Many people think that buying brand new furniture is the best way to go when decorating their homes. This is not always true even if you are looking to create a modern contemporary design.

Taking some time when shopping for second hand furniture will not only be great fun but you can end up finding some fantastic treasures. The term "second hand" can be very misleading as you will often find furniture that is basically brand new in these shops.

Many people are fortunate enough to be able to buy new furniture on a regular basis and all their "old" stuff ends up in second hand stores.

Take a day out before you go to the trendy stores and browse around the second hand stores, you may be very surprised at what is available. Sometimes just a lick of paint or some new fabric will make the furniture look brand new and stylish, at a fraction of the cost.

When I was still a kid I watched a film where there was this old granny placed in a senior citizen home. She looked unhappy and uncomfortable, and from then on I knew I didn’t want to be in the same place when I start graying myself.

With the right planning and preparation, anyone can age in place gracefully and enjoy every piece you bought through your hard-earned money. Invest in functional furniture. For instance, instead of getting dining tables with sharp corners, choose something that has round edges. This would reduce instances of hurting yourself when you’re starting to age. Likewise, getting an ergonomic couch may be helpful to you, too, and prevent you from suffering from frequent back aches, as opposed to the hard-cushioned lounges. And to avoid any accidental slips, getting area rugs especially to place in your bathroom is a great safety measure you should not forego to avoid cracking your bones.

Aging doesn’t have to be a difficulty experience. Hence, we have to prepare for it as early as we can by choosing the right home décor.

Have you ever experienced entering a room and felt like your disposition change from happy to gloomy? It may have something to do with the color of the room or the art wall décor, but regardless, it only goes to show that the accessories of a room, no matter how big or small, can affect a person either in a positive or negative way.

Any room can create a mood and energy depending on the ornaments you put together. Your wall paint colors alone can either brighten people’s faces or make them feel dismal. Likewise, bare walls will not endear your guests from enjoying the ambiance of the room, because truth is, we all enjoy a good aesthetic appeal. So the next time you think about re-decorating your room, keep in mind that a coat of paint and the combination of decorating pieces you put in a room can hugely impact the feeling of the person entering your home. Therefore, make sure to pick the right theme and accessories accordingly.

Are you thinking of re-decorating your home but don’t have the budget to do it? Don’t worry, because accessorizing your home doesn’t have to be very expensive. These days there are so many ways to spruce up the look of your home while sticking to your budget, and I’ll show you how:

1. Visit second-hand shops in your local community. Here you can get treasures that can create a new texture in your rooms at lower prices.

2. Be creative and rummage through some of your old stuff. Home accessories don’t have to be new all the time. Something old can be created to look something new.

3. Place area rugs in your rooms. There are affordable ones that have expensive-looking designs that you can use instead of limiting yourself with wall-to-wall carpet that may cost you a fortune.

4. Paint your walls. And use shades that can uplift your mood. Use lighter shades of yellow, green, or orange to create a warm and friendly home ambiance.

5. Don’t hesitate to experiment and be patient. Remember you may not be able to get it right in an instant, but with some patience and creativity, you will eventually achieve the look you want for your home.

If you live in a tropical country, having a balcony in the bedroom is one of the most fervently desired home extensions of many homeowners. The reason is simple: the balcony is the easiest place to go during warm days without storming out of the house in a gist.

But more than having a balcony, decorating your balcony with the right amount of stuff and not make it look too crowded can be at times overwhelming. You wouldn’t want to end up putting in every décor out there just because you’re not sure how to make it the right way.

First is to look at the size of the balcony. How big or small is it? Though it’s simply an outdoor extension of your bedroom, the size may still vary. For some, balconies can be narrow and long, while for others may be square and wide. Depending on the size of the balcony is the amount of stuff you will place.

Second is to know the purpose of the balcony. If you want it something more than just a place where you can linger a little, then that’s fine. On the other hand, it can also be your place to seek solace while breathing on fresh outdoor air. In that case, you can add some flower-bearing pottery plants on the side of the balcony. They don’t only look good but you are also being eco-friendly in your decorating idea.

If you are just about as excited and ready with the rest of the décors, you can also include a small area rug to add the comfy look. You can use the design and size depending on the theme you have visualized at the onset of your décor planning. Other than that, adding a lounge chair and/or canopy may also be a good idea. But again, the style and size will also vary on the size of the balcony.

