Posted by | | Posted on January 15th, 2010
So the time has come for the home interior to undergo a serious revamp, with the current financial situation throughout the country many homeowners decide to overhaul their home interiors rather than go through the rigmarole of purchasing a new property.It can be difficult to know where to begin in the home and extremely challenging to rustle up inspiring ideas without the help of a hired design professional. Here are a few common tips used by professionals in the interior design industry which should give a good starting point for project ideas to be worked from.
Do not be afraid to try out new decorating ideas, your aim is to create ambience in each area of the home. It is important when picking pieces of furniture or other accessories to enhance the unique look of that area, if a chosen piece is bizarre it should be displayed in the area in such a way so as not to detract attention from the other features within the area.Research your theme; it is worthwhile spending time viewing theme ideas, as with the majority of tasks completed well preparation is everything. Once a theme is decided upon it is essential to keep it in mind, it will prevent areas ending up a hotchpotch of items you like. Keep theme ideas simple yet not boring, if the plan is too elaborate the area becomes cluttered and that creates an unsettling atmosphere. It is not easy to achieve a simple theme that is not dull and many people air on the side of caution and settle for a boring interior. A good tip is to mix furniture of neutral colours with various unusual accessories, this will take some practise although it is beneficial to choose this approach to an interior as the look can be dramatically altered just by changing the accessories. Another method often used by professional interior designers is to place pieces of contemporary furniture along brightly coloured walls.Think about your lighting preferences while deciding themes, if you rather have a soft light in the dining area the theme you choose should compliment this. Consider how much light is available naturally to the area and what aura are you planning to recreate. A dark room will benefit greatly from an injection of bright colour, paints are available nowadays that have special light reflecting qualities. A very light area sounds ideal but can often lack definition of purpose, to help ground the room a accent wall can be used try to enhance any features of the room. If the space is light it can be a perfect opportunity to experiment with darker colour, which if planned with a complementary theme can produce fantastic results. The lighting effects within a room are probably the single most important factor to get right, what you choose will dramatically affect the way furniture and colours look within the space. Do not limit lighting to merely ordinary ceiling lights; there are a great variety of lamps, side lights, coloured lights and bulb strengths to select from. Importantly choose appropriate lighting for the area, it is no use creating a wonderful relaxed kitchen/diner with soft lighting if you can’t see to prepare a meal.
Posted by | Diy Home Improvement | Posted on January 14th, 2010
As most beach vacation homes are owned by people from the cold winter north, the natural desire is to design the inside of the home to reflect the surrounding outdoor scenery and all of the things that draw northerners to the warmer climates of the south. The key to selecting finishes and décor for a beach vacation home is remembering one important word: Light. Light colors, light fabrics, light finish materials for floors and accessories and, of course, allowing plenty of natural light to penetrate into the home. If the homeowner allows the reasons they are drawn to beach style living to enter into their vacation home, they will find it very easy to be inspired in making selections that will extend that atmosphere.Light, tropical colors for the walls, in very pale greens, peaches, and coral pink will subtly bring the breezy feeling of the beach into any room. Accent this breeziness by hanging sheer, white, floor-length curtains at the windows to ebb and flow with the ocean light winds. Ceiling fans are a must in any beach front vacation home, both for functionality and for aesthetics, and in a tropical climate the most appealing finish is that of a light with bamboo fan blades to reinforce the laziness and serenity of the areas foliage. Furniture can be oversized, as long as it is light in color and comfortable, inviting the user to lounge and nap. Stay away from dark, heavy wood furniture, especially in a dining area, as this will leave an impact of formality that is not in keeping with the laid back lifestyle of the beach. For a more casual feel, you may even consider stringing a wall mounted hammock in a sun room, to further induce a mid day siesta.To complete the interior décor, consider accessories that incorporate elements of the beach: sand, sea shells and palm trees are common themes that will bring the final touches of your vacation getaway into every room of your home away from home.
