One of the biggest problem areas in a room is a large blank wall that stares back at you as you enter. These walls create a feeling of emptiness within a room, and sometimes act to disrupt the flow of color and design that’s already in place: or they do not fulfill their potential of creating visual impact in a room.

Wallpaper is an inexpensive and popular way to decorate walls and bring them to life. Depending on the size of the wall, its coverage, and what image it wants to portray, wallpapers lend versatility to a room and allow for your creativity.

Working with wallpaper is easy when you know how to do it, and here some tips.

Preparing a Room for Wallpapering

Wallpaper disasters occur because proper preparation of the wall is not taken seriously. Like when painting a wall or upholstering a couch, a significant amount of time must be dedicated to the preparation of a wall. This extra time spent will save you time and trouble in the long-run.

Measure your wall and purchase wallpaper that will cover the entire surface of the wall (allowing for error and pattern matching). Cut your wallpaper into manageable sized strips when you are ready to use them.

To prepare the wall for wallpapering, remove any switch plates, wall fixtures, and socket covers. Clean the wall thoroughly to remove any dirt and/or mildew, and let it dry completely. Search the wall surface for any holes, depressions, or bumps: these may be repaired using a drywall compound or spackling compound. Apply the compound, smooth it as much as possible, and let it dry thoroughly. Sanding is then required to smooth the surface to make it as easy as possible for the wallpaper to adhere to the wall. Then prime your wall with an acrylic adhesive which is recommended by a wallpaper expert.

The Act of Wallpapering

Once you’ve primed your wall with the adhesive, decide how you want to hang the wallpaper. Go in the direction (right to left or vise versa) that is easiest for you. Cut your wallpaper strips allowing for pattern matching and a small amount of waste at the bottom. Starting from top, apply the wallpaper to the wall. You may want to precut the holes for the switches, other openings, etc. (being very exact with the measurements to avoid error) or cut them as you proceed to hang the wallpaper (the easiest way). Either way you must be precise!

Amateurs often end up with the problem of small air bubbles under the wallpaper, or uneven attachment to the wall. Resist the temptation to use a plastic smoother as it may tear the wallpaper or leave marks if used with improper pressure. Instead, use clean soft cloth and apply gentle pressure with the hand, or a light flexible rubber flap – much like the one used to clean windows.

Designing with that Wallpaper

Wallpaper provides an opportunity for colors and patterns to be incorporated into a design. The appearance of a large wall may benefit from wallpaper with patterns or stripes to break their overwhelming size. Use vertical stripes to add height to the room, and horizontal ones to create the illusion of a wider space. Another option is to incorporate a dual design – using a striped pattern on the upper half of the wall and a solid or floral print on the lower portion to create interest.

Use borders near the ceiling to create visual interest and give the illusion of height to the room, as it calls attention to the ceiling.

When using wallpaper in more than one room of the house, you have the option of creating fluidity between two rooms without having to use the same wallpaper. The fluidity may be achieved by staying different tones of the same colors, contrasting colors, or similar patterns.

Building the Room from the Wallpaper

When designing an entire room, wallpaper create a nice visual palette with which to work. Wallpapers, because they provide various color and pattern in their designs, may create a central mood in the room (formal, informal, etc.); the source of a color scheme (from the colors in the wallpaper); and even a pattern that will flow throughout the room (floral patterns, stripes, or dots).

Wallpaper provides a great opportunity for design ingenuity. Don’t be afraid to use the wall to its full potential – either to enhance the design of the room or build an entire room around it.

Landscaping is usually a fairly big task, consuming much time and energy. But before you hire that professional, here are some tips that could save both time and money.

1. Spend some time thinking about exactly how you want the final design to be. You need to take account of the style and function of your landscape. Do you want to include an area for entertaining? A barbecue? Is there to be an area for children to play, a fishpond or a swimming pool? An idea of the plants you want to be there will also help. Focus on the area where you spend most of your time. That’s a good place to start.

2. Think twice before hiring a pro. An independent designer might cost you hundreds of dollars when you may be able to access free plans on the internet or at a nursery. But if you have an awkward block such as very steep ground, a pro might give you the expertise to save costly mistakes.

3. The style of your home must be taken into account. If you have a rural cottage, formal gardens surrounding it will look out of place. Think also about your lifestyle. Do you want to spend hours caring for many beds of annuals or pruning beds of roses? If so, go ahead and plant them, but if you’d rather spend your free time at the beach, then go for an easy-care garden and landscape.

