations, with the mirrors placed straight, or alternatively, at a tilt. Another formation would be to tilt them and place them in a 'bowling pins' format.

For a showpiece fireplace, a simple no-nonsense solution is to put a mirror on the mantelpiece which will do no more than reflect the area of the living room but not ceasing to impress.

Shopping

When shopping for mirrors, consider your budget. For example, since larger mirrors will cost more, you need to establish whether or not your budget can afford various sizes. Then consider whether you'd like to have additional mirror work on the sides of the fireplace. A mirror is almost ubiquitous with a fireplace so you can consider one for yours regardless.

Kid's Room Decoration

The most important thing to consider when decorating a child’s room is to make the child comfortable. You want to surround them with fun, playful items. The way this room is designed is going to have an effect on the psyche of the child, so allow room for imagination and freedom.
It may be helpful to let the child help you decorate. Pick out the colors, or the wallpaper together. One trick is to purchase inexpensive plain white wall paper, then when it is up, let the child paint a mural of their choice on it. You can do this once a year and continue to reinvent the room over and over again.

Big boxes and lots of shelves will help the child keep the room clean. Make labels for all of the containers with big bright words, that will help remind the child what that container is for.

Decorating in toys is another idea for a child’s room. Set up scenes on shelves, or tables, with their toys in different poses. You can have action toys attacking an enemy base, or dolls working in a kitchen. This allows the décor to be a play item itself. Every time you look at the scene you will get new ideas and more inspiration.

Mostly just let the room be imaginative. Use bright colors, and create a décor that will give the child’s mind something to think about, and room to explore. Don’t hold back, you can play too.

Makeover Your Furniture in the Cheap and Easy Way

Are you tired of the look of your furniture? Do you fancy changing the appearance of your room, but don’t want the cost and hassle of buying a whole new suite? Well, the good news is that giving your home a makeover can be as simple as adding some furniture slipcovers. If you have some pieces of furniture with mismatching upholstery or you simply want a change, then some new slipcovers could work wonders.

So, what exactly are furniture slipcovers? They are a cheaper alternative to re-upholstering your furniture. Re-upholstery can be an expensive option depending on the amount of work needed to make your furniture look as good as new. It can involve replacing the existing fabric, replacing worn out cushions and in some cases fixing the frame and springs. It depends on the value of the furniture as to whether it is worth the effort and expense. Furniture slip covers on the other hand are basically fabric covers that can easily be fitted over existing upholstery.

There are many benefits of using fitted slipcovers over re-upholstery, not least the lower costs. Sofa slipcovers are an excellent way to disguise unattractive upholstery on your existing sofa as well as transforming the look and color scheme of a whole room. You can use sofa slipcovers to create a completely different feel. For example, careful choice of the right slipcover patterns can help add a welcoming atmosphere of warmth to a room. Or maybe you want to create the illusion of space in a small room by adding some lighter colored sofa slip covers.

Another advantage of furniture slipcovers is that they can protect your existing fabric from becoming dirty or worn, prolonging the life of your furniture. Whether you have pets or small children or just want to prevent damage caused by accidental spills, slipcovers are an ideal solution. Slipcovers are made from durable, hardwearing materials. Cotton fabrics are common, but all sorts of other fabrics are popular too such as leather, suede, corduroy and velvet. They are designed to be easy to remove and clean, which means they can be changed as often as you like. Many are fully machine washable.

These days furniture slipcovers come in a huge variety of designs and colors. Many people like the ease with which slipcovers allow them to change their décor with the seasons or just whenever they fancy a change. And slipcovers can be found for furniture of all shapes and sizes. There are slipcovers for sofas, wing chairs, recliner chairs and ottomans. In addition, you can find fitted slipcovers for kitchen and dining room chairs, futons and loveseats. So, when home decorating, rather than rushing out to buy brand new furniture, consider slipcovers as an effective and inexpensive way to give your room a facelift.

Influence the Mood of a Room by Using Psychology of Color

The living room is the setting which will blend the people in your life into the occasions of your home. It is the hardest room to decorate because it has to be versatile, comfortable, and entertaining. Guests, relatives, friends; this room will be the showcase of your home for all of them. This makes the decoration of the living room especially important. The colors and designs you choose will have subtle effects on the psychology of the occupants in the setting, resulting in slight changes to the interactions held there. In a social center such as this, you do not want that influence to be a negative one. A way to help control this is to understand the psychological effects of color on the people in a room.

Color is what surrounds us, it makes up our environment. Everywhere we look there is color, and this affects our minds. Certain colors have positive effects. Yellow is a happy color, while grey is considered dismal. These effects change as the shading changes, and of course other factors can alter them as well. Too much yellow is actually an eye irritant. Color and its effects have been studied by psychologists for many years and they have found many generalities that affect most Americans in a similar manner. However, it is important to note that these ideas are not universal, and you should always follow your own taste when designing a room.

Before you begin you should decide what you want to evoke. Are you looking to make this a quiet peaceful room or a place for wild parties? Would you like the room to feel elated or are you looking for a place of serenity. Once you know what you want, you can simply paint by the numbers, being careful to always pick the shade that evokes the desired effect most in you.

The most popular color in America is blue. This color produces a sense of calm, and is often associated with the ocean. The color blue can make a room look larger, and it stimulates elated emotional responses. Lighter blue is more popular and will make a room seem more open then darker navies.

The next most popular color in America is Green. This is the color of nature, and is almost always associated with growth. Using green is slightly more invigorating then blue, but still produces a sense of mental calm. Green is the easiest color on the eye, and is actually good for eyesight. Avoid sickly greens and use nature as your guide to mix and match colors into a green themed room.

Earth tones give a room a close grounded feeling, and can promote a sense of intimacy. They are rustic natural colors that seam simple and warm. Soft tans and browns are the colors of family, and will give your living room that feeling of home. Besides, they don’t show dirt. Greens can be matched in with browns, to create a feeling of nature and the outdoors in.

Colors to avoid in large doses are reds and yellows. Too much yellow can cause eye irritation and uncomfortable feelings. Red, while highly invigorating, is also a very aggressive color. Use of too much red could easily lead to fighting. To avoid conflict, use reds and yellows only as accessories, and only when they match the room’s main color.

It is almost impossible to get angry in a pink room. In light tones and small doses this color gentles people’s personalities. However if you paint the whole room a wild pink you may find yourself irritated by the brightness. Instead use pink in an understated manner. Throw in pink accessories, or a few pink decorations. If you want to theme a room pink, then choose a light color that will match earth tones. However you should be cautious; the more pink that gets used the more people tend to get lazy and unmotivated.

Make a decision about what kind of setting you want to invoke, and then decide on the colors that will help get you there. Make sure the colors you use will match one another. Maintain balance between different extremes, and refer to yourself often. Only you know if the harmony of the room is helping to bring balance into your home. You are your own best resource.

Using Psychology of Color to Decorate Kitchen

Psychologists have studied the influence of color on the mind for years. While they have not found any effects that generalize to every society, they have found that people from the same society are affected by colors in similar ways. Using these findings it is possible to tap into the subconscious of people, and use this information when decorating to create a room that will have positive emotional effects. The following are the general effects of color on the perceptions of Americans, and some tips on how to use these colors to influence the minds of the people in your kitchen positively. These colors may affect you differently, and as such it is important to pay attention to your own tastes above any advice.

