Home Interior Design

When most people move into a new home, there is some changes that they want to make.  The rules of interior design are especially powerful when it comes to the ladies of the house who can walk through any home and easily spot furniture that needs to be moved and cabinets that need refacing.  The entire idea behind interior design is to make the home that you have purchased your own.  It stands to reason because you are living in a home that was built by someone else and their style may not be yours.  Interior design and home improvement is the way to go. 

Most people consider home improvement to be a daunting task, which it can be if you go to extremes.  Those who attempt to completely renovate their entire home at once are faced with a multitude of problems that are associated with having to move furniture and other items out of the way so the interior design process can take place.  For others, it is easier to do a little bit at a time to make sure that each project gets completed with the minimum of hassle and interruption to daily life. 

One of the easiest things to start with when it comes to interior design and home improvement is cabinet refacing.  Cabinets that you are going to reface will not interrupt the day to day activities as other type projects can and will when doing home improvement.  To reface cabinets it is best to start with the doors as they simple to remove and take to a workshop or basement.  When you reface you are basically just changing the tone of the wood that is used for design of the cabinets.  This is done most times because the color or tone does not fit with the new furniture that has been purchased.  This is a common practice among existing home buyers who want to create their own personal style.

Cabinet refacing also entails changing the front face plate of the cabinets to match the doors that have been changed.  This is another common practice but it can be quite difficult.  It is best to hire a professional when you are planning on refacing any type of cabinets as the skills required to do so do take a long time to learn. There are several books on the subject floating around but they tend to only give the base knowledge that is necessary and do not give the complete picture for dealing with all the different types of problems that you could run into.

Furniture is another big issue when it comes to interior design.  When moving into a new home many people like to get new furniture but they cannot always afford the new stuff as prices seem to go up every year.  The best course of action is to try and buy the new items piece by piece instead of all at the same time.  This will actually save you money in the long run as you can get a better deal as the pieces that you want go on sale over the time that you are purchasing them.  There are plenty of furniture dealers around the world and all you need to do is search through them instead of dealing with only one place.  There is a matter of finding all the best for the best prices and that is not hard when you take and do a little research on the subject.

If you are planning on doing any painting as part of your home improvement project then it is best to do so before you have moved in.  This will save you a lot of hassle as it is hard to find a place to put everything when the house is full of furniture and other items.  Paint does not take a long time to dry so it should not hold up the moving in process for very long.  The best course of action is to go with the higher quality of pain.  The better the quality the better coverage you get when you are painting in the darker colors.  If you are painting before you move in then you have the option of using a paint sprayer with a lot more ease.  This will cut your painting time in half and will save you money in the long run as you use about half as much paint as you do with the brush and roller method. 

Don’t forget to check all the walls for holes before you start any projects.  It is easier to reface a wall when there is nothing else going on.  You will need to read up on wall refacing before tackling it to make sure that it is done properly.  If not then you may end up with a not so nice looking wall that is full of dimples and holes and other unsightly blemishes.  Hiring a professional is the best way to go when you have something that needs done with the walls.  A professional drywall contractor can easily repair all the problems in less than a day and most likely for a fraction of the cost that you would pay if you tried to do it yourself and messed it up. 

Interior design is a fun and exciting time for a lot of people but it can also make for a lot of stress and cost if you are not careful.  Before tackling any home improvement project you should first make sure that you have the required skills and funds to complete the project.  If you don’t then it is best to hire a professional.  More than likely they will be able to save you money in the long run even though their fees sound like they are high.  They do have the right to charge higher fees as they have spent years learning their trade.  You will find that hiring a professional for your project will make the time a lot more enjoyable for you and your family.

Tips for Indoor Lighting

Nothing impresses us quite the way lighting does. And if you’re entertaining nothing could make your guests feel more welcome that the good lighting in you home. Create a warm and inviting feeling for your prestigious guests and let them also enjoy some good food and conversation. Designing with light has never been an easier task, and it is always enjoyable.

When is actually comes to villa lighting, the potentials are limited only by your imagination. A good lighting plan could help in making you villa more attractive by combining both style and function.

Few type of Indoor lighting are listed below

Ambient Lighting – It provides overall lighting and a comfortable level of brightness, and allows you and your guests to see and move about safely.

Task Lighting – Task lighting helps you perform a precise activity, such as reading or playing games as well.