Regardless of the themes you want to use, having a bedroom balcony is a good way to create a comfortable place to relax within your home. Choosing the right décor will only enhance the look and maximize the size of the space. Therefore, you must be creative in achieving your desired look through some of the tips mentioned above.

All my life I have been watching too much TV, hence, my idea of getting way too old means getting oneself admitted to a “home for the aged” residences. That thought is frightening and somewhat gives a saddening feeling, because I’d prefer to live in my own home for as long as I am still comfortable whenever I’d move around to get or do something. In other words, for as long as my house is still livable even when my knees are already too weak to dance around.

But of course, in order to confine oneself in the “aging in place” set up, one needs careful planning with home décor. By the time you get some arthritis, slippery flooring is a no-no already. Get textured tiles for your flooring so you won’t have to worry about getting your arms or leg broken. In addition, large rugs are also helpful to give your home a sophisticated look and at the same time helps you cover slippery areas of your flooring, say, in your bathroom. Also, you may consider about remodeling your kitchen countertops from having sharp corners to round edges just to provide more safety when you move around your kitchen.

Aiming for some safety measures does not have to ruin a great home décor. In fact, it can help you be more innovative in your designs to achieve a better look of your home.

When I was younger, I loved books. I was the kid who read under the covers with a flashlight and got in trouble so many times when my parents caught me. I remember watching Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and the Beast's castle had a library where the walls were basically bookshelves, and were filled with books! It was my dream to one day have a house that had a room that had no walls, but just book cases. That dream has died down since then, but I still love books and it's always difficult to find enough places to put them, especially since book cases take up wall space and sometimes it can be an intimidating and cluttering look for the home.

Book storage companies now have realized this problem, I'm sure, as now there are so many ways to rectify the clutter-looking bookcase feel! Companies have started making book cases in cool shapes that can create awesome compositions on your wall, and so instead of a plain, boring looking bookshelf filled with books, you can decorate your walls with pieces of artwork that happen to store your books. Eureka!

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Creating country style decorating for you home has never been easier. Pick out your favorite country area rugs and décor from the wide variety available and give your home the look you’ve always wanted.

Country style decorating has seen an explosion in popularity over the last 5 years—if you’ve been doing it longer, consider yourself a trend-setter but don’t for one second think you can outrun the speed at which the fad is growing. Don’t feel bad about it, but consider yourself lucky, since you now have more access than ever to some of the greatest décor for country style decorating in the widest varieties imaginable.

Country style decorating is full of red and white checkered material, barn stars, roosters and vegetables in baskets, but it doesn’t have to be limited to gingham, denim and muslin. In fact, you can open up your mind and your home to dozens of different fabrics and textures as long as they still bring about the feeling of being out in the country or down on the farm.

To create one of the cutest country style kitchens around, you can branch out to wool, cotton and nearly every other type of fabric you can think of to make your home exactly the way you want it to be. No country home will be complete without an area rug to bring everything together and be the focal point of the room.

Any fabric type of area rug will work perfectly for your country style home but some of the best are loosely knit jute area rugs, bamboo area rugs or seagrass area rugs that have been dyed in off-white and red checks and allowed to fray just a little bit. But if you’re looking for something a little more tight knit with your country style décor, you might want to spring for a braided rug that steps outside the bounds of the normal gingham check design and will give your room the country farmhouse appearance you just might be looking for.

Additionally, if you’re willing to be more open minded, you can always walk over to the kids’ décor and pick out some of your country décor and area rugs there—this could include kids area rugs shaped like apples, roosters, chickens, cows and other country shapes and friends.

But you don’t always have to choose the regular décor. Area rugs can be selected in solid colors like red area rugs and other small décor can be chosen simply because it looks rusty or a little country—try rusted old railroad spikes, faded and worn street signs, torn leather trunks and tarnished brass to give your home that old barn look.

So whether you’re trying to give your house the well kept farmhouse look that reeks of delicious foods and fresh milk, or you’re trying to create the old, rusted barn look, you can achieve it all with newer pieces as long as you’re willing to go searching amongst the ranks of décor available.

Never forget that you can find the best décor for country style decorating in the most unlikely places. Don’t shirk the small stores and be ready for an adventure.

It's always fun to reuse things and make them into something that one wouldn't normally think of. For example, a lighting design made from nothing but soda tabs!

