This time it was at our usual beach barbecue when, from the corner of my eye, I caught the swoop of a gull as it plucked something out of the water just as I inhaled the pungent tang of sun burnt seaweed interlaced with the smoky sweetness of roasting meat, my toes curled graspingly at the sand, and my mouth full of rich chocolate cupcake.

I was instantly transported to a winter evening at a very rustic cabin in the mountains of Northern California. Clumps of snow would swoop from the roof on gusts of wind, the smell of burning pine wood in the fire place mixing with the aroma of roasting venison, my feet curled into the rough sisal rug in front of the fire and my mouth full of rich chocolate cake.

The rug was dyed a sea-blue, the pine wood floor was the pale yellow-with-reddish-brown-streaks of a beach and, with the lamb's wool blanket wrapped around me, I imagined then that there was a warm sea-breeze tickling my arms.

1. Keep it simple. As already mentioned, the furniture should be simple, easy to assemble and not very flashy. This adds to the calming effect because you do not need too much and the end result is easy and pleasant to do the eyes.

2. Do not add anything unnecessary, like more décor. No one likes a room that resembles a junkyard. Therefore, stick to the basics and list down what you will just need in your living room like chairs, table, or sofa.

3. Select simple design pieces. In creating a minimalist living room, it is best suggested to keep things simple like plain white, black or beige colors in sofa and other living room decor.

1. Never go to bed with dirty coffee cups or plates lying around.

2. Always sweep or vacuum your floor before going to bed or before going to work the first thing in the morning.

3. Declutter once a week.

4. Teach your kids some good cleaning habits like clearing up their toys after playing with them.

5. Try to have as many storage areas as possible so you do not have to worry about placing your stuff somewhere.

The entertainment room eliminated all other existing televisions in the house, which helped in saving electricity consumption and paying more bills. A good entertainment room does not have to be huge in space, but should be enough to accommodate the immediate family members during small gatherings or simply when you want to bond with your kids and wife/husband on a lazy weekend afternoon.

It is of best interest of the family if the entertainment room can house one flat screen TV, DVD player, a good sound system, and gaming stuff for kids. The goal is simple: create a place in your home where the family can gather, bond and have fun together. And of course, to make it even more convenient, make sure to select a good couch you can place and add some nice bean bags for the kids slouch in while viewing their favorite movies. And finally, do not forget to place some rugs on your flooring, whether shag rugs or a carpet rug to magnify the beauty of the room.

A new paint job

Color is usually the first thing people notice about a room, so it makes a sensible start for a makeover. A change in color can completely turn your room around even if you don’t change anything else. Most rooms can be fully repainted for under $500 and finished in four days or less.

However, a change too drastic can be hard to pull off. If you’re not sure how much you want to change, consider keeping your current color and choosing a lighter or darker shade. Bring out the color with contrasting hues in your area rugs, pillow cases, or curtains.

Contemporary area rugs

If you’re going for a trendy look, modern area rugs are the way to go. Today’s rugs are designed to catch the eye with their bold colors, unusual patterns, and avant-garde designs. Choose a bright color if your walls are plain or neutral. Pink area rugs and red area rugs are some of the most popular choices these days; they go particularly well with browns, blacks and grays. For a more festive look, spread some colorful braided area rugs or kids area rugs around the house.

Zen-style elements

More and more people are getting into Asian themes, and it’s easy to see why. The calm, open feel of Zen homes is a fresh change from the sleek lines of modern design. You don’t have to build an entire Zen garden to get the same effect. What you can do is introduce these elements in little accessories, such as window treatments and room dividers. Start by giving your floor a natural feel using bamboo area rugs, seagrass area rugs, or other natural weaves. You can also use these materials in decorative pieces or even your furniture.

Slip covers

Furniture tends to get dated fast, so you want to be able to update them anytime. The best way to do this is with slip covers. Unlike upholstery, slip covers can be removed and replaced as you wish, so you can change your furniture to match your changing tastes. You can buy them off the shelf or have them custom-made—either is cheaper than upholstery. Have a supply of basic colors and designs, and some “fancy” ones for special occasions.

