Today Is A New Day!

What does that mean?? Well, today can be the first day that you declare your financial independence.

I know, this is not about home decorating ideas. But it's all about you, and your opportunity to change the direction of your life in terms of your financial future.

Do you enjoy this blog and my website, Great Home Decorating? It's the result of two years of hard work that is now generating a comfortable monthly income for me. Not only am I creating content in an industry that I love, I'm also earning an income.

You can, too. And right now, until July 4th 2011, you can get an even better deal with SBI.

So, today is a new day! Will you embrace the opportunity?

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Furniture for Small Spaces

Furniture for small spaces can be a challenge, whether it is a home, apartment, condo or any small space. It's easy to look into a small room, space or home and think you'll never be able to live comfortably, particularly if downsizing from a larger home.

No worries! Learn how to plan effectively, choose wisely and place pieces for maximum use, style and enjoyment.

First, plan effectively. Simply stated, you need to think about how each room or space in your home will be used, in order to place the furniture for your small space most effectively,

Write down the function of each room, and note if this space will be multi-purpose. For example, you may plan to use the dining area for eating and also allocate some space for a home office. Or, you may decide to use a room as a den/guest bedroom/home office.

Your second goal is to choose wisely with furniture and accessories. There are two major considerations. One is size and the other is function.

Let's say that you are going to select furniture for the living area. The list you created states that this room will be used for reading and relaxing, watching television and some entertaining.

You've answered the 'function' part of the equation. Now, how about size?
When we consider the size of the pieces that will be placed in this room, we'll also think about the third step, which is effective placement of those pieces.

Read more details about the plan and selection process for furniture for small spaces.  

 

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Decorating a New Home

Decorating a new home interior may seem like an awesome and overwhelming task. Here are some ideas and tips to help you plan, organize and create a beautiful home that fits your budget and lifestyle.

Congratulations, you have a new home. For most, that means the interior walls are some version of white throughout, flooring may be varying shades of neutral...you know, safe choices. So what do you do to create a warm, welcoming and expressive decor? Take a deep breath and realize that you can create a plan that will make the new home decorating process relatively stress free.

Your new home is a blank canvas waiting for you to create something beautiful. Homes that just seem to flow and look great always have something in common: a consistent color palette. 

Your decision will most likely be based on your preferences, your existing furnishings, if any, and your decorating style. Learn more about decorating color schemes
 
Once you have decided upon the three colors (there can be more, but don’t get too carried away) that will form the foundation of your home’s color palette, the next step is to decide where those colors will go.

Wall color always seems to be a difficult decision. With a new home in particular, you might be most satisfied with a soft, subtle color on the walls of the largest rooms, at least to start with. You can always re-evaluate after spending some time in the home, change colors, go a shade or two deeper, or paint an accent wall. 

Continue reading about decorating a new home

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Decorating With Color - Paint Selection

Decorating with color looks so simple and easy when you are watching a home improvement program on television. A home makeover project is in progress and the decision is made to do some interior painting. Then, just like magic, there is a beautiful new color on the walls of the room. Everyone is smiling, the room looks great, and gosh, it only took a couple of seconds for the transformation!

 Things like this only happen on television or to other people, not to you. I know, my life is never that simple or easy, either. However, decorating with color and selecting a paint color for an interior space in your home doesn't have to be an agonizing process.
 
There are some steps you can take to help you make a good decision when selecting a wall color and, therefore, become one of those happy, smiling people when the project is complete!

When decorating with color, think about how you want to change the look of the room or space. Do you want to add some drama to the area? Look at some deeper or brighter shades of colors. Or, you might be most happy and comfortable with a more subtle overall look to your space.
In that case, keep the colors more neutral; consider a shade of off-white (there are hundreds of choices).

Remember that a paint chip is a teeny, tiny little piece of color. It looks more intense when you put it on your very large walls. You might want to start with a shade that is less intense on the paint chip and test how it will appear on the walls.

Are you going to introduce a new color to the area, or do you plan to use a color that is already in the room? If you are thinking about a new and different color, make sure it will enhance the color scheme that is currently in the room. Your furniture and accessories should have new life and interest with the addition of a new color. Another great technique is to work with an existing color in the room and play it up on the walls by selecting a lighter or darker shade of that color.

It is always a wise decision to test your potential color choices before painting the entire room. Purchase paint samples if possible, or a quart if necessary, and prepare a color board. It's very simple. Just take a white poster board and put two coats of paint on it. You'll then have a good idea of the actual color.  

Read all the details about Decorating With Color

'Til next time,
Candi 

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My Design Closet

If you're considering a kitchen remodel, here are some current trends for you to keep in mind as you create a space to fit your lifestyle.

The trend today is toward larger kitchens, even though homes themselves are getting smaller. Homeowners are consolidating barely used dining rooms and other potentially wasted space to create a comfortable and multifunctional kitchen area.

Features such as large pantries, recycling areas, dual islands equipped with prepping sinks and additional cabinets and drawers are high on the list of today's kitchen remodellers.

Most homeowners will agree that a comfortable space created for a bit of  rest, relaxation and respite will also be a part of the remodel equation, so think about an area for snacks, homework, laptop, etc.

Incorporate some of these tips along with the traditional kitchen 'must-haves' and create a space that is unique to you and your family.

What's in your design closet?

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Cottage Chic Anyone?

Cottage Chic decorating ideas for your comfortable, casual home. Create a relaxed, welcoming space combining vintage finds with new pieces. It is a style that offers versatility and is easy on the budget!

How do you define this decor? Here’s my take on the style. Think of shabby chic, then remove the crystal and add some bolder color. Next, visualize country cottage taken up a notch or two in style. Keep the overall look clean and uncluttered, and there you have it...Cottage Chic!

How do you create this look? Here are  some  Cottage Chic Ideas for you that will apply to any room or space in your home

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Small Home Office Design Ideas

4th in a series on Home Office

Many people have the desire and the need for home office space, but just don’t have the square footage available for a room set aside for this purpose.
No worries! Take these small home office design ideas and tips and incorporate the best for your particular setting, budget and usage needs.

Find the most practical space in your home for your small home office:


1) A closet - walk in or otherwise
2) A nook, or inset area created by built in bookshelves, for example. 
3) A corner of a room or space
4) Any area that you can carve out of an existing room

• Keep the size of the desk, files, shelves, etc. consistent with the size of the space you are working with. I know it sounds obvious, but do your homework to measure carefully and visualize the results before making purchases.
• Use shelving, bookcases and other similar types of storage to use as much height as practical for your home office supplies and equipment.

Keep organization and minimal clutter as your two top priorities. If you don’t use something regularly, it doesn’t need to be within arm’s reach.

Read more about Small Home Office Design Ideas

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