Mauricio Affonso submitted the design in Inhabitat's Spring Greening creative reuse contest. The design reminds me of all sorts of cool things, like the moon, or ball that drops in Times Square every New Year's Eve. So crazy to think that this cool design is just a bunch of soda tabs surrounding a small light fixture.

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Recently, the modern, urban look has been a trendy design choice. In fact, there's a popular school dorm near my apartment that was built in the past year that has be designed with the modern eye.

A popular piece of furniture that has greatly contributed to modern interior design is a chair that is made out of recycled coke bottles–111 of them, in fact. A few years ago, the Coca-Cola company proposed an idea to Emeco with the idea of using their recycled bottles to make the Navy Chair, a chair that would show off the great value of what you could do with recycled plastic.

The plastic is combined with glass fiber to create a strong material that is both scratch resistant and very strong, which makes it very difficult to destroy. In addition, the process used to make these chairs try to use as little material needed as possible, making these chairs so light that you can easily pick it up over your head and is very easy to carry from room to room.

These chairs are half the retail price of a regular aluminum Navy chair, and are a good investment if you're looking for a chair that is modern, durable, and will last a lifetime.

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For many people, online shopping always has some kind of negative association with it. Especially with clothes, it's always a good question to ask if a certain piece of clothing will fit or not, because it's not like you can try it on over the internet. But with home decorating, online shopping shouldn't be anything to be nervous about! In fact, it's an easier way to compare rugs, because it's hard to put them side by side at an actual furniture store and see which one you like better.

Another good characteristic about shopping for rugs online is that you can print out the picture and match it around your house to see if it's a good match. Sometimes, stores have online specials that are exclusive to the internet, and also products that are only available online. If you look into it enough, you can find all sorts of great deals available, and then have it delivered right to your door! Direct shipping- another great plus of online shopping.

While you can create a romantic mood by simply having a candle-light dinner with soft jazz music playing in the background, why not pull out all the stops and create an ultra-romantic ambience this Valentines Day. Sure, use the candles by all means; they certainly do much to enhance the romance quotient in any type of decor. But this Valentine’s Day, let candles be part of your overall romantic decor and not just the only element. Won’t your sweetheart be in for a great surprise!

Take time to plan and do try and get your shopping done at least a few days in advance. While you may have to rush home from work a few hours early to set up the house as a surprise, you don’t want to be completely tired from having to do everything from cleaning and shopping to cooking and decorating in one day. Wouldn’t you love to get in some slow-dancing before sitting down to your elaborately planned candle light dinner? Do as much as you can in the time you have but don’t forget to reserve the best for last.

Prepare the Room

It’s Valentine’s Day! It’s the one day in the year when you are justified in going all out with the special romantic touches. Pull out all the stops! Fill your house with plenty of helium balloons in pink, red and white. Let them float above your bed or your dining table; perhaps both, tie them to the staircase railing; tie them anywhere you can think of.

Tie big red bows everywhere- on the backs of chairs, your bed post and on every soft toy you have. Drape yards of sheer red fabric over side tables. A forest of red scented candles in different shapes and sizes is a feast for all the senses. Choose your location carefully though; you don’t want to dampen the mood by having to call in the fire brigade.

Set the Table

There’s much you can do to create a romantic table setting. A rich red tablecloth draped over the table or some sheer red fabric gathered in the centre of the table is great as a starting point. Instead of fabric you could scatter fragrant red rose petals all over the table for an uber-dramatic effect.

Place heart-shaped votive candles at the ends of the table. Put heart shaped candies in a heart-shaped bowl. If that’s too ‘hearty’ even for a die-hard romantic like you, you could perhaps put a few heart-shaped candies in red wrappers in a long-stemmed wine glass. It’s stunningly romantic without being overly so.

Don’t even think of getting paper plates that have hearts on them. This occasion calls for getting out your finest chinaware. White plates on deep red table mats can create a dramatic look. Or if you feel like it, go ahead and splurge on two gorgeous red plates just for the occasion. Make it a traditional ritual of love to bring them out every year on Valentines Day. Get out the champagne flutes and tie a pretty red satin bow on the stem of each.

Set the Mood

Now that you’ve got everything set up (amazingly simple; wasn’t it?) it’s time to create a romantic atmosphere. Keep your collection of romantic music handy so you can have music to slow dance to, all night long. Dim the lights; or better still, turn them off and set the night on fire by lighting up all your candles in the candle forest. If you still have reservations about lighting up a group of candles, just place them there for effect but light individual candles everywhere else you can think of- window sills, tables and even the stair case.