The kitchen is a friendly place of taste testing, gathering, talking, and enjoying the company of friends and family. The kitchen is a family room. It is also a creative paradise, where you will design elaborate dishes and taste delights.

The color most often associated with food and ingestion is orange. This color tends to illicit hunger, and could be a great color to use strategically in the kitchen. Adobe serving trays with orange hints could wet the appetites of your guests. Orange is also a color that tends to lift peoples emotions. Strategic orange decorative patterns, or a slight orange tint to the walls, may be a positive idea to reinforce elated emotions in the kitchen. Red can also illicit hunger, but is such a hot color it should be used in small amounts. Dinnerware and utensils that are red may be a nice touch, if done in an understated manner.

Blue is the opposite of those colors and it actually represses the urge to eat. There is not very much blue food in nature, and so we have developed a natural aversion to eating when we see it. For that reason you may want to try and maximize the orange and minimize the blue.

In the kitchen black is best avoided as a major theme. This color will actually absorb heat making the room even hotter. The exception is if black is used with white. White will balance the dark color as well as reflect heat making the room slightly colder.

Earth tones are great for kitchens. These colors, such as tans and browns, can create a sense of closeness and warmth. The feeling of ease and belongingness will make the kitchen a room that you can feel safe to create in. It will also ease interaction between the different parties that may gather in there occasionally.

By using colors in a planned manner you can control the undercurrents in a room and influence the nature of interactions in a positive way. Try and find out how you react to the colors. Play with different shades and gauge your reactions. A few hints lighter and a color may go from a beautiful hunger inducer to a sickly mess that will actually detract from the cuisine created.

Decorating a Bedroom by Using Psychology of Colors

Psychology of colors – the bedroom
Color can have an astounding effect on perceptions, feelings, and interactions. Different colors evoke different memories and different ideas. In the bedroom, where one is supposed to be most at ease, it is important that you plan out your color scheme so that it creates the maximum comfort for you.

Psychologists have been studying the effects of color on people for many years. While they have made many discoveries about color effects on people in different societies, they have not found any effects that occur across all societies. For instance in China the color red tends to make people feel calm, while in America red tends to make people more aggressive. This means that the effect of color on a persons mind is individual and perceptual, rather then being physiological and inherent. In order to choose the right color for a setting, you will have to get in touch with your inner self, and see which color you harmonize best with. In the bedroom one tries to achieve maximum relaxation. By choosing the colors that you feel most comfortable with, you will find the greatest contentment with your decor.

Think about the following colors. Think about each one separately. Think about their different shades, how you feel about them, what they invoke in you.

Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Violet. Purple. White. Black
Once you have gained insight into how you feel about those colors, you can read about the general effects these colors have on people in American society. Don’t be afraid to disagree, your tastes are different from anyone else’s, but do keep in mind that the average American that enters the room will feel these effects to some extent.

The two extreme colors are white and black. Black is an attention grabber, and can create a bedroom with a dark, sultry look. Unfortunately it will also make the room look smaller and seem more restrictive. Overuse of the color black can be dangerous in a room like the bedroom, as it can darken a person’s mood. It may even produce night mares. Meanwhile its polar opposite, white, can be uninspiring. Most rooms start off with white walls, and it is the generic look for many homes. It can have a positive and soothing effect on ones emotions, but it may also lead to a lack of stimulation which can be a terrible thing in a bedroom. Whatever ones perceptions however, white is a good color for warm climates. White reflects light creating cooler temperatures and a breezy feeling.

The earth tones are gentle and will keep a bedroom feeling close and snuggly, as long as you pay attention to the tones you use. These colors include browns, oranges, and yellows. Browns tend to remind Americans of family, and of emotional bonds to each other and the world. Orange is a color that makes people happy, but is also the color associated with food and could lead to midnight snacking. Yellow creates a very positive effect on people psychologically, but only short term. Long term exposure to this color can lead to irritation.

Blues and greens evoke serenity and peace. They are colors associated with nature and the ocean. Using these colors heavily in your bedroom can help to calm the emotions of its inhabitants, and bring restful nights. Blue will also calm cravings for food after you’ve gone to bed, because there is very little blue food in nature, so our minds tend to repress hunger at its site. Pink is the extreme claming color and many will find it impossible to act aggressively when surrounded by it. Purple is a nice color for a bedroom that will make it look more sophisticated.

Red is an exciting color. If you have trouble falling asleep, don’t use red in the bedroom. However, to get a tired relationship going, red may be just the color you want. Red makes Americans aggressive. It speeds up their metabolism and gives them energy. Red is a good color for sheets or blankets, because if it becomes too distracting it can be put away until desired.

Combining these colors yields further effects, which are numerous beyond the scope of this article. Remember that shade and tone is important, and will alter these effects. Most importantly, you should have the final say; it is the colors effect on your own mind that is important, and only you can truly understand your own impressions.

Oriental Rugs for Adding Beauty and Elegance to Your Home

Oriental rugs can be purchased in a great variety of colors and patterns, and will add beauty and elegance to your home décor. When you decide to decorate a room, consider choosing one or more of these exciting and durable area rugs as a cornerstone for your color and design choices. If you are adding a rug to an existing decorating plan, you will have no trouble finding one that complements the choices already made. Although oriental rugs are found most often in living rooms and dining rooms, they are also a popular choice as runners for high traffic areas, for foyers, and even for bedrooms. Your home decorating scheme can include them throughout the interior of your house if you really love them.

What is an Oriental Rug?
When the term "oriental" is used in reference to rugs, it means those rugs produced anywhere on the continent of Asia, and includes:

• Persian rugs – made in Iran (formerly Persia), the country that produces more handmade rugs than all other rug-making countries combined, and are considered by many to be the finest
• Afghanistan rugs – still woven mainly by nomadic tribes
• Indian rugs – mostly imitation of Persian designs, but of coarser wool
• Pakistan rugs – from the country that is the fourth largest rug producer in the world
• Caucasian rugs – from the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and characterized by bright red, rust, or burgundy colors, bold geometric designs, and narrow borders
• Rugs from Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Tibet, and a host of other Asian countries

Each country produces its own distinct style and quality of rug, although many are imitations of Persian designs, as well as modern Tibetan and Indo-Persian designs. Making rugs by hand is an ancient art, and the designs reflect the religious and ethnic structures found in the history of the countries of origin. These designs are still produced today, sometimes by hand and sometimes within a modern rug-weaving industry. The common patterns are traditional floral or garden motifs, often with a central medallion, or a geometric or curvilinear design, or central scenes that look like paintings.

How to Choose Oriental Rugs for Your Home
To decorate with oriental rugs, it is important to take both color and design into consideration. The color should be harmonious with the other colors in the room in which the rug is to be placed and should repeat the dominant or accent colors, or include shades of one or more of them. If the colors are compatible with other colors in the room, even a modern home can be enhanced by the popular traditional designs in oriental rugs.

When choosing an appropriate design, consider how you are going to use the rug. If the center of the rug is going to be very visible, a medallion or central motif or scene is a happy choice. If, however, the center of the rug is going to be under a dining room table or under a bed, it would be better to chose one with a repetitive design or one where the most detail and interest is in the borders.

