Decor-Blog.com

by Christina VanGinkel

Creating a workspace within your home can be a stretch on both your decor and daily activities. I have talked before about how in our recent redecorating and reorganization of our home (an ongoing project), we have moved my computer and office essentials into a corner of our kitchen. For me this is ideal. I do not take a deduction for a home office, so that the space is centrally located is not an issue on that aspect. I also like to be in the mainstream of the household when working, as it allows me to keep track of my young son during the day, and if I choose to put in a few hours in the evening or on a weekend, my husband, and I can still chat. With only them and me living in the home, it is a relatively quiet household. So how is it a stretch?

Living in a small house, as most people who choose to combine office space within another room are, it can be conflict when needing to use the room to its fullest potential for what the room was intended. Last year for the holidays, my office was not in the kitchen. We needed to add a few extra chairs to the table and even took advantage of our kitchen's bay window seating. Looking ahead to this year's holiday dinners and I am suddenly realizing that while my office space works well for my daily grind, it may be in the way those few days of the year when as much space and seating in the kitchen are required.

With new flooring in parts of the house, and the living room being one of them with brand new light colored carpeting, I have also banned any food from being eaten in there, so overflow to the living room is also not an option. With no formal dining room (remember, I said we live in a small house!), the kitchen is where we all have to be seated.

As I was about to really get stressed over this subject, even though the next big family gathering is at least two months away, my son asked me how difficult it would be to move my computer, not the desk, just the computer. I knew what he was getting at, and it was a wonderful idea. For family gatherings, I will move my computer to my room for the day, and my desktop can be transformed into a sideboard! As my desk is an antique, bright red in color, and a favorite subject of almost any guest who stops by, this will work perfectly. I do have a bulletin board above the desk, but this also can be moved quite easily and this will be a good excuse to purge it every few months of old stuff that is no longer relevant to my work.

If you have created a space use dilemma from a choice you made, one you thought was to your best interest; consider all of your alternatives before going into a panic like the one I did. Chances are you also can come up with a simple solution and still keep your sanity.

When I was growing up, my bathroom wasn't anything special. The walls were painted white, the plastic shower curtain was also white, and the bath mats were (say it with me) white. It was just a plain old room. The only "decoration" in there was an ornamental soap dish with miniature pieces of soap shaped like seashells. I didn't give the bathroom decor much thought, and neither, apparently, did my mother. I have to say it was pretty normal, though. Whenever I visited friends' or relatives' homes, I encountered similar bathrooms with very slight variations.

These days, however, homeowners are spending a lot more time and money on decorating the bathroom. Some of the bathrooms I've seen were downright palatial, and looked more like they belonged in a five-star hotel than in a private home. While I don't need that much luxury at my place, I did come away with some decorating ideas. If you've got a bit of money to spend, and if you want to brighten your bathroom, here are a few things you can do.

First, pay attention to the fixtures. No, you don't need solid gold taps and basins (like Donald Trump reportedly has), but having nice fixtures goes a long way toward improving the overall look of the room. Make sure that you keep them clean and shiny, too, or much of the effect will be lost.

Second, pay attention to the floor. What kind of flooring do you want? The hottest bathroom flooring right now is natural stone tiles, but those are quite pricey. You could go with a cheaper ceramic tile, but then you might end up with water absorption problems. Porcelain tiles are also an option. If you are installing new floor tiles in the bathroom, think about putting in some heating coils. Then in the winter the floor will feel nice and cozy when you step out of the shower.

Third, pay attention to the walls. In my opinion, this is the most important part of the bathroom. This is what catches your eye. Porcelain tiles work great because you can get some with beautiful designs painted directly on them. Glass mosaic tiles also work well. These types of tiles usually come in some pretty vivid colors and reflect light, so your bathroom will look brighter and cheerier. You can also add 3D accents to your mosaic tile, such as tropical fish scattered among the tiles in your shower area.

Finally, pay attention to the colors that you use. The colors in a room can affect your mood, so go with a color scheme that you can live with for a long time. Also, remember that the colors used in a room can influence the sense of space and dimension. Instead of using dark colors, try using light ones to make the room feel bigger and more open.

You don't have to incorporate all of these ideas into your new bathroom. Try just one or two at a time to see what a difference it makes. Whatever you do, don't ignore your bathroom decor!