When there’s romance in the air, the possibilities are endless. Why not ditch minimalism this Valentines Day and pull out all the stops to show your partner how much you care. It’s sure to pay rich dividends.

Chic and stylish are seldom the first words that come to mind when you think of your bathroom. For most people, bathrooms are more functional than aesthetic—after all, you don’t use it as much as your bedroom or living room. But modern design is slowly changing all that.

Modern bathrooms have evolved from the basic shower-and-toilet setup to luxury rooms where you can relax for hours. Think of it as a luxury spa, except that it’s right in your own home. But the best news is that it’s not as lavish as it sounds. Here are some trendy touches that can take your bathroom from drab and dated to stylishly modern.

Vessel sinks

Vessel sinks are placed completely above the counter so that they look like separate pieces. This is a fresh change from traditional sinks, which are often built or integrated into the countertop. The modern look of vessel sinks comes from their sleek designs and bold colors. Look for bright colors that match other elements in your bathroom, such as shower curtains and area rugs. Modern materials such as glass and stone offer excellent wear and will last years of constant use.

Matching faucets

Set off your sink with a matching bathroom faucet. Modern design is about combining function and style, so look for one that’s both stylish and easy to use. The taps that come with most sinks are usually of low quality. Look for one that can withstand everyday abuse. Metals such as brass, copper, and stainless steel are fairly durable and will fit in with the modern theme.

Recessed lighting

Traditional bathrooms use overhead lighting, or a single large bulb that lights the entire room. While this is certainly convenient, it doesn’t do much in terms of aesthetics. Modern bathrooms favor subtle lights that work on smaller parts of the room. Use a separate light for your vanity, tub, and shower areas. This makes for a more relaxing mood and a more flattering reflection. Use yellow or white area rugs to help disperse the light.

Vanities

The vanity is an important element in modern bathroom design. What was once a simple dressing table is now a personal armoire complete with a sink, counter, shelves, mirrors, and carefully planned lighting—all matching a single theme. Vanity sets are available from most home supply stores, but you can save money by putting your own set together. Pick a modern countertop as your base and let it set the theme for the rest of your setup.

Area rugs

Flooring has evolved more than any part of the bathroom over the years. If you’re still using ceramic tile, consider updating by using modular carpets, cork, or even hardwood. Use area rugs to protect your floors from damage and provide warmth in the cold season. Just avoid natural materials such as wool area rugs and jute area rugs, as they won’t hold up well to moisture. If you have a small floor space, use kids area rugs—they’re smaller and add a more welcoming look to the room.

Love is in the air…

Everywhere you look around,

Love is in the air…

Every sight and every sound

This 60’s song is perfect for Valentine’s Day! Be sure to have it playing in the background while you cuddle up in front of the fireplace on Valentine’s Day!

Dreaming of setting up an elaborately romantic atmosphere but just can’t find the time? Why not meet your dreams half way by creating a romantic atmosphere that is not time-consumingly elaborate? A few romantic touches around the house; a gigantic bouquet of red roses; a romantic table-setting… It’s the little things you do that tell your loved one how special they are to you and how much you care for them.

Here are a few easy ideas to give your home a quick but romantic Valentine’s Day makeover. Incorporate all or just a few and very soon you’ll feel the love all around you.

All you need to buy is plenty of red ribbon, a few candles and perhaps a few red roses:

· Place a bouquet of roses on a table where they can be easily seen as soon as your spouse enters the room

· Make big red bows with the red ribbon and tie them around the two chairs you and your spouse will be using at the dining table. If you have a chandelier hang a big red bow from each arm of the chandelier for extra effect

· Make smaller bows and tie them round the cutlery you will use for dinner and around the stems of your wine glasses. Tape one little bow onto the computer monitor as a day-long reminder of your love

· String a length of red ribbon across the doorway at the entrance of every room

· A 3-tiered candelabrum with red candles is perfect for the dining table. One red candle will do just as fine if you do not have a candelabrum.

· Alternatively place an over-sized shallow bowl of water on the table and place a few votive candles inside. Scatter a few rose petals over the water for added effect.

· Place a small vase of fresh flowers in the bathroom and a larger vase in the kitchen.

· It’s still cold in February. Setting the fireplace alight is a great way to fill the room with warmth, coziness and romance.

· In the bedroom place a single, long-stemmed red rose gently across the pillow.

