Archive for August, 2010

Update Older Furniture on a Shoestring Budget

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Don’t throw your outdated or shabby-looking furniture to the curb just yet.  You can update the look of furniture and find a new use for it in your home with very minimal cost and a little bit of elbow grease.  The following budget-friendly suggestions can help:

1. Painting or Staining

You can really refresh the look of an old piece of furniture with a new coat of paint that can take your piece from dirty, peeling and scratched to shiny, smooth and attractive.  Be certain to thoroughly clean and sand the surface of the piece before you paint it so that the new paint will last longer and look great.  Staining your wood furniture is also a good way to alter its appearance.  Use a polyurethane sealer for a glossy finish and to protect the piece’s surface.  You can paint a number of pieces using the same shade in order to unite furniture that is mismatched.  When refinishing, painting, or staining an old piece, think about ways that you can repurpose the newly updated item, such as turning an old buffet table into a TV console.

2. Adding a Slipcover

Alter the color and lines of a sofa or armchair dramatically using a slipcover.  A white slipcover that is draped rather loosely over a couch or sofa can give it the casual look that is currently in fashion.  Search discount stores for inexpensive slipcovers, or use a sheet that is large enough to cover the entire piece.  You can complete the look by adding some inexpensive decorative pillows.  Also consider sewing the slipcover or pillows yourself to save even more.

3. Changing the Hardware

If the hardware, drawer pulls and knobs on your chest of drawers, side table, or cabinets are rusty or tarnished with age or have simply gone out of style, you can easily change out the hardware to refresh the look of the piece.  Vary the styles of the knobs on a piece to create an interesting look, or paint the knobs using your own designs.

4. Decorating with Trim

Updating the look of old furniture using decorative trim is another option.  Ribbon, buttons, and fabric scraps can be useful to create a new look.  Simply hot glue or staple the item along the edges of a coffee table or the cabinet doors of an old hutch or other item. Hammered upholstery tacks can give an outdated piece great new definition and attitude.

5. Adding Tile

And finally, you can use old or leftover tile to create a mosaic tile accent on a table or the doors of an old armoire.  This adds a burst of new color and brightens up the piece.  Arrange the pieces of tile, seal them in place, or grout and seal them if you prefer for an updated look that is eye-catching and inexpensive.

Remember also that you can update or repurpose decorative items as well as furniture to make them more in step with your current style. For example, rusted outdoor metal wall art can be painted and used as an unusual focal point above your mantel; a metal fish wall hanging in dated colors, can be spray painted in modern hues and used as an accent in a sun porch.

How to use Paint as a Focal Point for the Living Room

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

A focal point is the point in the room that everyone notices upon entering.  Creating a focal point in the living room is essential since most guests will enter the home in an area that is near or in the living room, or they will end up in that room during their visit.  The focal point of this space can be used to set the tone for the entire room.

You can easily add dramatic and interesting color and texture to the living room area with paint.  And because paint can easily cover a big amount of space, it can be used to create a focal wall or effective backdrop that pulls all the other decorative elements together, whether you choose an elaborate metal wall cross or outdoor garden wall clocks.  You can use paint in rooms where there are no existing focal points that occur naturally, like an impressive piece of art, a large window, or fireplace.  Some tips to consider and suggestions to think about follow below and should be referred to when using paint for a focal point in the living room.

Neutral-toned furnishings: You can achieve a clam and balanced effected in the living room with furniture and fabric choices in colors like brown, gray and white.  Paint your walls in a favored shade of green, red, or blue to use color in these areas as a focal.  You can use the same color as accents around the room, but be careful not to add too many as they may be too overwhelming.

Adding texture: Applying a faux finish to your wall is a great way to use paint as a focal.  The texture and interesting look of a faux finish will make the eye linger on the wall longer in order to take in the intricate work.  Some illustrations of faux finish methods are the sponging technique that allows you to create a feel of rough stone, the ragging method that created the feel of crinkled-up fabric, and the crackle finish for an antiquated look.