Accent Lighting – It creates an awesome mood and adds interest to a room by highlighting certain areas and objects, such as paintings, walls, and collectibles.

Decorative Lighting – It become essentials for chandeliers and candles.

Tips for Dining Rooms

•Use more chandeliers or just one fixture to light the room.  Layer with light from a selection of sources to get the most flexibility required for creating special moods in the same room.

•Using dimmers and layering with light allows you to use the brilliant light you require while setting your table, and then carry the light down when your guests arrive.

•For a stylish setting, blend candlelight and lesser levels of electric light sources all over the room.  Dim every group of lights separately to make a variety of dining moods.

Tips for Living Rooms

•Use Layers of light, wall washers, down lights, and accent lights on dimmers to make a medley of possible effects – from spacious to intimate.

•Place light sources at a variety of heights within the room (ceiling, table, floor) to add image interest and human scale.

•Use translucent shades on table lamps to add to the ambient light level.

Tips for Kitchens

•Use White fluorescent bulbs to improve cool colors like gray and blue, use White bulbs to enhance warm colors like yellow, red, and beige or to balance wood cabinets.

•Try fluorescent under cabinet fixtures at the border of your cabinets to illuminate your workspace and decrease shadows in food preparation areas.

•Consider dense fluorescent down-lights for universal lighting to help reduce heat and electric bills.

Tips for Bedrooms

•Break the room into several zones by lighting and switch them separately, and then regulate accordingly for the mood you want to set.

•Provide light for reading by selecting swing-arm or flexible bedside lamps.

•Use night-lights to give guests the facility to see in the dark if they require getting up during the night.

Tips for Powder Rooms

•Place strip lights to either side of the mirror other than above to improve visibility and reduce shadows for shaving and applying make-up.

•Select a couple of decorative wall scones to flank the mirror in a powder room.

•To make the room more inviting, try to dim all incandescent and halogen sources and keep a candle burning.

When amusing family and friends at home, lighting for safety and security is forever a priority.  Keep these tips in mind as you believe how best to protect your home – and your guests – from accidents and crime.

Interior Design Tips and Ideas

Take Away All Interior Design Ideas


Why should the interior design of your home be any different from anyone else's? It could be so much easier to simply follow the crowd and show no fear about a lack of originality if every home was pre-packaged with a unit appearance. Here are some ideas to keep the interior of your home as conformist as you can, and perhaps these will allow you the simple peace of a non-designed house.

First - please be sure to remove all coordination from your home. Recent studies have shown that balancing the cloth of your living room upholstery to the window and floor treatments can spark sensations of appreciation and pleasure in household members and guests. It is therefore critical for the practicing conformist to remove all hints of matching or complimentary designs from his or her household.

After dealing with those messy matching issues, be sure to walk through the rest of the interior searching for original art pieces such as paintings, sculpture and folk art. An interior which includes originality in their wall décor would evoke a sense of personality and interest in guest of the home, and it should also be noted that these guests might then find themselves assuming the "good taste" of their host. That defeats the purpose.

To the delight of the true conformist, many interior designs are stagnating into set themes. But you must take this a step further, and be certain that no new design or decorating ideas are found throughout your home. Do not allow any inspiration to come from, say, your favorite books, magazines, or movies. In fact, stop using any of things for entertainment. They will only lead to further thought "outside the box."

Use your head people. Actually, do not use it at all, because that is the best way to avoid any originality or sensationalism in any interior design ideas. It is, unfortunately, too easy to find simple inspiration throughout your daily life. It is imperative that you do not write any of these ideas down, and then you will have a chance to forget your initial reaction and idea and move along in your simple, easy, and non-threatening little life.

Interior Design Tips

An interior designer faces many of the same questions when faced with a residential client. Issues such as theme and fundamental style are not frequently an issue with the home client. But there will always be concerns about painting walls, the furniture currently inside the home, and of course the floors. There are tips to alleviate concerns and questions regarding these specific design problems.

"What about this color of paint? It is too bright/dark/soft/etcetera." The first and best tip to eliminate concerns about paint choices is to purchase a sample of paint to place on the wall. Then, there will be a true understanding of what the actual appearance of a color will be. However, many colors - especially darker ones - attain their true beauty from the look of the entire wall after being layered with several coats of paint.