· Bake a heart-shaped cake or bake a few heart-shaped cookies. Even if you use your regular every-day recipe, your heart-shaped cake and cookies will taste more special because it’s Valentine’s Day.

All that’s left to do now is to dim the lights, light the candles, put on the music and get out that bottle of wine.

Whether you choose to decorate your home in red, pink or white, don’t worry too much about whether or not it goes with the rest of the décor. After all, when love is in the air, nothing else matters. Your spouse is not going to waste this precious day making notes of what matches and what doesn’t.

One show that I used to watch a lot was Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I loved it because not only did I love the touching stories and watching others lives get improved, but I also loved the fact that even though there were so many houses being built during the season, there were always completely different thoughts and ideas that went to each individual room of every individual house.

Having recently moved, I no longer have a television and have long stopped following any type of television show. But the other day, I saw that there was an online episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and decided to watch it. Even now, I still love the show, but I questioned exactly how much of a theme should go into a room.

If you've ever watched the show, you'll know that, especially when designing children bedrooms and play rooms, there is usually one big theme that every single element of the room revolves around. And when I say every single element, I truly mean everything. From the wall paper to every single type of furniture placed in that room. And while that's really cool and all, I still wonder how long the excitement will last. For one, kids have an remarkably short attention span. One moment their favorite color is blue, and the next moment, it's orange.

This is just a word of caution to those who are trying to decorate a room for their children. I don't want to take the fun out of decorating these rooms; there are still so many decorating ideas you can do! And I'm also not saying that you should stay away from themed rooms. However, I do think that when decorating a child's room, one should always leave room for some kind of decorating flexibility. Some ways you can do this is the keep the wallpaper simple instead of decking it out towards one specific theme. Use paint instead of wallpaper, and then let your furniture do the theme-showing. You could also buy plainer furniture, or furniture that you can paint over once your child has grown out of whatever it originally looked like when you bought it.

Again, this is not to be discouraging. Just something to consider. After all, it would definitely be a shame to put so much effort into a room and then have your child grow bored of it so soon!

When one dresses up, it's always fun to add on accessories. For men, a tie would go well with a suit. For women, some pearls or earrings. There's always so many possibilities of what can go with certain clothes. In fact. some outfits look totally incomplete without the right accessories!

Rooms of the house are the exact same way. One of the main room accessories that can really complete a room's look is curtains! They are useful because they keep the bright rays of sun out from your eyes, and also can keep from outsiders looking into your home. But they are also really useful in the fact that they can help bring personality into your home, and can also help you if you're trying to create a certain themed look in your home.

Here are some important questions to ask when picking out curtains for your room:

1) How does the light shine into the room?
Curtains not only come into all different shapes and color, but also different weights. In addition, there are some curtains that are more "solid" looking and others that are more translucent. Take a look at your room and consider how the light shines into the window. Which side of the room is the window on? The sun rises from the east and sets to the west, so another thing to consider is when will the room be used most? If your room is facing the west and the room is used more in the afternoon and evenings, you might want to consider getting a heavier or more solid colored curtain to keep the sun from shining too brightly directly into the room, which can potentially cause glares if it's a computer or television room. If the window is not on a wall in which the sunlight will directly shine into the room, however, then perhaps a lighter curtain will be a better choice.

2) What type of room is it?
Different rooms have different "feels" to them. For instance, if you're looking to get curtains for a room of leisure, you may want to get heavier curtains to balance out the lighter atmosphere of the room. If you're looking for curtains for the kitchen or bedroom, however, lighter curtains might be more appropriate and seem more refreshing.

If you're going for a themed look, then you obviously know what color curtains you want to get to match up. But also consider the shape of your curtains, as well. If you're going for more of a grungy feel, flatter curtains might be what you're looking for. Or if you're going for a more aquatic feel, you might want to get curtains that have more of a wavy shape, to portray the serene flow of the ocean. And, of course, when I say aquatic, I don't necessarily mean a literal theme of fishy wall paper and sea weed wall decorations. But even just a room that has a lot of blues and has a calmer feel could use the subtlety of wavy curtains.

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Are you trying to find that perfect rug, but aren't sure what the perfect rug exactly is? One of the main definitions of the word perfect is "exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose". So, let is evaluate the perfect rug. Ideally, the perfect rug would last in the home for a long time. ?It should be easy to clean but not have to be cleaned too often, and also it would have to be affordable.