As well, very colorful rugs with very busy designs can bring a subdued room to life; simple designs and a limited color palette are better in a room that is already colorful and busy. Geometric designs work best in new or modern homes, and curvilinear designs are more appropriate for old and traditional homes. It is most important that the rug does not clash, in either color or pattern, with any other fabric in the room in which it is to be used.

How to Find a Good Buy
A reputable dealer or outlet will give you the "good buy" oriental rug for which you are shopping. Before you go to the store, give some serious thought to the color, design and size of rug you need, and how much you are willing to pay. If you have clear ideas of what you want and have made some decisions beforehand, it will reduce the dizzying number of choices facing you when you have to make your selection.

An antique oriental rug is the most expensive rug, of course, and even if cost is not an issue, authenticity is. Documentation for an antique rug, including the appraised value, is sometimes available, but if not, you can ask for an independent appraisal or a guarantee if you don’t know the dealer.

Most people, however, are not buying an antique, and are simply interested in choosing a beautiful rug and getting good value for their money. It is possible to find a discount oriental rug, or a wholesale buy if you shop around. Whether the carpet is cheap or expensive from your point of view, it is important that you understand the factors that affect the cost.

These are:

• Natural or synthetic fibers
• Method of production – handmade or machine woven
• Intricacy and rarity of design
• Region of origin

Wool is the most expensive fabric, but it is warm, durable, dirt-resistant, fire-resistant, and easy to clean, and has become the standard by which all rugs are judged. Other natural materials used in oriental rugs are cotton and silk, and blends of wool and silk. These materials are more durable than synthetics and never release chemical gases into the air, which is significant to people with health concerns. If you are looking for a less expensive rug, synthetic fibers rather than natural are the answer.

The knots per square inch (kpsi) in an oriental rug is a good indication of its quality, and a high number of knots is usually an indication of durability as well as higher cost.

Expect slight inconsistencies and at least one imperfection in a hand-woven rug originating from a country in the Middle East. The philosophy, from an Islamic point of view, is that only God is perfect, and, therefore, nothing man makes should be perfect. A flaw will be carefully woven into each rug.

"Handmade" means that the rug has been constructed by hand, but it does not necessarily mean that it has been hand-knotted. "Hand-hooked" means the yarn has been inserted into a backing with a hand-held tool. Handmade, hand-knotted rugs are superior in quality to those made by machine made because a rug is more durable when each knot has been individually tightened. Expect to pay more for them.

You can beautify your home with oriental rugs if you give some careful thought to the colors and designs that will work best with your style preferences. By taking time to shop around and make sure that you are buying a quality rug from a reputable dealer, you will be able to enjoy your beautiful rugs for many happy years.

Simple Changes to Your Home Decorating

Home decorating, ever wanted to try it, but hesitated because of time constraints or budget concerns. The following ideas will not only give instant results, but more importantly fit into any budget.

1. Changing the Look of Your Walls
Adding a new color or changing the texture, can give the room a completely new appearance and that may be the only decorating change that is necessary. The easiest option is to paint, and with the color choices available, the possibilities are endless. Another consideration would be wallpaper; the only problem you may have is choosing a design. If on the other hand, only a little something extra is needed a simple stencil design might just do the trick. Any of these ideas can be used either individually or in combination with each other.

2. Look to Your Windows For a Whole New View
Changing your window treatments is probably the easiest of any home decorating projects. The choices range from styles that include drapes, tab-top, cafe and shears, backgrounds of solid colors, floral and stripes, fabrics that include silk, cotton, lace or velvet. The most economical is ready-made; they are very affordable therefore giving you the opportunity to make changes more often.

3. Accessories Make Your Decorating Complete
Some of the more common are area rugs, wall art, lamps, pillows and cozy throws. Items for the kitchen make beautiful additions, for example; canisters, dinnerware, dishtowels or decorative bottles filled with oils and vinegar. Add a little whimsy with oversized ceramic figures like roosters, or the adorable pigs holding chalkboard menus. Bathrooms are another area for pretty accessories like decorative soaps placed in a bowl or basket; towels come in so many colors and designs now that they alone make great accessories. Last but not least do not forget candles and bowls of potpourri.

4. Collectibles Bring a Personal Touch to Home Decorating
Collectibles can be anything involving three or more of the same thing, or items that are related. This can include porcelain dolls, Christmas villages, collector plates and who can resist those adorable little faces of Boyds Bears. Maybe items with a nostalgic feel like tin lunchboxes, cookie jars or salt & peppershakers stir up special memories of childhood.

5. Updating Your Furniture
One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is with slipcovers; they come in a large variety of colors and patterns. Pieces like end tables, hutches or even a dinning table and chairs can be refinished for a new look. One way is with paint. Pick a color to coordinate with your room or choose something bright and whimsical. Another option would be to use stain, stains come in a multitude of shades; they can also come in colors.

So, if you are ready to give some decorating a go, try these basic changes to start. Over time, more things can be changed but for right now, simple changes can make a big difference.

How to Care and Clean Persian Rugs

You've just invested in a beautiful Persian rug. Even though they are durable, they still need to be properly cared for and cleaned. A well maintained rug will last indefinitely. Let's look at some standard care tips.

General Care

1. Don't forget the padding - get a quality padding to place under your rug. Padding is for more than slippage. It will extend the life of the rug by providing a supportive base that will allow the rug to breathe. A good pad can extend the life of your rug. It protects against dirt, wear and wrinkling specially in high traffic areas.
2. Rotate once a year, at least. This one will depend on where your rug is located. Try to avoid exposure to direct sunlight and high traffic areas. If the carpet is getting a lot of wear, consider rotating it every six months.
3. Vacuuming. Wool is porous and it holds a lot of dirt. Regular vacuuming is essential. Always vacuum with the pile. To determine the direction of the pile, run your hand across the pile from fringe to fringe. The smooth side is the pile. Use the suction attachment or the bare floor setting as a rotary brush may cause added wear. Also, once a year, flip the rug and vacuum the back.
4. Moths. Moths can do some serious damage to your rug. Check the back regularly for infestation. Moths are common in rugs that are in hidden in the dark, such as under a bed.
5. Storage. If you need to store your rug for an extended period of time, roll it tightly into a cylinder. Don't forget to mothproof it first. Cover with kraft paper. Then wrap the rolled rug in Tyvek®, which is water resistant and breathable. Do not use plastic as it will not let the rug breathe and could lead to mildew. Store in a dry, cool well ventilated area. Don't make the mistake of storing it in your attic, or in the rafters of your garage.

Cleaning
Simple, use a professional. This is not a job for a do-it-yourselfer. Consult your phone book for a reputable place. Plan on having it cleaned every 1-3 years, depending on the amount of traffic.

Spills
Clean them up immediately. Don't wait for the company to leave. Work from the outside of the spill to the center so as not to spread it. If you've got a stain, be cautious with using commercial spot removers, as they could damage your rug. If you do use one, test it first, if at all possible.

Creating a Garden Window

If you have a sunny window in a room where you don't have to worry about privacy, this décor idea will provide a country home feel along with the beauty of Mother Nature's flowers.