Posted by | | Posted on January 13th, 2010
The bedroom is the most private and your first and last resort for relaxation. Unfortunately, most people use the bedroom to just sleep. A bedroom if properly utilized can be a place for relaxation, meditation and even have a small massage table. Everyone comes back home tired after their day at work to get some rest. Rest doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping. Rest can be anything from watching television to getting a relaxing massage or playing checkers. Every bedroom has almost the same furniture, which is a bed and tables, some decorations, curtains etc. So what is the best way to convert your bedroom into a relaxing suite and at the same time add some color to it?
First let us understand that the bed is a place where you take rest. To make it more comfortable you can use double cushions and colorful bed sheets or a bed spread. One of the finest ways to redesign your bedroom is by using Moroccan bedroom decor. Today, Moroccan decor is an extremely popular interior design option for most modern homes as well as eco homes. This is because the Moroccan bedroom decor includes the use of dramatic colors as well as toned colors, which bring to life the beautiful and intricately designed patterns on the elegant Moroccan fabrics. Converting a bedroom into an exotic Moroccan dream is an exciting as well as a tedious option but the result can be absolutely magical. You can choose anything from the exquisite Moroccan furniture to the colorful Moroccan bedding and other decorations that will set your heart on fire and bring out the deep fires of passion.
Moroccan bedroom accessories come in a huge variety to satisfy every taste and fit in snugly in every bedroom. Most of the Moroccan bedding designs are in spicy colors and can be customized to match the color scheme on your bedroom walls. You can use a Moroccan bed or make one on the ground. If you make a bed that has the minimum ground clearance then you can give it an earthy feel and touch with more browns, beige and other earth color
Bedspreads-Pillows:
You can add some equally colorful pillows or cushions to give your bedroom the ethnic look. Moroccan fabrics are soft and have embroidered silk will that will provide that exotic look. For example, a tribal bedspread is hand made and stitched. It has detailed embroidery and features small mirrors amidst a hue of brilliant colors than can vary from gold, sage, or chocolate on a cinnamon background. Imagine the impact of such a color; it will give your bed an earthen touch and feel. If you don’t like bright colors then you can look a Berber bed spread, which comes in tones of blue, purple and sage. Absolutely relaxing for the eyes, it has intricate designs that are hand stitched.
Nightstands, Accent Tables and Shelves:
Zouaga Furniture is a typical Moroccan design from the Berber tribal mountains of the Atlas. Hand painted furniture with bright colors and improvised designs and shapes from shelves to the world renowned hexagonal tables and nightstands. Moroccan nightstands have gained popularity in the past few years, mainly made with Mousharabiya wood (hand carved wood) they are also available with wrought iron screens.
Wrought Iron Screens, Dividers and headboards:
Moroccan wrought iron screens can be used for many different uses… As a headboard, room dividers, fireplace screens, wall decor, to hang a lamp from, as a balcony screen… well you get the idea
Moroccan Lighting:
It is almost like being pampered with royalty and to bring the bedroom to life you can splash the walls with relaxing colors and use Moroccan accessories like the henna lamps to brighten it. You can also add a center table or a dressing table with Moroccan designs and intricately cut through the wood to make it look rusty and dreamy at the same time. For the creative soul in you can transform on of the Moroccan carved hexagonal tables into a piece of lighting itself. If you have used a wrought iron screen as a headboard you may want to consider using a matching wrought iron ceiling chandelier.
You can also add some really sensuous and mystical touch of Moroccan design to your bedroom with mood lighting Moroccan candle lamps. These lamps are not to be used as just showpieces; they can change the entire decor of your bedroom and give it a touch of warmth. You can choose from a wide variety of Moroccan lamps and lanterns that come with exotic designs and beautiful colored glasses. You can place them on the bed table or hand them by the bedroom entrance.
