Is your home decor drab or lacking in color?  This House Beautiful article is here to save the day! Conquer your fear of color with these tips for home decorating.  Spruce up your bathroom design with a splash of brightness by incorporating colorful bathroom accessories or switching up your bathroom wall color.  Break out of your shell and be adventurous with your decor in all areas of your home by implementing some or all of these tips.
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Whether you want orange in the entry or blue in the bathroom, here are some of our best tips to brighten your home.

Start Small

If you’re afraid to go bold, try starting in the smallest room. It’s not as much of a commitment, plus you’ll spend less time and money. This tiny — but cheery — bath in a New Jersey home makes a strong statement. “Powder rooms are places where you can gild the lily. We used a loud geometric in a bright ocean blue to give it a slightly over-the-top feeling,” says designer Mona Ross Berman. Wallpaper is Recessed from Studio Printworks.

Temper Hot Colors With Cool Ones

Because orange can be too intense on its own, Berman added blue accents in the mudroom. “It’s such a welcoming color. Orange feels like a younger, fresher version of red,” she says. “But it can be a hot color, and I needed a little bit of cool as balance, to cut through the heat.” Wall color is Benjamin Moore’s Fresno. Anchor pillow by Jonathan Adler.

Balance Glossy and Matte Surfaces

In this Beverly Hills living room, designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard choose Jean de Merry slipper chairs in Schumacher Sargent Blush silk taffeta. “Silk enriches every hue,” he says. For every glittering color, however, there has to be a matte one to offset it: “You must balance the ethereal with the earth.”

It’s Okay to Mismatch

For the kitchen of a Missouri lake house, designer Rhoda Burley Payne’s client choose a pistachio Aga range. Unsure what to do with the cabinets, Payne decided to paint them in a similar color. “We did them in a green that blended, but didn’t match.” Subtle differences in hues make for a more sophisticated palette. The cabinets are in Benjamin Moore’s Everglades, thinned to a stain so that the grain of the pine shows through. Wall tiles are by Flores Grandes.

Keep Pink in Check

To create a modern living room for a Capitol Hill row house, designer Barry Dixon choose a pink and brown palette. “It’s both masculine and feminine. They set each other off,” he says. The dark browns keep the pinks from appearing too frothy. The French Club Chairs are by Niermann Weeks and a Tuscany ottoman is by Stewart Furniture. Bell lantern by Chameleon.

Choose One Color, But Use Many Hues

Creating an idyllic bath for a Long Island home, designer DD Allen choose a blue palette but did not limit herself to one shade. The custom watery blue of the polished Venetian plaster walls picks up the blue in the floor tiles. Waterworks Classic Undermount tub. Venetian Plaster by JJ Snyder Studio. Architecture by Michael Pierce.

Add Contrast to a Neutral Palette

To make the master bedroom of this Alabama home more dynamic, designer Betsy Brown choose bright white bedding and a white lampshade. “A room of creams and beiges needs something stark and shiny white. You have to interject elements that add intense personality,” says Brown. Walls are Rockport Gray by Benjamin Moore. Saber Leg ottoman by Formations. Cashmere blanket from Suite Dreams.

Source: House Beautiful

Now that it’s autumn, it’s time to consider revamping your home decor style.  The latest fall trends are in and a rustic-refined mix seems to be the latest hit for the season according to this Detroit News article. These latest fall trends can spruce up your home decor, especially within the bathroom. Enhance your bathroom design with some rustic or nature-inspired bathroom accessories and you will be set  for the season with a fabulously decorated bathroom.
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The change of seasons is a good time to gauge what’s happening in the world of home decor, especially if your surroundings could use a little boost. Jackie Schwartz, owner of Home Interior Warehouse — Furniture and Design in Walled Lake, shares some hot options for the home this fall.

“There is a significant trend of mixing rustic and refined furniture and accessories in a room,” says Schwartz, whose store is celebrating its 21st anniversary in October. For instance, you might pair a classic sofa silhouette with rustic tables that are family-friendly.

More distressed looks are in but paired with sophisticated, dressier accessories such as mirrored pieces, beautiful pillows and even antique mirrors. Even light fixtures are mixed.