Have a feature wall: Painting one wall a different color than the adjacent walls will create an instant focal wall. This feature wall may be done in colors that are in contrast to the main color of the room, or by painting a large mural on one wall.  You might also use a pre-fabricated mural if it covers most of an entire wall for the same effect.

Limiting colors: One of the fundamental keys to creating an effective focal point is to avoid having a space that looks too busy or loud.  The use of more than three major colors within the room will distract the eye from the main focal.  Instead, limit the selection to one main color for furnishings and a couple of different accent colors.

Positioning lighting to enhance the focal point: Directing the attention of the paint color or texture can be achieved by the lighting within the room.  As an example, you can arrange two lamps on an accent table against a wall that has been done in metallic paint.  The paint finish will catch the light and then reflect it for a shimmering effect that is quite eye-catching.

Bringing Trendy Designs to the Bathroom

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Decorating the bathroom can really be a lot of fun, and since it is usually a smaller room in the house, it can be redecorated on a very meager budget. So when you spot a new style that you want to try out in your home, the bathroom is the perfect place to start a trend.

Featuring Color

Let color take center stage. For example, if you want to create a tranquil and soothing bathroom design, you can feature blue in your bathroom design. By taking blue and using it in a multitude of different tones you can create an amazing design in your room. Then anchor the color with brown and accent it with white for a stunning bathroom design.

Gray, while technically a neutral color, is becoming a very trendy design color. Even though this is a very refined color, it can serve as a background for brighter, more playful colors to lighten the tone of the design. For example, you can pair it with lemon yellow to create a very modern looking bathroom design. Then pull the colors into your accessories and even use it in some decorative tile to really finish off the look of the room.

Eco-friendly Materials

Decorating with planet-friendly materials is another growing trend. From fixtures to floor, you can incorporate sustainable materials and planet friendly products in your bathroom design. Bathrooms designed with the health of the planet in mind tend to have a very hip and chic vibe. By incorporating materials like recycled glass, reclaimed wood, jute and bamboo, these bathroom designs also tend to have a lot of color and character.

Innovative Tiling

Still another trend for decorating the modern bathroom is to include creative and imaginative tiling designs. Unlike the plain white or neutral tiles of older bathrooms, much of the new tiles are interesting textures, shapes, materials and colors. You can create many interesting and varied looks by combining tiles in a certain way, and the looks are limitless. For example, you may want to design a shower wall that is outlined in mosaic glass tiles. Or you may want to bring in pebble stone texture for walls, floors, or countertops. Paired with some beautiful, natural plants, you can create a lovely bathroom with a very organic vibe.

Bathroom Spa

A trend that has been around for a while and is still going strong is the spa designed bathroom. Adding luxury fixtures like massage jets in the bathtub or multiple shower heads in the shower, you can begin to evoke the feeling of a spa in your very own bathroom. Then continue on to make the rest of the room as sleek and soothing as possible. Add dimmer switches to the lights, and bring in accessories like towels and area rugs that are soft and luxurious. Use a pale green or blue for your wall color and add wall art designed with nature in mind, such as a tree of life metal wall sculpture or outdoor garden wall art.

The Potential of Neutral Walls

Friday, August 20th, 2010

While you may think of a room painted in neutral colors as boring, they can actually be quite lively if you decorate your room with interesting and colorful decor. The great thing about neutral colors on your walls is that they make the perfect foundation for virtually any room design imaginable from Victorian to contemporary. By painting your room in gray, brown or white, your neutral backdrop can evoke a cool or warm feeling, depending on the undertones of the colors.

Neutral Combinations. One of the really nice things about neutrals is that you can mix them in virtually any combination, and they will somehow go together. You can create really vibrant designs by pairing unlikely neutrals together. For example, by using beige and black in a room you can create a sleek modern space that is also very comfortable and soothing. Or create a room designed in stark white and midnight blue for a very tailored looking sophisticated room design. Add furnishings in charcoal gray, and you have a striking room rendered completely in neutrals.

Neutral Complements. Another really wonderful thing about designing your room around neutral tones is that the room’s décor is easily changed, and without having to paint, you can give your room an entirely new look. It gives you the freedom to follow the latest design trends, and by simply changing upholstery, curtains, area rugs or even just throw pillows, you can completely update the look of your room. You can change your room to follow the seasons, or you can easily update simply for a change of pace. So whether you choosing large outdoor wall clocks for the sunroom or fish wall sculpture for the bathroom, neutral walls always work.

