Posts tagged interior decorating

10 Winter Decorating Tips: Interior

Dec11
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Alicia

holidaycards

Last week we offered 10 winter decorating tips for your exterior. Now, it’s time to discuss interior decorating for the winter holidays! Although the exterior is what every guest will view first, it does not have to be what they remember most. In the warmth of your own home, without venturing out into the bitter cold, you can give your personal space cozy ambiance that everyone will want to spend time in!

Here are 10 winter decorating tips for the interior:

• In the winter months, daylight disappears earlier than ever. Create a holiday spirit inside by turning your overhead lights on dimmers and lighting an array of candles! Purchase a large candle, tie a bow around it and place it in the middle of a wreath on a table. Or purchase numerous small candles and scatter them around each room. Choose wintery scents, like evergreen, gingerbread or cinnamon spice.

• If you have a Christmas tree, it should be located in the largest or most popular room. If your house displays a large front window, setting the tree in front of it is an ideal way to decorate the inside and out! Place a tree skirt around the bottom, where gifts can be placed, and decorate the tree with your personal approach, whether that be lights, garland, tinsel, ornaments or all of the above!

• Can’t decide whether to display a real or artificial tree? Real trees radiate a natural glow and scent, but they are a chore to chop down and attach to your vehicle. Artificial trees are expensive at first, but they are a cinch to set up each year. To help you decide, read this past article for more helpful advice.

• If your house contains a fireplace, use this highlight to your full advantage! After all, you’ll want Santa Claus to be impressed when he arrives through the chimney! Line the mantel with lights or garland, hang a wreath above or on the mantel, set Hanukkah candles in the middle of the mantel, hang stockings, or create a nature scene made up of poinsettias, pinecones, pine needles and red berries. On cold evenings, keep the fire burning brightly!

• To make every meal this month more special, create a memorable centerpiece for your dining room or kitchen table. Purchase one already made, or fashion one yourself! This could be made with candles, roses, poinsettias, wreaths or homemade creations. For example, set up a sleigh on the table, with or without reindeer, and fill the sleigh with post-dinner treats!

• Afraid of the environmental impact that your decorating will produce? Read this past blog about how to have a green Christmas. Decorate with recyclable items, host a green dinner party, and reuse your decorations after the holidays! Read the article for more great advice.

• Holidays are not the time to skimp on homemade goodies! When hosting guests, showing your home to potential home buyers or just enjoying a Saturday afternoon at home, fill your kitchen with natural scents! Bake sugar cookies with holiday cookie cutters, create a gingerbread house masterpiece to display, brew up some flavored coffee or provide a bowl of marshmallows to accommodate the never-ending mugs of hot cocoa!

• Add little knickknack décor to end tables, coffee tables and windowsills all around your house! In many minds, it’s nearly impossible to overdue it with holiday decorations (unless, of course, you’re in the process of selling your home). Examples could include nativity scenes, sleighs, Santa, reindeer, holiday containers full of candy or mints, scented candles, bowls of pine cones, leaves sprayed in silver or gold, etc. Pretty much, anything goes.

• Use a staircase or balcony railing to your advantage. Wrap it with garland and lights, attach bows, hang holiday stockings from it or hang ornaments in each opening. This is a great space for adding eye-catching vibrancy!

• Don’t celebrate these popular holidays? Still enjoy your cozy, warm interior during the upcoming cold months ahead! Keep a fire in the fireplace, with marshmallows nearby to roast. Bake sugar cookies. Decorate with pine cones, pine needles, etc. Light scented candles. Lots of these holiday decorating ideas can be used by anyone, anytime!

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Interior Decorating to Complement Your Home’s Architectural Style

Nov20
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Carrie

victorian

There is nothing like buying your first home. Many first-time buyers can’t wait to personalize the property, inside and out, making it their own. However, a lot of people don’t even know where to begin! A good place to start searching for ideas is outside, in front of the house.

Take a few steps back and analyze the architectural design of your home. Is it a colonial? A Victorian? A Cape Cod? The list goes on and on, believe it or not. And don’t worry if the previous owner never told you what kind of house you were buying. This handy guide will help you determine the style of your home. Once you figure out exactly what kind of house you are living in, it might make interior decorating decisions a little easier for you.

