Monday, August 25, 2008

Home Decor - What Does Yours Say About You?

by Tess Tackett

Home decor styles are so widely varied - from elegant to country and everything in between. Some people don't really have a certain style, they just have an eclectic mixture of it all. Others want every single piece to match, down to the last little detail.

What style of home decor do you prefer? People have such varied tastes. What may be absolutely gorgeous to one person may not be attractive at all to another. The only thing that truly matters is if you are comfortable in your own home. Here is some information on popular home decor styles and the kind of atmosphere they convey.

Shabby chic is an extremely popular choice, and is very airy and romantic. The colors for this type of home decor are usually pale and muted, from off white and dusty mauve to a pale celery green. This choice for home decor is often chosen by women who are not married, and is very feminine looking.

Asian decor is bold and exciting! Black and red mixed with gold are very common colors for this style of home decor. Clean lines and heavy pieces are often associated with asian decor. Many people have a bold ceramic tile floor that may be done with touches of red or black. Not for the timid, this style is very distinguished.

Country decor is a constant favorite, especially in the south. With bright colors such as yellow and red, many people use sunflowers, roosters, and cows when decorating in this style of home decor. Country blue and rust are also commonly used. This type of decor provides a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Western decor seems to be an all time favorite! Giving the feeling of wide open spaces, western home decor often has an abundance of wood accents. Wooden floors and exposed wooden beams are common in western decor. Wrought iron candle holders, western figurines and wall accents such as wagon wheels are often used in this type of home decor.

These are just a few examples of the many styles of home decor. Of course there are many others such as elegant, southwestern and contemporary. Everyone has their own personal choice for what they enjoy and want their home to convey.

No matter what your style, you should always choose what you love - after all, it IS your home! Choosing the right home decor theme is important, as your home is the first impression you give your visitors.


About the Author

What type of home decor do you love? You can find it all at the lowest prices available at All About Home Decor!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Feng Shui Color Tips for your Home

So you have moved into a new home and you are figuring out how to decorate. You have heard of the concept of Feng Shui and want to give it a whirl, but you don't really understand it?

Well, simply put, Feng Shui is using color and light, combined with the concept of the "Five Elements" to create a harmonious living space. Are you thinking, "color and light, I understand, but what in the world are the 'Five Elements'?"




The "Five Elements" are "Fire, Water, Earth, Metal, and Wood." Each of these elements has unique characteristics and interacts with each other in either positive or negative ways. For example, "Water" interacts with "Fire" by killing it or putting it out. That would be a negative or destructive interaction. Therefore, you would not want to put the colors associated with "Fire" and "Water" together in the same location, for one would be destroying the other and creating bad Feng Shui for the area concerned.

What are the colors of "Fire" and "Water?" "Fire" colors are purple, red, pink and orange; "Water" colors are blue, grey and black. For harmony and balance, it is generally accepted that the "Fire" part of the house should be on the South side, so in the Southern part, one would not want to combine Purple and orange with blue or black.

"Wood" colors are green and brown, and green is associated with renewal and fresh start. As such it assists one with health and family relationships. Due to its positive qualities, green is best used frequently in many areas of the harmonious home. Plants are the easiest way to get green into the environment, and the more shades of green, the better.

"Earth's" major color is brown, and brown and green get along well with each other. They have positive interaction. And because of the nature of "Earth," it generates all things in life; therefore, adding "Green" to the Earth "Brown" can help facilitate many life forms or opportunities, so to speak. Besides "Wood," "Water" also get along well with "Wood;" which makes wood grow. Also, blue and brown are nice color palettes to join forces together.

"Metal" colors are white and gray: white can go anywhere in the house, as it represents clarity, purity, and innocence. Bring in white accents or choose an all-white spa-bathroom for an elegant and balanced peace in the mind.

It is of utmost importance that colors of the "Five Elements" are to be used with one big caution in mind, which is that they all have to look good when in use. When these colors look good being where they are, they help to create a very strong pattern of harmonious energies that are very easily picked up by any life forms. Therefore, the influence of the color vibrations has very solid effect and thus must be taken seriously.

One of the most important Feng Shui secrets among all others is to make sure to not use the "Fire" colors together with the #5 Yellow Star which is to stand for negativity of all kinds, and if this Yellow Star is lit up with the "Fire" colors then all the negative experiences will find their way into the house and the effects can be very damaging most of the times.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Lamp Berger Air Purifier

Lamp Berger air purifiers, or fragrance oil lamps, are one of the hottest and newest trends in aromatherapy and home fragrance today. But, fragrance lamps are not actually a new product.

Known as Lamp Berger, perfume lamps or effusion lamps, these scented oil lamps were first used in the mid 1800's. Using a catalytic combustion process to purify the air, destroy odors and kill bacteria, they also add fragrance to the air of your rooms.

Fragrance oil lamps fill the air with your favorite scent of essential oil. They are quite decorative, usually with a beautiful collar or cap on top of a lovely glass base.
These fragrance lamps are not only a nice decorative accent piece for use anywhere in the house, but they eliminate odors and perfume the air, as well.


You can find these fragrance lamps in many sizes, shapes and colors at www.ConiArtGlass.com for about $29.99 plus shipping. Each lamp comes with complete step by step instructions for use, stone wick, vent cap, snuffer, funnel, and individual glossy gift box.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Cool Dorm Rooms!

