Decorating: Tips for Choosing Colors

Get comfy with color step by step:

Want to give your home a splash of color but are afraid it will be too brash? Incorporating color into your décor doesn't have to be intimidating - if you put it into perspective.


According to many home decorating experts, the first thing you should concentrate on is the color of your walls - before you add or change the colors of your furnishings.

"Unless you live in an apartment and can't paint, avoid white walls," says Davis Remignanti, lead design consultant at Furniture.com.


"Reflect on your own fashion tastes when choosing colors for your home," he says. "Many people know what colors look good on them. Those same colors can be incorporated into your personal space, because they are familiar, flattering and comforting."

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CREATIVE COLORING

First things first: Identify any major room features that you can't or don't want to change - the color of woodwork, the brick in the hearth, custom draperies, etc. - then decorate with and around them.

Work your way up: If starting with an empty room, select a rug or floor covering first. You're more likely to match walls and furniture to the rug than vice versa. The colors in your rug will provide good choices for wall and accent colors.

Create a color palette: Good room design should incorporate a palette of at least five colors: two main colors, one supporting color (this is often a neutral or wood tone) and two accent colors. For hints on combining colors, visit www.furniture.com/color on the Internet.

Create a flow: For rooms connected by an open archway or large doorway, choose harmonious color palettes. You'll create a color link between the spaces and avoid a jarring transition from one room to the next.

Use patterns sparingly: For beginners, it's better to use only one multicolor pattern per room. If the rug carries a pattern, avoid "competition" by keeping window treatments, upholstery and accents simple.

Don't over-indulge: Too much of the same color in a room can be a mistake. Even if it's your favorite color, maintain a good balance of main colors and accent colors around your room.

Light it up: Generate an elegant room-wide glow by using gold- or peach-hued light bulbs in table lamps. Bright enough for daily tasks, they also add a beautiful warm tone to a room.

Embrace change: Be brave with your accent colors; they can be changed easily. Candles can be burned, picture frames repainted, pillows recovered. Go with your instincts, but don't be discouraged if you're not happy with your choice - it's all part of the process of getting comfortable with color.

Davis Remignanti

Newlyweds: How to Blend Your Decorating Style

Tips for Newlyweds on Blending Decorating Styles in a New Home

by
Furniture.com

Copyright 2007 Furniture.com All rights reserved.

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"While newlyweds receive lots of advice about marriage, there's little offered on designing their new home together. To ensure their new home doesn't become a 'post-wedding house divided', newly married couples can follow these decorating tips to help create a blended outcome when 'his meets hers'."


Waltham, MA (PRWEB) -- Of the 4.6 million newlyweds who tie the knot this year, nearly 60% plan to buy a new home and 75% plan to redecorate. But while newlyweds receive lots of advice about marriage, there's usually little offered on the intricacies of designing a new home together.

"Picture the newlyweds, as the moving van pulls away, standing amid the stacks of his and hers boxes in their new, shared residence - and each wondering how they're going to pull it all together," said Davis Remignanti, lead design consultant at Furniture.com (www.furniture.com).

To ensure that their happy new home doesn't become "a post-wedding house divided," Remignanti offered newly married couples the following decorating tips towards a "blissfully blended outcome when his meets hers":

Relax
Don't worry about what goes with what: Mix, don't match. A new home, like a new relationship, is about the couple. Follow decorating instincts with pieces that suit both his and her interests and activities.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Beware of underlying emotions. She'll trample his feelings if she trashes his well-worn recliner - a hand-me-down from Dad. Instead, both need to get creative and compromise: Give it a corner in the bedroom if it's a "no" for the living room.

Prioritize
Blending pieces from the past is one thing while shopping for new furniture is another, and larger, undertaking. Step one: List what's needed most. While he may want a sleek new media center for the television, does it make sense if the couple is left to sit on a dorm-room futon?

Budget
Be realistic in setting spending limits and work within them. Ask when shopping: Will this be a "forever" dining room or is it just a temporary solution until a future move into a larger place? Saving money now for a better selection down the road is an option, too.