Here are just a few of the ways you could decorate a home to complement its architectural style:

Cape Cod/Colonial

Typically found in New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, etc.), these homes were constructed by the first settlers in America, and they are characterized by steep roofs and huge chimneys. Many of these homes were built in the 1600s and 1700s, and some of them are still standing today after many restorations.

When it comes to decorating, you should try to think about the simplicity of early America. This doesn’t mean you need to forget about little nuances like picture frames, candles and throw pillows. However, you probably would not want to drape your tiny casement windows with heavy fabrics or bamboo blinds. Choose light linens (preferably a crisp white), neutral-colored furniture (black, brown, cream, white) and wood accents.

Greek Revival

This style of home looks exactly how its name suggests. Much like the magnificent structures erected in Athens during 400-500 BC, these massive, three-story homes feature white exterior columns, arranged in a symmetrical pattern, flanking the entrance. You’ll also see several front steps leading up to a huge porch, much like the ruins of gathering spaces seen all over Athens.

There is usually a lot of ornate crown molding throughout the entire home, and it is sometimes so decorative that you may not even need to add much to a room, as it is already embellished to the max. Granite or soapstone counters are good options for the kitchen; however, many laminate choices give the same affect for a little less money. Complementary colors include green, gold and white. Stay refined; classic country furnishings look out of place in this elegantly constructed abode.

Victorian Queen Anne

French-style homes may reflect either a regal design or a country charm. Most of them boast very sophisticated features such as wrap-around porches, symmetrical towers, bay windows and a textured masonry. Some of these homes showcase such elaborately constructed exteriors that they are referred to as “painted ladies.” The outer walls, the roof shingles and the window shutters will all be different colors (generally pastels).

Queen Anne homes were very popular during the Industrial Revolution, when it was rather affordable to obtain furnishings once available only to the upper class. Heavy tapestries draped almost every room, and darker variations of reds, blues, greens and purples were very common. Ornamental wallpapers are encouraged. Many rooms were even overstuffed with furniture and knickknacks, so don’t worry if you have a lot of decorative pieces.

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Inspiration from Storefronts & Displays

Apr10
2009 Leave a Comment Written by Carrie

storefront

Have you recently purchased a brand-new home or are you thinking of doing some redecorating in your current place? In either situation, are you stuck for ideas? Whether you are a new homeowner or you just want to freshen up your existing dwelling, Buy Owner has a great decorating tip for everyone!

Design Tip: Model your decor after the displays inside furniture stores and department stores.

There is no better place to find home decorating ideas than the stores where you are going to buy new items like paint, wallpaper, picture frames, throw pillows and more. Showcasing areas from the dining room to the bedroom, storefront windows and inside displays are set up to give you a suggestion as to how to use these new purchases.

Living Room

Before you visit the furniture store, take measurements of your all of your rooms. You might find a gorgeous sectional couch for the living room that is just too big to fit inside your home as one unit. Then, upon seeing a different display in the store, you may want to consider separating the two couch pieces, placing them directly across from each other with a coffee table as a barrier. It’s all about taking what you see in the store and imagining it inside your home. If the store display is too big, shrink down in your mind or keep moving around, looking at other arrangements.

Kitchen

There are so many choices out there for kitchen cabinets and countertops. For cabinets, you can choose between manageable laminate, several different types of wood and lots of various colors. For countertops, there are Corian, granite, laminate, stainless steel and more. Kitchen displays will show you exactly how each combo looks together in one setting. For example, you could choose white wood cabinets and black granite countertops out of separate catalogs or on different websites. But if you go to a store, you will be able to see exactly how these two pair up. It will be easier to decide how to design your kitchen.

Dining Room

Displays for the dining room typically feature a table, its surrounding chairs and additional decor like place settings and decorative dishware. This set-up might give you and idea of what kind of dishware looks best on a given table. You may also find new, interesting patterns on place mats, napkin holders and the like. Around the holidays, gorgeous centerpieces may be available for purchase, or they might inspire you to take a trip to your local craft store to create a more affordable version.