Trust a color pallet and a designer, but of course only follow intuition. A color that is difficult to stomach may settle eventually to delightful surprise, or it may lead to a horrible bellyache. Only cover a wall with a design's color that will provide security and happiness in a homeowner.

"Should existing and endurable furniture be reupholstered?" An excellent tip to be considered: evaluate the furniture for style and value versus the cost of the reupholstering. An antique chair that fits the feeling of a formal living room that was purchased for many thousands of dollars would be an excellent candidate as long as replacing the original upholstery did not degrade its value or worth.

"I don't know what to do about my floor." Decisions about floor designs should be based on a person's budget, the room's use, and personal preference. Certain floor treatments are incredibly expensive, such as hard oak floors, and they may not be practical in an area where stomping kids thrash through the interior. Carefully weigh options such as dying carpet or laying rugs over existing hard floors.  It is all a matter of personal preference.

Actually, all interior design should be a matter of personal preference. It is not worth any expense to put something in a home that will force a homeowner to cringe every time he or she looks around.

Interior Decorating Themes

What’s Your Decorating Style?

There are a variety of decorating themes from formal to informal and everything in between.  Which one best describes your decorating style?

Formal Traditional
Furnishings and designs from the Renaissance, Baroque, Early and Late Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian eras.  This style is shown with fine furnishings, elegant, refined and exquisite wall coverings, elaborate moldings, formal window treatments and Oriental rugs.

Informal Traditional
The same eras as above but this style has less refined versions of furnishings.  There are more touchable elements, more earthy colors, and some urban archaeology without restoration is common.  This style is comfortable and inviting.

American Country
This style holds furnishings from the 17th century through the present, all simple with the appearance of hand-crafted work.  Two versions are popular today: Upscale Country with the use of more tactile, comfortable elements and very close to Informal Traditional but with a clearly country theme in all the furnishings; and Rustic Country, which sports a reused, recycled quality.  The wall coverings and window treatments set the theme and the furnishings have a just-found-it-at-the-antique-market feel.

Country French
This style is exhibited in Classic Rococo, Neoclassic or Empire-inspired country furnishings.  Wall coverings include florals, ticking, toile, and moirés depending on the level of formality.

Arts & Crafts
This simple style is also known as Early Modern or Organic Modern.  The era focuses on hard, stained oak furniture with simple, straight lines.

International Modern
This is a look of ultra simplicity, hard lines, and smooth surfaces contrasted with abstract patterns and unusual textures.

Environmental
Designs in this theme contain colors, textures and very subtle patterns of the earth.

Romantic Victorian
This style still is a favored theme for rooms with lots of pattern featuring English garden florals in dreamy colors.  Both fabric and wall coverings can be patterned, and clutter decorating – especially with accessories – is part of this look.

Ethnic and Primitive
This masculine approach has many faces from African to the American Southwest, from the lodge-look to the South Seas.  Heavy or tactile textures coupled with patterns that are charming because of their lack of sophistication fit here.

Fabric and Wall Covering Themes
This is a wonderful way to decorate – by selecting a great fabric or wall covering that inherently features a theme.  Some examples include sea and shore, sports, outdoor recreation, kitchen or domestic elements, juvenile elements, feminine floral themes, exotic designs from far away lands, and more.

How to Combine Styles in Any Room

A well decorated home is one unified whole with rooms that blend and relate to each other like members of a family. The goal of any room arrangement in your house is a simple grouping of furniture pieces that work toward its purpose, dining, sleeping, working, or relaxing. Create easy access through your rooms with 3-fott-wide passages that suggest where you want traffic to flow. Use entry furnishings constant with the rest of your home.

When you are dealing with furniture the whole collection must take priority over individual pieces. It is easy to fall under the enchantment of an antique piece of furniture, but you have to consider how it will fit in with everything else. Plus, you have to ask whether it meets your needs. Everybody loves to buy new things, but before bring in new furniture you must figure out whether to take advantage of what you already have.

You may want to restore or renovate the external appearance of furniture if it is shabby or drab. Decorating is not merely throwing out the old and brings in the new objects. New furniture is certainly attractive, not to mention pricey, if you were to search secondhand market and antique stores, you would probably come across some surprising pieces of furniture that add a touch of distinction to our home. Remember that some old furniture has more personality than new designs and can be a source of inspiration as you seek to create your own decorating scheme.

