4 Factors of Interior Design

Decorating a home or room appears to be a very simple job. Professional decorators that publish beautiful bedroom, living rooms and kitchen in magazines seem to pull it off effortlessly. How much work is decorating? Is it hard to personalize a space? Preparation is an essential factor in interior decorating. An effective decorating project begins with an elaborate plan. When designing the décor of your home, find inspiration, determine your style, consider the use of your space and access your materials.

Finding Inspiration
The first step to almost any project is inspiration. When people dress daily, it is often influenced by an image viewed in a magazine. Decorating a home or space is similar. When decorating, it is key to have an idea of the desired outcome. This usually is inspired by a picture in a magazine; something viewed on television or maybe even an advertisement. From the color scheme, to the artwork to the furniture used in the space, it is important to have a general idea of the desired result. How can you work toward a goal of which there is no vision?

Determine Your Style
"Home is where the heart is" is a very true statement. We spend the most times in our homes. Our homes not only provide shelter but also relaxation and entertainment. A person is most comfortable in a space that is comfortable. A comfortable space is likely a space that reflects your personality. A fun loving, spontaneous person would decorate their home much different than that of a conservative introvert. When decorating a space, be sure to allow your personality to shine through, maybe it's a piece of wall art or shag rug, no matter how big or small, make your space a reflection of "you".

Consider the Use of the Space
If you are the parent of 4 children under the age of 5, it may not be practical to decorate your space in all white, glass, sharp pieces. Your family would be very uncomfortable and the room would definitely be "display only". When designing the décor of your space, consider how the space will be used. For example, when decorating a kitchen, make sure there is ample lighting where food will be prepared. Make sure bathrooms have ample vanity lighting if a female will be applying makeup. Creating a magazine worthy space will certainly be a waste if the space is off-limits.

Access Your Materials
The first step of any project is reviewing or creating the budget. One of the biggest expenses of any project is materials. When designing décor for your space, make sure to consider the materials that are available. Purchasing additional items/materials is anticipated, but if it can be avoided, that is wonderful.

Designing the décor of your space of home is an exciting time! Proper planning can lead to an effective and speedy process. Get started planning your next project today!

Incorporating Feng Shui Into Interior Decorating

It does't have to become an expensive proposition to incorporate the principles of feng shui into your interior decorating adventures. In some homes that have been decorated without the consideration of this ancient Chinese art, there is a decided lack of warmth. As a result, visitors to your home do not feel comfortable. The “chi” is lacking in the overall scheme of decorating and this is the universal life force within the home that connects those inside to the environment.

Feng shui involves the use of the five elements of fire, wood, water, earth and metal. You should incorporate a combination of all five in your interior decorating efforts. Having bright colors in the rooms of your home is one way in which you can bring the element of fire into the house. This does not necessarily mean that you need to have every wall painted a very bright color. It means that you can have contrasting items that are bright so that they bring out the essence of all the other colors. Triangular and diamond shapes in objects, artwork and frames for photos will also give you the elements of fire without having to completely redecorate.

The use of earth tones in the color scheme will provide you with the elements of earth that you need in feng shui. Such elements help to ground the body and the spirit in the home. Horizontal shapes for tables and decorative items and the placement of furniture in proportion to the size of the room is one way in which you can accomplish this.

You can achieve metal by having artwork and picture frames made of metal, but you can also use metallic colors in your overall color scheme. Paintings and ornaments placed around the room will also help you achieve this effect. You can combine the two elements of metal and water by having a water fountain of some type in your home. Falling water helps to bring a feeling of peace and contentment in any room of the home. Wall fountains that are edged in metal are wonderful decorations to have in a bedroom to help you fall asleep easily and in the foyer to provide a welcome for visitors.

Fresh flowers in each room of the home will provide your home with positive energy and help to bring a sense of nature to the interior of your home. Flowers will also provide a pleasant aroma. Decluttering your home is another aspect of feng shui that will help your give home a more welcoming atmosphere. In order for the positive energy (chi) to flow, there must be enough room for it to flow freely throughout.

Interior Decorating Ideas: Ten Hints For Decorating Your Living Room

Many people think of a modern living room as a nice, open space sprinkled with contemporary furnishings. The space is airy and comfortable. But for many people, this is not the reality of what they open their front door to each day. If you imagine a more contemporary, airy space, but you live with an entirely different space each day, then maybe you need to take steps to change it. Read on for ten great ideas to decorate, revamp, and declutter your living room. If you follow these tips, you can enjoy interior bliss. The lifestyle of your dreams can match your everyday lifestyle.

Step 1 - Set a budget for your interior design project. You need to make sure to stick to your budget. You do not want to overspend on your dream living room. This will only bring unhappiness to you.

Step 2 - Declutter your living room. Clutter makes everything look less appealing and less modern. It is impossible to achieve a contemporary look to a room when it is covered in clutter. Do you have mail sitting about? How about piles of books and magazine that you have not yet gotten around to reading? Maybe you even have extra pieces of furniture or broken items of furniture that you need to take out of the room. Cleaning up the space will improve it and help you focus on what you need to do to make the space meet your desires.

Step 3 - Take out furniture that is out of date or out of style. Do you have pieces in your living room that are simply not from this decade? Maybe you have a hodgepodge of pieces in the same space? It is impossible to create a sleek look with eclectic pieces in the room. If you need to revive your space, then you need to clear out the furniture that doesn't belong in the room.

Step 4 - Replace your carpeting or floooring. If you have old carpet or outdated parquet flooring or the like, then you really need to think about updating your flooring. Maybe hardwood to warm up the space. Or perhaps you would like to save a little with laminate flooring. Fresh carpeting always perk up a space. You can create a fresh look or feel to the room.

Step 5 - Freshen up the walls with paint or wallpaper. Your living walls are the best place to use a color scheme to create a nice feel to the room. Fresh paint or wallpaper will get the job done nicely. The nice thing about paint is that it is easy to change and you can do it yourself quite easily. Wallpaper is a little trickier. You can even paint just one wall in your room instead of all four of them. It creates a focal point. You can pick a color that is your favorite or just reflects your personal taste. Or choose a color that accents your furnishings. if you want your room to look bright and airy, then you want to paint the room yellow or even white. But you can also paint neutral tones in your room and that will keep the space airy and bright as well. Taupe, beige and even cream will do the trick.

Step 6 - Buy new furniture to replace the old. You do not have to go contemporary with your decor. You can do vintage or rustic. You can even go the minimalist route if you would prefer. You can redecorate in any style you would like.

Step 7 - Buy cushions, pillows, and rugs to create accessories for your space. Cushions, pillows, and rugs can tie the entire room together. If you select the right accessories you can create just the right look for your space. You can make the room look however you would like.

Step 8 - Turn your attention to the lighting in the room. Lamps set up in strategic locations about the room. This makes an atmosphere and ambiance that is pleasing to you. Your room can have the right feel to it with the right lighting.

Step 9 - Find rugs and paintings to dress up the walls. Your walls are bare right now. Yo u need paintings to create a bold statement in the living room. Rugs will give the room warmth. Family portraits and paintings of scenes that you like will make the space unique and personal to you.

Step 10 - Add gadgets and electronics. Maybe you need a flat screen or sound system in your living room to bring it into this decade and give it a modern look.

Home Interior Decorating: Ten Things For To You To Consider

To add to the success of your home interior decorating project it is important that you start with a plan. This does not mean that you should know exactly everything that you wish to do in advance. It helps however to have a general outline of what you wish to achieve in your room (s).