The flickering flame from a Moroccan lamp will add fuel to the fire of romance and remind you of a faraway dream. Don’t just sleep… Dream on…
Posted by | Diy Home Improvement | Posted on January 12th, 2010
Does finding the inspiration for decorating the rooms in your home take you more time than actually decorating the room? It’s not uncommon to put off decorating because you don’t know where to start. The problem is you haven’t found the inspiration.
Finding decorating inspiration doesn’t need to be as difficult as it seems. Inspiration is all around you. The key to this kind of decorating is finding an item that you really love and using it as your inspiration. Here are some ways to use an inspiration piece in your home decorating.
Draw Decorating Inspiration from the Colors in the Piece
If you have a piece that you really love such as old china, start with the colors in that piece as your dining room decorating inspiration. If your china has a colorful print, pick one of the colors as your wall color. This accomplishes two things. It will complement your china and draw attention to it. It will also give the room its basic color and you can begin to decorate the rest of the room around that color.
If you need to, use a color wheel to find your wall color’s complements. That way, if for example you choose green as your wall color, you won’t be tempted to use green for everything else in the room. By using the colors in your decorating inspiration piece, you will be pleased with how quickly choosing the rest of the items for the room will be.
Draw Decorating Inspiration from Framed Art
This idea works great in any room, but it especially works well in decorating a child’s bedroom. If you have some prints of cars, boats, and airplanes, it’s easy to find decorating inspiration in those prints. You can plan a whole room around a transportation theme.
Get a throw rug shaped like a car, paint some stoplights and yield signs on the walls, and change out the knobs on the furniture to car, boats and airplanes.
A word of caution, too much of a good theme can be a bad thing. Don’t overdo it. You want the theme of the room to be fun, but not overwhelming. Try choosing a solid color comforter or curtains in a color from your original decorating inspiration print to complement your theme.
The inspiration for decorating your home is probably already within its walls. You can take your favorite comforter and build your bedroom around it. Have you gone on vacation and brought home some interesting souvenirs that can be used as inspiration in decorating your home? Perhaps you’ve brought home some southwestern pottery that can be used as decorating inspiration. Perhaps you’ve brought home some pieces from a trip to Europe that can really inspire you.
Your inspiration may already be in the room it’s waiting to inspire or it may be burred in a basement or attic. Spend some time going through your old treasures and see if there is any inspiration there. Once you find your home decorating inspiration, doing the actual decorating should follow easily.
Posted by | | Posted on January 11th, 2010
Every week, families across America have the opportunity to view home makeovers on television. After watching these programs, many families will take a look around and decide that it is time to do some home remodeling but the makeover ideas are suggested because families want to keep the beautifying efforts for the home under a certain dollar amount and some families will establish a firm remodeling budget.
A family will get home makeover ideas from outside sources such as the neighbor next door who did something marvelous with some new flooring that they found on sale. Other makeover ideas might come from the building supply inventories that are placed on sale in the front of the store. The second a woman sees a new style of a screen door, she realizes that the front porch could benefit from a makeover. To complete that minor makeover, the wife might also select some door hardware that gives the front porch a totally different appearance.
As people travel about town in the automobile running errands, they could be exposed to several home makeover ideas along the way. The husband might comment about how pretty the lawn in front of a house on Elm Street looks and discover that the bushes he viewed in front did not cost that much because the landscaper grew them on his own property and supplied these yard accents at a huge discount. With visions of a tranquil garden in mind, the driver might be diverted to the landscaping nursery to talk with that guy.
A family might need extra space inside the home but can not figure out any home makeover ideas to improve the situation. Some might remember the handy storage boxes that were on television that allowed people to find extra space in closets by using unused space under the beds. The interior space of the home will be clutter free by the end of the week after the homeowner buys several boxes that are thin enough to fit under the beds at home.