Dorm decorating on a budget doesn't mean you won't have a cool room.

Decorating a dorm room is one thing, but decorating a dorm room while on a tight budget is another. As a student, you already have many expenses to worry about such as tuition, your books, various school fees, not to mention leisure activities. But that doesn't mean that your dorm room should suffer. college dorm necessities

Decorating your dorm room doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg. All it takes is some creativity to make your dorm room look like a million in no time. Below are some tips for decorating a dorm room while on a budget, including college dorm necessities.

  1. One way to minimize unnecessary expenses is to “borrow” or take what you can from your room at home. Normally, your parents won't mind “lending” you some of the less-frequently used items in your house. Take old picture frames, carpets, rugs and even small appliances.
  2. Decorate a dorm room with inexpensive but tasteful posters. You don’t even have to frame these posters. All you need is some type of adhesive tape and you can decorate your dorm walls. The wonderful thing about posters is the many designs and kinds from which to choose: a poster of your favorite band, movie or even your dream car.
  3. Memorabilia like pictures, postcards, concert tickets, etc. can be used as decorations for your dorm room. The best thing about memorabilia is that it consists of items that you have collected over time that are meaningful and are priceless mementos of the past. Arrange your memorabilia in a creative manner on a corkboard.
  4. Don’t expect to completely decorate your dorm immediately after moving in. Buying the decorations you want all at once will take a toll on your budget so buy little things for your dorm room a few at a time when the budget allows.
  5. In furnishing your dorm room, remember that ready-to-assemble furniture is less expensive than ready-made. This furniture is ideal for dorm rooms because it can easily be transported from one place to another.
  6. Purchase needed hardware items like nails, nuts and bolts, duct tape, etc. from stores like Wal-Mart. These stores offer affordable prices for items that can be bought in bulk.
The most important thing to remember when decorating your dorm room is to have fun.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Fun DIY Videos

Here are some fun DIY videos that just may help you with your next project. If you have a project that you would like more help with, do a search on Google for videos. You'll be surprised at the scope and range of good "how-to" videos are available. They'll walk you through your home repair, or diy project, step-by-step. And, many are quite fun! So get started now.



Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Inexpensive Home Decorating Ideas - South Beach Style

Inexpensive Home Decorating Ideas - South Beach Style

Home decorating is not something that requires a vast fortune in order to achieve the look you want. Nor is it something that you must complete all at once. The ideal way to decorate your home spaces is one step at a time, one room at a time. The process will be much less stressful, much more enjoyable, and imminently more affordable. Start small then work your way up to the big items or projects.

Painting a room is one of the least expensive things you can do, and it will often have the most immediate and profound impact on the overall look and feel of the space in question. Select your paint colors and paint the walls first. In this way you have a background for the space that you can work with when you select other items for the room. More importantly, paint is something that the average person is capable of doing on their own rather than being forced to hire experts in order to get it done. Any home improvement project that you can do yourself will save more money than you can imagine along the way.

Once you've changed your wall colors, look at your window treatments. Do they need to be changed or updated? Roman shades are an excellent choice as they are rather simple to make (which would leave you only the cost of the fabric and supplies), however they are not the only option. Personally I prefer mini blinds or shutters to achieve the breezy South Beach style that we enjoy here on Miami Beach. They the rooms appear uncluttered, and airy. Depending on your individual style, whether the room is more formal (drapes are best for the most formal settings), or more casual, you will be the best judge of what type of window treatment will be bests. Curtains, Roman shades, and mini blinds can be purchased to match the colors on your walls and should not be a terribly expensive investment.

Flooring has in the past often been out of reach of those seeking to casually improve the look of a room. New technology and materials have made new flooring a valid option even for those who are on seriously limited home decorating budgets. Laminates are a good option for those who love the look of hardwood but cannot afford the expense of materials and/or labor for these floors in their homes. We like bamboo laminates. These floating floors can often be installed by even those with limited skills and make a very noticeable change in the look and feel of a room. Peel and stick tiles are another option for those whose budgets will not accommodate laminate flooring. Check out the options and the prices at your local home improvement store. You just might be amazed at what you can afford.

While new furniture can be expensive, try adding just one quality piece at a time. Or visit your local consignment furniture store. They often have furniture that is very lightly used, or may not have been used at all, at deep discounts to the furniture stores. If you are good at fixing things, you may find some good options at second-hand or used furniture stores. These items may need just a coat of paint, or other small repair, but can change the look of your room drastically.

Mirrors are excellent objects to use when decorating a home. More importantly, they tend to bee rather inexpensive. Mirrors also lend the appearance of a much more wide-open space. If you have a fire place, strategically located mirrors can spread the warmth and coziness (if not the heat) of a fire throughout the room making the room as a whole seem like a much more enjoyable place to escape the winter "blahs". We use mirrors to bring the ocean and beachscape inside. They are also good tools for bringing more light into darker corners.

Artwork, candles, vases, and floral arrangements can be purchased one piece at a time in order to give the room a more polished look. Once you've decorated one room in your home with these budget tips in mind you can move on to other rooms in your home and incorporate the same ideals as you go. Remember that decorating your home doesn't have to cost a fortune but it will require some patience and planning on your part. With this in mind, there should be nothing to stop you from heading out today and getting to work on your new home decorating plans.