“We are seeing very casual iron-look lighting fixtures adorned with crystals,” Schwartz says. French-inspired accessories, such as pillows with French writing, are popular this season. “We are seeing more artifact-inspired accessories. There is a focus on anything worn and weathered with a little glitz mixed in,” she says.

Nature-inspired accessories, specifically botanicals and birds, are another hit.

Neutrals with grey and taupe are very strong. “Grey is the new brown in home decor,” Schwartz says. “If your personal style calls for color … it’s all about red.”

The key to remember is that a little red goes a long way and the hues can be mixed. Anything from wine shades to plum and lipstick red work well for accessories, accent pieces and accent walls.

“Red makes such a strong impact,” Schwartz says. “Even in a neutral palette, adding a few red accents can create a sense of warmth.”

For instance, even a bland piece of furniture flanked by red lacquer urns will make the room come alive.

For faux floral arrangements, it’s all about being natural. “We love the variety of high-quality silk flowers that are botanically correct,” she says. “Single elements in a vase are popular now vs. a traditional bouquet. Clean, simple and dramatic use of one kind of flower is popular, too.”

When it comes to patterns, anything animal print continues to be strong. Schwartz has seen a rise in demand for woods. “Hardwood flooring is more mainstream; it’s available at every price point,” she says. “People are paying more attention to their floors and walls as a backdrop for their furnishings and accessories.”

For the full Detroit News full article click here.

Don’t fret if you have a small living space, this eHow article is just for you!  No matter the size of your walls and rooms, this article teaches you everything you need to know about home decor ideas for small areas.  Learn how to be more efficient with the space that you have and decorate it accordingly.  You can also apply these ideas to your bathroom decor.  Whether your bathroom is large or small, there’s plenty of different bathroom decor ideas that you can incorporate into your bathroom design. Embrace the following decor ideas for small spaces to revamp your home and bathroom today!
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Small spaces create challenges for those living in them. People worry about small spaces feeling cramped, but the trick to making a small space warm and inviting begins with careful consideration of the walls. Knowing the right colors for the walls, utilizing as much as possible of the available space, and following a sense of boldness in the decor can actually make decorating a small space fun and rewarding.

Colors

While it is true that lighter colors can make spaces feel larger, it isn’t necessary to paint a small room solid white. In fact, using a variety of colors and textures on your walls can liven up your place and give it extra charm. You can layer colors by using different shades of the same color for a sense of variety.

Use paint or wallpaper to add decorative elements to your walls. Horizontal stripes force the eye to observe the length of the room, making it appear larger.

Choose one wall and paint it a color that draws from another piece in your décor, suggests Home and Garden Television. This color connection will give the space a sense of harmony.

Boldness

Small living doesn’t need to be too safe. If you have a favorite piece of artwork, display it. The most important thing to remember when decorating is keeping things to scale. When working with walls, look at the objects in your room as well as your windows. Use artwork that isn’t so large that it overwhelms a room. Similarly, don’t use pieces that are so small, they look like miniatures rather than art you wish to proudly display. Use collections to make different areas in the room feel unified.

Mirrors are nice additions to small rooms because they visually enlarge spaces. One way to make any room feel larger is to line the wall opposite a window with mirrors, says House Beautiful.

Efficiency

Small spaces demand you think efficiently when decorating, and this includes what you put on your walls. Use pieces that offer you double usage. Shelves are not just useful; they are decorative if you use them for displaying items as well as books. They are also versatile, in that you can place them high on a wall and make use of otherwise unused space. Floating shelves replace small tables that can take up space. Don’t forget shelves that fit above doors and below windows to help you keep things organized.

Hanging storage areas are also winners in small spaces, as they can be decorative and functional.

Source:  eHow

Now that the summer is nearly over it’s time to start thinking about your home décor.  The time has come to start replacing your summer decor with autumn decorations and accessories. This freshome article is full of great autumn decorating ideas that can be used throughout your entire home.  Remember to also change up your bathroom decor by adding a fall themed shower curtain, autumn colored bath mats, and seasonal bathroom accessories like soap dispensers and tooth brush holders.
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The return of cooler temperatures, fall colors, and nature changing before our eyes is all the evidence we need that autumn is officially here.  Adding autumn touches of décor to your home will help you transition into the new season with excitement of the passing of the year. From the exterior to the interior of your home, fall décor colors can be rich and robust or subtle and subdued.  Choose your style and see how these 15 decorating tip and ideas will make you want to jump into a pile of leaves to celebrate autumn!

