Home Decor HD: December 2011

Archive for December 2011

Living Room Ideas to Create Your Unique Space

· Posted in decorating, furniture arrangment, Interior Design, Living Room Ideas

Living Room Ideas and Makeovers

Living room ideas are easy to come by. They’re everywhere.

Just look on any home decorating website, online magazine (e-zine), in-store magazine or watch one of the many decorating and design programs on TV. (There’s probably an app for it too, but I’m not that iPhone savvy.)

If you do a Google search for ‘living room ideas’ there are about 88 million web pages that you can choose from.

There is so much information available on the subject. So, why it is still a difficult decision to take these photos, tips and advice for living room decorating and make them work for you?

Your home, your living room, your lifestyle, your budget....all of these things are unique to you. If you look at a hundred photos and websites, and watch just as many DYI shows on TV just filled with living room ideas, none of them will exactly match your needs.

So what do you do? No worries!

My advice to you, as well as my design clients, is to first determine what YOU need in YOUR space, by answering a few simple questions.

1) What is your budget? I know, a simple, boring question.
And, it’s not fun to think about the money. It’s more fun to think about buying things, painting, arranging furniture, etc.
But do it anyway. Decide how much money you have to invest in your living room project, before you get excited about purchasing something.

2) How do you use this room? Traditional use...informal...TV or no TV...children?...aging parents?...pets?...multi purpose function?..none of these?

I have seen living rooms with pool tables in them, living rooms used as dining areas, home offices, etc.

Decide how your living room best fits your lifestyle and make your decisions from there with regard to the type of flooring, wall color, furniture fabric...right down to the lamps and end tables.

So before you determine that you absolutely need a new sofa, two side chairs and a set of end tables/ coffee table, give yourself a little time out and answer question #2 honestly. You might come up with a totally different direction for the space.

3) What furniture stays, what furniture goes?
Be realistic about answering this question and you will have a solid starting point for your living room design, or living room makeover.

And, how you answer this question is a direct result of your response to the first two questions as well. Your budget and lifestyle use of the living room will dictate how much furniture, if any, you will add/replace.

I’m always an advocate of using what you have first, particularly if you are decorating on a budget.
And, the furniture doesn’t have to be in the living room at the moment.

Take a look at pieces in other rooms of your home and see if they might have a new purpose in your living room.You can create a fresh look with existing pieces by moving them around your home.
Living room decorating and design ideas

Now, here are three things you should NEVER do when considering living room ideas.

Find out what they are by reading more about Living Room Ideas

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Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

· Posted in Christmas tree decorating ideas, holiday, lights, ornaments, tips

The best Christmas tree decorating ideas and tips to help you create a beautiful Christmas tree!
It's easy and free, so find out more now!

I love the Christmas holidays and put up the Christmas tree early in the season.
My philosophy is this - Christmas only comes once a year, so I want to enjoy the sights, sounds and scents as much as possible.

We're usually pretty well decorated for the Christmas holiday by the time Thanksgiving weekend rolls around, then enjoy the holiday decor through year end.

No matter when you decide it's time to do the holiday decorating, the Christmas tree is the centerpiece of traditional Christmas decor.

There isn't really a 'right' or 'wrong' way to put up a Christmas tree, but there are some Christmas tree decorating ideas that will make the task a little easier and result in a beautiful Christmas tree.

Christmas Tree Decorating Idea #1:
THE TREE

First, decide what kind of tree you will use, real or artificial, and what size will work the best in your space.

I'm always an advocate of natural looking artificial Christmas trees.

As for the size of your Christmas tree, make sure you are taking into consideration:
1) the size room it is going into,
2)ceiling height and
3) the space allocated for the tree.

Whether your tree goes together branch-by-branch or in two to three main sections, here is a very important piece of advice: make sure that you fully open and 'fluff' each branch before putting it into the trunk of the Christmas tree.

When I put our Christmas tree up, I literally take each branch and pull every piece of greenery out, rotating some greenery above the branch and some below.

Christmas Tree Decorating Idea #2:THE LIGHTS

Your next Christmas tree decorating idea is a fool proof method for putting the lights on the tree. It doesn't matter what style of light or color you select; follow these steps and it will be absolutely beautiful.
NOTE: If you have a pre-lit Christmas tree, feel free to skip this portion!

First, make sure you test all of your lights before putting any of them on the tree. It's not a 100% guarantee that you won't have any issues down the road, but at least you'll know they work.

You should have a strand of 100 lights for every vertical foot of the tree. So if your Christmas tree is 7 feet in height you should have a minimum of 700 lights. I use more than that on my trees - my 8' tree has about 1,200 lights on it because I put them very close together and enjoy that look.

I also use a multi-outlet surge protector to handle all of the lights, stringing together no more than four strands of lights. It makes turning the Christmas tree lights on and off very simple - just flip the switch on the extension box.