Here are the various landscape styles you can choose for your own garden:

a. Formal. This style uses lots of straight lines and perfect geometrical shapes. Orderly arrangement of plants instead of random positioning is employed. Close arrangement and pruning is seen on many landscaped gardens with this style.

b. Informal. This kind of landscaping workds well with cosy cottages. Beds with curved edges instead of straight lines and random placement of plants suit this landscape style.

c. English Garden. This style emphasizes the harmony between the house’s architecture and the garden.

d. Formal/Informal Garden. This style often comes with a brick walkway that exudes formality. This walkway leads to the rear with a circle of plants. The arrangement of plants resembles the English garden style but it has no formal borders.

e. Oriental. It is often the kind of garden found in small backyards. It uses rocks, evergreens and water. A wide variety of plants create several interesting angles with this style.

f. Woodland. This landscaping suits a house that has a wooded backyard and sloping ground.

Many people are often faced with the design dilemma of changing the look of an entire room without blowing the budget. This means that in effect, major changes in furniture, structural renovations to the home, and any other major overhaul, are out of the question.

However, if there’s one thing that do-it-yourselfers and professional designers agree on, it’s the capacity of fabric in various textures and colors to bring life to a room. Fabric, when incorporated properly, can define the theme for the season or the mood of the room, and can bring life to even the dullest spaces.

Here are some fabulous ideas to incorporate fabric in different places in the home—

Window Treatments

A window positioned anywhere in a room provides a dramatic statement, a focal point, or may even provide an opportunity to bring the outdoors inside the room. With window treatments, fabrics may be used in curtains and window valances.

In order to provide a dramatic statement in a room via the window treatment, you can make use of two extreme types of fabrics—either heavy, rich-colored fabrics, or sheer draperies: or possibly a combination of both. Heavy, rich-colored fabrics make a dramatic statement with their strong colors and eye-catching patterns (like damasks, flower prints, stripes, etc.). Sheer draperies, on the other hand, bring a light, sunny feeling to the room by letting in just enough sunlight, yet allowing for a light and flirty curtain solution.

Used together, putting sheers behind the heavy fabric draperies, provides texture and color contrast. The heavy fabric draperies may be opened in the morning with the use of trimmings and tassels, allowing for sunlight to come through the sheer draperies. To create a more formal feeling, some of the heavy fabric draperies may be incorporated into a window valance.

The Sitting Area

In rooms like the living room and the dining area, the sitting area comprises much of the space. This means that most of the design that can be incorporated into the room must come from the sitting area, if it is to make a visual impact.

For the living room, fabrics are the best solutions to provide either temporary or permanent overhauls for the sofa or couch. Sofas that are badly stained or worn may be taken to a shop for re-upholstery. When re-upholstering the furniture, the extent of damage equates to the amount of repair that the sofa will undergo—some may only need a small amount of repair while others need major repair: such as the foam completely changed or complete over-haul. Re-upholstery entails the permanent change of the outer skin or covering of the sofa using new fabric or a covering material such as faux leather. When choosing the fabric for re-upholstering, choose one that will blend in with various color schemes, as re-upholstery is permanent in nature.

For temporary punches of life, color, or even design themes, slipcovers are the better choice. Slipcovers are available ready-made in department stores, or you may have them custom-made especially for your sofa to assure a snug-fit. Slipcovers will allow for seasonal color changes of the room, and even for mixing and matching the sofa with other furniture or accessories to better suit the décor of the room.

For the dining area, the dining chairs or stools may be fitted with covers and skirts for a more decorative effect or to better continue a color scheme in the room.

Tables Around the House

Fabric table covers serve two important purposes – they bring colors, patterns, and excitement to a room’s design, and protect the table from water or other corrosive materials that come in contact with it. When using fabrics on tables, you may experiment with various lengths – using long fabrics to cover the entire table for a formal effect, shorter fabric to fit the table top exactly to allow for storage under the table, or as a long, thin, table runner to bring drama to a table and emphasis to the table décor.

Fabric is used in these various scenarios is, primarily, to bring color or color themes into the room. The use of fabrics by themselves or in color and pattern combinations allows you to mix and match as you wish. The same colors used over and over again in a room poses no threat when working with fabric, because with fabric, you may use the same color in various shades, patterns, and fabric textures to avoid monotony.

Depending on its use, fabrics can bring unique moods to a room. Heavy, rich-colored and textured fabrics usually bring a more formal, ornate feel to a room, while sheer fabrics used in windows, made to hang over bare walls, or even just thrown over the back of a couch or an ottoman bring a fun, flirty feel to a room.

Used properly, fabrics achieve design changes at a cheaper price and with less effort. Fabrics take the place of added accessories and furniture, create as much impact as a new coat of paint or wallpaper, and allow for versatility of design by mixing and matching, and temporary solutions such as slipcovers at a fraction of the cost of permanent changes.

As the old adage goes, “Simplicity is beauty,” one cannot simply surmise that being simple could also mean boredom.

When it comes to visual image, the human eye would rather see things differently than what the mind has established. This means that to create a contrasting look on the outside world, deviate from the ordinary and enhance the plain and simple to a “funkier” outlook.