* You need to find styles that conform to your tastes. A way to do this is to go through magazines and catalogues and tear out pictures and illustrations that you like. When you have a stack of pages, search for common themes that interest you. You may realise for example the pictures you have been saving show rooms that have coloured walls or that many have certain patterns or similar decoration.

* Good lighting is the key to your home interior decorating success. Lighting is a great way to create mood and atmosphere. Some different types of lighting are ambient, task and decorative, scented candles can bring additional ambience to your rooms. Well-designed lighting can also lead to an improvement in our general well-being. Successful lighting schemes need to be planned at the beginning of your home interior decorating project. This will enable wiring to be installed in the rooms of your home before you start your decorating.

* Choose the furniture that is most suitable for you and your home and try to avoid poor furniture arrangements. For example walking in a room where all the furniture is lined up against the wall. This arrangement makes your room look smaller so avoid doing it. The best way to avoid this error is never to place an upholstered item against a wall.

* Selecting the right curtains for your home is an essential in any home interior improvement. It helps to have a clear grasp and understanding of how curtains are made and fitted. This will then help you to avoid unnecessary mistakes and expenses.

* Flooring is important for function and furnishings and therefore should be chosen with both in mind. Floor coverings can be wood, tile or carpet and should be of the same colour or a darker shade than the walls.

* It is essential to have space or free zones within your rooms. Clutter has a way of erasing the desired mood and energy of any room. It does not matter the type of belongings you have, you need to have some surfaces that are free of paraphernalia especially window-sills. To enjoy fully your personal belongings and treasures there need to be, intermittent empty areas to balance the accessorised areas.

Rooms need accessories as they add colour, scale, drama, individuality and atmosphere to them. Your accessories should be artefacts or items that you cherish and add deftness to your room decoration. Interesting pieces can be picked up at flea markets and craft shows

Plants, trees and flora, will achieve balance in filling spaces in the room. Use trees or plants to fill emptied corners or walls. Try placing ivy and flora to match your furnishings these will give a final touch to your room.

Interior Decorating For Bargain Hunters

Not everyone can afford the luxury of expensive interior decorating and these days it is all about saving money not spending it. Luckily there are ways in which you can save money when it comes to interior design so you should still be able to find something to suit you.

Where to Look For Bargains

You can look absolutely everywhere for ideas when it comes to interior decorating. Second hand shops are particular good and often you find some really good, cheap ideas in them. Remember that somebody’s rubbish is always somebody else’s treasure! So, do not be ashamed to look in second hand shops in order to find various items for your home. Discount stores can also be good and whilst many things in them may be tacky, you can sometimes find the odd treasure hidden in there. The kinds of things you will mainly find in these places include cushions, fabric, curtains, furniture and pictures as well as picture frames.

The internet is also an amazing place these days and auction sites such as Ebay can be a haven for interior designers. You can find literally everything you could possible think of and the prices are usually dirt cheap! You are bound to find something you like on an auction site so it is definitely worth a look.

Also, have you ever thought to look at a yard sale? Again, just like second hand shops, you are going on the theory that somebody’s rubbish is somebody else’s treasure and you may actually find something that you really like. If not you haven’t wasted anything but you could have gained a lot potentially.

Overall you can find bargains absolutely everywhere and all will help you to create that perfect overall look in the home.

The Unexpected Costs

Something you do not often think about when considering interior design is how much it costs to actually put everything together. It takes potentially a long time to redecorate a whole room, never mind a whole house! It usually takes more than juts one person and usually these extra workers can come at a large price!

Unfortunately usually it does mean that you do have to splash out on the extra expensive of professionals as even though they do cost money, they will produce good results. It is better than paying an average worker and getting left with less than impressive results for the same amount of work!

Overall it is possible to bargain hunt for items but when it comes to the actual work involved you may have to pay that extra cost!

Interior Decorating And Home Decor With Inuit Art From The Arctic North

In order to help give a room a classier touch, interior decorators have used sculptures to bring in a mansion or even museum-like feel to a home. This is particularly true for the interior decorating of living rooms, dens, home offices and hallways. When many people consider sculptures as home decor, the thought comes to ancient Roman or Greek mythological characters like Apollo, Venus or Zeus. Others think about abstract contemporary fine art sculptures that are sometimes difficult to interpret. Since there has been a trend in recent years towards a more natural look with more earthy color tones for interior decorating, Inuit art from the Canadian Arctic north can fit in nicely as part of home decor.

Most subjects used in Inuit art tend to be focused on the observations that the Inuit people (formerly referred to as Eskimos in Canada) make of their Arctic surroundings whether the pieces are soapstone sculptures or prints of drawings. We often see Inuit art depicting Arctic wildlife including polar bears, seals, whales and walruses as well as lifestyle scenes involving family or hunting. The Inuit have been carving stone sculptures for thousands of years but it was only introduced as fine art to the modern world on a significant scale during the 1950s. Today, Inuit art has gained international recognition as a valid form of contemporary fine art.

Colors of Inuit sculptures tend to be polished shades of blacks, grays, browns, greens and whites. Inuit artists also tend to utilize relatively neutral colors for their art prints which work well with all color ranges of today's more natural styles of interior decorating. Adding an Inuit sculpture on an end table, mantle or shelf gives a living room or office that gallery touch. An Inuit art print on the wall of a hallway or corridor also works the same way. Since the majority of people especially outside Canada have never seen Inuit art before, such artwork in a home will often end up as conversational pieces with guests.

There are Inuit stone sculptures to suit almost every price range and budget at about $100 to several thousand dollars for large, intricate pieces. Most can be purchased at galleries located in major Canadian cities but there are now a few galleries located in the USA and Europe that specialize in this form of art. Not surprisingly, the latest retail source of Inuit art is on the internet. This development is especially useful for those who are not located near an Inuit art gallery. Check out some examples of Inuit art either in a gallery or online and imagine how a piece or two can be part of your home's interior decorating.

Japanese Interior Decorating Style

How to achieve the clean. serene look of Japanese style in your home. Using a few accents to create this effect. How Japanese culture affects Japanese design.

Using some Japanese decorating details in your home's decor will absolutely transform its look. Japanese decorating automatically adds a calm and serene beauty to your surroundings. Even just a few details from this school of design will help to change your home and help it to reflect a less hectic lifestyle.

It does not take a professional decorator to achieve this transformation from frantic to serene. It just requires a investment of time and money (and not much of either) to learn about the style and obtain some Japanese decorative items. How do you achieve a Japanese look in a room or home? Let's look at the culture of Japan to get some clues. The Japanese culture is based on formal. polite. calm manner of doing just about everything. This is reflected in their home design. Very simple designs. without a lot of color or detail. is the hallmark of Japanese design. The Japanese decorate with a few sleek pieces. such as mats and screens in simple fabrics and designs. It is more important to choose the right item or artifact than to have a lot of different things in the room.

The role of natural light is very important to Japanese design. and rice paper screens and walls are used to allow light to shine through. while still affording privacy. To emulate this look. you should use soft curtains in light colors such as white or cream. with no decorations or detail around the windows. An open plan room. which allows light to enter every part of it. is very Japanese in feel. Floor mats or screens to delinate different areas take the place of walls. The whole concept is very minimalist. with no clutter or knick-knacks around.

The simplest look that you can achieve is the look that will reflect a Japanese feel. Tables. for example. are usually low black lacquer. without any vases or cloths on it. Plain hardwood floors will have no covering. and since the Japanese remove their shoes in the house. none is needed. All of the furniture is low. with clean cut lines. These lines are the essential spirit of Japanese design. You will see lots of straight lines and few curves in Japanese design. including on walls. furniture and any of the few decorative items to be found. Natural products such as wood and stone are used almost exclusively. Use these tips to add the important elements of Japanese design to your home and you will have the desired simple beauty in no time.