1.) Display artwork that depicts fall themes/colors: In your front foyer or located on a predominate wall; fall artwork can change the mood in your home instantly.  Consider nature themes with fall colors in oranges, rusts, and golden yellows. If you prefer more abstract art, oil paintings with browns, reds, and burnt umber will make a statement without being obvious.

2.) Dining room table centerpieces/settings can welcome in fall: Depending on if you want to go formal or casual for your table, choose colors that reflect your home décor and the season.  Consider using red and yellow apples for an informal organic and edible centerpiece.  Remember, the centerpiece doesn’t have to be stagnant, add or detract from it throughout the season for added visual interest.  For more formality consider place settings and table linen that has hints of fall colors and themes.

3.) Dress up your front porch with fall inspiration: Use tall corn stalks, raffia, or straw to wrap around entry porch columns and mailboxes. Use thick colored ribbon in deep oranges and browns to contrast with the straw. Carry these same materials into lanyards or garlands around your front door and entry.

4.) Use your fireplace to showcase seasonal décor: Your fireplace mantel has been waiting for this season! Whether you look in your yard, or you travel to an arts and crafts store, dried leaves and pine cones make great décor. Small pumpkins, gourds or dried leaf vines, and colorful candles will brighten your mantle and spirits.

5.) Cooler temperatures mean cozy sitting areas: As the temperatures begin to fall, bring out the fall colored throw blankets to place on couches or in adjacent baskets. Complimenting fall colored throw pillows will complete any cozy nook for you cuddle up and enjoy a good book.

6.) Bring the aromas of fall into your home: Fall decor can be visual but it also involve your other senses like smell.  Pumpkin pies, cinnamon apple cider, and first burning of your fireplace are all welcome aromatic ways to make your home feel full of autumn inspiration. Consider using  candles, incense, or boil a pot of spices – cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg to instantly transport your home into fall mode.

7.) Use your imagination with fall D.I.Y. projects: Fall is the perfect time to visit home improvement stores and arts and crafts stores for inspiration. Look for workshops and home decorating tips being offered for free at these locations.  Fall decorating cable television programs on home improvement networks are also a good resource for grabbing inspiration.

8.) Fill jars with seasonal colored items: For simple and inexpensive display items, fill mason jars or decorative glass jars with candy corn, or other colorful novelty items.  Try filling various sizes with colorful dried beans, or healthy after school snacks for the kids.  Décor can be functional and beautiful!

9.) Welcome guests with a beautiful autumn wreath at your front door: Simple grapevine wreaths are gorgeous on their own.  If you prefer more adornment consider adding pine cones, leaves, berries and corn husks to your wreath.  If you have a large home with many windows that face the entry of your home, consider placing matching wreaths hung from these windows as well.

10.) Bring fall to the exterior of your home with light: Luminaries are not just for the winter holiday season, they are perfect for fall too as the sun starts to set earlier in the afternoon. Battery powered candles placed inside paper bags with sand in the bottom, makes perfect luminaries.  For the traditional type, place candles inside bags and light individually at dusk.

11.) Change slipcovers over furniture for simple color change: Colorful slipcovers can quickly and inexpensively add color to any room.  Slipcovers can be formal or casual depending on the weight of the fabric and color. Decide on which fits your décor, and consider formal dining room chair slipcovers, as well.

12.) Alternate accessories in individual rooms: Add fall colors to every room in your house by changing throw pillows, area rugs, bed and bath linen to fall colors that blend with your décor. Try grouping small pumpkins on a kitchen counter top to add instant color and fall inspiration to an ordinarily boring counter top.

13.) Start preparing for Halloween: Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, the colors and symbols can be incorporated in your home decor inside and out. Use pumpkins and  shades of orange and black throughout your home to get ready for this holiday in October.  If you opt out of the scary Halloween theme, throw a festive ‘welcoming autumn’ party to have neighbors and kids welcome in the passing of the seasons.

14.) Plan fall activities with family: The fall is a great time to celebrate homecomings for school sports, attend sporting events and pick apples in orchards! Involve your family and enjoy the outdoors before the cold winter creeps up on us!