Basically, to be funky is to be chic, trendy, and up to date in an exceptional mode: you try to make something unique and fashionable out of an ordinary concept. When you are able to enhance the look of a typical fashion and create a contemporary interpretation, you have created a funky look.

One of the best things about being funky is that there are no tenets to follow, your creativity and fashion-sense is unbounded and infinite. This shows that you can do whatever you want to do with your style as long as you are able to express your true personality.

Achieving a funky look is as easy as 1-2-3. All you have to keep in mind is to use different brilliant and vivid colors, various patterns, and cool accessories to create an appearance that is 100% unique and creative.

On Home Decorations

1. Stylish seating

Most stools, especially plastic stools are sturdy and useful but they look absolutely plain and most people leave them in the background. The best way to transform them into fantastic pieces that you can admire, incorporate trendy designs that give a funky look.

Try painting your stool with bright colors like pink or yellow and decorate it with artistic designs. Or you can cover them with seat covers for a more comfortable look. To do this, measure and cut a piece of foam to fit the seat and then cover the foam with a piece of fabric large enough to tie the ends together below the seat.

2. Shock of color

Whatever you want to express with your personality; whether you want to go bohemian or western, the rule of the thumb is to use colors that will put more detail into your home.

For instance, you could paint the wall in your living room or sitting area bright red and adorn it with an artistic window frame of brass and wood.

If you have a super plain sofa, perhaps gray or tan, give it a funkier look by using pink and orange throw pillows. Adding some palm fronds brings a whiff of nature into a cozy area.

3. Turn plain pillow covers into little works of art

For a good night’s sleep, use pillows that cradle the head and please the eyes too. After all, they are the last things you see before you drift away to dreamland.

You can start by creating designs with color stitches on the fabric. You can do this by using two threads in different, complementary colors to make a running stitch following any pattern that you like.

On Looks

Ready for a change?

Here is a list of things you can use to color your career look and get pumped about going to work.

1. Shades of 8 to 5 jobs

Aim for the skies when dressing in the morning! Mix up those prints for fun, but keep them in soothing blues and browns that blend together. This will create an impression that will bring out the uniqueness in you.

2. Toot your own horn

Trade your serious stripes for candy stripes, then top it off with your favorite white polo and belted jacket for a winning funky office look.

3. Pick power colors

Wake up basic black pants with a comfortable red pullover and pinstriped jacket. For a strong fashion statement, finish the look with red step-in shoes, but keep them comfortable with “kitten” heels.

4. Go beyond black

Listen to your inner fashion voice and break the monotony of black with a simple-but-stylish yellow tee and bold white belt.

Keep in mind that the main idea of being funky is to create a fashion statement by transforming the plain and simple into an innovative look.

The bottom line is that creating a funky look, whether at home or through your appearance can be really fun. It gives you a sense of freedom from the limitations set by the norm of society. Deviating from the conventional is a good way of revealing the real you.

Make your own decisions and buck the stereotype! Being funky can be fun!

When you live in a very small area like a studio apartment it might seem impossible to decorate and make livable.

You might have issues with where you are going to put all of your stuff and you also might want the look and feel of different rooms although you are living in one
big room. You can achieve these things with a few simple things.

First, when you live in a studio that is one big room for everything you don’t want the place to look the same throughout.

You want the feeling of being in different rooms and you want to decorate each of them differently. You can separate rooms by using dividers.

You can find hand carved and decorated dividers that look fantastic in your home. Dividers perfectly separate the rooms the way you want them.

Some people like to use hanging beads or fabric to create a wall to separate the rooms by creating a wall. This can look good also and give you the look of having different rooms in the area although it really is one big room.

When you are in a studio apartment it is also for the place to look nice because you are in such a small space and you need to hide your things.

You can find containers that are decorated that allow you to hide your clothes and things in style so the place looks nice and not in disarray.

Many people prefer the designer wicker containers because they are stackable providing for more space and they are reasonably priced.

There are a variety of decorating themes from formal to informal and everything in between. Which one best describes your decorating style?

Formal Traditional
Furnishings and designs from the Renaissance, Baroque, Early and Late Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian eras. This style is shown with fine furnishings, elegant, refined and exquisite wall coverings, elaborate moldings, formal window treatments and Oriental rugs.

Informal Traditional
The same eras as above but this style has less refined versions of furnishings. There are more touchable elements, more earthy colors, and some urban archaeology without restoration is common. This style is comfortable and inviting.

American Country
This style holds furnishings from the 17th century through the present, all simple with the appearance of hand-crafted work. Two versions are popular today: Upscale Country with the use of more tactile, comfortable elements and very close to Informal Traditional but with a clearly country theme in all the furnishings; and Rustic Country, which sports a reused, recycled quality. The wall coverings and window treatments set the theme and the furnishings have a just-found-it-at-the-antique-market feel.