Interior Decorating And Home Decor With Native American Indian Art

Since there has been a trend in recent years towards more earthy color tones for interior decorating, Native American Indian art can fit in nicely as part of home decor. Most subjects used in Native American Indian art tend to be focused on nature whether the pieces are prints, carvings or pottery. Colors tend to be earthy shades of browns, reds, blacks and yellows since the main raw materials are wood as in carvings from the Pacific Northwest region and clay from the Southwest. Even painted wood carvings or pottery tend to have natural colors often found in nature such as greens and blues. All of these colors work well with the more natural styles of interior decorating today.

The Pacific Northwest region which covers the states of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia (Canada) and the southern part of Alaska, produces some excellent Native American Indian art in the form of wood carvings. This is not surprising since the Pacific Northwest is abundant with forests which have provided the wood as raw material for the region’s Native American Indian art. The wood is sometimes painted in striking colors or just stained with natural looking browns. Either way, such pieces fit in perfectly in rooms with earthy color tones. I have seen walls of living rooms, bedrooms, office den rooms, hallways and even bathrooms enhanced with Pacific Northwest Indian art in the form of both prints and wood plaque carvings. The Pacific Northwest Native American artists also make some of the most striking aboriginal masks in the world which are also suitable for hanging on walls.

Native American Indian art as home decor helps bring in an atmosphere of nature in the overall interior decorating of a room. This is because of their natural colors and also their subject matters which tend to be animals such as eagles, bears, thunderbirds, killer whales and salmons. Pacific Northwest Native art in particular gives homes in that region a local flavor. Many homes in this part of North America have this type of artwork as part of interior decorating. This style of Native American Indian art is still relatively unknown to many parts of North America and the rest of the world so for homes outside of the Pacific Northwest region, a nice wood carving can be seen as exotic treasure brought back from a homeowner's travels. Check out some examples of Pacific Northwest Indian art either in a gallery or online and imagine how a piece or two can be part of your home's interior decorating.

Interior Decorating Ideas for a Sports Enthusiast

You are an avid sports fan and your life revolves around your favorite teams and athletes. Decorating a sports-themed room in your house is a must. This can be fun and a perfect way to create a living space for you, your family and your guests to enjoy. Whether you are wild about a particular sport or wild about sports in general, sports enthusiasts everywhere can create their own sports-themed room using a wide variety of decorating sports-themed ideas for the sports fan in you.

A popular sport-themed idea is to create a billiards room. Billiards rooms are not just for sports bars anymore and have become a popular theme in homes everywhere. Of course, a billiards room needs pool table, pool sticks, balls, pool chalk and other accessories. Add a wall rack to hold the pool sticks. You can add a small sports bar and sports-themed stools for spot-on bar feeling. Hang several 3 shade billiard lamps from the ceiling above the pool table. You can also hang pictures of pool sharks and billiard tables and add come comfortable couches, sofas and chairs.

Another popular theme is to create a room for the basketball lover. First, you need to includes a flat screen television which is at least 42" mounted on the wall. You can use wood flooring to look give the look and feel of a basketball court. You can also paint the walls of the room in a bright and bold color or a color that matches your favorite basketball team and add a basketball wall paper border or basketball-style wall decals. Add throw rugs with a basketball theme or with the logo or mascot of your favorite team. Include comfy furniture where you and your guests can enjoy food and accent with throw rugs or pillows that look like basketball or represent your favorite team. Add basketball-style table, floor, wall and accent lamps and clocks to the décor. You can also add an indoor wall basketball hoop with a nerf or foam-type ball.

For football fan, designing a room about this passion is fun and easy. You can paint your favorite team's logo or mascot on the wall. You can also find plenty of sports memorabilia to hang from the walls such as framed jerseys, replica framed jerseys pennants, helmets, footballs, clocks and ticket stubs. As with the basketball room, include a large television and the right furniture with accent rugs and pillows. Also, consider carpet that look like green turf.

Similarly, you can design a room around the baseball fan in your house. Use the tips above but paint a baseball diamond on the wall or find accent the carpet with throw rugs shaped as a baseball diamond or with your favorite team's colors, logo or mascot. Get sports memorabilia such as replica baseball bats, caps jerseys or framed pictures of your favorite player or team as well as clocks and ticket stubs.

You can add a sports clock scoreboard to any of these rooms. You can also add a whiteboard so that you can keep track of the record and standings of your favorite team or billiards pool shark. So, start decorating and enjoy.

Wall Decals For Interior Decorating And Design

Wall decals are a great way to dress up any interior decorating and design project. With an Internet search you should be able to find them on just about any theme. When searching take into account that they may be referred to as wall stickers or vinyl decals. The nice thing about them is they can easily be removed and placed elsewhere in a room.

Wall decals because they are easy to remove should be considered in a rental. Vinyl wall stickers usually do not have adhesive and cling using static. If you are a renter where your landlord will not allow you to even paint and you would like some interior decorating and design to color up a room then they may be the best solution not only that you can take them with you when you move.

If you have need some interior decorating and design for a children's nursery or young child children's wall decals decals are quite popular, alphabet wall decals and train wall stickers are quite popular. Other themes for interior decorating and design of a child's room are Star Wars or Spiderman wall decals. In many cases most popular movie and cartoon related vinyl decals can be found online.

If your a sports fan you can often find your favorite sports wall decals. Life size decals of your favorite players in action or any sport such as football, baseball, basketball, snowboarding even Nascar. If you have a sports themed room this is often the way to go.

Wall decals for interior decorating and design give you virtually unlimited possibilities for designing a theme roomed. They are easily removed so if you are a renter or are moving from your current home you can takes these with you and apply them to you next project in your new place.

5 Interior Decorating Tips For Feng Shui

Practicing feng shui when it comes to decorating a room has become a popular way to style a room. Feng shui is all about utilizing the space in your home effectively to maintain good chi (energy).

There are certain things that a homeowner must or must not do when it comes to decorating and having the right feng shui in the room. Here are some interior decorating tips if you want your home to maintain its chi.

Include Color in the Room

In feng shui decorating, there are certain colors that you should use if you want to promote good energy in the room. All of the colors stand for different things, such as the color red stands for good luck, which is why most people will include red in their decorating.

Decorate with green if you want a fresh and peaceful look. Use yellow as another good luck color. None of the colors that are used in decorating should be unappealing or distracting to the home owner. If should have nothing but a comfortable feeling to it.

Keep the Room Simple

Feng shui decorating does not involve overly crowded spaces full of stuff. Instead the room should be kept fairly simple with the basic furniture and few accessories. The room should not be cramped as that will only offer negative energy from the room.

Start out with the basics like a piece of furniture and maybe another added piece to begin with. Then add a few items as needed, making sure to not go overboard on the accessories or décor items.

Use Natural Materials

Whenever possible use natural materials for the room. Natural materials like bamboo, hemp, and organic fabrics help to keep the negative chi away that can be found with artificial products. If you want to practice feng shui, a great way would be to have a bamboo wood floor or have an organic cotton slipcover over your couch.

Decorate with Plants

If you want your room to have good chi, then you definitely want to decorate with plants. The fact that plants are a living object that helps the environment makes it a wonderful addition to any feng shui room. Use all types of different plants in your home to achieve a unique look in each room. In one room you may have a small potted plant, while in the other you may have a large standing tree in corner of the room. Both of these plants make a great addition to a room.