Some home makeover ideas might inspire homeowners to participate in charitable giving. The family might decide to combine more people into one sleeping space and gain extra closet space by donating extra clothing to a local charity. The homeowner might get other ideas for decorating the new space by the colorful frames that were seen at the charities local market place. With a little elbow grease and a coat of paint, the frames can be used to display certificates of achievement or the photo of the school baseball team. The sporty new bedroom will make changing rooms less an issue and the boy might feel more at home in his new surroundings.
Some makeover ideas lead people to emptying the contents of the home into the yard. Once the debris field has been removed, the homeowner might consider replacing window curtains to obtain a different look. The homeowner can achieve a totally new home interior by adding a bit of paint to every room in the home. When all belongings are brought back in, they will all be put away in the proper place. This makeover idea occurs throughout the year and is performed every weekend to make the task of making over the appearance of the home interior less of a chore.
Posted by | Diy Home Improvement | Posted on January 10th, 2010
If your kitchen looks like a drab or it just needs some enhancement, then you might uplift its appeal with kitchen curtains. Usually, people do not pay much attention to their kitchen decor as this room is seen more for its function than beauty. However, it is important to keep the kitchen as appealing as other rooms to inspire the people that cook in them. This is what kitchen curtains can do.
Choosing the right kitchen curtain for you can be a great way to exhibit your own style and taste. Curtains can transform your kitchen in remarkable ways. However, you might be confused about the many available choices there are. However, if you know what kitchen curtains are about, then you can narrow down your selections.
People get kitchen curtains for two main reasons apart from aesthetic qualities. Curtains are used to filter light or to keep one’s privacy. Some people get kitchen curtains for both reasons. You should determine whether you want the kitchen curtains to be mostly opened or mostly closed. This greatly influences the choice of materials and design of curtains.
It is also important to identify the kitchen’s theme and match it with the design of the curtains. Moreover, the curtain should also match the window’s size and shape. Another point for consideration is the costs. Certain materials may be more expensive than others. This factor goes hand-in-hand with the type of curtain.
Major Points of Consideration
When choosing the right kitchen curtain, it is important to consider four things: the fabric, the color, shape, and style. Matching the right combinations of these three is essential when choosing curtains for the kitchen.
1. Curtain Fabric – there are many kinds of fabric available for kitchen curtains from those made of heavy materials, to those made of lightweight fibers. Brocades and other heavier fabrics are usually not recommended as they obstruct air and light. The most recommended fabric for kitchen curtains is cotton because it is a durable but lightweight fabric that is easy to wash, and is thus ideal to the demands of kitchen action.
There are fabrics that have cute printed or embroidered designs that could definitely add to the aesthetic value of the curtains. It is however important to check if the fabric is light resistant so that it would not easily fade or turn yellow over time. Some kitchen curtains are quite thin and might need to have linings. Most fabrics are sold pre-shrunk so that their shapes would not be altered, however, if you are making your own curtain, you might need to make some allowance for shrinkage.
2. Color – it is important to choose the right curtain color that would flatter your kitchen’s finishing. You may choose light colors to make the kitchen look bigger than it actually is or to maintain a cheerful ambience. However, the kitchen may be too bright during the day and you might want to opt for darker curtains. When choosing the color of your kitchen curtain, it is important to take into consideration the color of your furnishings and walls. You may choose to match the current color theme of the kitchen or use complementary colors for contrast.
3. Length – living rooms generally look good with long and flowing curtains, but such may not be the case for the kitchen window. The kitchen would benefit for a more relax and informal atmosphere that shorter curtains can provide. To determine the right length of kitchen curtains, it is important to carefully measure the window where it will be installed.
4. Style – There are many styles of kitchen curtains, the most popular three among them are the country-styled ones, contemporary and the classic kitchen curtains. Each style caters to particular tastes and kitchen themes.
Caring for Kitchen Curtains
Kitchen curtains are easy to care for. You only need to shake them once in a while to eliminate dust. They should also be washed every month or so according to product labels. Some curtains with delicate materials need to be dry cleaned or hand washed. Stained curtains may be washed in hot vinegar solution.