Neutrals Never Fail. Another great thing about neutrals is that you simply cannot go wrong. If you are not sure what you are doing when you are designing a room, think about designing it in neutrals, because it is impossible to make a mistake. If you love bright color, design your room in neutrals, and then simply add your single bright color in accents and wall decor, and you will have a smashing room design.

Neutrals Create Calm. When you fill a room with hues of creamy brown and ivory, you create a very restful feeling. Use these colors on the walls, and create a very traditional look by adding bright white trim to the room. However, regardless of the style of the room, the neutral colors are great for constructing a room that has a peaceful and tranquil feeling to it.

With their timeless qualities, neutrals are appropriate for virtually any style of room design or decorative preference They literally fit in any type of room – from the kitchen to the bedroom – and in any style of room, from the most modern to the most traditional. Using a neutral palette at the base of your room’s design also offers you a lot of latitude and potential whenever you wish to update your decor.

Painting a Basement to Appear Bigger and Brighter

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

How you paint any room can really determine how it looks and feels. So when you want to brighten up a basement, which is typically a dark and drab space, think paint. By using light and bright paint colors and adding sufficient light to the room, you can take a dull, drab basement room and turn it into a beautiful and bright room to that is a pleasure to spend time in.

Color and Vitality

When thinking about brightening up your basement, you might want to consider using some lively and energetic colors. Warm colors like red, yellow and orange are great color selections to bring some vibrancy and warmth to a cold, dull basement. However, these colors splashed across the expanse of a wall could certainly prove to be a little too bright and bold, and they could quickly overpower even a large basement space. However, if you tone the color down, you can create just the right balance of energy and brightness in your basement. For example, while yellow walls might be a little too stimulating, if you soften the yellow to a pale butter cream tone, you can use the color throughout your room and keep it looking light and fresh.

When you are considering painting the entire surface of a space in a single color, it is very important to paint a test patch on the wall before committing to the color for the entire room. The light and shadows in the room will have a very real effect on how the color looks throughout the day. Natural light during the day and artificial light during the evening will also play a big part in how the color looks. So it is a really good idea to live with the color on your walls for a few days before you decide on the perfect color for your basement walls.

Engaging Patterns

Another color that you should not overlook when you are painting your basement walls is white. There are many soft and creamy shades of white that work perfectly for brightening up a basement space. Now, if you are worried that white walls are just plain too boring for you, think about adding a stenciled design to your walls. Select a vibrant raspberry or mint hue and cover a focal wall with a stencil design, and you will keep your walls bright while bringing in the warmth of a wallpaper design.

If you are artistic, you might instead choose to add a hand painted mural. If you opt to create a stenciled pattern on your wall, make sure that none of the other patterns in your room compete with it. For example, do not bring in bold print in your furniture upholstery, though if you have throw pillows with a smaller print pattern, that should work fine.

Another way to add interest and design on plain neutral walls is with decorative wall art, like paintings and prints, tree of life wall art, wall crosses, or any wall decor that appeals to you.

A Little Shimmer

When you are painting basement walls try to use reflective finishes throughout your room, because they reflect more light throughout the room. For example, try to use a high gloss or semi gloss finish in the paint that you apply to your basement walls. However, since a shiny finish highlights surface flaws, it is more important than ever that you properly prepare your surfaces before painting.

You might also want to think about adding a focal wall in your basement using a metallic or pearlescent paint, both of which add a great deal of sparkle to virtually any space. These shimmering paints are probably a little overpowering for the entire room, but to paint a focal wall in metallic paint and the supporting walls in a high or semi gloss paint will brighten up the room significantly without overwhelming the room.

The Perfect Palette for a Modern Bathroom

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

One of the fun things about decorating the bathroom is that it is one of the smaller rooms in your house, so you can usually to have some fun while you are decorating it. Since the room is typically small, it is a great space to decorate with modern and trendy paint colors. You can completely update the look of your bathroom just by repainting the walls, and you can even paint the floor, if you use the proper primer and paint, to change the look of the room even more.

