Home Decorating Tips

Home Decorating Tips

These home decorating tips will help you decorate your home without busting your budget. With just a few basic tools and decorating tips you can decorate your home for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional do it for you. Anyone can become their own decorator.

Home decorating should not require an additional mortgage on the house!

Basic Home Decorating Tips

Using Color to Decorate

Learn professional decorating secrets and techniques.

Even making just a few minor changes in a room can liven it up and change the atmosphere. Changing color schemes and adding new textures are a great way to create a new look.

Paint and fabric are wonderful tools to create a whole new look for any room. It's amazing how much a room can improve by simply adding some new color and texture.

Yard sales and even thrift stores are excellent sources for low cost paint, fabrics, curtains, accessories, and furnishings for home decorating.

Don't forget about your local home improvement stores such as, Lowes and Home Depot.They usually have mis-mixed paints that are reduced to $2 to $4 a gallon.

I've personally found that by being flexible and considering alternative color schemes I can greatly reduce paint costs by purchasing mis-mixed paints.

You can also look around for home decorating tips while you're shopping. You can get home decorating tips and color scheme ideas from displays, brochures, and how-to books.

Here's an example of what a drastic change a little color and new curtains can make. Please ignore the silly girl in the "before" photo and focus on the wall behind her.

Before Painting Adding New Color to Decorate

After Painting Using Paint in Home Decorating

Set the right mood for your room. Before planning your home decorating project review the relationships between color and mood

Personalize with Paint

Home Decortating Tips for a Professional Looking Paint Job

(ARA) - Painting is the easiest way to make a dramatic and instant impact on a room. Adding color not only allows homeowners to personalize a space with their own decorating style, but also provides functional benefits, such as making a room look larger or more cohesive.

Such a dramatic impact doesn�t have to have a dramatic cost! In fact, even for the most novice DIYer who may be apprehensive about home improvement, painting is a great starter project. It is easy to learn, and if you mess up, you can just paint over it! And once complete, you�ll have the satisfaction and pride that your painting project looked like a professional did it, without professional costs!

The Key to Achieving a Great-Looking Paint Job is to Follow a Few Simple Rules

Don�t Fall through the Cracks

Like most remodeling projects, the key to success is preparation. Be sure to seal any cracks and gaps around windows and baseboards with a water-based, paintable caulk, such as Polyseamseal All Purpose Adhesive Caulk (www.polyseamseal.com). Water-based caulks are low odor, easy to use, and easy to clean up with soap and water. Plus, the fast-drying formula will help to minimize your preparation time!

Additionally, be sure to repair any nail holes in walls or any areas where there is cracked paint with a paintable, fast-drying, shrink-free patching compound. Once the patch is dry, sand smooth for an ideal paint surface.

Mask Your Imperfections

Even professionals know that painting a straight line is nearly impossible. That�s why spending the extra time to line baseboards, trim and ceilings with masking tape will �mask� all the imperfections that may occur while painting along edges. Be sure to use a low tack adhesive masking tape, such as Duck brand Perfect Release Plus Painter's Tape (www.duckproducts.com), to ensure that delicate surfaces such as wallpaper, treated woodwork, and drywall will not be damaged when removing the tape.

In addition to protecting surfaces close to where you are painting, be sure to protect floors and woodwork from the inevitable drips and spills with drop cloths. Cloth drops are more expensive than plastic sheeting, but they work best, especially over carpets. However, if cloth isn�t in the budget, try statically treated, pre-taped drop cloths that feature a pre-taped top edge of professional grade masking tape.

Choose Wisely

When choosing a paint color, find one that is going to inspire you, make you happy and create a desired mood. Dark, dramatic colors are great for those who are not up for frequent changes. However, neutrals, available in light, medium and dark tones, are the most accepting of other accent colors, which is ideal for those who want to continually add the latest color trends or seasonal decorations.

Once you�ve chosen the hue that�s you, determine the paint finish that best suits your room: flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and glossy. Flat paints offer a matte finish that are excellent for covering imperfections in walls since it will not reflect light, however they are typically not washable. Satin and eggshell finishes are very popular for wall paint since they have a very slight shine and hold up well to cleaning. Semi-gloss and glossy tend to be used for trim applications since they create a shiny, enamel appearance to surfaces.

Roll with the Punches

While you are purchasing your paint, be sure to choose the appropriate paint brush and roller. A quality brush makes it easier to apply paint evenly and accurately. Use a one- to two-inch, high-quality, nylon/polyester, angled brush because they can be used with all coatings, hold paint better and provide better brush control.

Rollers should be selected based on the type of paint being applied and texture of the surface. The rule of thumb is that the rougher the surface, the longer the nap (or depth) of the roller covering. For a semi-gloss or gloss paint to be used on very smooth surfaces, choose a roller between 1/8-in. and 1/4-in. nap. For flat paints, on medium surfaces, such as lightly textured drywall, choose a roller between 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch nap.

With these few home decorating tips, your next painting project will be a sure success! -Courtesy of ARA Content

For more information on the products mentioned, contact Kristi Stolarski, program manager for Liggest-Stashower Public Relations, at (216) 373-8215.

Of course, the least expensive way to decorate is to ........

Utilize What you Already Own

You may be surprised how much you can do with what you have stashed in the attic, basement, closet, or garage.