Kitchen curtains can be very beautiful features of a kitchen. It is good to invest one to make the kitchen a conducive place to make meals for the family.
Posted by | | Posted on January 9th, 2010
Looking for interior remodeling ideas to change a room on a budget, then this article is for you.
Many homeowners want to make changes to their home without doing a full blown remodeling project.
In this article you’ll find room ideas that you can use regardless of your budget. You will also learn what accessories to add to change a room and how to save money by updating old worn cabinets.
Interior remodeling stores in Texas offer great unique and custom pieces to accent your home. Keeping and open mind when looking for objects to decorate your room will yield you some nice treasures. Here is a list of items to get the creative juices flowing.
Using a little creativity, you can update the look of any room on a budget. By adding your own touch to non traditional items, you can create one of a kind accessories that will save money and enhance your home.
Posted by | Diy Home Improvement | Posted on January 8th, 2010
A curtain or drape is fabric that hangs over windows and doors to control indoor temperatures, cut out light, maintain privacy and are decorative.
In old time England a curtain maker was a man that draped fabric over windows. A draper was someone who sold the fabric. Drapers were retail stores where fabric and sewing materials were sold. Today the terms curtain and drapes have interchangeable meanings. The modern tendency is to think of curtains as unlined and they come in a variety of lengths. Draperies are those that draw completely closing off the window.
With the increase of the single family homes, the curtain and drapery industry has experienced high growth. They usually have their own section in a department store, while some shops are specifically dedicated to selling curtains and drapes.
There are a variety of options for home owners to choose from for any window treatment in their home. They come in many designs, styles, fabrics, patterns and colors. Some of the fabrics available are silk, cotton, satin, nets, chintz, lace, linen, polyester and thermal insulated materials.
As utility bills rise consumers are becoming more aware of the advantages of curtains and drapes for their functionality. They can provide a cost savings at an environmental measure. Some drapes also dampen or reduce sound from the outside. Another drape has a cloth lining that gives superior insulation. If you are not a sound sleeper, they have black out drapes to darken the room. These were often used in time of war.
Curtains and drapes can be made with a varying degree of thickness and a different degree of light absorption and heat insulating qualities. They can also stimulate your attitudes and moods. For a casual relaxed atmosphere choose shorter lengths of material. For a more formal dressy look, generally the longer curtains look more dignified. All of these choices will inspire your family and friends when they look in or out of your windows.
What most consumers want are high quality well designed fabrics at affordable prices that results in a furnished complete look. It is more cost effective to purchase ready made panels or standard curtains then custom made. Also make certain you figure into your budget the accessories needed to hang the curtains. Then you will have a good idea of what expenses you will be expecting.
For an inexpensive distinguished effect there are swags. They serve no function but earn their keep by looking dramatic. There is a do it yourself scarf swag that you sew the pleats together on an angle and drape it over the pole. Quite a statement can be made with this design.
Curtain rods hold the curtains from the window top and let the curtain fall to its full length. You can coordinate the color of the rods with the curtain or the wall. The rods and curtains can be simple to intricate, but they will give new life to your surroundings.
Decorative accessories can add the ingredients you may be longing for. There are tiebacks, tassels, trimmings and headings. Some types of headings are standard, pencil pleat, French pleat, cartridge pleat, slot pleat and puff ball headings.
The standard heading is the most common. It comprises of one inch tape that is gathered up into a narrow heading. The pencil pleat is without a valance and it gives a pleasant finish at the curtains header. The French pleat is often used with extra stiffener in the fabric to produce full regular folds. The cartridge pleat forms a goblet shape in the top of each pleat. By stuffing polyester into the top of the pole it helps maintain the curtains shape. The slot pleat is simply a pleat formed by cutting slots in a cased header and fed through a pole. The puff ball heading is most impressive and easily accomplished. You employ the same method as the slot pleat, but leave twelve inches of fabric above the slot. The excess above the header is balled up into a puffball shape.