Decorate and Design According the Bagua

A bagua is an energy map for a room. If you are really serious about  feng shui decorating, then you need to follow the bagua specifically according to the shape and size of the room.

A long dining room is not going to have the same energy map as a small kitchen. Use the bagua to determine the life areas so that you can start decorating the different rooms according to the decorating practices.

Feng shui decorating is becoming more and more popular and has since become known more as a decorating style rather than a philosophy. Embrace the feng shui life and read up more about it if you want to get some positive chi in your home.

Interior Decorating With Picture Frames

 

There are many ways to decorate the interior of your home, none the least of which is with picture frames. Picture frames have the unique ability to personalize a house in more ways than one. You can share with friends, family and visitors your memories and cherished moments.

There are literally dozens of different picture frames to choose from including:

Collage picture frames
Digital picture frames
Magnetic picture frames
Shadow boxes
Wholesale picture frames

You don't have to spend a fortune to decorate your home using picture frames. In fact cheap picture frames or discount picture frames look just as classy and elegant as expensive ones. One thing you do need to do before decorating your home however is stock up on picture framing supplies. Be sure you get any matte, mounting equipment and other items you need so you can do your decorating in one fell swoop.

Steps For Decorating Your Home

There are several steps you can follow to ensure your decorating goes well. Here are a few tips for saving time and decorating efficiently:

First inventory all the photographs and memorabilia you have. Separate groups of photos and memento's into categories. Some ideas include vacation shots, weddings, birthdays, children etc.
Survey your home. Take some time out to decide what walls and areas of the home you would like to display your pictures in. Stairwells are a popular choice for displaying photographs. You can also use wall space in the living room, dining room and bedrooms. Hallways are also a great area for displaying pictures and frames, as are foyers.

Don't forget, you won't have to mount all frames, like digital picture frames. These picture frames look great as stand-alones. You can decorate your office, bedroom and den with them.
Assess the number of frames you need relative to the photos you have.

Decide the style frames you want in each area of the house. Try to match the style of the frame to the theme of the photograph and then to the decor of the room.

Tips For Hanging Your Pictures

Before you start hanging your pictures, be sure you gather all your supplies together. You will need at the minimum your frames, pictures, hanging wire, a hammer, pencil and some wall screws. If you can, enlist the assistance of a housemate or family member to help you hang pictures. They will help you decide if your pictures are placed correctly and hung evenly.

If you don't have someone to assist you, you can use a piece of paper or cardboard cut to the exact size of the picture. Take this "pattern" and tape it to the place you want to hang the picture. That way you can move it about easily to see exactly where you want it without having to put a bunch of holes in your wall! This works particularly well if you want to group several pictures together.

Keep in mind when hanging picture frames for decorations, you want each photo to add to the room, not detract from it. You don't need to cover your walls in hundreds of pictures to make a statement. Rather select a few key pieces that will accent the room. If you have a group of pictures that are too large to display at once, you can rotate them seasonally.

Think about the room's layout. This includes other accessories in the room such as a table, TV, lamp and more. Decide where the best place to put your picture is. Then hold it up to the wall and experiment with different angles. Not all pictures need to be centered in the middle of the wall. Figure out where the picture looks best relative to the other furniture in the room. Have your companion help you decide the best spot for your picture.

Now you can hang your picture. You want to make sure your picture is even. Measure the distance of your picture from each corner to the edge of the wall. You can use a tape measure if that helps. Mark your spot with a pencil once you decide what place the picture is most even.

Most pictures hang well using ordinary picture hooks. You should have a supply of these readily available. The bottom of the picture hook should land at the spot you marked for your hole. If you need to hang heavier pictures you should use nails and not hooks. You can use two instead of one to provide added support.

The most important thing to remember when decorating is to have fun. Remember you can rotate out pictures during certain ti

Zen Interior Decorating

Designing your apartment based on Zen principles can give you a more relaxed and peaceful state of mind. Though you may not be familiar with the terms and quotes Zen masters recite, you can still give your home a slice of nirvana. Here are some tips you can follow in order to have that mystic eastern feel in your home.

What is Zen?

Zen can be very hard to understand for those who have just encountered it because they will usually encounter paradoxical questions such as "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" and phrases such as "To become the Buddha, you must kill the Buddha" which can easily confuse you. So what exactly is Zen then? Unfortunately, the ambiguity of Zen does not allow it to be pinpointed with a specific definition.

First of all, Zen is not a religion. This is because they do not have priests, scriptures, and dogmas that guide or determine what a Zen monk should do. Second, it is not a philosophy. Zen does not have any systematic form of presenting their ideas unlike your typical western philosophies. The best way to describe what Zen is that it is a state of mind that heightens our awareness to the here and now without relying fully on our opinions and ideas.

Zen interior decorating uses the harmonious interaction of space and form within your home or apartment. This gives you a more soothing and relaxed feel, giving you the great amount of rest which you deserve.

The Zen approach to interior decorating promotes minimalism. Zen uses the bare essentials within a dwelling and each item in the house has a specific use. The best colors to use to have that Zen touch in your home are earth tones such as brown. Lighting is also important for a Zen home, and this is achieved by letting more sunlight through large windows.

By letting the principles of Zen on light, space and function interact harmoniously within your home, you could have a happy home that is in-sync with nature and the world around yo

An Easy Living Room Interior Decorating Plan

When you are into redecorating and making your home look nice, you probably love to change your living room interior decorating theme often. To make this easier, it is important to have a simple plan to follow each time you feel like changing everything around. Here's some tips on how to build your décor so you can change it at any time, without having to spend a bundle of money.

Backdrop

If you want to change the look of your living room a lot then you need to start with a neutral palate. You don't have to keep all of the walls white and the couch cream colored, but you should keep everything pretty neutral. You can choose browns or greens if you want color, but avoid anything to bright or flashy. As long as you stay away from patterns however, you should be able to have several different choices for your décor.

If you keep the big things like furniture, walls and flooring in neutral tones, you'll be able to change out the theme of your living room interior décor by adding accessories like rugs, pillows and wall art in the colors that you want. Another great ideas for sofas and chairs is to buy slipcovers - you can actually buy furniture that is meant to be slip covered, then simply get new slipcovers to go with whatever decorating plan you have in mind for the season!

Accessories

When you have a neutral palate to work with, you can change the way your room looks just by replacing a few basic items. For instance, you should only need to change your curtains, pillows, and a few room accessories when you get the urge to switch things around. If you want your living room interior decorating to be a little lighter for spring, you can add sheer curtains, flowered pillows, and a vase of fresh flowers for a quick change.

For a warm winter look, bring in deep reds, golds and greens in heavy fabrics like velvets and chenille's. try some oriental rugs on the floor and oil paintings on the walls. Adding some candelabras and candleholders around the room will help to give it a cozy look.

Lighting

While track lighting and chandeliers can't be changed easily, you can change out your lighting to go with your living room interior decorating plan. You can buy all new lights, or use lights that have neutral bases and change the shades out depending on the look you are going for. Need a fresh look for spring? Use plain white shades. Going for a safari look? Get shades in an animal print. How about a romantic look? Try putting on shades that have a floral print with some dangly fringe. You'll be surprised how much changing the shades can transform a lamp.

If you love to keep your living room interior decorating plan flexible, you must be sure you never commit to something difficult to work with, such as a patterned couch or a bright chair. Don't be afraid of color, but add it to your room with accessories that can be replaced when you want something a little different. It really doesn't take a lot of money to get a new look, just a little creativity.