I was over at a friend's house the other day, and I couldn't help but notice how great her kitchen looked. She has a pretty big eat-in kitchen with recent (but not totally brand new) appliances. The fixtures and appliances themselves weren't what made her kitchen so great. Nor was it her bleached oak cabinets. What really stood out was the backsplash. If you're arching your eyebrows in perplexity wondering what a backsplash is, I'm sure you're not alone. Until I saw my friend's house, I didn't know what it was either.

It turns out that a backsplash is just the name for the tiling on your kitchen walls around your sink, food preparation, and stovetop areas. Its purpose is to protect the actual wall surface from damage due to normal kitchen activities. For example, if you fry up a lot of greasy foods on your stovetop, then you know how hot grease has a tendency to splash around. Well, imagine how disgusting it would look if that grease got splattered up onto an unprotected wall.

Backsplashes usually consist of ceramic tiles that start from above your countertops and then extend to the base of your cupboards. This is the case in my kitchen, except for the area around the stove. In that corner, the backsplash goes all the way up to the fan hood. My backsplash is pretty boring. The tiles are just a solid white color, and have a diamond-shaped design on every other tile in one row near the middle.

What made my friend's backsplash so great was that she had porcelain tiles professionally installed, and had some of the tiles custom-painted. She really loves classic literature, so she sat down with an artist and they came up with the idea of incorporating some scenes of the Greek poem The Odyssey into the backsplash. So they have things like the sorceress Circe turning some of Odysseus' men into pigs, Penelope weaving her wedding dress on a loom, Odysseus stringing his bow, and a couple more that I forgot. The scenes were painted in the order they occurred in the poem, so it's almost like you can tell the whole story just from the pictures. The overall effect is very cool.

Each scene just covered a single tile, and the painted tiles were evenly spaced around the center of the backsplash, just like my standard backsplash. So it's not as though she has huge murals in her kitchen. Although the hand-painted tiles do draw attention, they were tastefully done and are not gaudy and overpowering at all.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this decorating idea with you. If you are planning on remodeling your kitchen, or if you are moving into a newly-constructed home and have a lot of design options, I recommend that you give the kitchen backsplash some thought. You can customize it almost any way you want to. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you might as well be surrounded by a nice backsplash.

You have mostly likely seen it done in magazines and books, and think to yourself, hey I really like this look. What can I do to make this work in my space? What am I talking about? The creative art of mixing the modern look with a relaxed attitude of country pieces and YES it can be done by you in your home!

The art of mixing modern with its clutter free starkness along with the addition of the warmth of country by way of wicker furniture, wood pieces and fabrics is the basis of this look. The key to pulling off this look is by having a common thread throughout the room by using things such as color repetition, shapes of objects, textures from both modern and heirloom pieces in order to carry it throughout the whole room.

Blending styles into a seamless looking room takes a certain amount of compromise. Country offers the urban dweller a sense of comfort within the starkness of the modern room and to that end, ease and simplicity is the idea here. Windows can be without treatments thus letting the room have an airy feel within. Wood beams can be left exposed and even if you do display country, heirloom or antique artifacts, the key here is keep it simple. Only display your very favorite pieces for the desired effect.

The colors that can be used for this eclectic mix are borrowed from nature these days. From the colors of sand to ocean blues to apple greens to wheat to shades borrowed from the different seasons and even bright white, these are the chosen colors of the new modern and country fusion. Accessories for the space can vary to just about anything that is an heirloom or antique and fits in with the flow of the room.

Mix it up in the room! Play with everything that you want for the room including the placement of furniture and textures, along with the colors that you want to use before you decide on the look that you want. Go with what looks good to you since you are the one that will see it on a daily basis. It really doesn't matter what the decorators say, as long as you are comfortable and happy with the results.

The key to pulling off the modern and country fusion comes down to a few simple rules:
1. Pare it down by displaying only your favorite items or knick knacks.
2. Lighten up by using light colors on the walls and light weight and light colored fabrics.
3. Combine rural along with the refined by using your treasured heirlooms or antiques along with your leather couches, glass tables and modern lighting. Don't be afraid to mix it up because if you match everything, the room can become pretty boring. Take the approach to your room like you would host a dinner party. You want to have a good variety of interesting guests along with food to compliment the party.