15.) Hang heavier drapery and curtains: Now that the cooler temperatures are settling in, prepare your home by switching out the lighter fabrics for heavier ones.  Deeper colors and heavier fabrics will feel warmer and hold more air out of the room.  Changing to fall shades to match your decor will bring instant color from floor to ceiling.

Enjoy the fall with these 15 decor tips and ideas.  Bring in warmth and enjoy your home before it is bustling with activity for the winter holiday!

Source: freshome

Wishing that you had larger rooms in your home?  Some people may feel limited in their home decor options when it comes to small rooms, but that does not have to be the case!  Whether your living room, bedroom, or bathroom is smaller than average, there are plenty of decor ideas available out there.  For example, in a small bathroom, you should minimize as much clutter as possible.  Your bathroom design and decor should follow a certain theme and remember that dark colors make any room look small.  Follow these Decorating Sense decorating tips and you will be on your way to finding small room decor success in no time!
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Whether you live in an apartment, sold your house for a condo in the city or simply have smaller rooms in your home, decorating areas with limited space can be a challenge. But by following some simple rules, you can easily utilize the space you have while still projecting your personal style.

“Small rooms are not lost space,” comments Shari Kagermeier, academic director of interior design, The Art Institutes International Minnesota. “Planning ahead ensures the room is functional and utilizes organizational elements that can cut the clutter to create a clean look that makes the space appear larger.”

Here are some ideas to consider when decorating a small room:

Plan Ahead

Think about what function you want the room to have. Will it be a guest bedroom, an office, a reading den or an exercise room? Once you determine how the room can function, you can start deciding on furniture and other decorative elements.

Cut Clutter

Nothing makes a small room look smaller than clutter. A wall full of pictures or tables full of magazines give the visual effect that the room can’t hold everything that it should, and therefore looks smaller in size. Remember that openness and neatness create a space that looks larger.

Furniture

The key to choosing furniture is to make sure it is size appropriate and multifunctional. Overstuffed chairs and couches are better for larger rooms while a loveseat or rocking chair might be better for small spaces. Measure the room before you choose furniture to make sure it will fit.

Also look for pieces that serve multiple purposes so you can stay organized and remove clutter. End tables and shelves often have built-in drawers for storage. Even couches are multifunctional. For example, Natuzzi offers sofas that have a comfortable pull-out bed without the typical center support bar. Additionally, the sleeper sofas are designed for easy opening and a clutter-free sleeping space. Not only do the upholstered components remain attached to the bed as it unfolds, but built into the sofa frame are storage areas for pillows, linens or other useful items.

Decor

Accent pieces are a good place to add color and patterns to your small room. From casual-country to Asian-infused, develop your room theme through the decorative details. Remember to minimize decorative pieces to eliminate a messy look. A vase, one piece of wall artwork and several accent pillows will add a lot of style without overdoing it.

Lighting

A small room needs to be adequately lit because light does a lot to visually open up space. If you are able, consider built-in lighting such as track or recessed elements. If not, use lamps that are smaller sizes and do not have large shades.

Thick and heavy curtains keep out the natural light, so light and airy curtains are key for smaller rooms. Another popular trick is to decorate with mirrors. This not only makes the space appear larger, it helps reflect the light throughout the room.

Color

Dark colors and intricate designs are not suitable for the walls of smaller rooms. When painting, choose a lighter color that opens up the wall space and also reflects the light in the room.

For the full Decorating Sense article click here.

Are you an outdoorsy person?  If so, you’ll love these home decor tips I found over at freshome.  Bring the outdoors into your home with plants, natural lighting, earthy fabrics, and even fruit!  It’s time to get creative and leave your drab decor behind.  A really great and cheap solution for the summer season would be to hit the beach and bring home some sea shells, sand, and even rocks to add to your outdoor decor theme.  Also, don’t forget to bring the outdoors into your bathroom by changing up your bathroom accessories, like shower curtains and soap dispensers.
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The outdoors has a natural appeal to humans. The sky, earth, water, and other outdoor elements make us feel refreshed, calm, and one with the earth. How do we get these elements from the outdoors, inside of our home? The obvious way is by bringing plants into our living space. Although, a wonderful idea, here’s 10 other simple ways to bring the outdoors in.