Go Bold

If you love bright colors, you can certainly work them into your bathroom design. Look for modern colors like lemon, raspberry or teal, and use them to repaint your walls. If you have white or pale neutral colored bathroom fixtures, they will simply pop off of the brightly colored walls. Finish out the room with white or neutral colored accessories, or you can select a complementary color to work into the accessories if you want even more design excitement in the room. From metal trees wall art to boldly painted fish metal art, online stores have options to suit every taste.

Go Rich

For a more elegant bathroom design, you may prefer to employ a rich, saturated jewel tone color palette. For this design, you probably want to keep your room very neutral and light, like taupe or gray. Then use your jewel tones in your accessories and balance them throughout your entire room. You might even want to work in a cobalt or amethyst accent wall, and then pick the same color up in artwork, towels and bathmats.

Think Themes

Another way to look at color is to select several that will help to define a theme within the room. For example, you might want to build your theme around a trip to the Caribbean. To support this theme, choose blue and green hues, and then you can mix in a pearl cream finish for trim and accents.

Stylish and Sophisticated

Another great color combination to use when designing your bathroom is one that allows for a lot of contrast, crisp white beside a deep, navy blue. The resulting room design can be very sophisticated and stylish. You can also use dark colors like charcoal gray, violet or black, and if you use them on the walls, your white bathroom fixtures will literally pop off of the background. You do have to be careful, though, to keep your room from getting too dark with color combination; so when including these colors on your walls, remember that a little goes a long way.

Soft and Elegant

You can also create a soft and elegant look in your bathroom by decorating it in shades of white and cream. Light, neutral fixtures will blend into your color palette, so the eye will travel through the room uninterrupted. By staying with softer shades of white like eggshell and cream, your bathroom design will have a warm yet elegant feel to it, and the room will be bright and inviting.

Earthy and Grounded

Combining a dark and light color to create a rich and earthy design is a great way to construct a bathroom design that is grounded and comfortable. By using a color combination like brown and blue, you can create a warm room while creating a striking design. Ground the bottom half of the room in a cinnamon brown, and use a light aqua around the top half of the room to keep it light and open. Then you echo those colors in your accessories.

Bedroom Colors that Refresh and Renew

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Your bedroom is the place that you go to unwind and relax, and that is hard to do if it is not a peaceful and relaxing room. Part of what makes a room feel calming is the color palette that you choose when you are designing the room. By incorporating soft and cool colors into your room’s design, you can create a room that will help you shed the stresses of a long, hard day.

Singing the Blues

The effects that colors have on a person have been studied for years. Even the ancient art of Feng Shui employs certain colors to evoke certain moods. It is generally believed that cool tones are best used in the bedroom to promote peaceful relaxation, and blue is an excellent choice when you are designing a room to help you calm your spirit. While researchers are not entirely sure if a person’s reaction to color is cultural or learned behavior, the cool colors of water are used by many institutions, like hospitals and prisons to create rooms that are soothing and calm.

Going Green

If you are a talk show fan, you have undoubtedly heard of the ‘green room’ where guests of the show can take a minute to calm and focus their thoughts before walking on stage. Green has been shown to sooth and calm the senses, and painting your bedroom in a shade of green evokes the beauty of nature and lets you tap into this energy to renew your senses. If you keep the tones soft and muted, the space becomes even more tranquil. Look for tones like sea foam, olive or mint for delicate soothing greens to use in your bedroom’s decor.

Neutral Notes

Another great way to create a soothing and rejuvenating space in your bedroom is to create a room using an entirely neutral palette. Select colors like beige, cream, sand or ivory, and even a palette including light gray would still be neutral and calming. If you create a room with neutral colors on the walls and floor, you can easily change your room’s design by changing the décor of the room. The beauty of this plan, is that you can completely redecorate your room without ever having to repaint your walls. You can bring in a throw rug to add a spot of color to the floor, or you can change your bedding to lighten, brighten or simply change the mood of your bedroom.