Old furniture is adequately interesting to be the central feature of a room but be sure never to mix antique furniture with different styles. The general rule is that if you have one very quality piece of antique furniture, the other, more reserved pieces, should stay out of the limelight. In bigger rooms you can place two or three pieces of antique furniture without overdoing it. Decorating a home is a lifelong process that changes as you adjust. It’s an unfolding experience that lets you express yourself. Enjoy the time you spend doing it.

How to Give a Room a New Look on a Budget

As a homeowner, you don’t need to have a large budget to give your home a remodel look straight out of the home and garden magazines. Any motivated do it yourselfer can redecorate a room and have it looking sleek and fashionable for under $1000. Remodeling with a budget in mind not only saves you money, but also increases the resale value of your home.

You can change the mood of your house just by painting and changing colors, especially uplifting your spirits during the cold winter season. Painting your house is a simple to do home improvement project that's easy on your budget if you do it yourself. Don’t go after the most expensive paint you can find. 

Expensive doesn’t necessarily always mean the best quality paint. A good rule of thumb as to how much you will spend painting just one room around 300 square feet will be less than $200, including necessary supplies of rollers, paint roller tray, duct tape and paint brushes.

Other materials such as a drop cloth, paint bucket, or rags are optional. You can use old blankets that you don’t mind getting paint on, or use cardboard. Rags can be replaced with old towels or damp paper towels, and paint buckets will only be necessary if you plan to mix paints for faux finish painting.

Using wallpaper is another way to change the look of a room without breaking the bank. Proper wallpapering can suit anyone’s need and budget, and can help to change the mood as well as adding elegance to a room. You can make a room appear larger or smaller just by choosing the right wallpaper, giving an illusion of height for rooms with lower ceilings. Using wallpaper can also add a design and pattern that is very difficult to accomplish with paint unless you are a talented artist.

The average price for a single roll of wall covering is about $12. The price is affected by the type of wall covering, how elaborate the design, the exclusivity of the design, and if it’s made by a famous designer.

Faux finishes are all the latest rage and are really easy to do. Almost anyone with just a little desire and some simple practice can create attractive faux finishes. Just get a simple guidebook to get you started and you will be creating beautiful faux finishes in no time.

Home Decorating Ideas for Different Furniture Styles

Have you ever thought about the many different furniture styles? Probably you have ever watched a program TV, where they showed people how to update an entire room of your house; let’s say the living room or bedroom. You can also read everywhere about the rustic style or about the Italian designs. However, do you know really what do these styles mean? We go deep into the different styles, which are the most demanded around the globe. Let’s start:

 Rustic
This style is known because the using of natural materials. The pieces of furniture included into the rustic designs use to be handcrafted, with a strong cultural and regional touch in their pieces. Rustic style also brings to any home the feeling of begin more comfortable. It also reflects to be on most of their instances, casual tends, which makes it more personal than other styles.

Antique
Antique furniture styles are characterized by European interior houses designs. What is very important to point up is the fact of antique furniture is commonly made to be used, not displayed. This makes of antique designs look boring or without further interesting additions, such as fancy details.

Modern
What we need to know about modern furniture is the clean lines that offers to the room itself. Modern styles for interior designs are often made of vinyl, plastic or chrome. These materials came up around the 50’s, and since then they have found a place into modern houses, as the standard.

European furniture
This style of furniture can be roughly split in 3 main branches: Italian, English and French. We begin by the Italian, because it is becoming very popular over the last decade for US citizens. Why? because the Italian style offer a wide range of materials to choose from, from wood up to marble, stone or fabric. Furniture pieces into the Italian furniture are ornate as well as large, sometimes using Roman sculpture and architecture. We go then to the French style. If you like crowed decorating prices of furniture, French is definitely yours. It often includes designs, elaborated and perhaps handcrafted with detailed carvings, with highly ornate patterns.

Fancy details with English furniture
The English furniture has been always made of woods, including principally walnut, oak or mahogany. This styles is very close to the American rustic one, due to its fancy details and the use of natural colors. The predominant color used on these pieces of furniture used to be is dark or natural colors. However, it depends on the era you base the English decoration. In the current world, there exist so many styles, materials and furniture designs, and it is evolving year after year. All type of influences comes up every day on furniture designers, and changes in the technology of materials affect directly on the new home decorating ideas.

