You cannot stand it. The same old dreary windows that do little to add life to your home. It is time for a change. But, where do you start? How do you keep from making an expensive or embarrassing mistake? In fact, how can you know what you really want?

1.Start with one room at a time.
There may be the temptation, especially when moving into a new home, to decorate all of the rooms at once. This takes far too much energy and can sap your creative juices, leaving the decorating flat and less interesting. It can also make decorating your home an overwhelming task. Go slow. Do one room at a time and then move on to the next one.

2.Assess, review your needs.
With pen and paper in hand, jot down some notes about all of the windows in the room. Measure them and note their size and shape. Rough sketches will help. Are the windows too large? Too small? Odd sizes? Mismatched sizes? Is there too much light in the room? Not enough light? Do you want to block an unattractive view? Do you want to enjoy the beautiful view? Do you need privacy? Daytime privacy? Nighttime privacy? Or both? Do you want to liven up a dreary room? How do other family members feel about these needs? What is your budget for the windows?

3.Look for help, tips and ideas.
Seek inspiration. One thing is for certain, no matter what the challenge or situation that you are facing with your windows, someone else has already dealt with the same situation. There is a way, or many ways, to attractively treat the windows in your room. You can find examples of how others have decorated their windows in magazines, window decorating books, window decorating websites and by talking with friends and relatives.

4.Make a plan.
Using your list of needs, rank the needs in order of importance and then make a plan that addresses your needs in that order. There is a way to treat issue.

5.Address your window coverings in stages.
This is especially if you are uncertain about your preferences or if you are working on a budget. Begin with the shades, blinds or shutters. Once these are selected and installed, move to draperies or curtains, including the traverse or curtain rod. Finally, add the finishing touches such as cornices, decorative tie backs and finishing hardware.

6.Combine and contrast colors.
Using color in your window treatment is an excellent way to put life and energy as well as set the tone and mood of a room. Experiment with mixing colors from opposite ends of the color spectrum.
(more…)

How you style a bathroom depends on a number of factors. First, there is the general style of your home. If everything in your home has a classic country sort of feel, having an ocean theme in your bathroom may seem out of place. Second, there’s the concept of the feel you want to create with the bathroom. For kids, you may choose a fun, cartoon theme; for those who are looking for a relaxing atmosphere, a place where it’s possible to fully unwind at the end of a long day, peaceful colors like those in a spa would be ideal.

Similarly, the types of colors that you’re like – along with the overall brightness of your bathroom – can determine whether you look for brightly colored accessories or those that are muted in color. Finally, there’s your personality, or the personality of the person who will be using the bathroom the most.

In general, there are four styles that are commonly used when accessorizing the bathroom – classy, muted, bright and fun.

In a classy bathroom, you may find yourself choosing bath accessories in muted colors, perhaps with a subtle floral tone. Toilet seat covers, towels, bath mats as wall as bath accessories for the counter – a soap dish or soap pump, a toothbrush holder and such – can all be coordinated with the shower curtain. You may start with a shower curtain that is a neutral color like beige with a rose colored embellishment and match the other bath accessories to the rose shade.

If instead you were trying to create a muted look in your bathroom, you’re likely to choose soft tones as well, but rather than a floral look, you may choose slightly more modern bath accessories like those that you might find at a spa retreat. Muted shades of green or blue, natural colors that resemble stone or clay are all good base colors for your bathroom. Consider a solid color shower curtain or one that is patchwork – squares of complementary colors. Choose a matching bath rug, bath towels, a toilet seat to match and simple chrome plated bath accessories.
(more…)

You cannot stand it. The same old dreary windows that do little to add life to your home. It is time for a change. But, where do you start? How do you keep from making an expensive or embarrassing mistake? In fact, how can you know what you really want?

1.Start with one room at a time.
There may be the temptation, especially when moving into a new home, to decorate all of the rooms at once. This takes far too much energy and can sap your creative juices, leaving the decorating flat and less interesting. It can also make decorating your home an overwhelming task. Go slow. Do one room at a time and then move on to the next one.

2.Assess, review your needs.
With pen and paper in hand, jot down some notes about all of the windows in the room. Measure them and note their size and shape. Rough sketches will help. Are the windows too large? Too small? Odd sizes? Mismatched sizes? Is there too much light in the room? Not enough light? Do you want to block an unattractive view? Do you want to enjoy the beautiful view? Do you need privacy? Daytime privacy? Nighttime privacy? Or both? Do you want to liven up a dreary room? How do other family members feel about these needs? What is your budget for the windows?
(more…)

How you style a bathroom depends on a number of factors. First, there is the general style of your home. If everything in your home has a classic country sort of feel, having an ocean theme in your bathroom may seem out of place. Second, there’s the concept of the feel you want to create with the bathroom. For kids, you may choose a fun, cartoon theme; for those who are looking for a relaxing atmosphere, a place where it’s possible to fully unwind at the end of a long day, peaceful colors like those in a spa would be ideal.

Similarly, the types of colors that you’re like – along with the overall brightness of your bathroom – can determine whether you look for brightly colored accessories or those that are muted in color. Finally, there’s your personality, or the personality of the person who will be using the bathroom the most.

In general, there are four styles that are commonly used when accessorizing the bathroom – classy, muted, bright and fun.
(more…)