Get inspired
Research the possibilities as a couple. Get together on the couch and scan newspapers, magazines, and TV shows. Discuss friends' homes. Find design inspiration and common ground. If she likes Cottage Style and he prefers Modern, both should rejoice upon discovering they prefer lighter wood tones and color schemes.

Collaborate
Many couples include one décor-conscious person and one "it's just a chair" person. While one partner may be driving most decisions, for the long-term good of the relationship, involve the other. Don't forget - it's his/her home, too.

Try before you buy
Free Internet resources, like Furniture.com's Room Planner at www.furniture.com/roomplanner, offer couples the opportunity to browse, try lots of items, and see what fits where - without spending weekend after weekend driving from one store to another. Even better, once the newlyweds have created a room plan they both love, they can turn their plan into a purchase with a few clicks of the mouse.

Keep it light
Rome wasn't decorated in a day. Couples can remove much of the pressure by viewing the experience as an opportunity to share what they love about each other. They should focus not only on the beautiful outcome of creating a new décor together, but the bigger picture as well - starting a new life together.

"Even if a couple starts out worlds apart, there are more looks and options to chose from today than ever before, and plenty of opportunity to find common ground and create their dream home," Remignanti said. "Of course there's no prouder moment than when guests stop by and admire the result - and he turns to her and says: 'Well, great minds think alike.'"

Jolene's Interiors - Columbus Nebraska

Jolene's Interiors - Photos of the Store

Decorating Decks and Patios

Expand Your Living Space For This Spring

By ARA
Soon, winter weather will give way to warmer temperatures and clear, blue skies, and you know what that means -- it's almost time to pull your patio furniture and grill out of storage and revive your out door living.

Residential architects report there has been a sharp rise in the popularity of outdoor living space in the past couple of years. In fact, one of the hottest home improvement projects these days is to transform an existing deck or patio into a destination where people can just kick back and relax at the end of the day.

If you're considering joining the ranks this year and updating your deck, think of it as you would any other remodel, and ask yourself a few questions before getting started:

* What do I want to use this room for? Cooking? Entertaining? Relaxing?
* What is my budget?
* Will my plan require additional plumbing or electrical circuits?
* Will I need a building permit?
* Do I need to build overhead protection?

If you want to be able to enjoy the space anytime you want (day or night, in inclement weather, when the bugs are thick, etc.) the answer to the latter is yes. To add a layer of protection, you could extend the roof, but that will be expensive. It would be more practical to add on a canopy or retractable awning.

Canopies are temporary roofs that can offer you a shield against harmful UV rays and light rain-showers while still opening up your porch, deck, or balcony to fresh air and cool breezes. They are made of water-resistant, fabric materials that are durable enough to defend against the elements yet won't fade in the sunshine.

Retractable awnings offer the same protections, along with some additional flexibility. "If you want to sunbathe on your deck on occasion or let the rain in to water the plants, all you have to do is put the top down with the flip of a switch," says Larry Bedosky of Durasol Awnings, a New York-based business that manufactures custom-made motorized retractable awning products. Durasol's SunSetter series of retractable awnings are custom-made to suit any home size and style. They feature long lasting 100 percent acrylic fabrics, combined with non-corrosive hardware, contribute to a maintenance-free investment.

"Awnings of the past were generally made of cotton or canvas fabrics and were easily affected by time and the elements," says Bedosky. "The newer solution-dyed, acrylic covers provide a better fit, greater stability and can last for well over ten years."

With a wide variety of over 200 vibrant fabric colors and patterns, Durasol's retractable awnings will compliment any d�cor. An optional Wind Sensor is available which allows awnings to automatically retract when wind speeds reach a predetermined level, preventing awning damage. A Sun Sensor can also be added to allow for automatic operation determined by the sun's strength.

An optional wireless remote control provides easy-access operation, and when not in use, Durasol Awnings are easily retracted, safely stored, and will subtly blend in with the exterior beauty of any home.


Home and Garden Link

Decorating Baby's Room and Nursery

Expectant Mother's Guide

Having a baby is a new and exciting time in your life, but decorating the nursery for a newborn infant can be a daunting task! So much to do before baby arrives. However, it does not have to be so daunting. Approaching each aspect of the design process as an individual task can make it fun. The design process is a creative one, but it helps immensely to be organized. Writing down ideas and drawing little sketches can go a long way towards channeling your ideas into the actual expression of those ideas.