Interior Design - Decorating Walls

It's sometimes hard to start redecorating your home, especially when you don't really need it, but you'd like a change. Interior design is a job for professionals, but with a little bit of imagination and some guidance you too could create an astonishing design. This is hard when there is no plan to follow. So, the first thing you should do is create a decorating plan, in which to include what you want to change, the available budget, tools you'll need, materials and the estimated time period.

Many people believe there is not much you can do on a low budget. That's more or less true. I'd prefer saying less. There are so many resources available today, plenty waiting at a click of the mouse, that you have practically no excuse not to create astonishing interior designs. You'll find online all you need, from complex mural and decorative wall paintings to ordinary wallpapers. Here are a few wall decorating ideas.

Printed Fabrics to Replace Expensive Paintings

When all you have to enhance is a plain huge white wall, you might want to choose an extra large painting, but art doesn't come in cheap. If your budget is low, investing $ 500 - $ 700 to enliven a plain room might be too much. Are there any alternatives? Well, you could either make that painting yourself - but this will still cost a lot (large canvases are expensive; acryl or oil colors as well, plus the most costly tool of all: your time) - or you could visit a few of the local textile stores to choose a nice piece of fabric that will match the colors of your furniture or the other design patterns in the room. You'll need to choose a fabric with big prints and a special pattern, something meaningful, like a flower, leaf or butterfly; something exotic (maybe a palm tree or a colored bird) or something abstract. No matter what you choose, make sure the print goes together with the other elements of the room.

Decals Make Nice Wall Ornaments

Decals are funny in children's rooms. There are plenty of decals made especially for interior design purposes, both for walls or doors and even for furniture. You could find them in many home improvement or interior decorating shops, or online, at very low prices. The decals are great for small accents or trails around windows or doors. If you ever get tired of them, peel them off carefully and they will not cause any damage to the wall.

Latex Paints to Design Your Own Wall Patterns

You could also use latex paint to design your own wall patterns. If you do the job well, no one will ever make the difference between your work and real wallpaper. But you'll have the satisfaction of something unique, something no one else in the world has, not even those who employ skilled interior designer to do the job. If you want a regular pattern, you'll need a stencil. For your pattern to be really unique you should design your own stencil. It's fun and easy. Browse the web to find stencil tutorials for interior decorations that will guide you through the whole process step by step. Yes, this technique requires a lot of your time, but the results are worth the price.

7 Simple Interior Decorating Tips and Ideas

Interior decorating for quite some time has been a concept or task left to the interior decorator.

But because people nowadays are becoming more and more aware and involved in the interior decorating aspects of their homes, there are many homeowners that are forced into adopting their own interior decorating techniques and processes.

Home or interior decorating, as wrongly perceived by people ages ago, need not be expensive and need not requiring degrees and diplomas in the discipline.

Overall, the idea behind interior decorating is going for the basic or going for the simple. Being interiorly designed and comfortable, a home does not need to be really equipped with the most expensive devices and equipment.

Remember, the basic idea of interior decorating is functionality and usage. It is to be put above all, above the aesthetic and beauty of the home.

Interior decorating of homes can be as simple as one, two, three. Here are some practical and very simple solution on how the interior design of your home could be improved and boosted.

1. Free up spaces. Throw away unnecessary items and equipment. Old equipment that already obsolete or useless should already put to retirement.

2. The storage room is the room for decorations that are not in season or timely. Christmas decors should be kept out it is already March.

3. Make the home spacious by freeing it from useless materials and equipment. Huge sofas and tables are also a no-no if the space of your home is already limited.

4. Put out all the small figurines and picture frames that are distracting the atmosphere and scaring them, instead of awing and amusing them. Those are old-styles, the modern interior decoration go for less displays. Less is totally more this time.

5. Consider replacing carpets, or putting one in the living room if there is not already one in place. That would provide for a cozy atmosphere.

6. The kitchen should be clean and well-lighted because it is the most important area in the house. It should be painted with light to even darker colors to make up for a more appetizing atmosphere.

7. The bathroom should still be spacious. Remember functionality, uses are more than aesthetics.

A Career in Interior Decoration

A certain school of thought claims that interior decorators are born, not made. However, as long as you have a basic artistic streak and a yearning to be creative, you can be groomed to any level of expertise in interior decoration. Giving a property buyer the benefit of one's creative streak in this way is one of the most lucrative and creative careers today.

Beyond any doubt, interior decoration is a satisfying profession for those who 'have it' these days. There is an unprecedented amount of up-market residential and commercial property being sold on the real estate market today. Moreover, the present generation buyers of properties can afford to have their new acquisitions packaged attractively. Engaging the services of an interior decorator was once considered a lavish luxury, but not anymore. With the increased spending power of the IT generation, a home is defined by its aesthetic appeal -- and a growing number of people are ready to pay for that.

The trend for professionally decorated interiors has percolated down from film stars to almost every upper stratum of society. Nor is the demand for interior decoration any longer confined to residences -- witness the offices of most successful doctors, lawyers and advertising agencies, as well as bookstores, music shops, shopping malls, restaurants, hotel lobbies... yes, the scope for interior decoration is virtually endless.

HITTING THE HIGH NOTES

Apart from being an inherently glamorous profession, interior decoration has a career has a number of other appeals to offer:

PEOPLE -- You meet a lot of them, and from a fascinating cross-section - from movie icons to business magnates; from well-known restaurant owners to fast-track lawyers; from neurosurgeons to the idle rich.

MONEY -- You earn a lot of it. Everyone has respect for artistic flair, and your efforts are supposed to reflect the property owner's own taste. This makes it an ego issue, and people pay a lot to support their ego.

CONTACTS -- A career in interior decoration is self-propagating. One successfully completed contract almost immediately leads to another, till you can actually pick and choose. Also, the people you come across can come in useful in many other respects later on.

NO SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIRED -- of course, a basic degree in the Arts can't hurt, but a period of internship under an established interior decorator will serve just as well.

EXTENSIVE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS -- You will not be operating on your own. A large enough contract will require the services of a carpenter, electrician, painter and a graphic computer designer. A lot of people will benefit from your profession - and that is significant.

LIMITLESS JOB SATISFACTION -- Expressing oneself artistically is one of the most satisfying experiences that a human being can have; being paid to do it is nothing but a bonus. It is no secret that one works best at what one enjoys doing - it is equally true that one of the biggest problems in today's professional world is lack of creative outlets.

Most people have an 'inbuilt' creative streak in some form or the other. Professional interior decorators who were polled recently firmly denied that theirs is a 'born' breed -- almost anyone can develop a flair, liking and proficiency in this field.

WHAT IT TAKES

As already pointed out, you don't require any special qualifications to become a successful interior decorator (as opposed to interior designing, which has far more demanding parameters). Basically, you should have an ability to judge spaces (including the potential for hidden storage space), lighting requirements, color schemes and contrasts, furniture styles, etc. and a 'feel' for upholstery and curtain fabrics. Finally, you will need to bring these out to maximum advantage within the framework of a given budget.

There are a number of books and journals available to the subject of interior decoration, though not so many on the Indian market. For the seriously interested, however, this will not present a problem. Any specialty bookstore can offer you a selection of imported publications. A subscription to Indian magazines like 'Inside Outside' would be helpful by offering information on styles and combinations currently favored in the country.

One of the most helpful things you can do is to visit properties that have been professionally designed, study the work done there, and even ask the owners in what respects they are or aren't satisfied with the end results. The places to zero in on are newly bought flats and offices that have engaged the services of an interior decorator. The point is not to judge the quality of the job done, but to get a feel of what kind of interior designing is popular on the real estate market, and therefore sells.

