When you replace your sink with a bathroom vanity, you immediately add counter space around the sink as well as storage space below. Plus, the vanity conceals pipes and plumbing from view. Basic vanities normally have a cabinet below. The sink may be integrated into the counter top or can come as a separate piece.

Measuring the space available should always be the first step in the process of adding a bathroom vanity. More space means more freedom in your vanity selection. You may even be able to upgrade from one sink to two. If space is tight, you can opt for compact vanities designed especially for small bathrooms.

If your new vanity will be located close to the bathtub or shower, it’s essential to opt for waterproof materials. Alternatively, you can add a waterproof surround to the tub to protect the cabinet from excess moisture. Bathroom layouts where the sink is located across from the bathtub make for an easier vanity addition.

The benefits of adding a vanity to your bathroom include increased value, additional storage and a more finished appearance. Your design choices are virtually unlimited, with vanities available in materials like wood, glass, metal or composites. The cost for this kind of upgrade is reasonable and is something that almost any homeowner can accomplish themselves.

The Original Post is Located Here: Bathroom Vanities Add Value, Storage Space and Good Looks

Throw pillows can add flavor to any room you have. They are traditionally found on the sofa in the living room. But they are equally at home in the bedroom decorating the bed. Or you can add some to chairs in the study or family room. Regardless of where you use them, throw pillows add indulgence and interest to the room. They can be rearranged and stacked to achieve maximum comfort.

Throw pillows are an excellent way to mix up the color scheme of a room. You can add pillows that match existing items or paint. Colors can be complementary or contrasting. If there is a subtle color variation in the furniture fabric, or if there is a splash of color in some hanging art, you can use throw pillows to highlight that color and bring it into focus.

You can shop for throw pillows in a wide variety of stores. Department stores carry many high-end pillows, while other decorative pillows can be found even in craft stores. Speaking of craft stores, throw pillows are easy to make yourself. All you need is a pillow form and some fabric. Even the stitching for a throw pillow is not difficult and does not require a machine. Throw pillows can also be found in online stores and even through auction sites like eBay.

So there you have it. Throw pillows are an excellent interior decorating tool for any room in the house. They can increase your comfort and enhance your home’s colors. They can be bought many places, and you are free to spend as little or as much as you want.

The Original Post is Located Here: Decorating with Throw Pillows

Your kitchen cabinets are easily the largest visible part of your kitchen. They represent lots of square feet that are highly visible. The good news is that completely replacing them is not required. There are several options for updating your cabinets without tearing them out. You can apply a new coat of paint or stain. You can replace the cabinet hardware. Or you can replace the cabinet doors. Which option might be right for you?

Sometimes a coat of paint is all your cabinets need. If you have dark cabinets, you might want to try painting them a lighter color. Lighter cabinets could really brighten up and modernize your kitchen. On the other hand, your cabinets currently have a light-colored stain, consider staining them a few shades darker for a new look.

Replacing the cabinet hardware is a great option to choose, either by itself or in conjunction with repainting. You could switch from brass to silver. You could go from traditional to contemporary. Make the move from knobs to handles. Whatever hardware you have on your cabinets now, you can bet that there are new styles you might like better. Switching out the hardware is easy, quick and doesn’t make a mess.

Finally, you might want to completely change all your cabinet doors and draw faces. You may have grown tired of a traditional design. Or you might want to go from solid doors to glass doors. Once you’ve added new doors and fronts to everything, you might as well have completely new cabinets. But the best thing is that all of these options can be done at a fraction of the cost involved in a total remodel.

The Original Post is Located Here: Options for Updating your Kitchen Cabinets

Many people shy away from trying to add hanging wall art to their home because they believe they don’t know enough to shop for it. However, there is absolutely no reason to feel pressure to “invest” in art. You should focus on the art that you like and that awakens whatever feeling you want to have. Whether you choose relaxing images for the bedroom or upbeat pictures for the kitchen, the art you buy should reflect your personality, not some critic’s idea of what is good.

You should be open to artwork of all kinds, including prints, posters, paintings and more. There is almost no end to the places you can shop for art. It can be found in art galleries or garage sales, in department stores and thrift stores. Plus you can always find excellent bargains online. For example, eBay has page after page of “starving artist” works that are simply fabulous, but highly affordable.

There are a couple of ways to display your art. Of course you can hang artwork on the wall. You should be careful about clashing with busy wallpaper. You can also coordinate the art and the wall with painted frames. Another option is to display your artwork on an easel. This option can nicely fill in a corner when you group it with some plants and a couple of uplights.

So go ahead and dare to become an art collector. Let your unique collection and innovative displays put your own unique stamp on your interior decorating.

The Original Post is Located Here: Using Decorative Art in your Interior Decorating

In the cleanest, most organized houses in the world, if there is anywhere that the system fails, it will be in the kitchen. Your kitchen countertops are the perfect parking place for so many different items. There are all your small appliances, which arguably belong there. Of course you need a space for spices and maybe a fruit bowl. Many people like to arrange decorative items on the countertop. And sooner or later, mail will start to stack up, along with other items from our daily lives that are constantly seeking out a flat spot to occupy.

One excellent way to start moving things in the other direction is to add a mail basket near the family entry door. As you bring in the mail, you can deposit it into this dedicated basket where it can stay until you are ready to deal with it. By intercepting the mail before it hits the kitchen counter, you can make great strides in keeping things more organized.

Think about which appliances you use on a daily basis. Then put all the other appliances in a cabinet. Is there really a need to display every single small appliance on the counter, even the ones that are used infrequently?