Not all windows look beautiful and having draperies or curtains can hide many flaws. So do yourself a favor and start doing your research and let your true personality come alive.
Author Bio: Barbara Tobiasz resides with her husband (Joe Tobiasz, Owner/Webmaster: http://www.Wall-Decor-Concepts.com) in the Chicago area, studied at the Art Institute and taught for the Chicago Public Schools. She has volunteered her services for many organizations with her creative expressions in the interior design field. Her hobbies include reading, taking long walks with her dog and working her magic turning ordinary rooms into creative works of art.
Posted by | | Posted on January 7th, 2010
When it comes to decorating small rooms they do not have to have a claustrophobic fell. You just need to know so simple tricks that will make it look and feel larger. You must combine space -enhancing principles along with your personal style to make decorating small rooms easier. Below you will find 7 tips to ad into your decorating project.
1. Draw the eye upward. Decorating small rooms consists of space area besides floor space. It has space on the wall above and below eye level that can be used to trick the eye into thinking their is more space than it is. Glass and mirrors can lessen the sense of confinement. Ceiling heights can also value as far as size. If the room needs to look taller hand a picture above eye level which will pull the eyes upward where the room will not be cluttered by furniture.
2. Maximize the height of a low ceiling by painting it a light color. Cabinets and bookcase from floor to ceiling also lift the eye. Stack pictures to keep the eyes going upward. Ad a picture above a door way for accent. You can also ad crown molding,ceiling fans and decorative curtain rods to trick the eye.
3.When decorating small living rooms always take into consideration the size of the furniture. Areas that have less space seem to gain space when you use furnishings in an appropriate scale size of the room. Always arrange the furniture so you can have a path with easy flow through the room. Use inexpensive area rugs to create zones. Always leave an unobstructed pathway. If you choose to use larger furniture then use less of it. However choose your furniture size appropriate to the people who will be using it. But remember sometimes less is more.
4. Using beds for small rooms that are size appropriate is very important. If you need a larger bed try using one without a head board with will let you have a larger bed. This can also be space adding because you can use it under a window when there is no head board to cover the window.
5. Line the back of a shelf or cabinet with a mirror and the reflection of the mirror will increase the perceived size of the room. decorating small rooms just takes a little more planning.
6. Avoid using wide wallpaper border as this forces the eye downward and can make the room look smaller. Instead ad a narrow shelf around the perimeter of the ceiling to ad interest to a small room. Use it to display collectibles.
7.If you are really cramped for storage space consider adding in shallow shelves in between the studs but only on interior walls. This may not seem like much added space but it will hold such things as your wine glasses, collectible plates and pottery. Line the back of the shelf with mirrors and if you like ad glass doors.Extraordinary. For more cheap home decorating ideas and tips visit http://www.dimedecorating.com/691/
Posted by | Diy Home Improvement | Posted on January 6th, 2010
“What’s your color?”
According to experts in fields ranging from therapists to dietary specialists, that might be a more perceptive question to ask on a first date, rather than the tired, “What’s your sign?” Color preference or aversion tells a lot about a person, and can be used to boost your mood, make your home more welcoming, or even improve your health. Ultraviolet light and color therapy is one of the newest and most promising forms of medical therapy being researched today. So why not incorporate some of your favorites colors in new ways throughout your home for a fresh perspective and new outlook on life? This will not only boost your mood if you plan on living in your current condo or house, but also help to entice buyers if you are trying to sell your home. In a competitive real estate market, any edge you can give your condo is a plus and could make or break a sale.
Everyone has a favorite color, or at least tends to gravitate towards certain shades or tones. Take a look at your car’s paint, the clothes in your closet, the comforter you chose for your bed, or think back to grade school and that first box of crayons. Does blue calm you? When you see yellow does it make you smile? Consider each room of your home and decide what feeling you’d like to evoke in that room and which colors encourage those desired emotions and atmosphere.