This costs you nothing, and people are always ready to talk on such subjects (after all, what is the point in splurging on interior decoration if you can't gloat about the results later on?) In this manner, you can build up a useful mental catalog of successful and unsuccessful approaches.

Getting an eventual interior decoration team together is another important factor. You should also try to establish a personal network of carpenters and painters who will be able to spend time on unscheduled projects. This way, you will be able to obtain their services as and when you need them. Sharing your design discoveries with them occasionally is a good idea, too. In that way, you will have some concrete prototypes to refer to when you actually get to work on a project.

PROGRESSING TO INTERIOR DESIGNING

This is a far more demanding -- and rewarding -- career field, and you will need a lot of experience in interior decoration before you can think of entering it. There are certified institutions that offer courses in interior designing, and you may want to consider such a move at a later stage.

Till then, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't make lucrative waves as an interior decorator. As a famous philosopher once stated, the only limitations we face are those we make for ourselves.

Modern Interior Decorating

Do you like redecorating your room so it looks inviting as well as relaxing? Do you want to make things more accessible and your room layout more functional? If so, you probably love interior decorating.

Interior decorating encompasses a wide area of interests: the paint on the walls and on the other surfaces of your room, wallpaper, carpet, tiles, light fixtures, furniture, and even paintings and sculptures.

It is not easy to define exactly what modern interior decorating is since it can actually take on many forms. It seems like there are new design themes and styles coming out every day. In fact, the sky's the limit when it comes to modern-day decorating. Identical designs are no longer the norm. Nowadays, your personality is reflected in your room's interiors.

To create a new look and feel to your room, you may want to try this more up-to-date form of interior decorating. Although there are different classifications to modern design, they can be used as a guide to how you can go about redecorating your place.

You can choose to go with an eclectic style of designing. This is a more common style of modern decoration. As its name implies, eclectic decorating makes use of a combination of different styles to give rise to a completely unique look. Usually, interior decorators just incorporate designs that appeal to them personally, positioning furniture and décor to their liking. You could do the same for your room.

Another decorating style is art deco. Although art deco is classified under modern designs, this style was actually inspired by the 1920s and 1930s. In this style, a lots of lines are used in angular, but elegant, ways. Colors are bright and vibrant.

You may want to go whimsical if you like bright pastel colors. As suggested by the name, this style has no set pattern. A whimsical design applied to a room often gives it a standout and fanciful look and feel.

Home Interior Decorating

There is no better haven than our home. "East or West, home is the best," is a common saying. Whoever it may be, whatever position he or she may hold, finally everyone returns home to find peace and relax.

A home is cozier and more comfortable than any other place. We build our homes with the utmost care and sincerity. After all, it is a place where we spend most of our lives.

Home decorating means a lot to the owner. It also demands hard work and devotion, as it is not an easy task. Decorating includes both the interior as well as exterior aspects.

As far as home interior decorating is concerned, every nook and corner has to be studied so that the available space is utilized to the maximum. A good interior decorator should be able to help you in selecting the correct interior decorating solution for your home. Before actually starting the work, you need to be sure whether the emphasis is going to be on beauty, comfort, or the appearance of your home.

You need to attend to all parts, namely, doors, windows, floors, furniture and accessories. For windows, curtains, blinds, rods and panels should be attractive and appealing. Some people prefer light colors, while others prefer heavy and striking upholstery. Doors can be tastefully designed and the material itself can be exotic.

There is a wide range of flooring options available. You can choose from marble, granite tiles, bricks, slates, concrete, or steel. To add more color, suitable carpets can be spread. Rugs can be used to complement them.

Walls, pillars, and other standouts can be decorated using artifacts, paintings or wall hangings. Modern arts are becoming a common choice.

Not just the living room, but also every part of your home needs your attention. The kitchen should be convenient and easy to use. The gas tables, racks and shelves, cooking range, utensils, and all other accessories should be chosen carefully and arranged neatly to avoid messing them.

Further, furniture selection should be done wisely. The sofa sets, chairs, dining table, dressing table and cots must reflect your taste.

Pottery and decorative plants are also a welcome addition in home interior decorating. Sculptures or a mini-fountain may seem incredible. An aquarium can add beauty to your home. You need to pick the right colors and paints for your wonderful home.

Interior Decoration And How To Become A Successful Designer

An interior decorator is a person whose task is to put into shape the loveliest place in your life - your house. The responsibility of these people is to design not only the most beautiful homes and apartments but also offices, cultural establishments (museums, theatres, cinemas), educational institutions (kindergartens, schools, colleges, institutes, universities), sports establishments (stadiums, sports palaces), nutritional establishments (canteens, cafes, restaurants), medical establishments (hospitals, health centres, preventoriums, polyclinics), public offices etc. Interior decorators make our surroundings look as beautiful as possible. At first they understand what you would like to have, then they imagine it, and only after that they create it.

The profession of an interior designer is not easy as it needs not only a creative hand and wonderful imagination, but also some education in this sphere. The matter is that the profession of a designer unites several separate professions - the profession of an artist, and that of a maker-up, a psychologist, and a manager, and even an expert in marketing. Depending on a stage of work it carries out functions of various professions.

A person willing to become a professional designer should pursue a diploma or cover a degree course in interior decoration. What is the most important in this kind of educations is that it gives correct orientations in imagination and plays an important role in developing person's creative skills. The profession of an interior designer is mostly associated with females as it requires sensitive perception. Still nowadays, a lot of men are interested in it as well.

It should be mentioned that an interior decorator can have rather high wages. But one also needs to be a real professional in this sphere. If a person wants to become a successful interior decorator the following several tips will be of great help.

There are various ways to become a successful. Following are some of the useful steps that need to be followed to become one:

The first step is eye training:

Only a person with a good eye for design can become a nice designer. In other words, once a designer sees an object of his or her future creation, he or she should be able to instantly define what is made right, what's wrong and what should be improved about the interior of that room. It's a good advice that an interior decorator should train his eye constantly. But the question is how can he do it? First of all one should listen to other people's opinions about what they like and what they don't. Next, one should review famous magazines demonstrating the most popular design tendencies of contemporary life, regularly visit the most beautifully decorated rooms. Besides, one can get more experience in the field while attending art galleries, furniture showrooms, historic objects and houses lovely designed for sale.

The second step is self-education:

No doubt, a good interior decorator should have excellent knowledge involving house decorating like styles of decoration, wall coverings, kinds of floorings, window treatment, space planning, usage of colors, light, furniture, accessories etc. One can learn the basics of design via the Internet educating with the help of special websites. Today a lot of books in interior design are published. Besides, speaking to more experienced decorators will be also of great help.

The third step is more practice:

It is correctly said that in any field practice makes a man much more experienced and this statement concerns also interior decoration. One should never stop practicing because the wonderful work done in the past is able to give a lot of visibility and knowledge. Just like any other activity, the activity of an interior decorator requires constant learning and practicing. It will help to develop one's talent and skills.

The fourth step is volunteering:

While a person is not a successful interior designer one should be encouraged to serve other people with one's knowledge of the field. Although it won't bring one much money or even no money at all, one should be sure that he gets something much more important - experience. Volunteering to work for others will help a person to become an excellent designer in future. Besides, one will have clients who already trust him or her and can advise that designer to other people.

The fifth step is to have a portfolio:

It is very important for any interior designer to have a portfolio. A portfolio is an example of a decorator's work used to display artwork, using photographs etc. A nicely made portfolio will be your guarantee to conquer your client's attention, so make sure that your portfolio is really great!

