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Posts tagged decorating tips

Top 10 Ways to Make a Room More Spacious

Feb13
2009
Leave a Comment Written by Becky

Add Space to Your Home

When you’re thinking about buying a home, chances are, one of the most important factors is space. From the garage to the kitchen to the bedroom, everyone is looking for more space throughout. And even if your home feels small, you can create the illusion of space simple by working with what you’ve got.

Here are the top 10 ways to make a room look more spacious:

1. Decluttering: This should be obvious, but in case it isn’t, you should be sure to declutter the room and clear out anything that isn’t being used. This is the first step to creating more space in a room.

2. Lighting: The lighting scheme in a room is key to creating an open feel and depends on the purpose of each room. For example, a chandelier might make a stunning focal point in a formal dining room, while track lighting can illuminate a fireplace in the family room.

3. Windows: To let in the maximum amount of natural light and therefore make the room appear brighter and more spacious, windows should be kept sparkling clean.

4. Mirrors: Use mirrors and other reflective surfaces to reflect the light coming into a room and create the illusion of more space.

5. Flooring: A great way to create more space is with seamless flooring from one room to the next. Another flooring trick: if you’re using tile, lay the tile on a diagonal for a more expansive feel.

6. Neutral colors: You should consider neutral tones when it comes to choosing both the paint color and the flooring. Try painting the ceiling a shade or two darker than the walls to give the room more height.

7. Monochromatic color scheme: Coordinating colors on the walls, floors and furniture will allow separate pieces in a room to blend together, while contrasting colors tend to break up a space.

8. Furniture arrangement: Simply by moving furniture to the outside of a room so that it isn’t blocking walkways, you can immediately create more space. Also, choose pieces that don’t take up the whole room. The more floor space you can see, the more spacious the room will seem.

9. Shelving: If you’re thinking about incorporating shelving into the room, make sure you install shelves that expand vertically instead of horizontally. This will draw your eyes toward the ceiling and expand the space.

10. Fabrics: When searching for window treatments, avoid heavy draperies and instead look for light, airy fabrics. The pattern of the fabric is also important, as anything too busy will detract from the open feel.

Posted in Home Improvement, Tips and Ideas - Tagged adding space, enlargen room, how to decorate small spaces, making home more spacious, top 10, top ten
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5 Tips for Decorating a Small House

Jan29
2009
Leave a Comment Written by Shanna

In today’s economy, McMansions and giant luxury homes are being replaced by simpler, more frugal alternatives. With one in ten Americans unable to make mortgage payments, many of today’s homeowners are deciding the inflated cost of large living isn’t worth it. Trading down, advocates of the Small House Movement believe in walking the talk of environmental consciousness: swapping 3000-square-foot homes for places more along the lines of 84 square feet in some cases.

The benefits of a smaller house are, well, anything but small: less to pay to build, less to heat/cool, less to spend time fixing up and improving. All these reduced costs buy homeowners big benefits: more money and more time, two things everyone seems to need more of these days.

So what about you? Whether your home spans 100 or 1,200 feet and no matter what your reasons for a smaller place, you’ll want to decorate it. And when decorating a little residence, there are key steps you can take to maximize the space. Consider these:

1. Architecture: One of the best design tips for a small home goes back to the way it was created. Built-ins help ensure no wasted space, and an open, easy-flow layout creates a larger feel where rooms can open into one another.
2. Color: Choose light paint colors—whites, creams, soft beiges—to enlarge the feel of your space. Basic Color 101 says light colors make a room seem bigger, while dark colors will make it feel smaller.
3. Defined Spaces: Think about the studio apartment you had, fresh out of college. It probably had one large room that functioned as your bedroom, your living room, maybe your dining room. The key to maximizing usefulness is in the way you lay your furniture out. Define the space for your sitting area as being separate from the eating table; this can be done with a patterned rug under the table or maybe by turning the chairs towards each other in the living room.
4. Seamless Flow: Defining your spaces doesn’t minimize the importance of symmetry throughout. Use the same flooring in all the rooms, if possible, and allow lots of sunshine to flow inside.
5. Organization: Even without built-ins, a small home seems instantly larger with smart organization. Eliminate all clutter. Anything that you don’t need goes.

Follow these tips to make your home its most useful, and you’ll barely notice the smaller size. In fact, you might join thewave of homeowners who actually prefer it!

Posted in Home Improvement, Tips and Ideas - Tagged decorating a small house, home decorating tips, how to decorate, interior decorating, Market News, organization, small house
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Decorating Tips for Your Porch

Dec05
2008
Leave a Comment Written by Carrie

If you have recently enclosed your covered porch, or if you have purchased a home with an empty sunroom, what is the next step you should take? Like any room in your house, the enclosed porch, sunroom or Florida room deserves some decorative attention! Here are a few tips for turning that plain porch into an inviting sitting area that is sure to impress guests.

Shades and Blinds
If your porch has an abundance of windows, you might choose to apply blinds for those days when the sun shines a little too bright! Simple rattan roll-up blinds offer a summer look and can be easily raised and lowered. Fabrics for curtains, although colorful, will fade over time from the constant exposure to the sunlight. And since curtains can sometimes be costly, a more affordable option to cover floor-to-ceiling windows is a shower curtain! They are very easy to install and come in all kinds of colors and designs.

Flooring and Rugs
If your sunroom offers access to the backyard, the best options for flooring might be concrete, slate or vinyl tile. Indoor/outdoor carpeting is also a comfortable option. You can always soften the look of the hard floor with hemp accent rugs that add flair, yet remain semi-resistant to dirt and moisture.

Furniture
Depending on the size of your porch, if you plan on entertaining guests in this space, adding a table, some chairs and couch is ideal. Lots of patio furniture is made of wood or wicker, to be able to withstand outdoors. However, if you have installed electricity and a heating/cooling system, feel free to add any type of furniture you like! You might even want to consider purchasing a porch swing! It’s a nice alternative to a recliner, usually found in a living room or family room; and most are sold at hardware stores and department stores with the intention of customers placing them in outdoorsy areas.

Fabrics
After adding some patio furniture to your porch, dress it up with comfy cushions and colorful pillows! If your porch is more of a sunroom than an extension of your home, you may want to consider pillow fabrics such as woven polyester or laminated cotton. These can easily be purchased at fabric stores or stores that sell camping equipment.

Lighting
Who says you can’t enjoy the outdoors at night? Built-in lighting, table lamps, lighted fans and floor lamps make all the difference. Unless you have extended your home’s electrical power into the porch/sunroom, it is best to avoid conventional lighting. However, if the porch is equipped with electricity, add strings of Christmas lights. They twinkle like stars in the night sky! Yet, since the space is drenched in sunlight during the day, you could even consider a green option and use solar-powered lights! Don’t over do it; provide yourself with enough light to see where you are going. This way, you will spend less money, be kind to your neighbors, and you will feel as though the soft moonlight is illuminating your porch.

Plant life
A sunroom offers you the opportunity to spruce up your new space with verdant plants! Potted plants can be placed on window sills or small tables. Install a small hook into the ceiling and add hanging plants for even more flair! By using natural decorations to put some life into your porch, you can create an instant connection from your enclosed space to the rest of the landscaping in the backyard! Feel the warmth of mother nature all year round.

Posted in Home Improvement, Tips and Ideas - Tagged curb appeal, decorating, exterior decorating, outdoor decorating, porch, property
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