Christmas Tree Decorating Idea #3:
THE GARLANDS & ROPING

Now for the next Christmas tree decorating idea - the garlands or roping for the tree. Of course, this is optional depending on the style of tree you are creating.
There are many different types of garland available, and it's a point where your creativity comes into play. You can fashion Christmas tree garland out of just about anything that suits the style of your tree.

Traditional Christmas tree roping found in the 'tree trimming' section of your favorite holiday store is always an option.

There are many types of beautiful, wide ribbon that has wire inserted into it, so you can shape it as you rope it around the tree.

Beads, fabric, silk floral roping, faux berry/natural element roping, etc.

Use your imagination!

Beads and narrow roping usually looks best when draped, or swagged, around the tree. The top of the tree should have smaller swags that get larger as you go down the tree.

Christmas Tree Decorating Idea #4:
THE ORNAMENTS

Yes, we are finally to the most fun part of the Christmas tree decorating ideas - the ornaments. Here is a really important tip, so listen up!

Gather all your Christmas tree ornaments and separate them by size, style, etc. so you know what you have to work with. It takes a few minutes to do this but is well worth the time.

Hang your larger ornaments first, using the lower part of the tree for the majority of those. Save the smallest ornaments for the upper portion of the tree.

If you have both matte finish and shiny finish ornaments, be sure to vary them around the tree.
Hang the ornaments on the inside of the tree as well as the outside, just like the lights (although the majority of ornaments will be near the outside of the tree).

Step back and look at your handiwork as you progress, to keep things evenly distributed.
I always like to use fillers on my Christmas trees to cover the inevitable gaps that occur between layers of branches. I use a variety of silk flowers and greenery, birds nests, etc. You can literally use any type of 'filler' that you want, depending on the theme of your Christmas tree.

These decorating ideas will help you create a beautiful Christmas tree. If you want even more details, ideas and tips, read Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas here!

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Home Decor Ideas

· Posted in home decor

Home Decor Ideas

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Christmas Party Decorations to Complete Your Holiday Entertaining

· Posted in Christmas party decorations, entertaining, holiday

Christmas party decorations create the festive holiday atmosphere that turns a good time into a memorable event.
From the holiday decor to the music playing in the background, to the fresh scent of evergreen or gingerbread cookies...plan your Christmas party decor and theme in advance so all will flow together.

There are two simple methods for creating the foundation for your holiday party decor. Use a theme, or select a particular color palette.

Your theme could be a particular figure or item that is identified with Christmas, such as angels, snowmen, Santa, reindeer, nativity, etc.

Or, you might decide to create your holiday event around a movie, such as It's a Wonderful LIfe, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer or White Christmas.

Selecting a holiday color palette for your Christmas party decorations is another way to create a memorable and festive atmosphere inside and outside of your home. There are always the standard red and green of course, but think about what you already have on hand for holiday decor.

If much of your Christmas decoration material is gold and white, for example, consider using those colors for your party theme, or add one more color to them for a trio of holiday colors.

Once you have selected the theme and/or color palette, here are some ideas and tips for you to create a festive holiday home for your party:

Start with the exterior of your home. How can you make the entrance and walkway festive and become part of your Christmas party decorations?

Lighting up the walkway with paper bag candles, small Christmas trees on the front porch with white lights, a dusting of 'snow' (if you live in the south where there is none), holiday music playing for guests as they approach your entry...all these are ways to create the holiday atmosphere before guests walk through the front door.

Use your selected figure/item to create your own memorable entrance.

The front entry door itself is always a blank canvas waiting for adornment, and a holiday party is no exception.

If you're not sure what to do and want to maintain a level of sophistication, a safe choice is always a beautiful, fresh evergreen wreath. Or, a natural looking wreath that looks great and won't ever drop a pine needle works for me!

Your wreath does not need a great big red bow, either. Sprinkle some gold glitter on it and enjoy the simple sparkle that it creates.

Inside, make the Christmas tree a focal point of the Christmas party decorations, and follow your chosen theme and color palette. The key is to tie everything together so your holiday decor is consistent.

Read more about Christmas Party Decorations!

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Country Home Decor (b)

Country Home Decor

A great selection of primitive americana country home decor accessories, handcrafted wood products, handmade customized items, and unique ...

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Home Decorating Basics : Updating Lamps

Update lamps by removing dust, dirt and cobwebs from the lampshade to create a clean appearance. Change fabrics and consider purchasing different ...

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Dollar Scores 02: Dollar Store Crafts: Home Decor At Ross Dress For Less

Dollar Scores 02: Dollar Store Crafts: Home Decor at Ross Dress for Less

Shopping at Ross Dress for Less in the Home Decor department. Checking out the deals, including prices on throw pillows, mirrors, home accessories ...

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