If you browse though Chicago real estate listings, particularly the higher end http://www.bestchicagocondos.com/luxury-condos/index.html then you’ll notice that professional designers try to maximize both space, light and color. Color psychologists theorize that the colors of the rainbow have individual character traits or personalities. Using those traits as a general rule of thumb, along with your favorite color choices, you can customize each room in your home to create a certain feel.
Bedrooms should be calming and restful to insure quality sleep and comfort. Shades of blue and indigo are conducive to relaxation and rest. If painting the walls isn’t an option, simple accents can make a huge difference. Try changing your sheets, comforter or bedspread to a soft shade of sky blue with darker toss pillows. New curtains or window blinds can change the entire tone of the room, filtering the light in different ways. Even putting down a throw rug or two in matching shades of blue can make a difference in your bedroom.
For a children’s or young adult’s room, violet and shades of purple are good choices. These colors are said to inspire creativity and imagination. Use purple accents in the same ways as blue can be used in an adult’s bedroom.
For a bathroom, green and coral can be a refreshing change of pace. Green, in lighter shades, evokes images of the sea. The color promotes harmony and balance, which can make for a relaxing shower or bath experience.
Redecorating your bathroom can be as simple as a new shower curtain, towels and wash cloths, or as complex as installing new tile and flooring. But easy splashes of color can be accomplished by green cucumber candles or a small mirror trimmed in coral or green.
The living room or family room often seem to come alive when natural earth tones are incorporated. Deeper greens, warm tones of orange like peach or terra cotta, along with tans and sienna are all calming colors that connect to nature and have a sense of freedom about them.
Again, major changes to your living room can be made by installing new carpet in one of these colors as a base, then accenting with throw rugs. If new furniture is an option, pick a single color as a material choice and build around that will toss pillows, fresh artwork on the walls or new drapes in a complementary matching shade.
Speaking of walls, painting is the most common way to refresh a room. If you don’t want to repaint the entire living room, pick a single wall and give it a fresh coat in one of the earth tones mentioned above and trim it with a darker shade of the same color. You can then hang a selection of family photographs in matching frames to create a picture wall.
Hallways, entryways and basements can benefit from a touch of yellow. The color works well in dim or poorly lit areas. It gives a feeling of welcome, openness and creativity that can greet you as you enter or brighten a dark space. Paint walls, change floor coverings or hang artwork or pictures with shades of yellow.
The kitchen is often as much as a gathering place as the living room, but the primary function will always be associated with food. Building on that, red tones are often good choices for kitchens and dining rooms because that color stimulates your appetite. Again, natural colors found in foods that promote health work well in decorating your kitchen.
We are automatically drawn to the red of tomatoes, green of peppers, broccoli and cabbage, and orange of pumpkins and carrots. Incorporate these colors into your kitchen with new cloth napkins, place mats, table cloths, dish towels, dining seat pads or dish patterns. Walls and cabinets can be painted in these shades and new curtains can frame the windows in fresh colors. With a few easy changes, you can spice up your meals without adding a single calorie.
Whether you decide to make a major decorating change to your home or just add a few subtle color accents, there are some basic tips to remember:
* When choosing a color theme, a room should be divided between 75 percent warm colors and 25 percent cool colors or just the opposite. Every room needs to have a definite theme or message, so giving one color or shade (light or dark, warm or cool) is a must. Otherwise the room will look disorganized and cause you to feel uncomfortable or restless.
* Try to limit each room to three colors with one being dominant and the other two as accents. Any more than that and it becomes overwhelming. Any less and it becomes bland. Also try to coordinate colors in adjoining rooms.
* Paint always looks lighter in the store or on a sample card or chip. When you get it home and on your walls or cabinets it will often look much darker or stronger than it did in the store. Try painting a small area to see how it looks when dry rather than painting a large surface all at once.
Remember, it’s all about what works for you. Not everyone’s rainbow ends in a pot of gold. Yours might be blue or green or red or…well, you get the idea.
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