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The less cluttered a room is, the more elegant it presents itself. Don't overdo it with knick-knacks, picture frames and the like. Try keeping your collectibles confined to a curio cabinet or all your photographs grouped together on side tables or a picture table instead of scattered everywhere. There is also no need to display every accent piece you own all at once. Rotate your possessions every three months or so. This frequent change of scenery will keep your home looking revamped and will help you from tiring of your display pieces. Keep this in mind for rooms such as the kitchen and bath as well. Eliminating clutter will not only provide your home with a cleaner, more sophisticated look, you'll be surprised at the time you save dusting! In addition, when arranging your display pieces, pay attention to every little detail such as having all the pieces face the same direction or maybe towards a larger, central object. Make sure all the plates you stand up in your breakfront are rotated to display the design consistently on each plate. This helps to give your home a meticulous look - the kind you would get if you hired an interior designer. Don't overlook your walls Beautifully painted walls are one of the most powerful, yet widely overlooked, decorating tools. Is every room in your house, with the exception of the kitchen and baths, painted off-white with white trims and
mouldings? Another great look is to paint a main room such as the living room in a faux finish. You can pick up many do-it-yourself kits. These kits are simple to work with and can make your walls look as if you invested a mint on professional painters. Best of all, the inconsistent look that is the charm of faux finishes beautifully conceals many small flaws your walls may have! Trims and
mouldings can also add a finished look to a room when painted in a colour other than the traditional "white".
Finally, finish the walls off with some artwork. Make sure to leave plenty of wall space between each piece. Hanging too many paintings or prints on one wall will only distract from each one. If your prints are small enough, you may arrange them in a grouping. Just make sure the frames and styles are consistent. For instance, don't group modern black and white prints in sleek, black frames with an oil painting in an antique gold frame. Area rugs can be used to divide large rooms into more intimate sections or to help define a space. Break up the monotony in a
Pillows are key in creating a comfortable, homely atmosphere when arranged on couches, chairs and beds. They can also be used to tie together the various colours and styles in a room. Toss at least four on a couch and rotate one pair so they point up. It gives the couch some dimension. Use pairs to create balance. Examples are: matching lamps on end tables, pairs of throw pillows, coordinating artwork or accent pieces flanking a piece of furniture.
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No decorating rule is ever written in stone. If a style doesn't suit you or just doesn't work in your home, move things around and add or remove items until you love it! Remember, it's your home. Therefore it's most important that you feel comfortable in
it. You don't need to spend a fortune on new furniture or hire a professional interior designer to make your house look elegant. There is a wealth of information in books, television, and the internet to help you achieve the home of your dreams with minimal expense. Here are some of the most affordable, yet invaluable designing tips.
Looking for the focal point of a room is the very first step to creating the room of your dreams. The focal point should be the most interesting aspect of the room you are working on - a breathtaking view out of a bay window or French doors, a beautiful fireplace, etc. If your room doesn't have an eye-catching focal point, don't worry! You can make one by using furniture or accessories. A large painting hanging over a couch, an oversized curio filled with your treasured possessions or even a wall unit that conceals your TV make great focal pieces. Once you have discovered (or created) a focal point, just arrange the furniture in the room to help accentuate it. For instance, position your seating arrangement, preferably in a u-shape, facing the focal piece. If your couch is part of the focal point, place two chairs or a loveseat across from the couch, with a coffee table in the
centre of the arrangement.
Never look at window treatments as merely a means to shade a room. Today, the options are endless and window treatments can easily set the mood in any
room. Yet, again, it needn't cost you much. When measuring the window, make sure you measure from the floor to the top of the window
moulding, double it, and then from one end of the window to the other. Add on a few extra yards to work with and to give for the swag effect. The best part is, you needn't even have to hem the fabric if you are all thumbs! Just puddle the extra yard on the floor for a very elegant look. Here is a great trick to making small windows in your rooms look grand. Attach the hardware to the wall just outside the window
moulding instead of on the trim itself. This will give the impression of a much larger window. This works best with swags and panels that cover the
mouldings and some wall space.
This is a classic look that goes with any decorating style. But with all the options at our fingertips today, why not add a splash of colour to a few rooms? Try painting your foyer or hall a bright, cheery colour such as a pale green or yellow! Small areas such as these may look dull when painted white. Try a dark colour for the dining room to add an air of romance!
Beige or light taupe add a hint of colour without being overbearing. Try to keep many of the rooms consistent, however, so as to avoid a 'circus' effect.
bookshelf by randomly placing a few stacks of books on their sides. The remaining books, however, should look organized by keeping them grouped according to height. Also try filling up empty space in a bookshelf with a vase or picture frame.