What you will need for this project:

1. Rope about 10 inches longer than your window is wide
2. 6 small flower pots with handles (small tin buckets work well also)
3. 6 clothespins
4. Potting soil
5. 2 decorative pots
6. 2 mug hooks
7. 2 potted plant trellises
8. An assortment of seeds or seedling herbs and leafy plants such as lettuce, spinach, parsley, and chives
9. 4 morning glory seeds or two morning glory plants
10. 1 other somewhat tall decorative item that fits into the décor of the room
11. Measuring Tape
12. Pencil

How to Create this Look:

• If you are using morning glory seeds, you will first want to put them in warm water and leave them there for about 24 hours. This helps the seeds have a shorter germination time.
• Put potting soil in the 6 small pots and 2 decorative pots.
• Plant the seeds or seedlings according to directions on seed packet.
• For placing the rope, measure how tall your window is then divide this number into fourths. Measure that length from the top of the window and make a mark with a pencil on both sides. For example if your window is 36 inches tall you will make a mark at 9 inches from the top.
• Put in the mug hooks where you made your marks.
• Tie a secure knot in both ends of your rope.
• Push one knot over a mug hook.
• Slide the handles of the small pots onto the rope.
• Carefully push the other knot over the mug hook. Caution: If you have ceramic or glass pots be careful at this step. Slide the pots to the center slowly and have them next to each other so they do not slide and break each other as your are moving your rope up to put the knot over the mug hook.
• Evenly space your pots and keep them in place by putting a clothespin on the handle and rope.
• Push the 2 potted plant trellises into the 2 decorative pots, and place one on each side of the window.
• Put your other decorative item in the center.
• Water your plants, and wait for Mother Nature to do the rest.

Decorating Tips for Your Home

There was a time people thought the world was flat. At another point in history it was believed that women didn’t have the know-how to run a business or change a tire. Then there was the one about man not being able to fly. Over time all of these fairytales have proven untrue.

So it is with interior design. Until recently, many people held the belief that having their home decorated by an interior designer was reserved for the rich and famous. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Fact is, many people of average income who live in a middleclass neighborhood are frequently surprised to learn they can easily afford the services of an interior designer. In other cases, many folks prefer to learn tips about design so they have the flexibility to redo a room on a whim. Either way, you have more choices today then ever before.

It is not uncommon to completely redo a room for a one time social event such as a birthday celebration, a graduation or a wedding. With some simple tips, even the most inexperienced person can easily spruce up a room.

Before you begin, think about the style you are interested in. Is it art deco, traditional, Mediterranean, western, modern, or contemporary? These are only a few of the multitude of choices you have. Think through how functional the room will be with what you have in mind. Avoid rugs and chairs that stain easily if there will be a lot of traffic in the room.

Be very careful to scale your furniture to the size of the room. If you have a very large space you can break up the area into little sitting groups or area groups. You can easily shift the “feel” of a room with the use of lighting and/or plants. Area rugs are another tool many designers use to break up large spaces. A variety of paint colors and wall textures can make even the most mundane room come to life.

Small space decorating is fast becoming a favorite topic for many people as real estate prices rise. Think priorities when it comes to small spaces. Do you need to use an area of the room for more than one reason? In some cases you can easily convert the kitchen table to your workspace provided you have cabinet space handy for supplies. A chest of drawers can easily serve this purpose by holding office supplies, linens, or even computer components.

If you are considering utilizing the services of a designer, do your homework. Check their portfolio and references. Find out how they are to work with, did they deliver on time, were they easy to work with and did they listen to the homeowner. If you get an affirmative answer on all of these and their fees are suitable to your budget, then take the leap. Often, interior designs services are provided at no additional cost to you, and will give you the extra edge you need to create exactly the feeling you want for your home.

A great designer can make recommendations you may not have thought of. Ultimately, their goal is for you to be ecstatic with what you were able to accomplish together. After all, you are the one that has to live in the space long after the designer has done their magic.

Decorative Painting Techniques to Jazz up Your Space

Tired of plain, boring walls? Faux finishes are a great way to jazz up your space with little cost or effort. Here are a few of the most popular finishes.

Sponging: Of all faux finish techniques, sponging is the easiest, even children can do a somewhat messy reproduction of this technique. In order to sponge, you must first paint the entire area one base color. After this coat dries, then you can take a sponge or even a plastic bag, dip it in paint, and apply the paint randomly to the walls. Although this is a random process, you want to be careful not to get any one area of the wall extremely dark or leave it extremely light or your eye will be drawn to that spot immediately. Sponging is very easy, and for all supplies usually costs between $50-$100, which may also include classes if you want to learn from the professionals.

Combing: Combing is a little more difficult. When combing, you use a squeegee with teeth to comb through the top layer of paint. As with sponging, you want to have a bottom layer so that when you comb there will be a matching layer beneath it. Using a combing technique is also very inexpensive, and you can use the squeegee to make wavy, zigzags, and other designs on the wall.
Glazing: Glazing is actually the product that you put over your first coat of paint. In order to glaze your walls correctly, you should take a class. You may be able to find a home improvement store that offers glazing classes or you may need to talk to a local interior decorator about classes, although these will likely be very expensive. Glazing places a transparent coat over the base coat of paint, making the wall look a bit shiny and transparent. You can use as many coats of glaze as you want to get the desired look.

Trompe-L'oeil: Trompe-L'oeil is French for "fool the eye." This finish fools the eye into thinking that the wall has a marble or granite finish. This is probably the most difficult finish to accomplish on your own. For creating the marble finish, you use a technique very much like sponging, but this one takes a bit more talent. Visit local stores to see if they have classes or tips on achieving this style.

These are the four primary types of faux finishes. The first two are fairly easy, while the latter two are significantly harder. Before attempting any of these, plan well so that you can estimate the cost, and visit your local hardware or design store for classes or helpful hints. Having a buddy to take classes with you or practice with you will make the experience more fun. You can even do one room in your house and then decorate a room in your buddy's house; the fun never ends!

Decorating Nursery Room

The nursery is your newborn’s first room, his own little world: the environment, which in part will influence and shape his personality. As a parent your goal is to provide a surrounding that is comfortable, secure, inviting and cozy.

A functional, safe and stimulating environment precedes aesthetic needs. Here is one illustration for decorating a boy’s nursery. Instead of restricting the color to a single monotonous tone, a variety of bright blues, yellows, reds, pinks and green were selected. According to studies, introduction to bright colors and shapes help stimulate babies’ imaginations. The inspiration for the nursery can be derived from an adorable multi-colored hand hooked rug with animals and alphabets. The animals on the rug provide a theme for the room and form the central focus for design. The motifs can continue with the use of animal mobile overhead, crib bedding, pillows and other accessories.

The furniture should be kept simple. An inexpensive entertainment center can be used as an armoire, which is practical, and most importantly has ample storage. Built in cabinets conceal clutter, help organization and present a neat tidy look. Both the armoire and the cabinet are excellent long-term choices not restricted to age and can be used as the child grows. These furniture items with simple white distressed finish complement varied kids of décor can be alternately used in another room.

Safety precedes any other aesthetic element. The crib and bassinet should be ideally positioned in an area that is away from objects like windows, draperies, blinds or shelves that can cause accidents. One other important thing to consider while placing the crib is to avoid picture frames or any other items that can fall on the baby. The crib can be placed against the wall away from the window with a light mesh canopy hung from the ceiling. The canopy should be securely fastened from a hook to prevent accidents. The canopy with pale yellow hue and ruffle edges adds a delicate touch to the crib. Use a traditional white wicker bassinet with blue gingham ribbon details, which will stand out against the colorful background. The room can have both a bed and a crib and as the baby grows this arrangement will ease the transition from "baby bed" to "big-boy bed." As a concerned parent, it's also nice to have a spot where Mom or Dad can sleep near the baby.