Incorporate safety considerations into your design plan. Once infants begin crawling and then walking, they want to explore their world. But their level of motor coordination does not always match their thirst for adventure. As a result, accidents are quite common. Bumping heads and rear ends is not uncommon. As adults, we see things at our level. One way to see things the way children do is to physically go down to their eye level and look at objects from their perspective. All of a sudden, a perfectly normal flower pot on the floor can become an object filled with loose soil that can very easily find its way into a child’s mouth. Light objects (glass, ceramics) which can easily tip over, the sharp corner of a table, or exposed sockets could all pose potential danger. When designing the nursery, it is important to keep this in mind.

As suggested earlier, the way to approach the design process is by breaking it down into smaller and more manageable steps.

Step 1: Walls
Deciding on the perfect color for the nursery can be quite overwhelming. The more traditional approach is pink for a girl and blue for a boy. While there is nothing wrong with that, you might want to consider a new approach. Picking a more neutral, non-gender specific color works just as well for a boy or a girl. One major advantage to this choice is that when the next baby arrives, you do not have to repaint the walls. Another way to go is to pick more than one color for the room. Possibly two or maybe even three cheerful colors can be applied very creatively.

Yet another option and current trend is to have a mural painted on one or more walls of the nursery. Murals provide visual stimulation for baby’s constantly developing senses. It could be a favorite character or animal or maybe a little scenery. Murals provide a platform for learning as children are able to identify objects painted in their own personal space.

As an alternative to a mural, you could choose a form of decorative painting: faux finishes, stenciling, or stamping. Faux finishes originated several hundred years ago before the invention of brushes and rollers. Paint made from vegetables dyes was dabbed onto walls creating patterns. Technology provides us with brushes and rollers, but to create interest in any room, dabbing, sponging, rolling, ragging and other techniques of faux finishing have been refined to produce amazing effects. As you can see, the options for walls are endless.

Step 2: Flooring
This is another area where neutral tones are the way to go, as flooring tends to be more permanent. The choices most homes have today are carpet or wood floors, and both choices have their pros and cons. While carpets are comprised of fibers that can be harmful for breathing and provide a home for dust particles, they serve as an excellent cushion for heads when little ones lose their balance. On the other hand, while wood floors allow for easy clean up and no carpet fibers, they cannot protect against possible head injuries when your child falls. A way around both these options is to use play mats, painted canvas rugs, or rubber mats in the room. This way, when your toddler’s motor skills are adequately developed, you could choose to put away the rug or mat. It is also a way to add a splash of color to the room. Remember, infants can only see bright, primary colors initially (red, blue and yellow).

Step 3: Furniture
Picking the right kind of furniture is important. Furniture stores offer a range of designs and prices. When selecting furniture for baby’s room, consider how long you intend to use the item and whether there are coordinating pieces that you can add on as baby grows. You might want to invest more in a permanent piece than you would in an item that will only be used for a short period of time. Cribs, cradles, and bassinets will soon be outgrown. You might want to consider a convertible bed, which is a crib that converts to a toddler bed that converts to a teen bed. This way, you get more mileage from the same piece of furniture. When choosing furniture for the nursery, look for items with rounded corners at child height. One important principle often adhered to in interior design is that form follows function. In other words, while an object might be aesthetically pleasing, it must primarily be useful. When selecting an area for the diaper changing table, make sure you have diaper changing accessories (wipes, creams, diaper genie, etc.) within easy reach. A great deal of time will be spent changing diapers for a couple years at the very least, so make this area accessible and convenient!

Step 4: Window Treatments
Explore fabric options and several designs before making your selection. Try to come up with something different that coordinates with the rest of the space.

Step 5: Accessories
In this situation, accessories are almost synonymous with toys. Kids tend to acquire a large number of toys as they grow. Factor into your plan the organization of space for toys in the form of shelves, toy chests, boxes, etc. Accessorize the containers in creative ways to blend them into the design.

