Your bedroom should reflect you and your interests. Whether you're decorating a new home or looking to update your personal space, it's not easy to achieve a look that is "you" while still maintaining function and beauty. When trying to make a room your own, it's tempting to clutter surfaces with memorabilia. On the other hand, making your room look like it came out of a design magazine can cause it to lose originality. Here are some tips on how to find a balance.
Find inspiration Working from a magazine or blog can be helpful in terms of keeping a theme and creating a room with features that have been approved by an interior decorator. But by copying everything to a "T", you lose originality. Find a few examples of rooms that you like from friend's houses, magazines, books or blogs. Look for a common theme - style, color or textures. Make a note of the similarities, and also of any feature that you fell in love with and strive to use these elements
Feng Shui is the art of maximizing the energy flow in your home. It originated in China, where energy is referred to as chi. Getting a good energy or chi balance in your home can help to de-stress any room and promote positive feelings. Many people in both the Eastern and Western worlds embrace Feng Shui's simple guidelines to improve their home decor.
Energy Beneficial energy flow is central to the Feng Shui approach, notes India Times. The flow of energy goes from the front door all the way through your home, so it's best not to have any objects in the way. All furniture should be arranged so that you are still able to pass through a room unhindered. Try to position furniture so that the user's back is to the wall - this will help them to feel more grounded and relaxed. Removing clutter before it becomes somewhat of a permanent
Books are the ultimate form of decoration for any avid reader. Full libraries and singular bookshelves alike can bring a�sophisticated feel to your home. But even if you don't have any rare tomes, you should be aware of how to store your collection - and then how to decorate around it.�
Keep out unnecessary light Just as ultraviolet rays can cause paint to fade, it can damage books�inside and out too! If they are frequently exposed to direct sunlight, your books -�both old and new -�will lose the color in their covers, start to yellow at the pages, and eventually start to crack along the binding. Purchase�custom window shades that will cover all areas of the window to ensure that no light gets in when the room isn't in use. If you have a vested interest in preserving your books as effectively as possible, use blackout
Your kitchen might be a constant flurry of activity, but that doesn't mean it can't be stylish in addition to being functional. With some patience and creativity, you can give the food hub of your house a makeover using these simple tricks.�
Cabinets In the kitchen, cabinets often cover most of the walls, so updating your kitchen storage will do a lot in terms of transforming the room. One way of modernizing your kitchen is to remove�the cabinet doors. Open shelving is a popular trend in kitchen decor, and it's an easy look�to achieve. Decor blog�The Inspired Room suggests grouping similar items together - for instance, bowls with bowls or plates with plates -�to keep things organized. This style is especially good for those who have china they'd like to display. Dishes on open shelves can also serve as a jumping off point for redecorating the
Using a bright color as an accent�can totally revitalize a room. Having a splash of vividness in a throw pillow or a piece of art can be enough to tie a room together but it may be tough to figure out exactly where that vivacious�color should be. These suggestions may help you�narrow down where and how much of a bright tone you should use.�
The colors Shades that were popular during the 60s and 70s are now coming back into the center stage. Using bright shades of yellow, lime green and blue to add life to certain rooms is�a trend that we will see more of in 2013. Since emerald green is Pantone's�color of 2013, we can expect that greens of all hues�will be popular in�everything from furniture to blinds and shades. Powerful�reds and pinks are also becoming more popular, possibly due to their correlation with various
It�probably�seems like only yesterday that you agonized over choosing the perfect color for your walls. Now that you've taken the time to paint, you can relax and put the rollers and tarp out of mind. But in just a short time, your walls may begin to loose their luster. Here's why.
Sunlight If the space on the wall behind a wall fixture�is darker than the rest of the room, then chances are your paint has fallen victim to UV rays. Just as sunlight can damage your skin, it can also fade the pigment in a room that gets a lot of sun. Because areas of the wall that aren't exposed to sunlight will remain the original color, this�can create noticeable differences in the shade of your paint. There's no way to remedy it, aside from repainting, so save time by getting proper window treatments. For rooms with a lot of saturated color to lose, get roller shades in a dark color and keep
Having plain old window treatments can give an entire room a drab and unexciting feeling, but if you're looking for new curtains, blinds and shades, it's good to know what's trending.
Natural elements Anything that evokes a natural tone or is made from natural materials is all the rage when it comes to window treatments, according to HGTV. Bamboo blinds, wood blinds and curtains with shades of greens and browns are just a few of the ways to make your windows feel more organic. If your window gets enough sunlight, why not go all the way and put potted plants there? Nothing feels closer to nature than living plants
Having fresh and exciting artwork in your home can create a relaxing and interesting feel throughout your dwelling. However, it can be difficult to figure out where exactly certain pieces should go in terms of which room and in what spot.�
The artwork Having a varied selection of artwork is a great start, notes DecorGirl.net. Using a good selection of flat and three dimensional works may help to make your home's decor more stimulating. Additionally, it's good to mix different styles and color palettes, from majestic landscapes to more vibrant and modern works. If you're using prints instead of originals, framing them can create a dignified air that a poster by itself may lack. Original works by well-renowned artists are usually extremely expensive, but you may be able to find quality works by lesser-known artists at art colleges and local galleries.
You're striking out on your own, away from your parents and out of the dorms! It's likely that you're on a budget when choosing your first apartment (no penthouse for you - yet) but that doesn't mean you can't have a sweet pad. Here are some tips for dressing up your new place without breaking the bank.�
Choose your theme before buying decor The most common way for an apartment to look like ... well, a first apartment is by having furniture, wall decorations, window treatments and other furnishings that clash.�You don't have to buy an expensive furniture set, but keep a color scheme or basic theme in mind when looking for decor. Not all rooms have to have the same look,�a little consistency can go a long way. If you pick a timeless theme, then you can carry most of your home decor into future abodes. Check out some home improvement blogs for inspiration.�
Having a home with a chic, modern decor�is important to many homeowners, but it may seem that the only way to accomplish this�is by completely remodeling an entire room. However, there are other ways to spruce up the appearance of your older house without actually having to change anything drastic. These tips will show you how different accessories can reinvigorate older spaces.
Fresh artwork Prints or originals of older paintings are dignified and majestic, but may make your home seem a bit behind the curve. Instead, try using something with a more modern, graphic feel. This can be anything from large prints of brightly colored floral designs to contemporary�silhouetted artwork, as suggested by Better Homes and Gardens. Hanging these paintings in unusual spaces, such as lining the ceiling of the room or having it partially obscured by a piece of furniture�could create