Soft, Muted Tones

You can successfully employ just about any color that you wish to create a soothing feeling in your bedroom if you simply use a very pale and muted version of the color. For example, while orange is unarguably a high energy color, if you tone it down to a shade of pale melon, you now have a beautiful shade for a bedroom design. The same would be true for yellow. While in its bold form it tends to bring a room to life, if you mute it down to a soft, butter yellow, it can create the perfect backdrop for a soothing, bedroom sanctuary.

Once you are happy with the color of your walls, choose a beautiful metal wall cross or tree of life wall decor to add serenity and peace to your bedroom.

When to Use Oil Base and When to Use Latex Paint

Monday, August 16th, 2010

For painting novices and veterans alike, knowing when to use oil base paint and when to use latex paint can be confusing; it’s not like choosing outdoor wall clocks or fish metal art based strictly on what appeals to you.  Oil base paint is compromised of petroleum distillates and other solvents, whereas acrylic paint has a water base.  Their differences in chemical make-up effect where they are most effective.  Although both types of paint can provide great coverage on most surfaces, there are definite places where one works better than the other.

Galvanized Metal

Galvanized metal is the one surface where a clear choice is predetermined.  Acrylic base paints are the only option for applying paint directly to the metal surface.  Oil base paints should never be applied to galvanized metal surfaces, as the paint will not adhere and the painting effort will be wasted.

Concrete

Latex paint works well on concrete surfaces, because of its elasticity and ability to adhere to the rough surface.  Oil base paint will work on treated concrete surfaces, but should not be applied to fresh concrete.  A protective coating or sealant is necessary to make the paint adhere to the new concrete.

Wood

Both latex and oil paints work well on wooden surfaces.  As with concrete, it is usually a good idea to seal the raw wood with a protective coating before applying the oil base paint.  Some homeowners choose to use oil base paints on kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, thinking that the oil paint lasts longer and provides a more durable coating in these high-moisture areas.

Aluminum Siding

If painting the aluminum siding, forget about oil base paints and choose latex paints instead.  Oil base paints will not adhere to the aluminum surface and will simply run off the siding.  Latex paints provide a solid coverage with flexibility in the paint to account for contractions and expansions in the surface.

Chalky Surfaces

If the surface leaves a chalky residue on the hand when touched, the only paint that will provide excellent coverage is oil base paint.  Often, the chalky surface will be layered with oil paints and it will be the old paint coating that is creating the chalk.  Latex paints will have difficulty adhering to such surfaces and the coverage will not be as smooth as a coating of oil base paint.

Walls

Usually, it is best to paint walls with latex paint.  It is much easier to work with latex paints than it is to work with oil base paints.  Latex is easier to apply, has better stroke coverage and results in less odor and easier clean-up.  There is also a greater variety of options in finishes, colors and paint can sizes with latex paints.

Furniture

Wooden furniture can be painted with either latex or oil base paint.  Oil base paints are especially good for furniture that already has a coating of oil paint on it.  Typically, older outdoor furniture is painted with oil base paint.  Latex paints are good for decorative pieces and personalized rocking chairs, stools or trunks.

Knowing when to use latex paint and when to use oil base paint will help when deciding how to finish a surface.  Choose the option that provides the best coverage with the smallest amount of mess.  As always, if there is a question about which type of paint to use, consult a professional at the local paint store for advice.

Creating a Beautiful Backsplash using Mosaic Tile

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Part of the beauty of creating a mosaic tile backsplash in the kitchen is the almost limitless options you have in regards to color, material and texture. Whether you want to try to create a specific pattern or design, or opt for a more free-form mosaic look, you’ll be able to find tile material that will give you just the effect you desire. You can choose a more elegant and refined approach, or go really colorful and wild. Whatever you choose, you’re sure to create a one-of-a-kind backsplash that will add a lot of color, design and pizzazz to your kitchen.

Choosing Colors and Styles

When choosing tile for a backsplash, you can pick whatever color and style of tile you choose, but keep the thickness of the tiles the same, because you’ll need the surface to be level when you eventually apply the grout. In order to know how much tile to purchase, you should measure the backsplash area to find out the square footage. Of course, depending on the pattern you choose, you might need more of one color tile than the other, so it may be best to put off purchasing the tile until you’ve planned your design.