Once you are happy with the look of your room after you have decided which furniture, fabrics, paint colors and the placement of your accessories, you can enlist the help of friends and family members to help you pull it together. When all is said and done after all the hard work, you will then have a room that you have envisioned and now a room that you can enjoy for years to come.

by Christina VanGinkel

One of my favorite shows on television these days is reruns and new runs on the BBC channel of Bargain Hunt. Contestants, in pairs, are each given two hundred pounds, equivalent to about $250 to $300 American dollars depending on the exchange rate, and are then turned loose at an antique-collectible fair or flea market somewhere abroad. Each pair is allowed to shop and bargain for one hour. Whatever treasures they find are then brought to an auction in a weeks time, give or take a few days. The pair that comes out ahead over the other contestants gets to keep their profit, if there is any. While I love watching this show, I have one very big problem with it. I always wonder how they can give up their finds, especially when you can tell they obviously have found something they themselves would want. It is not as if they are shopping at a store, where they can go back after the taping, and just buy another one of whatever!

This explains though exactly why I love shopping at similar sales near where I live. Where else could I find one of a kind decor items for my own home that others are not likely to find anywhere else, at least not in mass production. Shopping these flea markets also puts a twist on shopping that you cannot find when shopping traditional home furnishings stores, as they provide what I refer to as the 'hunt' factor. It is impossible to walk through a flea market or antique-collectible sale quickly, without browsing, as you never know exactly what might be waiting for you to find. The old saying that one man's junk is another man's treasure is positively real and you will know the true meaning to those words if you ever venture into one of these shopping experiences.

My point to all of this rambling is simple. If you are at a point in your home decorating that has you feeling as if you are caught in a rut, where your rooms are coming together nicely, yet they are too carbon copy of magazine layouts and showroom displays, head to one of these sales. Walk around for a while without even making any purchases, just browse, taking in all the different styles and periods. I have yet to meet someone who has started going to these sales who has not come away from one knowing that they will go again. With such a varied assortment of items for sale, it is truly a home decorator's dream. The eclectic assortment will get your brain scheming on an individual decorating theme like no other shopping outlet. Because the variety of wares is so varied, you cannot become pushed in one direction or another. Your brain must decide what it is attracted to, and before you know it, your decor will be looking fresh and unique.

Do not despair if there are no sales of any worthy size in your area. Online fairs are beginning to pop up all over the Internet. Spend an afternoon browsing a few of these, or even browsing a varied assortment at a site such as Ebay. The key to shopping online and not narrowing yourself in is to do a general search instead of a specific one, type in 'vintage lamps' for example, instead of specifying a specific artist or period, or try typing in a phrase such as 60's furniture or 50's decor.

By Christina VanGinkel

Wallpaper was fashionable in the 1800's and even into the 1900's. Sometime in the latter part of the 1900's wallpaper fell out of popularity, possibly because when someone would go to remodel an older house, they would have to spend an insurmountable time removing the build up of layers of decades old wallpaper.

Now, as we are into the new century, wallpaper is once again making a comeback. With colors and designs providing unlimited possibilities as to designs, and new types of adhesives making it possible to both adhere and remove wallpaper much easier, it has become a friendly way to decorate once again. Many types of wallpaper are also fully washable, making them perfect in rooms where dirt and grime might once have been a deterrent, such as the kitchen.

If you are looking for design ideas to help you incorporate wallpaper into your rooms, consider combining it with different types of wall coverings such as paint and paneling to give your room unique style. Consider running paneling one third of the way up from the floor, and then apply wallpaper to the top two thirds. Cover the seam where the wallpaper and the paneling meet with a matching piece of wood trim. Alternatively, cover the bottom third of your wall with wallpaper and paint the top two thirds with a contrasting color of paint. Finish the seam the same way as suggested before. Wallpaper could also be hung just as a border instead of as the focal point of the room. Decide on a width and apply around the upper edge of your walls. Period moulding could be applied to match the period of the wallpaper's design to give your room a detailed finish.

Wallpaper can also be used in some very unique ways. With the myriad of designs available, some graphics seem to be good enough to frame. Go ahead and do just that. Frame the wallpaper of your choosing and hang on a painted wall of a contrasting color. This is the perfect way to bring that wallpaper into your decor that you absolutely love the design of, but the price of it is way out of your budget.