Accessories such as picture frames, lamps and artwork, are a great way to add fun, pattern and color without much expense. Room accessories like distressed white wooden letters hung from blue gingham ribbon add a distinctive, personal touch to the nursery.

When designing a nursery, creating a cute themed room is important but creating an intellectually stimulating, safe, spacious environment should be the central focus. Visit Exquisite Rugs to find unique kids room accessories. Exquisite Rugs has a wide selection of kids rugs in different price range, styles, colors and patterns. A number of kids room accessories like kids decorative pillows, personalized kids room decor, frames and other decor items are available.

Decorating a Child's Room by Yourself

Decorating your child's room should be fun and exciting for all involved. The most important thing to remember when planning or decorating your child's room is to keep the decor age appropriate. You wouldn't want to decorate your 3 year old daughter's room in the same style as your 13 year old daughter's room. That doesn't mean you have to start decorating all over every few years. What it means is that you should strive to create a room that will grow with your little girl /little boy but is age appropriate. Some helpful tips follow.

Get a feel for what colors your child likes. If they are fairly young show them a box of crayons and let them pick out their favorite colors. Use those colors as inspiration for the child's room decor. The older child or children can easily tell you what colors they prefer.

Don't force your style or color likes and dislikes on your children. Despite their young age they are developing their personality's and their rooms are an extension of it. (Of course if they insist on all black walls and Marilyn Manson posters, it's reasonable to say No). The lesson here is to set limits but also to give your child room to create their special place in the home.

Use your imagination (ask your child for input) when painting your child's room. The wall treatments can range from applying a calming and soothing neutral wall color to creating fantastic murals that bring your child's dreams to life. Decoupage is another form of decorative finishes that you can use to create a truly unique and magical child's room.

Furniture themes for your child's room can be: whimsical with butterflies and bees, elegant a la French country style, romantic like a princess inspired theme complete with a half crown above the bed, heroic like a firefighter inspired theme for a boy's room with a fire engine truck for a bunkbed, a charming rustic lodge style complete with log cabin headboard and so many others! You can buy many of these themed furniture pieces or you can create some of them yourself.

Decorating Small Place

“Big Things Come In Small Packages” We’re all familiar with this quote, it’s normally associated with gifts not home decorating, but it should be.

A one or two bedroom house, apartment, condo or townhouse can be just as impressive and grand as something with fifteen bathrooms, Wow, imaging having to clean all those, I have enough trouble with two.

One interesting things I have found from past experience is that decorating a smaller place is actually easier, not to mention less expensive.

Whether your currently living in a small space or downsizing – that’s another one of those trendy “buzz” words, which simply means your moving into something smaller – planning how your going to decorate or redecorate is a good idea.

You may think because it’s smaller, having large pieces is out of the question. Not true, having oversized furniture is not going to make your rooms appear smaller, what it will do is give a warm inviting feeling.

Of course the layout and size of a room will determine how many pieces can comfortably go into it. After all, you may be looking for drama and comfort, but you still need to be able to maneuver around.

This also applies to accessories; it’s better to have a few large dramatic pieces as opposed to a lot of small items, which can tend to turn into clutter and dust collectors.

The exception to this would be with collections. But again you want to have places to showcase them like glass front hutches, cabinets, bookcases or shelves.

Another decorating challenge can be in warming up your new place. This normally can easily be achieved by adding color with paint.

Now that’s all fine and good unless you happen to be renting and your landlord say’s “Paint, oh no”. That’s OK, color can be added in a number of other ways.

Several examples: Window treatments - Furniture fabric -Accent pillows - Area rugs - Wall art - Plants & Flowers

Storage can be another issue in a smaller space, there just never seems to be enough.

If you’re buying new furniture or deciding on which pieces to bring from your current home, look for ones that can perform double duty.

For example: Instead of the standard coffee table, look for one with a flip top or shelves underneath. Cedar chests, blanket chests or trunks can also be substituted.

Place an armoire intended for the bedroom in the living room it’s the perfect storage place for remotes, magazines, extra bedding, kitchen linen or any of those pesky little things you just can’t seem to find a place for.

A small floor cabinet you might have used in a bathroom can become an end table. Most of these come with drawers, shelves or both.

Decorative stacking boxes or even old suitcases not only make for great storage, but they also become terrific accessories.
Plastic storage boxes come in a variety of sizes, colors and are inexpensive.

They can be stacked on shelves in a closet or cabinet, even into drawers. Clear smaller sizes are perfect storage for shoes, winter gloves, pictures or how about extension cords, nails, packages of hooks or hand tools.

Larger sizes can keep extra winter coats, blankets, odd season clothes or seasonal decorations neat and in one place.

Baskets and hampers are another option.

Kids rooms are always in need of extra places for all their treasures, plastic milk crates are perfect for them. They come in many bright brilliant colors. One suggestion, if you are planning on stacking the crates and have small children it would be beneficial to secure them to the wall.

Plastic shelving units, which can be found in most discount stores, are perfect for mounting on the backs of doors or on the wall in closets.

These come in especially handy in the kitchen for holding extra soda bottles, canned goods, paper towel etc.

Well, I think you’ve gotten the idea, look around and use your imagination; you will be surprised with what you can come up with.

Moving into and decorating a small space can be challenging, but with a little planning it can be just as beautiful as any large house. And in the end, size really doesn’t matter, if it’s filled with the people and things you love, then you have successfully created a home.

Tuscany Decorating Style

Earthy colors and natural materials are two basics for the "old world" style of decorating. To get an idea of the colors we're talking about, go for a walk outside and take notice of the beautiful colors around you, the blue sky, the golden sun, even the chocolate brown of mud in the springtime. Ok, so you don't have a view of the blue/green Mediterranean Sea but you've seen pictures of it haven't you? On that walk, stroll through the produce department of your local grocery store and note the dark purple eggplants, the red peppers, yellow lemons, green olives. These are some of the colors you'll want to consider for your Tuscany decorating. Natural materials will include wood (think rustic, sturdy type furniture), tile (colorful ceramic for wall accents) natural stone for flooring and unpolished metals such as copper, tin, or pewter for accents.

You probably already have some Tuscan influences in your home. Iron scrollwork brackets, terra cotta planters (more about these later), fruit themed artwork, colorful pottery, copper, tin, pewter items, tapestry wall hangings - what was old is new again! Check your garage, attic or flea markets for some of these items.

What could be simpler than lining a sunny windowsill with some pretty little terra cotta pots with Italian herbs (oregano, basil, sage, etc.)? Do you have a section of old wrought iron railing that once graced your front porch? Bring it in, clean it up and get creative. Maybe you could use it for a pot hanger in the kitchen or hang it on the wall for a decorative accent in the family room. How about that old leather trimmed trunk? It may make a great coffee table or storage area. Since colorful tile work is essential for the Tuscan style, how about making your own mosaic masterpiece? Just break up a few pieces of old china, (use safety goggles), apply it with tile adhesive to a terra cotta planter, old vase or whatever you choose, let it dry for 24 hours, grout it and wipe down with a damp sponge.