1.) Bring in Natural Fibers, Textures and Patterns: Wicker, Rattan, Hemp, and Jute are all materials that are inspired by nature. Choose these materials in your furniture for a comfortable oasis to relax. In decor – baskets, rugs, and even lampshades will bring the outdoors to your relaxing space.

2.) Use colors that are inspired by the outdoors: Green’s remind us of the earth, grass and plants. Blues are refreshing like water and the sky. Yellows evoke a sense of freshness, like the sun and fresh flowers. Neutral tones such as whites, tans and beige’s make your interiors feel natural, and clean. Use these colors on your walls, window coverings, bedding, and decor.

3.) Use natural flooring instead of man-made flooring: Wood, cork, bamboo are all flooring materials that feel warm, natural and inviting under foot. By bringing these flooring choices into your home, your body will appeal to the organic elements of natural flooring, instead of cold man-made materials.

4.) Use elements found in nature in your decor: Rocks, sea shells, jars of beach sand, wood, and straw are just a few elements which you can incorporate into your everyday living, to bring the outdoors in. Try adding photographs and murals of these elements if you don’t have the real thing on hand.

5.) Entice your senses with outdoor cues: Woodsy incense, and floral potpourri scents are always a treat. Sounds of rain, wind, and the beach are used in luxury spas to make the body feel relaxed and in tune with nature. This same feeling can be brought into your home.

6.) Let in natural light: Natural light is absolutely free and it makes humans feel wonderful! Replace heavy drapery with lighter fabrics and/or sheers.  Let natural light into your home daily, and see how the outdoors pours into your space.

7.) Open your windows and breathe in fresh air: As humans, we require fresh air to feel alive and at peace. Bring the outdoors inside by installing screens in your windows, and turning the air conditioning off occasionally and letting in fresh air.

8.) Ensure all windows have a gorgeous view: If you have overgrown bushes, or trash dumpsters blocking your view, clear it up! Bring the outdoors in by enjoying views of landscaping, pools, or just your kids playing out in the yard.

9.) Decorate with fruits and vegetables: The latest interior décor trend is to decorate with food. Use lemons, limes, and mint for a visual and aromatic outdoor inspiration!

10.) Choose eco-friendly materials for your home: Bedding, towels, cleaning products, and even paint, all come in eco-friendly varieties.  Try using earth friendly products on a daily basis; you’ll feel closer to nature, and the earth will thank you.

Source: freshome

If your home is made up of dark colored interiors then this is a great article for you. This freshome article teaches you how to achieve great lighting in dark colored rooms. Whether your living room, bedroom, or bathroom are dark colored, these tips will help you get great lighting through the use of light fixtures and natural lighting techniques. If you’re looking to freshen up your bathroom design all together explore bathroom remodeling like it’s never been done. We offer custom-made acrylic bathtubs, bathtub enclosures, shower surrounds, and tub-to-shower conversions made of durable, long-lasting acrylic.
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If you have only light colored walls in your home because you are concerned that dark walls will make your space feel closed in or cave-like, you are not alone. Many steer away from dark colored interiors, in hopes to make their room feel more inviting and welcoming. The appeal of dark colors can feel daunting if you don’t have great sources of light. The addition of natural light, beautiful light fixtures, or the playful interaction of lighter flooring with dark walls could be all you need to make your dark interiors feel welcoming. Here are tips to achieve great lighting sources in your dark colored rooms.

Natural lighting can save your room: When considering dark colored interiors, determine if your space has the ability to let in natural light. Whether it is through windows, skylights, translucent materials such as flooring, ceiling panels, or even glass block walls. Letting natural light into a dark colored room will help the colors read more inviting, and allow you to coordinate shades of dark textiles and finishes with lighter ones.  Add sheers or lightweight and light colored drapery at windows to allow natural light to pour in, but to control harsh glares when the sun is bright.

Mix and match color with dark finishes: Another option for achieving great lighting is to play off of adjacent colors to lighten up your dark colored interiors. Choose colors that have a bright nature, and your interior space will feel playful, and casual, or choose lighter neutrals to make the space feel formal and sophisticated. Orange and yellow make great textile colors for sofas, throw pillows and window treatments. While neutral browns, tans, and off-whites make good area rugs and seating colors to pair in front of dark walls.

