Decorating

Selecting the right color for your walls, the perfect lighting fixture, or arranging your furniture into an interesting but comfortable setting can be daunting. Many options, little time, some folks really don't know how or where to start. Below a few tips to help you sort it all out.

First and foremost: As in life - always follow your intuition. When decorating your space your gut will tell you which wall color works or what kind of furniture will create a welcoming atmosphere you gladly come home to. Start with the basics: Floor, walls, and ceiling. Decorating doesn’t have to be expensive – the small details do make a difference. E.g., tasteful art, colorful vases, or a grouping of family photographs turn your living space into an unique and comfortable home. Use well-placed lights to create a more dramatic effect.

Set the Tone
Painting your walls is one of the most inexpensive ways to quickly update your home or business with a fresh, new look. If you find it hard to select the right color by swatch only, ask your paint supplier or hardware store for a small amount of the colors you like and paint test squares on the wall (or paint a portable Mdf square).

When chosing paint keep in mind that flat or matte finishes hide wall imperfections, while glossier finishes reflect more light. Fine-tune your color scheme and best use a palette in different hues for adjoining areas; that way your home will have a fresh and unified feel without colors clashing from one room to the next (avoid a 'Circus-effect').

The colors you chose will have a huge effect on the big picture and therefore on people's first impression of your home or business. Remember that shades of blue, grey, and white have a cool effect, while yellows, oranges, and hues of red create a warmer space.

Mix a small amount of wall color into the paint for ceilings and trimming – it creates a warm feel by softening the contrast between wall color and ceiling. Don’t select extremely bright colors for large areas in your home: While an accent wall in an unexpected color will create a dramatic effect, large rooms in bold colors can be overwhelming or make it seem smaller than it is.

Furniture and Function
Living room furniture should be comfortable no matter what style you prefer. When shopping for furniture the challenge is to keep areas harmonious and tied together by choosing shapes and textiles that complement one another. Color and material of furniture, curtains, and accent pieces have to work together to make the rooms cozy and gentle to the eye.

Choose furniture that is functional and decorative at the same time. Ask yourself who uses the space and in what way? Use storage solutions that do double duty as display area for works of art, tresured family photos, or self-made gifts from your children. A functional bookcase, for example, can be easily used to display small works of art, a surefire way to add instant warmth to your living room. Choose decorative items that everybody who regularly uses the room will enjoy.

Create an inviting space for family and friends by arranging furniture in separate sitting groups that will function as natural conversation areas. Consider several chairs rather than two large sofas to create cozy areas within a larger space - your guests will definitely feel comfortable and welcome in your home.

Mixing in natural fiber furniture or rugs, such as rattan, sisal or wicker, will create a relaxed atmosphere. Lighter colored woods (or white washed wood) will create a rustic, cottage-like feel while dark oak furniture resonates a more traditional era.

Brighten your Life
Did you know that illuminating your ceiling makes your room appear bigger?
Many people forget that light is an extremely important part of any interior: It not only helps you see whenever daylight is not sufficient, but also creates an ambiance that reflects your every mood. As with furniture lighting fixtures certainly don’t need to be functional only – you can play with form, material, and color of fixtures and shades to give your rooms a personal touch.

Although we do need bright light for reading in the evening, more diffused and dimmed lights will instantly create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere in your home. A dimmer will help you set the lights to perfectly reflect your mood. By adjusting the surrounding light you can create a comfortable, enjoyable ambiance for your quests. For example, by installing dimmers on your kitchen and dining area lights you will able to prepare for and clean up after family meals in a comfortable, neutral light, and create a romantic mood by dimming lights when entertaining guests.

Make a powerful statement by hanging well-lit works of art on your walls. Imagine a series of tastefully framed black-and-white photographs on the wall of your dining room. If you highlight the series by halogen lights, your guests will be drawn into the pictures after you dim the light at the dinner table – creating a dramatic effect that will make a bold impression. Always keep in mind that a couple of well-placed picture lights helps focus attention on your collection and make your precious works of art look even better.

Decoration
Accents – like picture frames, vases, plants in pots, candles, a clock or a mirror – are the so called details that will give your home a comfortable yet unique feel: Combine small items to turn your house into something special.

Consider, for example, creating a family portrait wall in your dining room or lining a staircase wall with beautifully matted and framed artwork your children created. You can mix frame sizes while keeping frames and mats in one color, or buy identical frames and play with the mats to frame the smaller works. When creating groupings, try to select frame styles that not only complement the depicted, but also match furniture and wall colors.

If you have a hard time figuring out how to hang a series of photos or posters, lay everything out on the floor first. It will help taking accurate measurements and makes it easier to determine the best overall layout for the collection. Whenever possible, align the tops or bottoms of various pieces in the group.

Practically anything you value personally – childhood drawings, theater promotion posters, old record covers, sports memorabilia, or even three dimentional items, such as an instrument you used to play as a little kid – will become a treasure when properly framed and displayed in your walls.

Too much of one particular style, color, or subject matter may appear uninspired. Better mix things up by picking accents in a different style; an eclectic mix of decorative items adds interest to your space.

And always remember to avoid spots where your artwork will be exposed to direct sunlight.