Step 6: Lighting
The stage is set. The nursery is ready. Now all you have to do is to bring it to life. Lighting does that brilliantly. Soft lights and lamps in strategic locations can really make the room come to life.

Window Terminology

Ever find yourself looking through decorating magazines and wondering what on earth is an arched valance or a dowel? Knowing simple terminology can help in your decorating choices. Below is a list of common terminology.

By Carol Nafie

Here's a guide to windowcovering terms, from A to Z:

Apron: Window molding located below the window sill on a window frame
Arched Valance: A valance treatment that is arched along the lower edge.

Austrian Shade: A fabric windowcovering with soft draping scallops which run the length of the shade. They move up and down by a series of cords threaded through rings.

Awning Windows: Windows which are hinged on top and swing outward to open. They are usually rectangular, and wider than they are long.



Balloon Shades: Fabric shades with deep inverted pleats that fall into airy, rounded poufs at the bottom.

Bay Window: A window area that extends outward from the main wall, forming an protrusion on the exteriof of the home.

Bias: This term refers to the grain in fabric. The bias grain runs diagonally at a 45 degree angle to the straight grain and tends to stretch when pulled.

Bishop's Sleeve Curtains: Extra long curtain panels that are cinched up gathered up and over the cinched area.

Box Pleats: Deep, inverted, tailored pleats which are flat on the right side of the drapery to create a classical boxy look.

Brighton Shades: Similar to balloon shades, but without the pleats, rings, and cords along the sides. This allows the sides to fall in relaxed tails. The center section is usually wider than the sides.

Butterfly Pleats : A pleat with two, rather than three, folds to distinguish it from the basic pinch pleat.



Cafe Curtains: A window treatment that covers only the bottom half of a window. A cafe rod is most often hung at the halfway point of the window, at sash level.

Cascades: Side panels, usually pleated, which flank swags. They can be long or short.

Casement Window: A casement window has two verical sections that crank open outward.

Casing: A tunnel of fabric created by stitching parallel seam on folded fabric. A curtain rod is threaded through the casing.

Cathedral Window: These windows are usually seen in rooms with cathedral ceilings. The top of the window follows the slope of the ceiling. Many times the sloped top of the window is left bare.

Combination Rods: Two or three drapery rods sharing one set of brackets. They are used when installing draperies with sheers, or to create any layered look.

Cornice: A decorative wooden, fabric, or foam header placed above a window to conceal drapery hardware.

Curtain: Usually unlined, a curtain is a panel of hemmed fabric hung from a rod at the top of a window. Panels can be floor length or end at the windowsill.



Draw Draperies: Draperies which hang from a traverse rod and can be drawn to open or closed over the window by means of a cording system.


Double Fullness: Using fabric that is twice the measured width of the window. Double fullness creates a fuller look and that is more pleasing to view than skimpy fabric.

Dowel: A round of unfinished wood that is available in many lengths and sizes. Dowels can be used as inexpensive curtain rods, and can be painted, stained, or fabric-covered, and finished with finials on each end. Draping: A technique of looping and securing fabric in graceful curves and folds.



Envelope Shades: Casual curtains attached to a mounting board and hung as a pair of flat panels. The bottom inside corners are pulled out and hooked onto the wall.



Facing: The strip of fabric that is sewn to the raw edge of a fabric and folded back to the wrong side.


Fan Shades: Arcs of fabric pulled together in the center by cords and rings fastened to the back of the shades. The arc, or fan, faces down. When lowered, the shade becomes a flat panel.

Fan Curtains: The same as the fan shade, but used on half circle windows with the fan facing up. A curved curtain rod is required to install fan curtains.

Festoon: see Swag.

Finial: A decorative piece attached to the ends of drapery rods. Usually made of wood or metal and can be many sizes and shapes.

Finish: Product applied to fabric as a protection against water marks and fading.

French Door: A door with with rectangular panes of glass extending the full length. Usually hung with a pair of doors in one frame, with both doors opening outward.

Fringe: A decorative trim sewn onto the edges and hems of curtain panels and rugs. Also often used to decorate pillows and lampshades.

Fullness: Refers to the width of the fabric in relation to the curtain rod. Most window treatments are two to three times fullness.

G through S
T through Z