From the monthly archives:

November 2010

One of the simplest ways of transforming your living room is by using a few living room decorating ideas and spending a few hours moving tables, chairs and chests to different positions. Here are a few home decorating ideas for fast transformations with great interior design impact.

Colour Changes

Colour is one of the quickest and most effective ways of giving a room a facelift. So if you want to change the look of your living room, step back and look at the colours in the existing theme.

Pillow Decor – Contemporary Damask in Green and Taupe Throw Pillow

The eye naturally focuses on the big planes of colour; walls, floors, windows and major pieces of furniture.  Take into account smaller objects like lamps, vases, cushions and collections – paintings, china – it doesn’t matter.

You may not be in the mood or have the finances to repaint or recarpet so let’s focus on the smaller items.

Most of these items don’t connect in any way for the simple reason that most of us buy because we like these things individually rather than thinking about how they will fit into a whole theme. It’s you job to bring them together by blending tones of colours and finding the best home for them around the room.

Pillow Decor – Cream and Chenille Stripes Rectangular Accent Pillow

If you can do that successfully you can get great results in an inexpensive and original way. Decorative details can alter the colour of a room without needing to change the major elements. Changing one group of accessories for another gives your living room a fresh new look  – it can be that simple.

If you want to give a room impact, look for ways of achieving a more cohesive look – and colour is the easiest and fastest way of doing just that. It can create an illusion of a complete overhaul when in fact the key components remain unchanged.

The secret is to use flashes of colour and echo them throughout the theme.

When home decorating, the furniture you select such as a sofa, a bookcase, an armoire or bureau must not only work well in terms of comfort and practicality but should suit the style of the room to get a harmonious effect with other items in the room and that includes the wall colour. You want a room that feels comfortable no matter what style or theme you choose.

That means living room decorating ideas should take into account shape, scale, colour and texture to be successful and work at blending them.

Major Pieces of Furniture


Larger more permanent items of furniture such as sofas and armchairs have the greatest impact on living room style. These large or decorative pieces become focal points for the room; anchoring it.

It helps the design of the room if your major pieces suit the style and proportions of the internal architecture. Layering the two elements becomes easier, unifying the room more naturally.

If you have a low living room ceiling stay away from furniture that is too boxy or too high. Visualize the impact of your items on the space – will it feel bigger or smaller, darker or lighter?

If you use furniture that is very solid looking such as dark wooden pieces can make a small room feel crowded – not cozy. Remember that less is more; a few well- chosen and carefully placed items will maximize the light and space in a room – which is crucial to a feeling of relaxing and comfort.

Smaller Items

Smaller items of furniture offer great scope for style and practicability – but are only added once the major elements are in place and usually collected over time. They are generally the fun pieces to collect or buy. They also the most portable pieces and can be moved around a room or home to revitalize different areas.

Home decorating ideas for the home should look and feel as if you have taken no trouble at all and the best living room decorating ideas are simple and make everyone feel at home. That is successful interior design.

One of the simplest ways of transforming your living room is by using a few living room decorating ideas and spending a few hours moving tables, chairs and chests to different positions.

These few home decorating ideas for fast transformations with great interior design impact.

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Interior Design Bedroom Transformations

A bedroom is a place where we want to feel at ease when waking in the morning and relaxing at night.

Interior design is important so you can blend your bedroom decorating ideas with bedroom themes, colours and textures, materials, furnishings and bedroom pictures to create the right atmosphere for your relaxing, sleep and waking needs.

You may want to create a haven of warmth, comfort and privacy but today bedrooms are used for more than sleeping.

Good bedroom design ideas must consider if you need somewhere to watch television, eat breakfast, talk on the phone, read a book or write letters – with or without a computer.

Once you have figured out how you will use your bedroom, list the pieces of furniture you need apart from the bed itself. This can include chest of drawers, bed side tables, wardrobes, chairs or sofas, a desk or table for a television.

These pieces take on a life of their own each playing both a practical and visual role.

The layout of a bedroom is important so begin by drawing a floor plan, allowing as much room as possible around the bed and making sure wardrobes, cupboards and chests can be easily opened and accessed.

But in the end warmth, comfort and privacy are created through your choice of colour, furnishings, lighting and accessories to create mood.

Colour

Colour is such a powerful force that even a small amount can have dramatic effects.

Touches of colour are a way of breathing new life into a scheme without the need to redecorate the walls or replace curtains or upholstery.

They can take the form of bedding, lampshades, cushions and rugs or a dramatic piece of art.

Collection art was never so reachable One large art work or a combination of many pieces can change a room from drab to glam.

Even small pieces can have an immense impact on a room, not only in terms of colour but also by bringing cohesion to a room. Make sure you are happy waking up to your choice of colour so you feel refreshed when you start your day.

Lighting

Lighting has a strong influence on mood.  Soft, calm lighting is important for times when you just want to relax and good task lighting is also needed for activities such as applying facial products, reading in bed or using a computer.

Dimmer switches and lamps are an easy way of changing the ambience within a bedroom. But why go for subtle when you can use a chandelier, wall sconces or candle holders as great features. And while candles are romantic they should be placed in hurricane lamps or other forms of containers for safety.

Window Treatments

Window treatments impact mood and should follow the rest of your bedroom theme. The best solution not only suits the style of the room but has the flexibility to allow light in, keep draughts our and provide privacy by using a clever combination of blinds, voiles, curtains or shutters.

Bedding

Bedding should be chosen to suit the look of the bedroom, be it romantic or smart, country of simple. Pattern, scale and colour are important so choose with care.

Colours can either harmonize or contrast with the scheme and patterns can be mixed for example by using checked pillow cases with plain ones or floral with stripes.

Whether you opt for linen or cotton sheets, blankets or duvets, throws or rectangular pillows or square ones what matters is how comfortable you feel when you’re in bed.

Blankets and sheets give character to a bedroom in a way that duvets do not, but unless you have time to make the bed properly they are not worth considering. One solution is to use a top sheet with a duvet and fold it over the top of the duvet.

No matter where your bedroom decorating ideas come from, use interior design bedroom themes to mix colour, soft furnishings, bedroom pictures and lighting to get the bedroom haven you want.

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