Bedroom

Bedroom displays in stores like Bed, Bath & Beyond showcase set-ups that are pleasing to the eye. There is a specific rhythm repeated in various patterns, shapes and arrangements. For instance, complementing fabrics such as a polka-dotted cotton comforter may be matched with a solid-colored satin pillow. Another aesthetically pleasing display would be block candles on a round night table. If a store’s display grabs your attention, recreate the eye-catching arrangement in your own home!

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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!

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A Dozen Ways to Bring the Outside in for the Holidays

Dec12
2008 1 Comment Written by Alicia

There’s nothing quite like an evergreen blanketed in fresh, sparkling snow or ruby-red berries produced from a bare branch. This holiday season, show your appreciation of outdoor beauty by re-creating it indoors! Acknowledging nature inside your walls is a fashionable trend this year. Buy dry or fake outdoor accents from a store or scavenge for the real items outside! Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Accent an elegant chandelier or noticeable light fixture with a strand of leaves or berries. If you want it homemade, all you need is thread and a pile of leaves or berries!
  • Create a table centerpiece with a bowl of outdoor décor. Fill a wicker basket or a glass bowl with pine cones, nuts, acorns, berries, pine needles and feathers!
  • Mold a wreath together using anything you want! Use rosemary to create a scented wreath, or string crabapple berries and leaves together for a colorful selection!
  • Collect a handful of evergreens into a vase or a bowl and place it on any table, mantel or shelf. Evergreens exhibit a vibrant color and are best used in subtle, neutral-colored rooms.
  • Incorporate magnolia leaves into golden fixtures or wall hangings. Magnolias have a long life span and accentuate subtle colors well.
  • Spread a thick layer of cotton over a windowsill or a mantel, or place it underneath a holiday decoration. Sprinkle glitter atop the cotton and it will appear as sparkly and fresh as the snow outside!
  • Fill a vase or a glass halfway with sugar or salt and place a pine cone or pine needles inside. This will confine the snowy scene outdoors into a tiny object inside!
  • Weave ivy through a wicker basket, through the ribbon on a wrapped present or through holiday decorations. Ivy can add natural appeal to an object that already exists.
  • Decorate any corner of any room with flowers that are remarkably in blossom during these winter months! Fill a basket or colored vase with hydrangea blossoms, white roses, topiaries or narcissus plants for a vibrant contrast in colors!
  • Light candles and surround them with greenery or glittery “snow” cotton. The peaceful candlelight will illuminate these natural wonders.
  • Hang greenery around windows and hang mistletoe from doorways. We all know what mistletoe leads to!
  • Instead of spending money on new ornaments, boost your tree’s appeal by hanging pine cones or pomegranates from the branches!

By decorating the indoors with outdoor attractions, you can still enjoy the beauty of nature while relaxing in your warm, cozy home. Use your imagination to recreate a wild, winter wonderland for a festive atmosphere!

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Trend: European Design

Dec04
2008 1 Comment Written by Alicia

American architecture has experienced numerous influences throughout its centuries, but the most popular has remained European architecture. Whether you are building a home or searching for a new home that already exists, here are ways to determine if it exhibits European style, which is a hot trend today! It could be a unique selling factor. Contemporary homes with Old World accents tend to grab people’s attention.

European homes usually exhibit a stone, brick or stucco exterior with wrought-iron and cast-stone accents. The roofs show off multiple steep roof lines and gables. The windows are usually arched, Palladian windows and create a great impact on the appearance. The entrances to these homes are outdoor focal points, and their significance continues into massive foyers. The interiors contain a sense of luxury and elegance, but also airiness and comfort. Spacious suites are available for adults and for kids! Lots of privacy is given to all residence. European homes also tend to include bonus rooms or accents, such as breakfast nooks, brick fireplaces, gourmet kitchens, French doors, spiral staircases, libraries, hearth rooms, screened porches, sitting rooms and more! The main purpose of European homes is to create an elegant, impressive appearance that also features comfort.