If you're willing to be flexible and adapt colors, themes, and textures to what you may already own, you can decorate an entire room, or several rooms possibly, for little or no money.

Now we're talkin' my kind of home decorating tips! My favorite price, FREE! Use what you have, fix it up or jazz it up (whatever it takes), and reuse it to create a whole new look!

Money Saving Home Decorating Tips:
Make Your Own Accessories

Make Your Own Home Decorating Accessories

You can make your own swags, wreaths, and flower arrangements to accessorize, compliment, or bring color into a room.

I created the swag decoration pictured above. I had one of those creative periods where I wanted to learn the art of wreath and swag making. I have always thought they add a homey touch to any decor, but was convinced I could make my own for a great deal cheaper than retail store prices.

Well, I was right. So now, when time allows, I make my own wreaths and swags. With a few "how to" and "home decorating tips" books from the library I collected a supply of various tools and media neccessary for the crafts.

Of course, I always recycle and buy supplies when I find them on clearance, at yard sales, or at my favorite thrift store.

DIY Home Decorating Here's a flower arrangement I created using a recycled wood canister, a cheap bucket (on sale), dried flowers from my accumulated supply, leftover paint, and stencils.

Since the arrangement was to compliment a newly redecorated room, I used the leftover paints from the room. I painted the wooden canister and bucket blue and then stenciled yellow complimentary decorations on both. I chose complimentary colored dried flowers from my accumulated flower supply to make the arrangement.

This was a great way to brighten up an empty corner space in the room. I also have learned a little about drying my own flowers, and have small collection of dried flowers from flower arrangements I recieved on occasions such as Valentine's day and Mother's day.

The resulting accessories from the use of these flowers, like the wreath pictured to the right here, are extra special. They not only are uniquely handmade, they incorporate memories from special occasions through the use of the recycled flowers. Lasting memories are the result.

In addition to using my own dried flowers for this wreath, I actually made the grapevine wreath from cuttings off our grapevine.

I know not everyone is fortunate enough to have a grapevine in their backyard. I'm sure most of you don't. In this respect I am lucky to have this option.

However, I also have a small supply of grapevine wreaths on hand that I purchased at a great sale I happened across. At only $2.50 each they were a steal. Thinking ahead, and planning for future possible projects, I bought several for later use.

So, keeping your eyes open for home decorating items at clearance sales, thrift stores, and yard sales comes in handy when the project is at hand.

Accessories can Make or Break the Decor

Excessive accessories can appear as clutter if not carefully arranged. This can easily occur if you have "collections" that you just can't bear to give up.

Here's a home decorating tip to help you use those collections to accessorize without appearing cluttered.

If you have one, or several, themed collection of knick knacks and accessories, group like themes together in displays for the best effect.

For example, in the photos below, ocean or water related items are displayed together as a group. Additionally, a collection of angels are grouped together.

Home decorating tips ocean display

Home Decorating Tips:
Planning Your Decorating Project

One of the most important home decorating tips I can offer is... Plan Your Project to Maximize Savings

Planning could be a key ingredient to your decorating project success. Especially, if you're on a tight budget. As you can see, I like to work around what I have, if at all possible, to save money.

Planning is essential if you want to maximize savings by using what you have and creating a few of your own accessories. Review what you have and then choose color schemes, fabrics, and accessories based on what is readily available to you.

Need a little decorating
inspiration and help?

Plan Your Home Decorating Project
Like a Professional!
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Learn delicious home decorating tips secrets in the
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Use Lighting to Change Atmosphere

You can create illusions and special effects simply by manipulating types and placement of lighting sources. Read Illuminating Tips Lighten Up Your Home to get more ideas on lighting home decorating tips.

Home Decorating Tips:
Using Pictures

Pictures or other wall hangings can add color, texture, and interest to any room. Choose pictures that compliment the color scheme and theme.

Picture can be especially useful in adding color where color use is limited. For instance, when renting and restriction on wall color changes are in place.

Pictures are certainly great accessories, but can also be used to create illusions. Make a wall look wider, taller, etc. You can change the appearance of a rooms dimension using wall pictures.

Claire Bowes explains how to use pictures to create different illusions.
Related Reading

Home Decorating Articles

Get Ideas for Your Home Decorating Tasks

There are countless resources for do-it- yourself home decorating tips. One of my favorite idea generators is HGTV.com.

Watch HGTV on cable for Shows like "Design on a Dime" and "Devine Design". Two of my favorite home decorating tips helpers.HGTV online has a program guide, how-to guides, gardening and home decorating tips on topics from A-Z.

Home Decorating Tips - Free home decoration tips for anyone on a tight budget.

Total-DIY.com - For all your DIY & Home Improvement needs
From home decorating tips to building a sun room, we have articles and resources for you!

007 Websites directory: Home Garden

Keeping your home clean and organized is half the battle to keeping a home looking it's best visit CleanAndOrganized.com for some helpful tips.

Find more home decorating tips reviewing home and family articles
Home and Family related articles including home decorating tips, remodeling, design, and do it yourself projects.

Home and Garden Online Magazine
Dreams Alive Magazine provides resourceful articles about home and garden, interior design and home decorating, home decorating tips, arts and crafts, spirituality and more. We accept article and art submissions and provide beneficial methods of site promotion and advertising.

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