New accessories

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference. If old paintings or drapes have lost their effect, put them away and replace them with a fresh new piece. Go for something that works with your décor theme. If your room is large and opulent, oriental area rugs can replace those old wall-to-wall carpets.

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.

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.

Here are a few ideas to get you on your way to a brand new look, without having to stretch your budget to the maximum:

Add Splashes of Color with Pillows, Bright Curtains and Area Rugs

1. Toss a couple of throw pillows of contrasting colors onto your neutral colored couch. Not only do throw pillows come in a wide palette of colors, they also come in an endless array of sizes and textures. Using one or two smaller pillows of the same color and one large pillow of a contrasting color adds a whole lot of punch to an otherwise boring sofa.
2. Instead of using blinds for decorating your windows why not hang pretty curtains that tie back, framing the view of the outdoors. Curtains come in a variety of textures and colors to choose from. Just choosing curtains in a color that contrasts with your regular color scheme will add dramatic interest and make a world of a difference to every room.
3. Whether your floor is carpeted, tiled, cement or hardwood, area rugs may be just what you need to bring out the rest of the colors in your rooms. Contemporary area rugs in green, blue, orange or yellow can brighten up your living room in an instant whereas bamboo area rugs and seagrass area rugs can transform your living room into a tropical paradise. Brightly colored kids area rugs will not only add color to your kid’s room but will also provide them with a place to wrestle and a place to nestle.

Add One or Two items for Interest Value

• A piece of retro furniture such as a coffee table either from or made to look like it is from the 60’s or an unusual lamp stand with an antique-looking lamp placed in a corner can enhance the décor instantly.
• Sculptures or pottery of different shapes and sizes strewn in different corners in groups depending on their theme make for interesting conversation pieces. For added effect, place your pottery groups on beige, white or black area rugs.

Add or take away Lighting

Lighting makes all the difference to the look of a room. A room where the lighting is stark and way too bright will make everything in the room look sterile and stark. On the other hand, a room that is dark and dreary can look like a cave.

Lighting can make or break a stunningly decorated space. Use bulbs that diffuse a warm glow for the best effect. Add a lamp in one corner of your living room to make that one great piece of art or furniture stand out.

Decorating on a budget sometimes means changing one thing at a time. Each one of these décor elements offers a dramatic change without putting you into debt.

Rugs play a central role in southwestern design, along with other room fabrics like curtains and pillow covers. Today’s area rugs make it even easier to work into different themes, as they offer lots of variety in color, pattern, style and texture. And since they’re not permanent, you can move them around or mix them up until you find one that fits with your southwestern theme. No matter what your budget, lifestyle or personal tastes are, you’re sure to find the right southwestern rug. Here’s a quick buying guide to help you out.

Go for vibrant colors.

Southwestern colors are inspired by the colors of the desert and sunset. Red, yellow, orange, coral, and other warm colors often take center stage. But since these colors can be overpowering, modern designers use cooler like green, purple, and turquoise to balance it out. A good southwestern color scheme should have take one or two from both sides, with one as the primary color and the other serving as an accent.

The same rules apply to southwestern area rugs. Take your main color and look for a rug that either matches or contrasts with it. If you’re going for turquoise walls, for example, a rug in bright orange or blazing red provides a bold yet stylish contrast. On the other hand, a purple or green rug will carry the “cool” color theme well and create a smoother, more seamless look. The latter usually works for smaller spaces, as it helps extend the line of view beyond the walls.

Choose simple geometric prints.

Some patterns are immediately associated with the southwestern look: diamond chains, cactus prints, simple stripes and gradients. But southwestern rugs come in numerous other prints, and all of them can work just as well in your home. It’s really a matter of what looks good with your other design elements. You may not even need a patterned piece; if you already have lots of prints in the room, you may be better off with a solid-colored rug.