Make a Plan

Before you do anything to change your home decor -  whether it's just one room or the entire house, ask yourself (and others in your family, if it's a group decision), what do you want to accomplish. Is it just to get a fresh look with a new color on the walls, or is it to really throw out the old and start all over again? 

If it's a new wall color you're considering, make sure the paint you purchase will compliment your existing furnishings.  Don't rush out to your nearest home supply store and purchase a can of paint because it's on sale or your think the color will do. Get several paint swatches and bring them home. 

In fact, many stores now have sample jars of paint that enable you to actually paint a small portion of you wall to see how that particular color works with your scheme.  Get several and paint them on the wall, let them dry and view these colors in different light; i.e., daylight and artificial light to determine which color really does enhance your room's furnishings.

A color that looks really great during the daylight hours can look entirely different in artificial light. So, do your homework and you'll be pleased with the new look. Even if it is just a new paint job!

There's really no one ideal way to start a home decorating project. You can get the bug by looking at a magazine and imagining some home decorating ideas, or seeing a beautiful fabric in a store and suddenly feeling that yours just doesn't match up.

Go online to get some really great home decorating ideas and cost saving tips. Also, the many online merchants allow you the luxury of cost comparisons without leaving your home. You'll be able to find casual and formal furniture as well as creative decorating ideas for any room in your home.There's a wealth of information available to you, including books on decorating, accessories—from lamps to rugs and from throw pillows to wallpaper. You'll find some extraordinary ideas for children's rooms, bathrooms, living rooms and even outdoor rooms.

Homework applies as well to major jobs. Consider what each room is used for and get furniture that's appropriate. Chairs and couches for a family fun room would not necessarily be right for a formal living room. 

Make sure you have proper measurements and diagrams of where windows and doors are located and, above all, have a decorating plan so that all items coordinated—from carpets to wall covering.

Whatever your reason is to tackle a decorating job, it is very important that you set your goals first.  At the same time, you must establish your budget.  It's all well and good to have very lofty home decorating ideas and goals when doing home decorating; however, your goals may have to be tempered by your budget. Develop your budget and establish a plan.

So, before you start pounding the pavement, going from one retail store to another, go online to see what's available, determine pricing and see if your plan is a reasonable one.  You may be pleasantly surprised at the cost savings ideas that are presented that will enable you to add just the right touch to make your home decorating dreams come true and to make your home one that is truly unique, functional and beautiful.

Just follow good principles of decorating and use your imagination and good sense to achieve your desired look. The online resources are numerous, so check them out before you do any impulse buying. 

Good luck on your decorating!

Home Decorating Ideas for a New Look

Room by room home decorating ideas

Whether you live in small metropolitan apartment, a house in the suburbs, or a log cabin in the mountains, your living room creates a lasting impression on those who visit. It sets the mood and should reflect your personal taste. So, to begin our helpful hints for home decorating ideas, let's start with some simple tips for the living room.

You don't have to spend a lot of time or money to get a new look that will be a pick up for both you and your living room. Just add some color; here's how:

1.  Paint just One Wall
 This will really change the focal point of the living room without getting into a major redecorating project. If your room has a niche, it's the perfect choice for extra color. You can choose a bold, contrasting color picked from a floral fabric, or a subtle tone darker than the tone of the other walls. Any change in color will add interest and splash!

2. Throw a Few Pillows Around
Nothing adds color like strategically placed throw pillows.  Choose solids for a floral print or colorful, patterned pillows for a solid color chair or sofa.  This is just one of many home decorating ideas that will not only add a bright splash of color, but will also add comfort to your seating arrangements.

3. Add Green or Flowering Plants
If you don't have a green thumb, ask your nursery or home center to recommend ones that require little or no care. If you're gone from home a lot, settle for some of the wonderful artificial ones on the market now. You can find great looking plants, foliage, and flowers that only need to be dusted. The Internet is a wonderful source for these.

4. Put Some Color on the Floor
A colorful throw rug placed in front of a chair or under a coffee table can add color and texture to a living room (or any room). It can be put on top of any type of flooring, including carpet. If it is on a smooth surface, make certain to have a no skid backing.  Choose a contrast color (from fabric you're using in the room}, or look for one with an interesting pattern that ties into the theme of your room.

5.  Add Interesting Artwork
A colorful piece of art placed in a living room not only adds a decorative touch, but also introduces colors and shapes.  Try framing simple photos with colorful mats and bright frames.