The sixth step is getting a job or business:

Job: In order to become a super interior decorator, it is actually very important to take up a job. Experience and practice in this sphere play a great role in the future activity of any interior designer. So, after one has completed the interior decorating course it would be wonderful to receive a job of an interior decorator as soon as possible.

Business: Many people work better independently. That's why it will be better to start an own business for them. It will give an opportunity to expose one's works independently, thus, all the credit will be directly received.

The seventh step is observing:

To become a really sensitive designer one should observe nature because it's the nature that is the best example of a wonderful design. Trips to the mountains or to the forest will be of great help. Interweaving of branches, slopes of mountain cliffs and beautiful linings of caves can display an original example of a designer's new project which can be made a reality later. One should be very attentive as even in the most plain place one can find a creative solution of design. A true designer should not be afraid of experiments and to use new material in his work never used before (wood, stones). It is very important to travel to the countries which are founders of arts, to pay attention to different kinds of cultures - the cultures of China, India, Egypt, Old Rome and to use these achievements in work.

Christmas Interior Decorating - A 3 Simple Step Guide on How to Find Your Inner Creative Inspiration

So Santa Claus will be visiting soon and you have not finished (or started) decorating your home for your guests or for your enjoyment. Or perhaps you look around your home and feel as if there is something missing in your decoration.

-Don't panic!
-Don't hide in the closet!
-Don't try to wrap yourself in a box to avoid decorating!
-Don't grab the scissors and stare at the tangled Christmas lights!
-Don't put an extra something in the eggnog to try to calm your nerves!
-Don't eye the ornaments and imagine your family as targets!

Follow these 3 simple steps, practiced by elves at the North Pole in charge of interior decorating, in order to find your creative inspiration for decorating the interior of your home.

1st step

Remember your goal. The goal is to decorate so you LOVE walking into your home and inviting people to visit. Not just admiring the outside Christmas lights, but the heart of the home (the inside!!) ... so you can FEEL that Christmas is near ... so people can talk about how wonderful your home looks (hey, there is nothing wrong with having fans admire your creative unique interior decorations). You make your home special every time you decorate because no matter how many ideas an interior decorator may give you; it is ultimately your personality (as an individual or a family) that chooses the ultimate Christmas decorating design. No home can ever be decorated the same because we all have different personalities, styles, and tastes that inspire our creative heart to reach our desired goal.

2nd step

Narrow down a mood. The second step to finding your inner Christmas decorating inspiration is to narrow down a mood that you want to feel in the room. What emotion do you want to portray in the room? Do you prefer informal or formal. March of the Wooden Soldiers with Laurel & Hardy movie or White Christmas with Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney movie. Making your own gingerbread house or buying one already made.

Now remember, there is nothing wrong with combining two moods and styles as long as there is harmony. How do you go about doing that? Simple: pick your primary mood preference then throw " decor sprinkles" of your secondary preference. You prevent two moods from clashing when the secondary preference is introduced into the room in small amounts - which I call "decor sprinkles". For example, say you want to decorate your home to reflect an elegant white Christmas look (the main mood preference is relaxed elegance) but you don't want it to look too fancy (the second preference is a decor sprinkle of fun!).

You can:

Decorate your home with wreaths sprayed with snow and have white elegant fabric bows, with silver bells. Place white felt fabric on all tables to resemble snow. decorate your tree with clear Christmas lights, different shades of white & silver round ornaments, fresh cut white roses, beautiful soft doll angels with white feathered wings; and place under your tree presents wrapped in silver with white ribbons and bows. These are all primary mood preferences of elegance.

Then, add your décor sprinkles of fun! Add to your Christmas tree adorable snowmen figurine ornaments with red scarves and red roses that pick up the color of the red scarf on the snowmen; add mistletoe and red berry branches to the center of doorways; and insert small red & white stripped candy canes within your snow covered wreaths. The red color is your little SPLASH of fun! Be careful not to overwhelm the sprinkle of your secondary preference - the holiday magic word is "subtle". These are all secondary mood preferences of fun.

Remember, narrowing down what mood you and your family prefer for the current Christmas will inspire you and your family to start visualizing designs in your imagination that bring comfort and joy.

3rd STEP

Organize a decorating plan. Knowing the first two steps gives you a guide (a design blueprint!). So now you know your goal (1st step), and you know the direction of the mood you wish to use for your interior decoration (2nd step). The next step is to organize a decorating plan (3rd step).

How?

Look within yourself ... or much easier (less meditation!) ... look within the boxes that contain last year's Christmas decorations in order to organize your decorating plan. If you have a limited amount of decorations, then go window-shopping to sort through store decorations.

Take out all the decorations you have and sort out what you like and what you do not like. As soon as you start to sort, you will receive inspirational decorating thoughts that will guide you to pick this year's Christmas decoration design plan that will impress even Santa Claus.

Search and sort by:

Mood. Sort the decorations by moods (which are fancy, elegant, relaxing, whimsical, funky, playful, etc).

Theme. Organize by theme (nutcrackers, snowmen, a Christmas village, indoor animations, reindeers, etc.)

Color. Separate each ornament or decoration with the color that stands out the most. This goes for Christmas lights as well - separate the multicolor Christmas lights from the single color Christmas lights.

Taking the time to search and sort through your Christmas decorations will:

o keep you from wanting to use every single décor you own and inspire you to save them for other Christmases to come.

o help you pick out what matches or doesn't for your (a) comfort (1st step - goal) and (b) preference (2nd step - mood).

o help you plan a design that harmonizes with your personality and furniture. Just because you have a red bow does not mean you have to use it. A red bow attached to a red lampshade will not stand out; whereas a white bow would be a noticeable contrast.

o make planning future Christmas decorating easy since you already went through the process of sorting and stored decorations by mood/theme/color.

o save you money since now you purchase with a plan in mind that match your goal and the mood that you want to portray in your current Christmas theme, instead of just grabbing any (or all) adorable Christmas decorations.

Perhaps you do not like an ornament that was given to you by a relative, but you feel obligated to have it as part of your Christmas interior décor. REMEMBER, it is your home ... your comfort ... your creative Christmas décor. Do not let past gifts bully you into feeling that you "have to" display the item(s). Choose decorations that "YOU" want to represent in your home.

Extra Tip: if you have a guest that gave you a unique décor and he/she is planning to stay over for the holiday, then surprise them by decorating the guest room with the unique gift. They will wholeheartedly appreciate the thought you gave into displaying the gift, and feel happier during the happy holidays.

Interior Decorating DIY

Interior decorating? You can do it yourself. This is not rocket science. With some thought and planning you can achieve professional-looking results. The number one and most important thing to understand is that you can create a magnificent and well-designed interior no matter what your budget. You can improve the ambience of any room in your home without spending a fortune. interior decorating DIY is easily accomplished even when you have little or no money to spend. Sometimes, it involves simply rearranging the items and objects in your home.

With that in mind, you MUST set a budget when decorating, or you WILL spend too much money. interior decorating is fun! In order to set an appropriate budget, review both your finances and your vision, room-by-room, in order to arrive at your best guesstimate. If you need assistance with establishing a budget for your interior decorating ideas, there are many resources available on the Internet. Or, you may want to refer to the resource listed at the end of this article. After you create your budget, stick to it and you will create the home of your dreams.

You do not need any experience as an interior decorator to improve the look and feel of your home. Most people know instinctively how to improve the looks of their homes. And the great thing is you can generally achieve your vision while working within your budget. Like most people who have tried interior decorating DIY, you will probably be able to achieve the look you want without going broke.