A dark bathroom needs reflectance: Think again, if you’re thinking that dark colors don’t belong in the bathroom. Pendant lighting over the vanity, wall sconces, and recessed lighting can brighten the space beautifully. Opt for reflective dark materials, instead of matte-finished ones to emphasize the light.  Glossy ceramic tiled walls, glass shower doors, wall mirrors, and shiny chrome or stainless steel plumbing fixtures can bring sparkle and brighten your dark colored bathroom. If you decide to make all the walls in your bathroom dark, opt for lighter colored flooring, or a lighter colored ceiling to offset the dark walls.

Lighten the room with partial drama: If you’re not ready to take the full plunge into having your full walls colored with dark finishes, how about opting for a chair rail or wainscot accent with dark color below, and a lighter color above? This combination will bring in the light, but will also retain the dramatic nature that dark colored interiors bring. This technique works especially well in dining rooms, where you can use the chair rail as a decorative area for pictures, collectibles, and colors can be coordinated with seating and dining room table decor.

Bringing light into your dark colored interiors has just been made easier, with the help of these tips. From natural lighting and lighting fixtures, to accenting your walls and furnishings with lighter colored textiles, and pops of color, lighting is the key ingredient to making your space feel beautiful and welcoming.  If you decide to go all the way dark with the majority of your space, bring in a few light elements to help the room feel balanced instead of gloomy and dark!

Source: freshome

Have you been thinking about updating your home with new decor, but lacking in the decorating ideas department?  TLC posted a helpful article on home decorating tips that provides great new decorating ideas to incorporate in your home. From your floors to the walls, this article has several tips to help you kick start updating your home decor.
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Decorating one room often affects adjoining rooms, so it’s important to integrate new decorating ideas. If you’re content with the space next door, draw on its colors, furnishings, and overall flavor for ideas. Maintaining a similar palette will foster cohesion.

If the adjacent room is scheduled for a fix-up at a later date, consider it in your initial plans when picking paint or fabric. If you’re hoping to eventually add rooms or remodel other areas of the house, be careful not to put structural elements or plumbing in places that will obstruct future endeavors.

Consider these easy-to-do, unifying tips:

-  Blur boundaries by painting rooms the same color, or employ different shades of a similar color with slight tonal variations. You could use pale yellow, golden yellow, and cream in one room. Combine deeply saturated colors (green) with lighter versions (sage).

-  Install similar flooring such as sisal, wood, or tile. Floors can also be married by color; for instance, wed light brown tile with a deeper brown carpet. If you’re unable to replace the flooring, merge rooms with like-colored area rugs.

-  Repeat texture throughout the space. Think velvet drapes in the dining room, velvet-upholstered chairs in the study.

-  Employ similar patterns: Dining room chairs with black-and-white-checked fabric could mirror the kitchen’s checkerboard floor. Call in different patterns in the same color range, or combine similar patterns in reverse: a raspberry-toned fabric with jolts of white and blue here, blue-toned fabric splashed with raspberry and white there.

-  Tie spaces together with architectural elements: wainscoting in the bath and bedroom, chair rails and crown moldings in the living and dining rooms.

Not only should rooms be visually pleasing, they should also be adapted to the way you live your life.

Source: TLC

I often blog about interior home decor tips, but have you ever thought about your outside decor? Thanks to freshome I found an article that provides ideas for sprucing up your front entry. Whether you want to add some spring flowers or patio furniture, you can really add some spunk to the front of your home with these 10 front entry decor tips!
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Spring is the perfect time to spruce up your home and renew it out of its cold winter slump. From bright spring colors on interior walls to updating old and worn out parts of your home, spring is the perfect ‘excuse’ for renewal. The area of your home that greets people first is your front entry. From the playful porch to the exterior lighting used to create safety and ambiance in the evening, your front entry could use spring sprucing as well. Here are 10 ideas for enlivening your front entry with touches of spring and renewal.

1.)  Bring out the color: Whether your front door could use a new coat of paint or the trim around the adjacent windows could use a fresh new color. Your front entry is the ideal place to add color and whimsy. Consider using a front door color that contrasts the rest of your home: red, yellow, green, and orange are all popular “wow” colors for your front entry.

2.)  Freshen up railings and stairs: If your front porch railings are looking drab, opt for new ones that are bolder and command more attention. If you like your current railings and stairs, decorate with spring hanging flower baskets and/or paint with a fresh coat of paint to bring freshness to the space.