If you're redoing your walls, a simple way of getting that time-burnished stucco look is to use Venetian plaster, which is simply drywall compound mixed with latex paint. First, paint the walls a Tuscany color such as gold, cream or even a terra cotta red. Then spread the plaster over the wall in varying thicknesses - let some of the painted wall show through. Then, you can seal it with a latex sealer if you wish. Or, you may want to check out wallpapers that imitate this look.

Keep in mind, the whole idea is to create a warm, comfortable "lived in" look and you'll get it using these ideas and some of your own.

How to Decorate Book Shelf

If you have book shelves in your home, and lots of books, you've probably discovered that bookends don't always keep everything in order. Sometimes your collection of books on the shelf are just too much for the bookend to hold.

Here's a great tip that also doubles as a wonderful decorating idea: Use curtain rod finials as your bookends! A finial is a carved or shaped decorative detail used as ornaments to spruce up all sorts of items in a room. Curtain rod finials are used to make curtain rods more decorative, and also to keep curtains from sliding off the ends of the rods. Regular architectural finials are often used as enhancements to a room's decoration and style. Sometimes you'll see them for instance, at the top of a staircase post or on the tops of bedposts.

Curtain rod finials usually come with a screw set inside. All you have to do is drill a starter hole in your bookshelf, then screw the finial into place. You can also use standard wood glue on the bottom of the finial, to be sure it stays in place at all times... by doing so of course though, you won't be able to change the finials to a different style later.

If your curtain finial doesn't match the shelf, or you bought it unfinished, simply paint, stain or varnish it to fit your room and shelf decor.

Take this decorating tip even further by buying finials of different sizes, shapes and colors. Then change them with the seasons, each time you want a fresher, different look to the room, or each time you re-decorate completely.

Alternatively of course, you can simply buy a plain architectural finial without the screw already in place - then just glue that into place on your book shelf.

Start shopping around for decorative and unusual finials today, and get your bookshelves all spruced up for spring!

How to Decorate Child's Room in a Simple Way

When it comes to decorating a child's room, your approach should be much different from decorating an adult bedroom.

For kids, their bedroom is where they play games, read, listen to music, day-dream, or just go to be alone sometimes. So use these eight strategies to help create a space that will make you both happy:

1. Talk to your child. Find out what activities and fantasies he or she enjoys; what their favorite color is; and what's unique about their personality that a theme could be built around.
2. Allow your child to help. Let them have a say about colors, fabrics, and how they want to display their collectibles.
3. Make the room multi-functional. Since children use their room for many activities besides sleeping, it should have several different zones, such as a play area, reading area, and entertainment area.
4. Make storage a priority. Try shelving, large decorative wicker baskets, plastic see-through containers, and closets that contain plenty of shelving and racks.
5. Keep window treatments simple. Avoid long draperies. Shades, blinds, and shorter curtains are safer choices. The fabric should be versatile, and patterns should be repeated in other items in the room, such as in pillows, quilts, lampshades, bed ruffles, etc.
6. Choose the right lighting. A child’s room should include both task lighting for homework and reading, and soothing light for quieter times. A nightlight is also important.
7. Use wallpaper or paint to add color and texture. You can apply whimsical borders along the top edges of the walls, and clouds or stars on the ceiling. Make sure walls are washable, so if you are using paint, choose a semi-gloss or gloss finish. Kids love bright colors, but you should limit any strong color to only one wall.
8. Allow your child to select the design theme. Here are just a few: firehouse fun room, starry night, angels, rainbows, unicorns, baseball, a bedroom for a princess, underwater scenery, outer space, race cars, airplanes, trains, jungle motifs, wizards and dragons, and dinosaurs.

Decorating with your child offers a great opportunity to display your playful side, while doing some memorable family bonding, so have fun with it!

How to Emphasize a Decor Style

After searching decorating books, using trial and error decorating, and growing up a little bit, you have finally found the style of decorating that you really love. Your style could be Arts & Crafts, French Country, Asian, or Metro Hip.

Now that you have identified a décor style, the challenging part may now be to implement that style and make it substantial enough so others will notice.

There are seven simple elements that will really help you emphasize this great look.

1. Choose a focal point that will reflect your décor style.
This signature piece is usually the most dominate item you see and sets the tone of the room. If this piece is not your specific style, the room will not look its best. An example could be a beautiful Queen Anne armoire for a Classic Traditional style or a large rustic log mantel for the Mountain Lodge look.

2. Use colors that are common to that specific style.
Different décor styles are usually shown with a collection of colors that are prominent for that palette. Make sure your room has those colors. For example, French Country is well known for its pretty yellows and blues. Americana Style would not be the same without red, white and blue.

3. Collect in a theme that emphasizes that style.
Every ones needs a conversation piece or collection that demonstrates the owner’s personality and interests. A collection also doesn’t need to be large just 3 to 5 objects. Ginger jars for the Asian Décor or cute porcelain teapots to emphasize an English Garden style.

4. Frame an authentic object that is original to the country or era.
This simple task does not have to be expensive. Old Postcards from Italy for your Tuscany Villa Style or wine labels from France for a European Look will add authenticity and personal touch to the décor.

5. Purchase a large coffee table book to demonstrate that décor.
Large beautiful books can subtly emphasis the style you enjoy. The book does need to be a decor books but rather a topic that is related to the style. For example, a Vintage Advertisements for the Shabby Chic look, or Andy Warhol book for the Metro-Modern look.

6. Use plants or flowers that coordinate with the décor.
The greenery can be real or artificial as long as they look healthy. Nothing spoils a designer-look like a dying plant. Use cactus for the Southwestern look or a great palm tree for the Tropical style.

7. Review all you accents and accessories to make sure they blend with your new found style.
By reviewing each element individually to see if it blends (not necessary perfectly matches), you can make sure you have a well-coordinated look. Look for a geometric patterned pillow for a Modern look; search for fringed lampshades for an Old World style.

Remember decorating is a process. Searching for those perfect accessories to emphasize your style is part of the fun. These tips will help you add the style you want to the home you love.

How to Decorate the Powder Room

Typically a small space consisting of just a sink and toilet, you most likely know them by a more common term “half-bath” or “guest bath.

Ever wonder where the term “powder room” came from? It’s derived from Victorian times, when women needed to “powder their noses”.

Why consider them a jewel when it comes to decorating, also why bother decorating them, it is after all only a bathroom.

A bathroom is a room in your home, in fact depending on the number of baths you have it can become a public room, which means from time to time other people besides yourself will be passing through. So why not dress it up, even if guest only use it occasionally make it pretty for you.

Due to their size, a complete make over can be done in as little as a weekend and at little cost. This is also what makes them a jewel; being small you can really have fun decorating them, plus by not requiring a big budget you’re able to change the look more often.

The following are a few ideas to get started with.

Start with the walls. Paint, wallpaper, stenciling what ever treatment you like. With the small size of the room, the cost will be a lot lower.

Here is the perfect opportunity to experiment with bolder colors, some type of theme or maybe you’ve been dying to try one of the many painting techniques.

Using a theme to decorate the bath can be really fun. If your not sure what to use take a look around your home for inspiration. It could be an extension of a collection you may have or a take off on a vacation.