Finally, you really should think about putting away the decorative items. You may think that add character to the room. However, clean and organized kitchen countertops actually tend to look better than countertops full of collectibles.

The Original Post is Located Here: How to Organize Your Kitchen Countertops

Mirrors can create more light. One of the key principles of interior design is balance. Sometimes you need to use light to balance a heavy furniture grouping. Or you may want to brighten things up to move to a more modern or contemporary look. Mirrors can come to the rescue by overcoming poor natural lighting. You may not have the option of adding a window or skylight. But if you have at least one source of natural light in the room, you can position a mirror to direct that light wherever it is needed. Even if you have no natural light at all, you can utilize lamps and lighting in conjunction with well-placed mirrors to create the precise look you desire.

Mirrors can also create the illusion of more space. To have the maximum effect, you should position the mirror on the wall that is most visible when you enter the room. Another technique for expanding a room is to place two mirrors opposite each other. Your mind becomes convinced you are in a much bigger room than you are.

Finally, mirrors can function like works of art. By placing a mirror in an interesting frame, you can create a new focal point for the room. A framed mirror can be used in exactly the same way as you would use art. Plus, as a side benefit, you can choose to place the mirror so that any imperfections in the wall remain hidden.

The Original Post is Located Here: Decorating with Mirrors

First of all, modern design is all about clean, simple lines. Basic geometric shapes abound, with both straight and curved lines sweeping through the room. Modern design is characterized by lots of uncluttered space. This means fewer pieces of furniture than other design categories. Knick-knacks and small decorative items rarely have a place in modern design. Furniture and decorations for a modern living area should not be embellished in any way. That doesn’t mean furniture must be austere and uncomfortable; it just means a less complicated design.

With so many clean lines and the absence of decorative knick-knacks, some people complain that modern design tends to be cold. However, it’s a simple matter to add warmth to the room through the use of color. Although the overall scheme will tend to be light and neutral, you can add splashes of reds and other dark colors. Throw pillows are an excellent way to bring in small amounts of color. You can also ease up on the possible boredom by adding items with different textures or geometric patterns.

Since the main feature of modern design is the uncluttered look, then the main need to successfully pull it off is lots of storage options. Nobody expects you to throw away your stuff for the sake of design. And many of your possessions are necessary for living. That’s why modern or contemporary furniture can often be found with innovative storage options. You can also organize the storage spaces you do have so that you can hide things away without losing track of them.

The Original Post is Located Here: Defining “Modern” Style

The first step to a perfectly arranged living room is determining the room’s function. You should never sacrifice livability for the sake of design. When thinking about arranging your living room, you have to decide first what you intend to do in there. Very few people maintain traditional living rooms that are only for entertaining guests. Today’s living spaces need to be multifunctional and comfortable, yet still presentable to the occasional visitor.

The second step to a perfectly arranged living room is picking a focal point. Every room has one main feature that seems to define it. For your living room, this might be a television or a large window. Perhaps the fireplace or a framed work of art is central to the room. Once you’ve identified the focal point, arrange the largest pieces of furniture so they are facing the focal point. Fill in the rest of the room with other furniture, but try to avoid overfilling the room. You don’t have to put in every single piece of furniture you own.

The third step to a perfectly arranged living room is to allow for access. Your visitors should not be confused about where to enter the arrangement. Likewise, family members will need a traffic path through the room.

The Original Post is Located Here: Three Steps to a Perfectly Arranged Living Room

Area rugs can be either handmade or machine-made. Handmade rugs have always been prized above the others. Not only do they have intricate designs and the aura of fine workmanship, they are also more durable than the alternative. The durability of a rug is related to the number of knots per inch in the rug. Machine-made rugs are actually not knotted at all; rather, the fabric is pushed through a backing and cemented.

However, there are situations where a machine-made rug may be preferred. If you are putting it in an area with relatively light foot traffic, then you really don’t need the durability and expense of a handmade rug. Area rugs made by machine have improved considerably over the years and you can find a wide variety of interesting designs. Some machine-made rugs tend to be more at home in modern design settings.

In terms of materials, wool is the most durable in area rugs. Synthetic materials may be less expensive, but they are also much less durable. They begin to show wear much sooner.

Obviously, your budget will play a big role in the purchase of an area rug. Some handmade rugs can be found at low prices, but most are priced in the thousands of dollars. When you consider the room it will be placed in, only you can decide if it is worth spending thousands for a rug.  Machine-made area rugs made from synthetic materials are available for much less, sometimes under $100 depending on the size you need.

The Original Post is Located Here: How to Choose an Area Rug for Your Home

The easiest way to start is by painting the walls. Pick your favorite team’s primary colors. One option is to put up a chair rail and paint the lower part of the wall the darker color, with the higher part of the wall reserved for the lighter team color. Another possible design is to paint one or more entire wall with one color, and then use team or sports-oriented wallpaper on the remaining walls.

But what if you don’t have a favorite team? No problem, you can decorate in the theme of your favorite sport. Some people like to take a single wall and recreate the colors and markings of their favorite sport’s field of play. You can also add large stickers, sports prints or paintings on the walls.

Once you’ve taken care of the walls, it’s time to add accessories. Place sports-themed lamps on the tables. Add throw pillows that use your team’s colors. You can often find ceiling fans that are decorated in the theme of a particular sport. Take pieces of sports equipment and anchor them to the wall.

By bringing in the colors and textures of your favorite sport, you can create a fun-filled space that will be perfect for entertaining and getting a group together to watch the big game.

The Original Post is Located Here: Sports Theme Decorating