Though certain designs coincide across Europe, each country contributes its own unique style. Here are the major contributors to American architecture, broken into the separate countries that they originated from.

Spanish Influence

The Spanish immigrants first settled in the southern parts of America during Spanish rule. Therefore, Spain’s influence is mostly seen in states like Florida and Texas. Spanish homes usually display clay tile roofs and stucco siding in white or pastel shades, similar to Mediterranean homes. The walls are thick and keep the interior cool. The entrance usually features an archway and ceramic tile flooring fills the interior. This style is slowly moving north because of its unique appeal.

Italian Influence

Italy is known for some of architecture’s most prominent creators, including Vignola, Palladio and Bernini! These homes usually exhibit pitched roofs with overhanging eaves and decorative brackets underneath. Tall windows are grouped together for a significant impact. These homes are likely to contain a wraparound porch or an outdoor oasis, such as a tiled courtyard or gated garden. Inside, a spiral staircase creates the home’s interior focal point. Ceramic or terracotta tiles cover the floors of the contemporary Italian homes.

English Influence

The English incorporated much of Italy’s Palladian style into its more contemporary approach. These homes feature roofs with steep pitches, gables and stone mullions. Bay windows extend across the siding and contain transoms. Inside, high ceilings, significant living areas and large foyers create the impressive interior. This style is also referred to as the Tudor style, which sometimes incorporates half-timbered siding into the design.

French Influence

The French style is often referred to as the European style, because it incorporates most of Europe’s overall design. The exteriors are made of brick, stucco or stone. These also often display half-timbered designs. Polished wood or metal accents are often incorporated, such as a copper roof. The roofs slant down on all four sides and include long overhangs. Multi-paned windows and dormers noticeably add appeal. An arched doorway leads you inside, where you will most likely find a round tower. The interior is luxurious and spacious. The living area will be the home’s focus.

Thought we may not realize it, European influence is visible in most of our homes. What is today considered simple, standard architecture originally came from Europe. Any home with stone, brick or stucco exteriors, arched doorways or windows, large foyers, split floor plans, attached garages, centralized great rooms or high ceilings contain a piece of European style!

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Decorating on the Cheap!

Aug31
2008 Leave a Comment Written by Alicia

Image of color swatches

You just moved into a new home, and you can’t wait to decorate, but your savings are a little low. Or perhaps you want to spruce up the home you’re trying to sell for the pictures that potential buyers will see through Buy Owner, but you don’t want to spend a fortune doing so.

We’ve got your answer! Over the next few days, we’ll be providing you with a few inexpensive ideas for your ceiling, your floor and all the space in between, guaranteed to impact without breaking your wallet!

Ceiling

Most ceilings are painted white because owners don’t know what other color to paint them. But white ceilings don’t emphasize the best qualities of your room, especially if they coincide with white walls.

  • If the walls feature a particular color, paint the ceiling a lighter hue of that color. It will bring the room together more.
  • If the walls display white paint, paint the ceiling a natural hue that you’d find outside to make the room appear bigger and brighter.
  • If you prefer to make the room seem less airy, paint the ceiling a darker hue.
  • If the room is too dark for your liking, paint a gloss over the ceiling that will catch the available light and make the room seem brighter.

Many cheap options are available for paint, so find them and make a huge difference in your ceiling.

If your ceiling displays an unattractive ceiling fan that causes you to dread having guests over that might notice it, fix it. Ceiling fans can be disassembled for you to paint over ugly coverings and/or colors. If a long chain hangs low enough to become a room’s prominent feature, trade it in for a shorter, stylish chain that you’ll want people to notice.

Don’t have a ceiling fan or own one beyond help? You can start saving up for a new one. Ceiling fans come in all shapes, sizes and prices. If you find a good deal, you’ll add a long-term decoration to your ceiling and you’ll save on your electric bill in the long run.

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Design Watch: Concrete Countertops

Jul11
2008 1 Comment Written by Allegra

concrete

When remodeling your kitchen, a crucial feature is choosing the countertops. You want something modern, something sophisticated and something that reflects your personal tastes. But with so many different types of countertops out there, where do you even start?