Example of a theme, based on a vacation: Do you love the beach and vacation each year at the ocean? If so here is your inspiration. Use a wallpaper border around the room with shells or boats on it. Hunt around discount stores, flea markets or garage sales for beach related accessories; use a lightweight natural color window treatment. But before you purchase anything new, take a walk around the house, if you love the beach chances are you may already have items that you can use.

Add some sparkle with a new light fixture, mirror or towel racks in finishes of chrome, gold and bronze.

With limited floor space, look for storage solutions that perform double duty. Shelves with a towel rack provide not only a place to hang pretty towels; it’s the perfect place for extra toiletries and accessories.

New flooring can add drama however; if this is not currently in the budget an area rug in a bold color or a geometric pattern will do the trick.

Of course a complete make over is not always necessary, sometimes just simple changes could be all that’s needed. How about a vase of fresh flowers, some new towels, a whimsical piece of art or new window treatments.

Have some fun - get creative – and turn that often passed over half-bath into something special. Let it become the jewel in your home decorating projects box.

Decorating with a Hawaiian Style

Hawaii is a first choice travel destination with millions of people - and for good reason. Bring a little of that island feeling into your home, either indoors or in your outdoor living space. You can apply this theme to an elegant dinner party, a fun and funky luau, or anything in between.

1. First, look at the space itself, including floors, walls, roof or ceiling.

Texture
Think natural materials. Try bamboo matting on the floor. It's fairly inexpensive, very durable and easy on the feet. For a roof or large patio umbrella, consider palm leaf thatch.

Color
Choose rich vibrant colors inspired by island vegetation: hibiscus red, bird of paradise orange or palm tree green. Use pineapple and mango colored accents. Bright navy or marine blue makes an effective background.

2. Next, add the furniture. Again, natural materials are best. For example, raffia table skirts and rattan or bamboo furniture are a fast way to create that island atmosphere. If you're using indoor dining chairs or resin patio chairs and want an elegant feel, consider slipovers made of a fabric with a Hawaiian print.

3. Now add lighting. Real flame, whether in candles or bamboo torches, will give you the most authentic look.

4. Last but not least, accessorize.

Motifs
When you think of Hawaii, you probably imagine palm trees swaying in the breeze, brightly colored exotic flowers, or maybe even hula dancers and surfboards. Each of these is an example of a motif.

Choose one motif and run with it, or mix a couple. Motifs with a common theme (such as Hawaii!) can be easily tied together by style or color.

Once you've picked a motif, you'll find lots of ideas for adding it to your room. From windsocks and stepping stones to tablecloths and salt & pepper shakers, the list of thematic accessories you can find is seemingly endless.

Don't overdo it though. Sometimes less is more, especially if you're decorating for a full season of living in the theme.

Music
Music is a powerful mood setter. CDs of traditional or contemporary island tunes can provide backdrop to conversation, or liven up the fun and games.

So pass around the leis and go Hawaiian in your outdoor space.

Decorating Your Cabins and Lodges using Rustic Decor

People come to your lodge as much for the lodge experience as for the hunting and the fishing. With rustic decor, you can exceed their expectations. Here are some tips for keeping your lodge fresh and up-to-date.

Rustic bedding - keeping it in season

One way to keep the rooms in your lodge up-to-date is to rotate the rustic bedding that you use. Change out your rustic bedding sets with the seasons: deer for one season, fish for another, and big game for yet another.

If you want to change the look of your bedrooms quickly and easily, keep 2-3 different bedding sets on hand for each room. If you have hardwood floors in your cabins and rooms, multiple area rugs would also be a good idea. They'll keep the floors from freezing bare feet in the colder months, and they're another piece of rustic decor that you can change out with the seasons.

You can also bring the outdoors in with your rustic decor. Is your lodge in the mountains? Look for bedding with mountains and pine trees. Do your cabins border a river area? Look for fish and river scenes in your rustic decor.

Rustic decor for windows and walls

The windows need love, too. Find curtains and valances that match your rustic bedding, either in the same pattern or a complementary one. It will keep the windows from looking bare, and also afford guests more privacy. It will also give them a way to shut out the sun, should they decide to sleep in.

You can also use area rugs as rustic decor wall hangings, if you have some with good outdoor scenes on them. Blankets with scenes also work well for this. They're a little warmer and more natural than a picture, which will go well with your rustic theme.

Expanding rustic decor - beyond the bed and walls

What knick-knacks do you have, or can you build, that can decorate your rooms? Antlers? Fish? Picture frames? Turkey calls? It's all right if things are a little mismatched; it just adds to the informal charm, which is ultimately the goal of rustic decor.

Think comfort. Invite people to kick back and relax, enjoying the laid-back atmosphere that you've cultivated. Help them get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and daily life. Fireplaces with big, comfy furniture, soft, fluffy pillows, numerous blankets, unfinished wooden tables: all of these add to the mood, which encourages people to kick off their shoes and take a break for awhile.

People may be there to hunt, but with rustic decor, you can make sure that your lodge is the perfect place for them to relax after a long day in the woods or on the river.

Decorating Bedroom using Winnie the Pooh Theme

Decorating a baby's room, while awaiting for baby is a lot of fun, and Winnie the Pooh is one of the most amusing, pleasing, loved by children, character. This article will give you tips and a few tricks on how to find great deals on Winnie the Pooh bedding.

Choosing Winnie the Pooh as a theme for your child's room is something you will never regret. First if you do not yet know the gender of your baby, it will be great regardless whether you have a boy or a girl.

We all know and love Winnie the Pooh, from the Hundred Acre Woods and all his friends, it has been a favorite since 1926 when the first book was written by author A. A. Milne, to amuse his child Christopher.

You can find dozens of Winnie the Pooh themed bedding sets. Some have strong and bright colors, while others are more subdued and tend toward pastels, so regardless of your baby's bedroom you will find the colors that can make it stand out. Individual items that are available to complement you Winnie the Pooh bedding sets are comforters, dust ruffles, crib bumpers, throw pillows, curtains and more. You can also purchase material with Winnie the Pooh prints in sewing shops and make your own if you are handy.

Getting a great deal for Winnie the Pooh bedding sets and accessories is easy on line. First there is a wider choice of selections than you can find in a local shop, and in minutes you can locate the perfect item and compare prices and shipping costs, while you might have to waste a lot of time and gas trying to do the same in your own town.

It can be a good idea to buy all your themed decorating elements at one time. By buying the items one at a time, you might run the risk of not finding the perfect match at a later date. In addition it usually saves money on shipping as sellers will often discount shipping on multiple items, some even offer free shipping when you reach a certain amount.

How to Treat Kitchen Window

Choosing the right kind of kitchen window treatment for your home is actually more of decision that is made according to how you want your kitchen to look or what atmosphere you want your kitchen to have. There are a number of window treatments you can use for your kitchen windows. Here are some ideas you might want to use:

Minimalism - some people do not use the usual curtains that one may see in older kitchens. You often see them using just plain valances in solid colors or simple roman shades that can be easily pulled up to let some light in. You can also find some people using simple swags, often without the jabots that hang on the ends, to simply give their windows some additional color without really covering up their windows with too much fabric.