Does it sound too good to be true? It's really not. Because jute area rugs fit almost perfectly into those three categories. And I only say almost because it goes even beyond those three criteria in terms of the perfect rug. First of all, it really DOES last a long time. It's made out of a lot of tiny little fibers that are spun together to be its most durable, basically the ideal unbreakable bundle of sticks trick. And it will withstand almost anything, including fire. Yep, that's right, it's fire resistant, making it a safer choice of rug to add to your home. Second, not only is it easy to clean, but it's not hard to get dirty in the first place. It's inflexible fibers prevent it from become stained, so all you have to do to clean it off is with soap and water.

Other pluses to jute area rugs is that they are hypoallergenic, sound absorbing, and anti-static. And to top it all off, it's eco-friendly! Jute is a type of vegetable fibre that can be spun into many, many threads. It's one of the most affordable natural fibers, and is used almost as often as cotton. In addition, it is so readily available and so easily imported that it keeps the prices low. One of the more popular uses of jute are to make burlap fabrics. However, don't let that fool you. Jute area rugs can be found in all different styles, colors, and weaves, and can fit perfectly into any home.

Jute rugs can be a great addition into your home, especially if you're looking to be eco-friendly with all the great benefits that eco-friendly has to offer. It truly is Mother Nature's best all in a rug.

My husband is a studio musician. He loves all things musical and can play keyboards, piano, banjo, bass guitar, harp and lute. I managed to get the home I wanted by ensuring it had a potentially acoustically perfect room with floor to ceiling windowed patio doors that overlooked our backyard to the canyon hills beyond. Not long after moving into our new digs, my husband was contracted as back up for a national summer tour. I decided this was the time to put together that acoustically perfect room.

After considerable research I managed to find a contractor willing to do the necessary tear down and installation of floating walls, ceiling and floor within the time constraints of my husband’s tour and the budget I had allowed. The room had to be enlarged encroaching on our family room space, and the configuration changed to provide angles that would deflect and absorb reverberating sound. The patio doors had to be replaced with custom made double-paned tempered glass cut to size to fit the new dimensions of the wall. Acoustic shutters were added to close over the doors.

One of Jake’s buddy’s was able to oversee the project and ensure the math was done correctly to create a sound proof “silent” room when the doors were shut, and an amphitheatre effect when open for entertaining. The final result was a rhombus with a ceiling that sloped from about eight feet at its lowest point to twelve where it connected with the outside wall. A six inch raised platform was added for the baby grand piano.

Having so thoroughly invested in the room’s construction I was determined to make it as aesthetically pleasing as possible. I decided on a natural forest maple hardwood floor, and felt a bold color on the walls was in order. In my mind’s eye the room was a warm pastel orange shade and it took some work on line to find the exact color I was looking for. I selected a pearl white for baseboards and shutters. I wasn’t gutsy enough to buy musicians’ chairs in the recommended pastel green but chose to accent the space with palms in enormous sea green pots. The piano and bench looked fantastic. Jake’s instruments were grouped on appropriate stands. Slippers in various sizes were placed by the door.

Something more was needed. I had neglected decoration for the walls. Jake did not like ego walls particularly although he had certainly earned the right to have one. Finally, I found the perfect solution. Area rugs! Area rugs on the walls! Why not? I was able to find hand tufted wool rugs with musical motifs in colors that worked and in sizes appropriate to the dimensions of the room. One rug was a stylized montage of guitars, and another musical notes. I even found two Warhol area rugs, one of Mick Jagger and the other of David Bowie. I had them securely mounted and the room was done.

The effect, particularly from the viewpoint of the patio was stunning. My husband said not a word when I showed him his new studio. He donned the slippers, and walked round it, touching the piano, the guitars, the woolen portraits on the wall, smiled happily and kissed me and that was all.

Chances are you’ll never be really happy or comfortable in a home that is decorated in keeping with the latest fad decorating trends. Instead your home décor should reflect your personality and your lifestyle; it should be a huge part of who you are.

Do you prefer the romance of the Victorian era or do you like the sleek contemporary look? Do you do love throwing cocktail parties or do you find your self hosting children’s parties more often?

Stay true to yourself and let your personality shine through in your home décor. While home décor books are a great source of inspiration, attempting to recreate that look in your home could be a disaster. Elegant houses with Persian rugs, carved furniture and priceless breakable antiques could be what nightmares are made of if your household consists of three growing children and two dogs.