You can also go for something simple, such as the Dynamic Rugs Serenity 1004 red area rug. Featuring thick stripes and a gradient design, it combines vibrant reds and oranges with more mellow cream and beige, yet still maintains a smooth, unified look. The simplicity of the pattern also makes it suitable for contemporary homes that need a warm southwestern touch. Put it somewhere visible, such as a hallway or the middle of the living room, where the colors can be equally appreciated.

Stick to natural materials.

Southwestern décor is much like the country theme in that both lean heavily towards simple, natural materials. Wood and rattan are especially favored in southwestern homes, as they provide a sense of stability and structure while keeping with the home’s warm, welcoming feel. For your area rug, choose a natural fiber such as bamboo, jute or seagrass. Wool and cotton also work well, especially if you have plain wood floors that could use a bit of softness.

If your home gets a lot of foot traffic, consider investing in sisal area rugs. Sisal comes from the fibers of the agave plant, a type of cactus native to Mexico, Brazil and Africa. It’s the same material used for dartboards and heavy twine. Sisal rugs are extremely hard-wearing and require little to no chemical treatment, so they’re very environmentally friendly. They also have a smooth, sleek look that contrasts nicely with the soft surfaces commonly seen in southwestern homes.

Look for unique shapes and sizes.

Rectangular rugs may be traditional, but they’re definitely not your only choice. In fact, shaped rugs are practically tailor-made for southwestern décor: with their soft curves and subtle appeal, they make the perfect complement to the strong colors and patterns in the rest of the room. Some of the most popular shapes for southwestern rugs are round, oval, and octagonal.

Oval braided area rugs fit particularly well into the theme because of their bright color combinations. Often associated with country décor, braided rugs have a light, casual look that nevertheless grabs attention and brightens up the room. You can use them in doorways as a welcome mat, by your furniture, or in front of the fireplace where it can serve as a focal point.

Some of the most typical sorts of flooring are carpet, resilient floor, hardwood, laminate and ceramic tile. There are plenty of different colors, styles and looks inside each type of flooring. As an example, carpet can come in berber or loop pile, cut pile, frieze, cut/uncut and patterned. Carpet is also made out of a number of materials like polyester, olefin, nylon, polypropylene or a mix. Each style and material have different benefits. Some styles like berber tend to resist traffic wear better than your standard cut pile. A nylon carpet wears better, but polyesters tend to clean better.

Adaptable floors or more commonly known as sheet vinyl can also come in various styles and materials. You can get better quality vinyls that have awfully detailed textures and colours to mimic the look of ceramic tile or you can select to save cash and go with a lesser quality floor. Fiber glass sheet flooring has become a very popular alternative choiceto sheet vinyl due to its softer surface, hotter nature and its capability to be installed with or without glue (loose lay). Fiberglass can also be employed in areas that donot have adequate heat, which is a unsuitable environment for sheet vinyl.

Hardwoods can come in numerous different species and stains, as well as quality. You will find hardwood in wider boards like a 5' or smaller like the commoner 2 1/4' wide plank. A great look for a county home would be the new hand-scraped looks. Bamboo has become a new favored sort of wood flooring as it is awfully hard and is environmentally friendly, since bamboo replenishes itself inside 10 years. Using area rugs over your hardwood is a great look for most homes.

Laminate is a wood alternative flooring that will come in popular wood looks as well as some tile designs. Laminate is superb for installing a wood look floor in an area thatis not OK for real hardwood like in a basement, since it's a floating flooring ( not nailed or stuck down ).

Ceramic or porcelain tile is superb for kitchens, baths, three season porches and truly anywhere that might get water on the floor. Tile can also come in more shocking materials like granite or marble.

Whatever flooring you select for your house, ensure that it will coordinate well with the design of your house. Choose colors and materials which will flow well with your selection of decor in the selected room as well as any adjacent rooms. A new floor can make aworld of difference in your house and make you feel like you have done a complete renovation with just a straightforward flooring change.