In addition to the sheer fun and excitement of changing the look of some rooms, you will inexpensively increase the value of your home. Simply find an interior decorating guide on the Internet or in your library. Then use the simple tools and techniques suggested in the interior decorating guide to create a happier more prosperous living environment. You do not have to spend a lot of money to create a superior interior for your home. Some of the most beautiful homes are designed and decorated with simple, practical, and beautiful objects. If you already have an interior decorating idea, a simple online search should produce a variety of suggestions for implementing your idea.

Most of the tips, strategies and tools provided in interior decorating guides are for people interested in decorating rooms without spending a fortune. Some decorating tips cost nothing to implement and some require several hundred dollars. Pick out the tips that align with your budget and you will find it easier than you ever imagined to design the interior of your home easily and completely.

Everyone has a different interior decorating idea. The steps outlined in an interior decorating guide apply whether you live in an apartment or duplex, small home or large home, office, or anywhere with a room that requires a make-over. Read your guide thoroughly so you can create a realistic blueprint for success when planning to decorate your interior on your budget. interior decorating DIY (do it yourself) is not as difficult as it may seem. Take action. Obtain an interior decorating guide. Implement a simple decorating project to enhance one room. You CAN do it yourself!

Home Interior Decorations

Home interior decorations is one all about making your house into a home. With colors, style, theme, furnishings and different decor elements a house gets its character. Starting with the living room right to the bathroom, home interior decorations looks into all the aspects of the house. The main goal for interior decorations of any room of the house is to give it an individual personality. interior decor generally concentrates on finishes like wallpapers, wall paint, window coverings and furnishings. Along with it comes the balance of the various decoration items like wall hangings, showpieces etc. So let's take a quick look for home interior decoration ideas for different rooms in a house.

Big Spacious rooms

There are many ways to make a room look spacious and large. The first most important element is the room lighting. Go for soft and even lighting so that shadows don't divide your room into smaller sections. Avoid putting ceiling lights as they make the ceiling look lower. By having a diffused and ambient lighting the room will look large. The next thing to keep in mind is the texture used in the room. Smooth surfaces tend to reflect more light as compared to heavy textured flooring. For interior decoration one can also use mirror and chrome as the reflection and shine give depth to a room. The wall colors of a room are also important in giving a spacious look to the room. Go for cream, beige, gray or cool pastels for walls. Also while selecting colors keep in mind that the ceiling should be in the lightest color in the room. The next thing comes the furniture. Place the furniture in a manner that it leaves adequate space to move around. Push the largest piece of furniture against the wall. Let the furniture color be similar to the wall and floor color of the room.

Cozy rooms

Just like spacious rooms, cozy room interior decoration is also very much possible. Get the comfortable and settled in feeling as interior decoration creates an intimate space for you. Once more lighting will play an important role. There are many modern lighting trends that will help your room to look cozy and comfy. Avoid ceiling lights, instead lamps with down shades will help the room look compact. For room colors, go for strong wall and floor colors. This will create a feeling of closeness in your room interiors. Heavy soft textures are great for cozy room interiors. Try rough textures for the hard elements in the room. If you are trying to attract attention towards any particular piece of furniture then dark finishes and fabrics will surely tempt you to sink into that favorite sofa set. Use tall pieces for the room decor, as it creates a cozy world of intimacy.

Theme room

A theme room is working on a particular idea and developing the home interior decoration accordingly. One can have the entire house decorated in one theme like contemporary home decor or Asian home decor or go room by room. Like the master bedroom can have a different theme, the teen room a trendy interior decor and so on. Once you have decided on the theme of the entire house or a particular room, select the decoration pieces for it.

Colors and Fabrics

In interior home decorations color and fabric are very important. When we say color, then it is not just wall colors. Select colors for fabrics, linen, pillows, curtains etc. complement it with the wall colors and give your room a vibrant look. The same concept applies to fabrics as well. Today there are so many different kinds of fabrics available. Select fabric that goes well with your room decor.

Home Stager - Interior Decorator - Interior Designer - What is the Difference Between Them?

In Toronto and Suburbia (where I live and work) we are fortunate to have a wealth of service industries that cater to home owners. We have home stagers, interior decorators, interior designers, colour consultants, re-designers, home staging-to-live consultants and on and on. With so many closely related service industries it can leave consumers feeling very confused and uncertain about which service best suits their needs. I will try my best to briefly explain the primary differences between several of these services to make your job little easier.

home staging:

Home stagers are part of the Real-Estate industry (not the decorating industry as many assume). Their primary focus is to make your home as appealing and desirable to potential buyers as possible. A fast sale for top dollar is the motivator and inspiration behind their decorating choices. homes are striped of their personality. Belongings are carefully edited and minimized. Colour schemes are neutralized and decors are up-dated to appeal to today's buyers (more specifically targeted markets). They may recommend home up-grades or renovations that will bring a good return on the dollar and be in harmony with current buyer demands, but their role here is usually one of a consultant, as most lack the education and skills required to design and manage a renovation project).

If you are looking to sell your home these are the people to call even before you call your Real-Estate agent. A word of caution though; home staging is an unregulated industry. So do your home work first. Make sure the home Stager you hire has been properly trained and is part of a trade affiliation that holds them accountable for their work and business conduct. Examples of home staging Trade Affiliations are: Real Estate staging Association (RESA), Certified staging ProfessionalsTM (CSP), Accredited staging ProfessionalsTM (ASP).

home staging-TO-LIVE CONSULTANTS: (also known as Re-design)

You will see this service offered by some home stagers. It is similar to home staging To Sell except for home owners personality will be encouraged in the decor not stripped away. This service is also similar to interior decorating except there is greater emphasis placed on the editing of the space. Decors tend to be more minimalistic and colour schemes more neutral (although the current decorating trend amongst interior decorators and designers right now is also quite neutral palettes). Most home staging-to Live Consultants (or Re-design Consultants) are not formally schooled in the disciplines of interior Decoration so take great care when choosing one. Some home owners will hire the stager they used to sell their home to decorate their new one. This is a good bet as they are already familiar with their work and their style.

interior decorators:

interior decorators usually have an in-depth expertise in window treatments, textiles, colour, paint, wall-coverings, furnishings and antiques. Unlike home stagers, their role is to fill homes with personality (the owners personality). Many interior decorators liken them-self to an artist. Their canvas is your empty room; their artistic medium is paint, fabric, furnishings, carpeting, wall papers, accessories and art. Again an unregulated industry (for the most part but that is changing) so do your homework and choose decorators who belong to a trade affiliation like Canadian decorators' Association (CDECA) or Certified interior decorators International (CID). Educational requirements for trade affiliations varies but typically a 2 to 4 year college diploma (degree) is required.

If you are re decorating your space for your own enjoyment and plan on sticking primarily to surface design (rather than architecture modifications) then they are the ones to call.

interior designers:

The criteria to call oneself an " interior designer", varies from province to province (State to State). Generally speaking though, an interior designer is a person who specializes in designing architectural interiors and their furnishings. Although it evolved from interior decoration it is a much more involved discipline requiring a sound knowledge of architecture, product design, drafting, CAD, commercial (contract) design, building codes and other regulatory requirements. Most interior designers, in the residential industry, are also interior decorators and as such offer all of the services an interior Decorator offers. To find a qualified interior designer check out trade affiliations like The Association of Registered interior designers of Ontario (ARIDO), ASID (American Society of interior designers), International interior design Association (IIDA). The educational requirements for membership in these and other trade affiliations can be quite comprehensive requiring a 3-4 year degree from a recognized design school, followed by a 3 year apprenticeship and finally the writing and passing of a qualifying exam (much like law students who are required to write the bar exam).