Here are a few simple suggestions that will help you make the correct decorating choices that are true to your personality and fit in with your lifestyle.

Get Inspired

You can find a lot of inspiration if you just look around you. It could be a beach vacation that creates a longing to be by the sea or a vacation to a tropical island that makes you want to do up your home to look like a tropical paradise. On the other hand, perhaps you’ve always been more inclined towards straight, neat lines and pastel hues. Whatever it is your heart desires and whatever makes you happy and comfortable, stick with it and work around it to create your own personal haven.

Display your prized possessions

Do you have a special collection of prized possessions? Whether you collect fine crystal, toy trains or miniature Chinese tea pots; keeping them hidden away in boxes defeats the very purpose of the collection, which is to enjoy it. Go ahead and make a style statement by displaying your precious collections either enclosed in specially designed display cases or openly on specially constructed shelves.

A little bit of everything

So you travel a lot and have loads of souvenirs from across the world that you’d like to display. However, incorporating different types of décor into your home could result in a total mish-mash of styles. If that large silver Hookah you picked up during your travels in India does not fit in with your present décor style, why not create a small Indian corner that will set off the Hookah to best advantage. Get a small-sized Kashmiri area rug, place the hookah on it and hang a striking Indian picture above it. Direct a spotlight towards this corner to maximize the effect. If you’ve got a set of African bongos, place it on an African rug and place an African mask on the wall for the same dramatic effect

Too Busy to Fuss?

If you lead a life that involves going from soccer matches to ballet classes to hobby classes, get practical and forget about fussy home décor. Keeping it simple, fuss-free and easy to clean will free up a lot of time that you can spend doing the things you love doing rather than spending hours trying to keep the house looking neat, clean and clutter-free.

Enjoy the Journey

You can never really stop, take a step back and say, “There, that’s it. I’m done!” Decorating a home is an ongoing project that is never really finished. It is an ongoing journey that evolves and changes as you find newer likes and interests. Every time you find something new to add your décor you reveal a little more about yourself.

Getting nightmares about your impending kitchen redecorating plans? Choosing the right home décor for your tastes and your style is never easy. There are just so many different choices to make and to think about, that the thought of redecorating the home can be overwhelmingly confusing. Having nightmares about decorating your home is sure to spoil this otherwise wonderfully exciting experience.

Here are a few suggestions to help make your home décor journey a more pleasant and enjoyable one:

Lifestyle Matters

The first thing you need to do is choose your kitchen décor styles according to your lifestyle. Some factors are crucial to any home décor plans and overlooking them could very well be a nightmare indeed! So you have kids or do you intend having kids in the near future? Do you have pets? Do you entertain a lot and if you do, is it mainly formal, corporate entertaining or just get-togethers with family and friends? What are your personal style preferences?

Once you have done that the rest will come easier to you. Choose to your style and not someone else’s; remember that it is you after all who has to live in the house. You have to feel comfortable in your own home and that is why you should always decorate to your own tastes and styles.

Some of the choices of kitchen décor styles to opt for include:

Traditional Country Style Kitchen

You could opt for a traditional country style kitchen. The kitchens of yesteryear filled with rooster décor, teapots, bakers rack and many other vintage collectibles. Using a country home décor within your kitchen will make it feel warm and inviting; a great place to spend time with the family. Lots of lovely extras such as an old wooden clock that depicts a picture of the country; enamel kitchenware, checked curtains on your windows and many other lovely country features give your kitchen a charming country style look.

French Style Kitchen

How about a French style kitchen with wrought iron wine racks filled with your favorite tipples, beautiful candles adorning the windowsills and some beautiful, delicate plants to add a little extra warmth. You could add French country posters to your wall hung in frames or you could have a wrought iron pot rack in the middle of the kitchen to really give it that French country style.

Shabby chic is making its way back into our home décor ideas and with good reason too. A distressed look to your furniture and collectibles is a great way to acquire a the shaggy look in your home. Remember though they have to look distressed not on their last legs! Your home will feel comfortable, warm and extremely inviting when you opt for shabby chic home décor! An antique chandelier always looks great in a shabby chic home décor plan as does a romantic plant stand or pot full of trailing and hanging plants.

There are many options available to the decorator wanting to update or go back in time with their home décor ideas. The best thing to do is to pick up a magazine detailing other people’s homes. You could lots of inspiration regarding your home.