6. A Throw Adds both Warmth and Color
A handmade quilt, nubby woven throw, or cozy, colorful blanket adds interest when draped over the back or arm of a neutral sofa or chair. Choose a color that accents other pieces in the room, as well.

7.  Reflect Color
This is one of the home decorating ideas that appeals to many. Place a large mirror on a bare or boring wall. Buy an interesting frame or just decorate a piece of mirror with cording or braid. If you have an old frame, consider painting it a bright color. The mirror will reflect the color from around the room and add light to the space.

Tips for the guest room

Not too many people give enough thought to decorating the guest room in their home, but, if you like to have guests stay over, here are some simple home decorating ideas for your guest room. Your budget may not allow you to provide all the amenities of a five star hotel, but there are certain things you can do to make your guests comfortable.

1. Buy the Best Bed Your Money Can Buy
Don't give your guest the oldest, most saggy mattress you have. If you can't afford a new bed, think about getting a quality air mattress. They're quite comfortable and can be placed on top of a box spring, over a sofa bed mattress, or on the floor.

2.  Clean Bedding a Must
Just make sure you have nicely laundered, clean bedding. 

3. A Place to Put a Suitcase
Clear a space to put a luggage rack or a small table or bench to set down a suitcase. Even a chair is better than nothing!

4. Keep it Uncluttered
Get rid of anything that you would not find in the room of a fine hotel. Keep only the most useful items in the room, like a clock and calendar. A good reading lamp would be a plus!

5. Hanger and Drawer Space
If your guest room shares space with a home office, clear at least a foot or two of pole space in the closet. Or purchase an inexpensive over-the-door hook that can accommodate some hanging clothes and clear out one or two drawers for small items. Both you and your guest will feel better with odds and ends out of sight.

Home Design Tips

Home design is not only a big business; it can be very enjoyable for you the homeowner. When you’re building your home, or just giving your present home a makeover, taking the lead role in your home design can be a very rewarding experience. Doing your own home design allows you to express yourself in a way that no one else can do for you. Choices not only become easier when you do your own home design, but you’ll find that you have more of them than if you’d hired a professional to do it for you.

One of the first things you should consider in your home design project is the function of the room you’re working on. Function is a key home design factor. It will dictate the majority of what items will go into the room. Two major points in function to consider is the intended use of the room and who will be using it. Naturally, a room which will receive high traffic would need more resilient flooring and furniture than a room which would not get as much traffic. Knowing what the room is going to be used for and by whom is the first step in home design.

Style is another key factor in home design. After the function of the room is determined, you’ll need to decide the style of décor you’ll be incorporating in your home design. Certainly a family game room would have a more modern style with clean lines, while a country kitchen may have more of a cottage style or rustic home design. Fabrics like furniture, drapes, throws and pillows would play a major role in the feel of the room. Colors used properly in home design can alter a person’s mood upon entering the room. Earthy tones and light blues have a calming effect, while bright reds and contrasting colors can create a sense of excitement. Style when used properly can make any room a success story.

The placement of items and objects in a room will always alter the flow of movement to both the body and the eye. Flow is yet another key factor in home design. The flow of the room is crucial, as you don’t want the room to be awkward to navigate. This not only applies to the person moving across the room, but also the eye of the person moving from one part of the room to another. Of course the physical flow in home design is achieved by the placement of furniture such as sofas, chairs and tables. The eye flow of the room can be controlled by the decorative items placed in the room, as well as how the room is painted. Colors which flow easily into each other create a nice even sense of movement to the eye from one area to another.

Home design should never be a daunting challenge, but rather an enjoyable experience to those who wish to do their own home design. By following the three major factors of function, style and flow, every home design project you complete will be a successful one.

Home Lighting - Creating Illusions with Window Treatments

Windows come in all sizes, shapes and construction.  You can create illusions using standard curtains or other window dressings available today.  Long drapes are more formal, short curtains tend to be more casual.  You can use different styles to add to your interior decorating, such as country, with wide tidebacks and ruffles.

Curtains can help the following problems:

1.    Small window – extend the rod beyond the window frame.  This will create the appearance of a larger window.  More light will filter through the opening.

2.    Large window -  Attach your rod in the normal position.  Try using tiebacks on the curtains.  Use a valance. 

3.    Short/Tall windows -  For short windows attach your rod above the window frame.  Taller windows will appear shorter if you use a draped valance.  It will soften the window.