Functional - there are some people who opt for functional window treatments over style or being fashionable. Certain home owners use shades, venetian blinds and vertical blinds to help give them control over the amount of light they let into their kitchens. These kinds of window treatments are not as attractive as their fabric counterparts or their more decorative sisters, but they do serve the purpose their owners want them to serve.

Colors - when you want your kitchen to look bigger, you should opt for a kitchen window treatment that comes in lighter colors like pastels or white. For a more sophisticated appeal, choose darker and more sedate colors for your kitchen's windows. Want a homier atmosphere? Choose fabrics that often bring back memories of home like gingham and floral patterned curtains or valances in bright colors.

Adding Curves - if you find that your kitchen is full of too many angles with the square cabinets, rectangular appliances and cornered tabletops and counters, you can soften this with the use of curves in the window treatments you choose. Choose to incorporate swags that are curvier and valances that are not as straightforward or as plain as some valance choices are. You can also choose to add pleated valances and throw scarf jabots and swags to help soften your kitchen's harsh angled look.

How to Pick and Blend Colors?

If you feel helpless when it comes to picking and blending colors, your answer could be as far away as your nearest pillow. Check out this quick way to create a color scheme for your home with our PICK - SEE -LMD method.

PICK a Pattern: Starting with a pattern is the easiest way to create a color palette for your decor. Choose a pattern from any object you already have and love such as a pillow, picture or piece of furniture. This will be your color palette !

SEE 3 Colors: Select a light, medium and dark color from your pattern to be used as your foundation. You may want to go to a hardware store and select color chips from the paint department that match your pattern to carry with you in case you come across a great find and need to know if it matches.

LMD: Light, Medium and Dark - How you use these colors can affect the overall appearance of your room.

Light- Is the Background- this is usually easy to achieve since most rentals are equipped with light to off-white walls.

Medium- Large furniture and windows - Since the color of these objects will blend with the above lighter selection, the medium furniture will ground the room and give it a foundation.

Darker- Accessories. Since your eye is drawn to a darker more intense color you will be able to arrange you accessories in a manner to guide the eye flowing through your room.

PICK - SEE - LMD a formula to live by.

Bringing a Warm Feeling to Your Living Room

Your living room is a space in your home that should be warm and welcoming. It's a room where you will probably spend a lot of time with other family members and it's likely that you'll want others to feel happy to visit. Creating the right atmosphere isn't always easy, but it's certainly possible.

At this point, you may be worrying about money. You may wonder whether you can possibly afford to carry out all of the work that's needed to create a room that does everything that it should. If this does reflect your thoughts then you may be pleasantly surprised to hear that making living room improvements doesn't have to cost as much money as you might think.

There are a number of ways that you can create the right atmosphere without spending a lot of many. Don't forget that many items of furniture and accessories can be found quite cheaply, especially if you're happy to buy second hand items. That means that you could get hold of everything from a coffee table to a television stand at a low price.

You can also use the internet to identify the best bargains, particularly on products that have been falling in price in recent years. Items like electric fires, stoves and specialist lighting can all make a real difference to the appearance of your living room, but they don't mean that you'll have to spend a lot of money.

Being creative and flexible in your thinking can certainly help, ensuring that you end up with a great room that can really appeal to all. If you're worried about spending too much then you could even consider scaling back you plans. You'll often find that it's possible to really transform the room without having to buy quite so many expensive items.

Decorating Home Office to Increase Productivity

Research shows that a person's attire affects their work performance. Dressing professionally causes the mind to engage a serious business attitude, increasing productivity. Many managers in offices that have adopted a "Casual Fridays" dress code will confirm that the leisure attire induces a leisure attitude causing a decrease in production. If you have a home office, you more than likely have noticed the difference in how much you accomplish when you dress up in professional attire because of a client meeting compared to when you work in sweat pants and slippers because no one will see you.

Likewise is the affect of your surroundings in your office at home. How productive can you be when your computer sits on a wobbly press-board table and you keep moving piles of papers around because you don't have enough file cabinets to store them in? How easy is it to refer to a client's invoice if it is kept in a box that is better suited for storing Christmas ornaments in the garage?

Now picture yourself opening the door to your home office and seeing a custom built office designed to take full advantage of the space available. Does your perfect office have maple, cherry, or some other wood tone? Customized work surfaces in the perfect size and shape for optimal work performance? Storage and filing cabinets that are built to maximize limited space while permitting effortless locating of those client's invoices once relegated to storage boxes? Shelving or cubby holes that are within easy reach or hidden behind tidy cabinet doors? The possibilities of a personalized custom designed office are endless. The only limit is imagination.

Lucky for you, it is not limited to your imagination but that of the company you choose to install your new furniture. Select a licensed company that has many years of experience and offers free design consultation. Ideally they will have a design showroom for you to view examples of their previous design work. Once you have an idea of the style you like, the designer will work with you to prepare a 3-D design that meets your own personal needs.

Once your new home office furniture has been professionally installed, you will be amazed at how its functionality enables you to work more efficiently. The efficiency of being able to locate receipts, invoices, or other important papers on a moments notice will help you save time as well as reduce stress. In fact, your productivity may increase so much that you can wear your bunny slippers to work and still get maximum results.

How to Choose Suitable Colors for Small Spaces?

Colors have humongous power when used appropriately and if you are intending to use interior paint colors for small spaces, you really shouldn't underestimate how important the impact the right color may have. Learning how colors relate to each other is an important step to achieving the finish you dream of. One of the easiest ways of identifying color families is to use a color wheel. This will provide you with thousands of permutations of color, with tones and hues that you would never have considered would blend together. The first step to choosing any interior paint colors for small spaces is to decide those colors you can live with and, more importantly, those you wouldn't dream of giving house room to.

The Color Spectrum
Every color has an associated hue and a tone: when choosing crimson red, for instance, the hue is red. However, tone is especially important as it reflects the intensity of the color and gives emphasis to the color's density: it creates depth. The color spectrum runs from white at one end of the spectrum to black at the other end of the spectrum. This measures the amount of light that is absorbed by that color. The saturation calibration, on the other hand, reveals the amount of light that is reflected back - we see this as the purity and boldness of the color.

The importance of understanding color is because of the way that color affects our moods and when it comes to considering interior paint colors for small spaces, allocating the most suitable color, tone and hue will give the impression of more space as well as the ambiance you are attempting to create. You may want a warm room or conversely, you may want a room that is completely neutral: choosing white is not the way to do it as white is much too stark and creates an ambiance all of its own.

Colors to Look Good In
A tiny room can seem to be enlarged by the application of icy blues and soft creams: the illusion of light gives your rooms the appearance of being brighter and lighter due to the walls reflecting light from them and maximizing the natural daylight. Not only will these interior paint colors for small spaces provide an airy look, the way you use these paint colors will increase the impression of space. You can use darker colors to paint around the walls' borders and trims or you can pain you wall trims and moldings in a lighter color than your walls. This latter choice will make your room seem to be bigger due to the walls appearing to recede and look further back than they are.
Don't forget the psychological aspect of color - and the fact that you have to live with the color you finally choose. Different colors will alter your mood and will have an effect on how you view life around you: you can be lulled into tranquility or quiver with rage according to the colors you choose around you. Once you have decided on your color scheme, keep it simple. To maximize the impact of interior pain colors for small spaces, choose just one or two colors to bring out the feeling of space.