Concrete countertops have been around since the 1970s but just recently they have found increased popularity in kitchen makeovers. And it’s not just a slab of sidewalk placed above some cabinets; the latest versions of concrete counters are sleek and stylish, adding some flair to that fantastic new kitchen.

Concrete countertops can be pre-cast or built on site. While you can do it yourself, it might be best to hire a contractor to make sure the work is done efficiently and properly. If the counter is pre-cast, the contractor will pour the concrete in the shop onto special casting tables and keep it in possession until it is completely ready. If it’s built on site the contractor can customize the counters with special edges or curved corners. Often the concrete counters are reinforced with steel or wire mesh. After the concrete counters are created they must be cured (a chemical reaction process between the water and the cement) then sealed.

A few reasons to look into the concrete countertop craze:

  • They can be customized with special edges and angles
  • Color can be added so they match in with your kitchen color scheme
  • Materials like glass chips can be added for a sparkling effect
  • Sinks, butcher blocks, drains and other countertop accessories can be integrated into the concrete counters, creating a seamless surface
  • During the creation process, the counters can be given different types of textures
  • Standard one-and-a-half-inch thick concrete slabs cost about $65-$125 per square foot (Which is about on par with granite)
  • Concrete countertops are not any more difficult to clean than other types of countertops

While it’s not the best idea to cut or place hot pots directly on the countertop because this can cause damage, there are simple solutions for this. That’s why cutting boards and pot holders were invented, right?

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To Wallpaper or Not to Wallpaper?

Mar22
2008 Leave a Comment Written by Sarah

Have you heard? Wallpaper is making a comeback. You’ll see it in design magazines, decorator showcases, model homes.

Yet despite its being the trendiest thing to put on your walls, you might be leery of putting the modern equivalent of your mother’s flower prints in your kitchens for the next 25 years. If you’re thinking about doing wallpaper, think about your future and the future buyer of your home.

Should you wallpaper? Short answer: yes, if you love wallpaper. Wallpaper your heart out. However, if you are selling a home, you might want to take your prospective buyer’s opinions into consideration.

If you are opting for a neutral-colored, textured wallpaper, you’ll have a better chance for longevity and an overall acceptance of your wall choice. 

Ivillage.com notes: “Unless the wallpaper has a wonderful texture or something that really makes the room, opt for paint and do a layered technique where you get some depth of color…it’s very difficult to remove. Paint can be changed anytime you like.”

Upscale wallpaper is generally more expensive than your run-of-the-mill prints but affords a classic look that can blend in seamlessly with contemporary design.

What is the most important lesson in wallpapering?  Think long-term. It might save you a lot of scraping.

wallpaper

 

Posted in Home Improvement, Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas - Tagged , , , ,

Choosing a Chandelier

Mar18
2008 Leave a Comment Written by Becky

Chandelier 

Gone are the days when a chandelier was only used to welcome guests into the grand foyer or to illuminate formal meals in the banquet-sized dining room.

While chandeliers were once reserved for the wealthy, nowadays you can find all different types of chandeliers in every room in the home.

With such a variety to choose from, it’s hard to know where to begin. A chandelier is almost always the focal point of a room, so it’s important to consider what kind of statement you want to make.

Is it a formal space? You might want to try a crystal chandelier. If you’re going for a more contemporary look, a wrought iron fixture might be more appropriate.

Your home is a reflection of who you are, so make sure you pick something that you will be happy with in the long-run.

Here are some guidelines to choosing a chandelier that’s right for your space:

  • Follow your home’s architectural style
  • Choose a chandelier that reflects your taste
  • Make sure it is the right size for the room
  • Consider how much light you will need for the space

The size is just as important as the color and style. If the fixture is too big, it will be overwhelming for the space, while a chandelier that is too small will make the room look bare and it will not catch your attention.

Once you’ve decided on the perfect chandelier, you should hang it so that:

  • It is centered over the table
  • The bottom is approximately 30 inches from the top of the table

Also, remember that a chandelier is more of a decoration than an effective light source, so it shouldn’t be the only source of light in the room. Consider layering the light in a space by starting with the chandelier and then adding accent lights.

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