4.    View – If your purpose is to hide the view, match the window color to your wall covering.  It will reduce attention to the window.

Today there are so many choices - Vertical blinds, mini-blinds, wood blinds, shades of all types. You can keep it simple or layer the materials.  Investigate the choices before you finish your room.  If you give this some forethought, you can design your area to allow for changing window dressings each season.

Home Interior Painting

A new coat of paint can refresh and revitalize any room in your house. Paint is also a very cost effective way to change the look of a room. The best part about interior painting is that almost anyone can do it—all you need is the right material and a little bit of knowledge.

Painting Supplies
Your supply needs will vary depending upon the room that you are painting and the type of paint that you are using, but here is a basic list to get you started:

Paint
 After you choose a color, you will also need to choose a finish. The finish determines how shiny the paint will be. Choices include flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss. Flat finish is hard to wipe clean and should only be used in low traffic areas that will not attract dirt. Satin, eggshell, and semi-gloss finishes are easy to wipe clean and can be used almost anywhere. Gloss finish is very shiny and is best reserved for small areas such as trim or molding.

Paint Applicators
 Paint rollers and brushes are necessities. A good paint roller can paint an entire room. Choose one that has a fair amount of nap to it-- the thicker the better. When it comes to brushes, everyone has their own individual preference. A small angle brush works well for trim and corners. A three inch flat brush or a paint pad will work well for the places that a paint roller can not reach.

Miscellaneous Supplies
 In addition to paint and paint applicators, you may also need drop cloths, cleaning rags, paint trays, spackling, sandpaper, and a putty knife (if your walls are damaged and need repair), and a ladder or stepladder. The ladder will need to be sturdy and stable to support your movements. Try choosing a ladder with a wide base or a flared bottom like on a Little Giant Ladder.

Painting Tips
When painting, the most important thing you can do is take your time. If you move too fast, things could get sloppy. Also important, is the prep work. Your painting project will go much smoother if you are properly prepared prior to painting. Here are some tips that can help:

•    Make sure that you have everything you need by organizing all of your supplies before you start painting.
•    Protect your furniture from paint splatters by moving it or covering it up.
•    Use low-tack masking tape to tape off baseboards and trim. Remove the tape before the paint dries.
•    Paint the walls before painting trim or woodwork.
•    Do not apply a second coat of paint until the first coat has dried.

Make Your House Your Home - Interior Decorating

There is no better haven than our home. “East or West, home is the best,” is a common saying. Whoever it may be, whatever position he or she may hold, finally everyone returns home to find peace and relax.

A home is cozier and more comfortable than any other place. We build our homes with the utmost care and sincerity. After all, it is a place where we spend most of our lives.

Home decorating means a lot to the owner. It also demands hard work and devotion, as it is not an easy task. Decorating includes both the interior as well as exterior aspects.

As far as home interior decorating is concerned, every nook and corner has to be studied so that the available space is utilized to the maximum. A good interior decorator should be able to help you in selecting the correct interior decorating solution for your home. Before actually starting the work, you need to be sure whether the emphasis is going to be on beauty, comfort, or the appearance of your home.

You need to attend to all parts, namely, doors, windows, floors, furniture and accessories. For windows, curtains, blinds, rods and panels should be attractive and appealing. Some people prefer light colors, while others prefer heavy and striking upholstery. Doors can be tastefully designed and the material itself can be exotic.

There is a wide range of flooring options available. You can choose from marble, granite tiles, bricks, slates, concrete, or steel. To add more color, suitable carpets can be spread. Rugs can be used to complement them.

Walls, pillars, and other standouts can be decorated using artifacts, paintings or wall hangings. Modern arts are becoming a common choice.

Not just the living room, but also every part of your home needs your attention. The kitchen should be convenient and easy to use. The gas tables, racks and shelves, cooking range, utensils, and all other accessories should be chosen carefully and arranged neatly to avoid messing them.

Further, furniture selection should be done wisely. The sofa sets, chairs, dining table, dressing table and cots must reflect your taste.

Pottery and decorative plants are also a welcome addition in home interior decorating. Sculptures or a mini-fountain may seem incredible. An aquarium can add beauty to your home. You need to pick the right colors and paints for your wonderful home.

While deciding on the interiors, themes like energy-efficiency can prove useful. As you see, there is no limit to home interior decorating.