3.)  Modernize your exterior: Is the front of your home starting to look dated? Consider opting for updated amenities to make it look new and revived. Simple awnings, attractive fences and gates, or sun shades can immediately boost up the curb appeal of your home.

4.)  Give your front entry attention: While this seems like an obvious one, your front entry is the most forgotten about space of your home. For once you are in your house, you forget about the space that welcomes your neighbors! Sweep up debris, dead leaves, and clean or pressure wash brick, siding or brick.

5.) Add functional lighting: Similarly to the interiors of your home, lighting fixtures can make your front entry look amazing at night, as well as keep your guest safe. Exterior lighting can range from single pendant lighting above the front door, or wall sconces that flank the sides of the door. If you have a garage, use similar lighting fixtures there as well.

6.) Plants add color and texture: Depending on how much space you have, plants will help your front entry look friendlier and it will mask much of your hardscape – sidewalks, stairs, and walkways. Consider adding plants in decorative urns along walkways, along stairs and in decorative pots at your front door.

7.) Spruce up patio furniture: For those of you, who have patio furniture at your front entrance, revive your furniture with brightly colored seat cushions to bring color and décor to your front entry. Cushions that still look good from last year can be hand washed and dried to perk up any front entrance.

8.) See what your neighbors are doing: Believe it or not, one of the best ways to get ideas and build neighborhood camaraderie is to collaborate about how they spruce up their front entries. Your neighbor may be delighted to give you pointers!

9.) Pull up a seat: Depending on the size of your front entry, consider adding colorful furniture for seating. From park benches, and cedar side tables, to wrought iron chairs or bistro style seating adjacent to a patio area. Colorful throw pillows in spring colored hues feel and look great.

10.) Create an oasis: Whether you only have space for a welcome doormat or you have a full porch to enjoy, create an oasis that you will love to come home to.  Update your front door hardware, your wall mounted mailbox and even a fresh spring wreath to your door!

Source: freshome

Have you ever thought about enhancing your home with embroidered fabrics?  If not, you should!  Embroidered fabrics can add a great touch to any room.  Leave the solids in the past and make embroidered fabrics the present with the following home decor tips from freshhome! Also, do not be scared to be adventurous and perhaps add some embroidered fabrics to your bathroom decor as well!
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Do you ever walk into a room of your house and are bored by what you’ve seen for ages?  Embroidered fabrics can be a wonderful way to accent a room. The three dimensional quality of these fabrics and their tactile nature make for a unique feature that most fabrics don’t have.  Despite what you have heard in the past, not everything in your home needs to be a neutral solid.  A patterned fabric can complement and enhance an existing space that might fall flat with simple, solid colors.  Incorporating these embroidered fabrics into your home might be easier than you think with these straightforward tips.

Add an upholstered headboard:

A headboard always gives structure and focus to a room.  Note the padded and gathered headboard in Camilla David Textiles embroidered pattern in the picture below.  The white background with a modern floral design adds new dimension and pops from the deep purple wall.  Additionally, adding another piece of furniture in the same fabric adds an unexpected fun element that helps tie the room together.

Beautify your bed:

Add some interest to your bedroom with an embroidered duvet cover or bed skirt.  Embroidered fabrics are classic, enhance the texture and give color to what might be a simple space.   Not to mention, a comfy duvet is always nice to cuddle up to.

Freshen your look with bright pillows:

Ever fallen in love with a bold fabric and didn’t know how to integrate into your room?  Pillows are an easy and quick solution to add flavor to a living room or bedroom.  Embroidered fabrics come in many shades and patterns that help to create texture, as seen in the picture below.  Try a contrasting trim to bring even more interest to the room.

Consider embroidered fabrics for draperies/shades:

If you have wondered about how to add a focal point to a room but don’t want to splurge on new furniture, think about installing patterned shades or draperies.  Try to choose a large pattern that will draw in the eye and create contrast.  This breaks up the monotony of a room otherwise filled up by solid colors.  The look can pull the room together in a way that you won’t tire of quickly.

Accent a room with upholstered furniture:

Whether it be a sofa, ottoman or accent chair, an upholstered piece of furniture in an embroidered fabric can be the missing ingredient to the room.  A stand out piece always adds interest and variety, keeping the room unique and fresh.

For the full freshome article click here.