Your Home - Add Flair On A Budget

Being short on cash doesn't mean you have to be short on style. This means that you can add a few sparks to liven up a stale or tired decor in your home using a little imagination; cleaning and rearranging what you have goes a long way too. Small changes can make a big difference.

Paint probably is the easiest way to freshen a room. Faux and crackle paint finishes are great ways to add an elegant look to your walls and even furniture. Painting the lower three feet of a wall in a darker color and the top half in a softer shade of the same color is a great way to add interest; add a wallpaper border or a molding piece between the colors is the final touch. Changing your walls' color from white to a warm pastel or a rich, vibrant color can make an enormous difference in a room's ambiance.

We all have an assortment of furniture that we've collected over the years; you know what I mean - Grandma's dresser, Mom's desk, Dad's favorite chair, the first piece of good furniture we bought after college. After awhile this hodge-podge of "stuff", well, just looks dowdy. Some of us have over loaded bookcases (I'm looking at one in my office as I write this!), furniture jammed against the walls, pictures hung haphazardly around the room all needing some attention. Adding a custom made slip cover to Dad's favorite chair, a couple of containers to clean and rearrange Mom's desk and a bouquet of flowers and some appropriate accessories to the top of Grandma's dresser can work wonders.

New draperies, or even moving existing draperies from one room to another, can give your rooms a new look. Adding trim to existing draperies is a good way to give them a punch that they don't have now. Greenery adds a breath of fresh air and color to any room. Invest in one large tree, real or silk, as a focal point in the room. Fresh orchids are available everywhere. I have one in my living room that has been blooming non-stop for several weeks. When it is finished I will add it to my growing collection of orchids that are surprisingly easy to grow.

Decorative pillows and throws can add texture, updated colors, bring in a new pattern and immediately jazz up a sofa or a chair. If you are handy with the sewing machine you can buy fabric remnants at reduced cost and sew pillows yourself. Add some beads or fringe to the pillow and - zap - you have changed the look of your room to a more sophisticated style.

Area rugs offer a huge variety of pattern and color. Adding a 4' X 6' size rug in front of your sofa makes an immediate improvement. Arrange your chairs around the sides and add a coffee table; you have created a warm, inviting conversation area that welcomes you and your guests to sit and enjoy each others company. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpet adding an area rug is an easy way to mark off an area in any room.

Cleaning or replacing dusty lampshades, adding new energy saving light bulbs and making sure that there is enough light fixtures in the room to give the room a triangle of light will make your rooms more comfortable. I am always amazed how many homes I go into that do not have the proper lighting; one lamp in a room just isn't enough light as it creates one bright spot and the rest of the room is gloomy and dark making the room uncomfortable.

You get the picture - it doesn't take much to change your home's environment for the better! A little elbow grease and some imagination will work wonders to add flair to your home without spending a lot of money.

INTRODUCING - Pirouette Window Shadings

Here are two photos that I took when we attended the first ever Hunter Douglas hosted International Alliance Conference held in Denver, Colorado on July 26 & 27, 2007, that show the revolutionary new window shading - Pirouette. This shade will be available at my shop Drapes & More Interiors (http://www.drapesandmore.com/) in early September, 2007. These shades will be available only at selected stores until early 2008.

My photos do not do justice to this wonderful new product! The photo on the left shows two shades, one open but down and the other down and closed. The shades look very much like a roman shade - imagine the capability to open the shades to see a view through them but still have the sun control benefits of a shade and the softness of a roman shade. When the shade is open or closed completely, as you can see by the photo on the right, you will be able to enjoy a variety of 44 fabric colors and three fabric styles. With the vanes open, the sheer backing maintains privacy, reduces glare and blocks up to 86% of harmful ultraviolet rays. The shades will come in semi-opaque and black-out style fabrics, plus can be made into large sizes 120" wide X 120" long making the shade even more unique. When you raise them, they go completely up into their headrail making them almost invisible.

We hope to have our showroom samples by the end of August and also plan to have a large sample at our booth at the Sonoma County Home Show in mid-September.

Over 4,000 attendees of this International Alliance Conference, who represented "the best in the window covering industry", were privileged to hear General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret) give the keynote address. General Powell offered insight on leadership and his vision for tomorrow. His address was well accepted and everyone agreed that he left the group with many inspiring thoughts & feelings.

As always, Hunter Douglas is the revolutionary manufacturer in the window covering industry and we are proud to represent all of their products; especially the new Pirouette window shades.

Bedspreads - The Right Way to Fit Your Bed

A common question we hear from clients is: "Where can I find a bedspread to fit my bed?" This is a frustrating question because there isn't a simple answer. Retailers offered bedspreads in many stores years ago because mattresses were by-and-large the same. The "drop", or distance from the top of the bed to the floor, was a consistent 21" then; but now, the drop can vary from 18" to 38"+.

Since the popularity of pillow-top mattresses came into fashion, bedding retailers simply cannot afford to have inventories of so many bedspread sizes on hand. Consequently the popularity of separates for the bed (bed skirts, pillows, duvets and coverlets) has become the norm in the bed covering market because they can be mixed and matched. However, people are getting tired of this look and are turning to a sleeker look for their bedding; a look without the need for multiple pillows and the tedious job of making the bed because of all the pieces that make up the bedding package.

As all trends return, one piece bedspreads are gaining in popularity. Homeowners want a more sophisticated look on their beds that speaks to their tastes. Sleeker and less cluttered bedrooms is what the market is turning to. This is why custom made bedspreads are gaining in the market today.

A custom bedspread can be made of any suitable fabric. Your designer will need to measure the exact size of your bed before the spread can be made. You will have many choices of style as examples; extra long pillow wraps, fitted corners, tailored or flouncy styling, decorative trims and custom fitting to exactly fit your specialty bed frames. There are numerous choices on quilting patterns and fillers for the spreads. They are usually dry cleanable but your designer can have them made so that they can be washed.

Buying a custom fit, quality bedspread will give you the freedom to be creative and to end up with a one-of-a-kind sophisticated bedroom.

Interior Design Books - Recommended List

There are so many wonderful books available today about interior decorating that I thought it would be a good idea to include some of them on my blog that are available from Amazon.com. Please see the current list below. Good reading about one of my favorite subjects - having a comfortable and beautiful home!