Sketching Your Pattern

Most people, especially if this is the first time they have worked with mosaic tile, prefer to sketch out and plan their pattern on paper first. This can be a big help when planning how you are going to place the tile, and will give you a good idea of how the finished product is going to look. Try out different colors, shapes and patterns to see which you like best. You can choose to stay with standard sizes and shapes of tiles, or if you’d like, you can even use a tile cutter or nipper to cut the tiles into custom shapes and sizes. When planning your pattern, keep in mind that you will need to leave a quarter inch of space between the pieces to allow for the grout. You might even want to try a completely random pattern, which is made by cutting the tiles into evenly sized but randomly shaped pieces, and arranging them freeform onto the backsplash area. If you choose this method, you probably don’t even need to bother with planning on paper first.  If you are using a paper pattern, once you have it drawn out and you’ve held it up to the backsplash area to confirm that the pattern works for you, simply lay the pattern on the floor or a tabletop and arrange the actual files on it as a final check.

Applying the Tile

Then, after making sure that the backsplash area is clean and dry, you can start to apply your tile pieces to the wall with tile adhesive, again making sure to leave a quarter inch between the pieces. Be sure to keep the tile pieces level with each other. Allow the tiles to dry for 24 hours, and then mix up the grout according to the directions. Using a tile float, cover the tile with grout, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then, carefully wipe the residual grout from the surface using a damp sponge. Allow the grout to fully set, and then step back and enjoy your beautiful mosaic tile backsplash. Add other decorative accents on other walls of the room that complement the tile: From a contemporary tree wall art hanging to outdoor wall art decorations, online retailers have the widest selection to suit every style and preference.

Best Choices for a Basement Ceiling Remodel

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

When you are completing a basement remodel, you have options to consider for adding a new ceiling. The different options come at different price points, so you can select your ceiling style by looks or price, whichever works better for you.

The Drop Ceiling

One of the more common choices when it comes to basement ceilings is the drop ceiling. There are many different styles from which to choose, and there are many different panel styles available, too. The reason that a drop ceiling is so popular for basement spaces is that it allows you to easily hide electric wiring, pipes and ductwork. However, in the event that you need to access any of these areas for maintenance, you can easily get to them by simply removing a ceiling panel or two. While some of the other choices like drywall are more affordable options, they are not nearly as convenient when it comes to making repairs on the substructures of the house. The other great thing that a drop ceiling offers is ease of installation for just about any homeowner. The main disadvantage with a dropped ceiling is that it lowers the ceiling by at least 4 more inches and if your ceilings are already low, this may not be a good choice.

Drywall

Adding a drywall ceiling to a basement makeover really gives the room a finished look. It is also one of the more affordable options when it comes to adding a new ceiling to your basement makeover. As you are installing your drywall panels, remember that there will be sections covering pipes, wiring and ductwork that may need to be removed for maintenance some time in the future; so make sure to attach your drywall sections to the ceiling beams with screws instead of nails. If you are opting for drywall instead of a drop ceiling, it may be worth your while to redirect wiring and pipes so that you can locate everything under a single panel for easy maintenance. Use one quarter inch drywall for easier installation.

Just Paint

If your basement ceiling is not littered with wires, pipes and ductwork, you may choose to leave your ceiling’s exposed beams as part of the room’s décor. Just spray painting the ceiling a single color may be all that you need to do to finish off the remodel. Painting the ceiling is probably the most economical option for finishing a basement ceiling. While a painted ceiling will not provide the same polish that a drop ceiling or a drywall ceiling will provide, in many cases, as in the case of a rumpus room, it is a perfect ceiling solution.

Some Things to Think About

With any type of home renovation or decorative decision, certain considerations come into play; these apply whether you are building an addition or simply choosing between a metal fish wall hanging or large outdoor wall clocks. First consider your budget, and that may make the decision for you. If you have ample budget to make a couple of selections, then consider the overall look that you want to achieve in the room. And finally, think about the personal enjoyment and added value you’ll achieve.