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8 Kitchen Decorating Tips

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Having an airy, well-organized and well-decorated kitchen does not only complete your home’s total look, it can also help improve your home life. If you love to cook then it really makes sense that you create a kitchen that helps you enjoy the time you spend cooking.

Here are some of decorating tips for your kitchen:

1. Buy the most beautiful and expensive kitchen tools you can afford- if you do a lot of cooking at home, make sure you invest in the finest kitchen tools. They will not only help you prepare the best meals, they will also add to the beauty of your kitchen. Cheap kitchen tools will make your kitchen look cheap. And if these kitchen tools don’t last long enough for you to get the best value out of them then they will cost you more money in the long run. Always go for quality.

2. Have a designated space for everything- make sure you have ample storage space for food, cooking utensils, towels and other items. Keep your kitchen organized. This will help make your kitchen appear bigger.

3. Use cookbooks as kitchen displays- if you have hardbound cookbooks, you can use them to decorate your kitchen. Place your cookbooks in a closet with glass display if you have that.

4. Consider putting up decors that go with the holidays or the seasons- put up carved pumpkins during Halloween, place a small Santa on your counter during Christmas, use pretty curtains during spring and put up other small decors that can help you get into the spirit of the season. This can be extra fun in homes where there are little children.

5. Decorate your kitchen with small plants- plants can be a lovely addition to the kitchen. A small herb can be placed near the window or on the counter. The herb can also be used for cooking so it serves dual purpose.

6. Group items according to function- when organizing your kitchen, you can put items in clusters based on their functions. Like baking tools in one area, bread toaster and coffee maker in another. Clustering can help a kitchen stay organized.

7. Buy items that complement each other aesthetically- make sure that the items in your kitchen match. These days with so many brands available, it has become so easy to buy kitchen items that match the theme of your home.

8. Think about the lighting of your kitchen- lighting is a key element in design. Make sure you put good thought into your home’s lighting including the lighting in the kitchen.

How To Create an Eclectic Decorating Scheme

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Decorating your place can leave you with many questions. One of the biggest questions is: “Where do I begin?” You can get a good start by deciding on a style. Starting here will allow you to begin envisioning the space as it will be and allow you to begin estimating cost. Here are just some ideas for an eclectic style of design:

Let’s start with a little color – If your furniture and accessories have a variety of colors, you may want to go neutral with wall color to ground or tie in the other pieces. Since your furniture doesn’t match in eclectic style, trying to match one of the pieces you love with your wall color may result in a color clash of another item.

Turning to furniture – There are some furniture styles that can be combined and some that shouldn’t. Look for common elements in furniture to mesh together the styles. Use the lines, materials, colors or upholstery to keep styles on track. Your contemporary sofa will mesh nicely with an Asian table for example, as both have straight, clean lines.

Don’t forget the accessories – Some accessory styles clash and some don’t. Formal Victorian with rustic pieces can actually blend together quite well. What won’t work is a modern piece of artwork next to an antique lace runner. There’s nothing to tie the items together. Be sure to have accessories that are varied, but related in some way – color, theme or texture. You get the idea. Your prized piece of carved wood African art can be placed with a rustic wooden bucket by virtue of both being wood. So there is a way to work in your prized possessions or travel souvenirs.

To bring the eclectic style in your living room, you may need to make a few small changes to get the look that works. You don’t need to completely makeover your room or break your budget – as eclectic room can incorporate so many design elements, just be sure to take steps to define the eclectic style in your living room. There are no hard and fast rules for eclectic living rooms, but combining elements for harmony help define one.

How-to: Decorating on a Dime

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If you’re in the boat with most people around the country these days, you are looking for any and every way to save money. Home decorating may be one of the last things that you think of as an essential, but studies show that being in a relaxing, cozy environment can reduce stress and promote good feelings. This could seriously help with those days you come home from the office totally wiped out.

Decorating your apartment can actually be done on a pretty mild budget, especially if you choose to follow some of these decorating on a budget ideas.

First things first, you need to know what kind of décor style you want in your pad. Look through some home decorating magazines and such for ideas. Keeping a scrapbook of which styles you like is a great idea to take with you when doing your shopping. Compare styles you like with the features in your apartment to make sure they’ll work. You’ll want to start small, so choose one room to do first.

Shop second-hand! This may not be your first option, but there can be some real treasures that others don’t want anymore. I recommend your area’s Craigslist website. I always find a plethora of options at great prices! Another place to check is the classifieds in your local newspaper. If you’re like me, run up to the Salvation Army or closest thrift store and check out what they have on hand there. I wouldn’t be too worried if the item isn’t in the best shape. A fresh coat of paint or handmade slipcover can do wonders for older furniture.

Shop at discount stores, such as Big Lots, Marshalls, or whatever local discount store you have around. Department stores and such send their unsold items to discount stores, so you’re getting the same quality product at a massively reduced (and awesome) price!

Add some color to your room. Painting can be an inexpensive way to create a dramatic change to a room. You can also decorate your walls in alternative ways, such as applying vinyl wall décor or hanging fabrics.

Create your own artwork! I am impartial to this idea since I am constantly making art already, but try it out sometime even if you don’t feel you are “artistically inclined”. It could be as simple as creating a paper collage or painting leaves to arrange and frame. The process of making art can also be therapeutic and help you clear your head. If you really feel you don’t want to try your hand at creating artwork, buy a cheap calendar of images you enjoy and frame them.

DIY projects There are an overabundance of ideas for do-it-yourself home decorating options that you can find on the internet or in decorating magazines. Look out for a future article about such ideas to help you livin’ up your living space.

What are you favorite decorating-on-a-budget tips? Please share (I personally desperately need it).