Country French
This style is exhibited in Classic Rococo, Neoclassic or Empire-inspired country furnishings. Wall coverings include florals, ticking, toile, and moirés depending on the level of formality.

Arts & Crafts
This simple style is also known as Early Modern or Organic Modern. The era focuses on hard, stained oak furniture with simple, straight lines.

International Modern
This is a look of ultra simplicity, hard lines, and smooth surfaces contrasted with abstract patterns and unusual textures.

Environmental
Designs in this theme contain colors, textures and very subtle patterns of the earth.

Romantic Victorian
This style still is a favored theme for rooms with lots of pattern featuring English garden florals in dreamy colors. Both fabric and wall coverings can be patterned, and clutter decorating – especially with accessories – is part of this look.

Ethnic and Primitive
This masculine approach has many faces from African to the American Southwest, from the lodge-look to the South Seas. Heavy or tactile textures coupled with patterns that are charming because of their lack of sophistication fit here.

Fabric and Wall Covering Themes
This is a wonderful way to decorate – by selecting a great fabric or wall covering that inherently features a theme. Some examples include sea and shore, sports, outdoor recreation, kitchen or domestic elements, juvenile elements, feminine floral themes, exotic designs from far away lands, and more.

Is it time again to consider decorating the interior of your home? Are you enthused about this possibility or are you frustrated? Does the thought decorating the interior or your home make you want to skip town or does it make you anxious and excited? There are certainly mixed feelings when it comes to decorating the interior of homes. Not everyone is creative or skilled. They might assume they are incapable of interior decorating. Some people simply do not like this sort of project. Then there are those individuals who can’t wait to roll up their sleeves and get into the paint and plaster. There is plenty of help available for every single individual, no matter what their feelings are regarding decorating the interior of their home.

If you absolutely hate the idea of decorating the interior of your home, a professional interior decorator might be the best solution for you. They will work with you to help you choose a decorating design including colors, flooring, furnishings and accessories. They will put the plan in motion but you’ll probably need to hire a painter or someone to install your flooring. This is a great option if you can afford it but many people do not have the funds to pay a professional interior decorator, a painter and a flooring installer.

If you are an adventurous person, decorating the interior of your home could be seen as just one more exciting encounter. You’ll have no problems finding information about decorating the interior of your home. There are many magazines published every month which provide information and instructions for decorating the interior of your home. There are books, do-it-yourself books that give specific step-by-step details for decorating the interior of your home. The Internet is a great resource base for interior decorating information. Hundreds of sites are filled with useful details to help you plan your decorating and help you through the process. The television is also a good source regarding decorating the interior of your home. There are several reality television programs that can instruct you and give you ideas for your home decorating project.

When you decide to decorate the interior of your home, you must first decide which room or rooms you will be changing. Choosing a theme will help you make decisions regarding color, furnishings, fabric and accessories. There are many themes to choose from including Victorian, Cottage, Modern, English Country, French Country, Traditional, Medieval, Moroccan, Art Deco, Southwestern, etc. Once you decide on a theme, you can then pick materials based around this interior home design. Using the various resources available for decorating the interior of your home, you ought to be capable of picking a color palette that will enhance your room, choose fabric that will add warmth, select furnishings which are comfortable and accessories which will accent and compliment your space. With the many resources available to you, many of them offering free home decorating ideas, you should be able to make decorating the interior of your home an exciting adventure with little or no stress and frustration.

Over the years, many looks have come and gone in home interior design. The numbers of trends are infinite and people love to mix and match trends in order to customize their look to match their personalities. But there are some hot trends that keep popping up and sticking with our modern society.

The number one hot interior design trend is the French Neo-classical. It is a look that mixes the style of old money with Hollywood regency.

The style focuses on restraint along with muted finishes and architectural delineation.

Another look we can’t get away from is the Shanghai Modern. It is a Chinese contemporary design. It incorporates the classic curves of Asian furniture with fretwork patterns, koi and foo dogs, using them as a sort of pop art.

Another hot trend is called the Enchanted Forest. As the name describes, this is a more whimsical look and is definitely not for everyone.

This look is very tongue in cheek, using wood grain prints, antlers and antler accessories, trophy mount heads and gnome-like creatures throughout the home.

A big look that will always stay a classic is the Americana look. This look takes objects from pre-Revolutionary times and utilizes them in the modern home.

This is a broader range of interior design, covering decor from the 1770′s through the 20th century. The main focus is on red, white, and blue.

These are just a few of the hot trends that we continue to see incorporated into living spaces as well as businesses. But in no way are these the only ways to decorate your home. The range is broad and only limited by your imagination