Wallpaper can also be incorporated in other small areas, by recycling leftovers and samples. Use wallpaper beneath a glass sheet on top of your desk. It will provide instant style to your work area. Carry the theme further by covering a small juice can to make a matching pencil cup. Cover an old tray with strips of wallpaper. Gloss over the finished piece with Modge Podge or a waterproof gloss to make your tray easy to keep clean. It can then be used on your dresser to keep control of all your toiletries. Picture frames that are looking tired and old can be given new life by covering with wallpaper. If you have more than one pattern available (samples work great for this) cover the frame in an eclectic pattern. If you have a chair that you have been meaning to refinish, consider covering the frame itself in scraps of wallpaper, then reupholstering the seat in a solid colored fabric to complement the paper. Even small trashcans can be recovered in small sections of wallpaper. Use your imagination when thinking of things to cover. If something is looking tired, give it a go.

By Christina VanGinkel

Teenagers like bright colors in their rooms more often than not. Pick up a sale flyer or catalog, or take a walk through the home furnishings department of any store that features decor for teenagers, and you will likely find items such as lava lamps, brightly colored storage options, rugs in colors such as fuchsia and grape, and bedding and sheet sets in neon bright colors.

I have said in these pages before that my twelve-year-old son had painted his bedroom walls neon green, but I truly thought he was in the minority. How wrong I was. A growing trend it seems is to have a room as bright and reflective of color as one can make it. To carry the extreme even further, they seem to have also discovered furniture reminiscent of past times, such as beanbags and butterfly chairs.

Are there any rules to this style of decorating? A mixed answer here for sure. While keeping all the colors along the same line will keep a room looking orderly to a degree, it is also fun to mix, and match across the board when using colors so bright.

Bringing in as many elements as your teen wants, or as few is also again dependant on the teen themselves. Accessories such as rugs, curtains, desk accessories, throws, picture frames, floor cushion, even waste baskets are all available in neon bright, hot colors. If your teen has their own bathroom, you can also look for shower curtains, towels, soap dishes, and toothbrush holders in colors such as hot pink, neon green, and wild, wild, berry blue.

One mother of a teenager I know asked me a while back, how in the world my son could even sleep in his room. This was before I noticed the trend to all these bright colors, otherwise I would have pointed out that apparently many kids have no problem sleeping in similar conditions. As it was, I just told her that I felt if a child could not show a bit of expression in their own bedroom, where could they, with all the rules and regulations spreading across the usual place most teens spend a majority of their teenage years, the classroom. By letting my son paint his walls and floor, I was just telling him that I appreciate his ideas. He is such a busy kid anyhow, that I am sure he could fall asleep under the bright lights of a runway if that were the conditions in his room. The color is bright, but it is also fun! When he walks into his room, there is no mistaking that it is of his design. His newest addition is a closet organizer built of wood painted neon green and hot pink. To make sure it was noticed, he removed his closet doors to install it, and the doors cannot be put back as they do not fit with the organizer installed as it is.

If your teenager is begging for a bit of leeway with color, take them shopping and let them have some fun. When they move out, you can always repaint the walls!

by Christina VanGinkel

It just goes to show you that everybody has their very own sense of style when it comes to home decorating. Tonight, my husband asked me to do a search on the Internet for a bobble head buck. He had seen it on some show he was watching on an outdoor channel. The buck looked as if he was rubbing his antlers on a tree. Made to go on a dashboard of a vehicle, they said they would also be a fun decor item in a living room or den.

Let me further explain that my husband really is not the bobble head type of person. His decorating sense runs more to the conservative. Colors that match, slightly rugged fabrics, a touch of a western theme if one must pick a theme other than understated. So why all of a sudden he just has to have this bobble headed deer that appears to be rubbing his antlers on a tree I will never know. I would understand it, almost, if he just wanted one for his truck, but he actually wants two of them. I asked him where he plans to place the one in the house, and he nonchalantly replied that he plans to place it on his table next to his chair or on the entertainment center.

I swear he thinks this thing is the greatest invention since sliced bread. As I looked it up, he kept asking me if I had found one yet. As soon as I said I thought I had, he was flying into the kitchen where I have my computer located. A huge smile was on his face when he saw what I had pulled up from an online store called Eders. It was 'The' bobble headed buck that he had seen on television. It even made mention to the fact that it was the same one seen on such and such a show. At $14.95 each and shipping $6.99, he felt as if he had discovered the bargain of the century. We placed an order for one as fast as my computer could. You read right, we placed an order for one.

A girl has to stand her ground sometimes and this was one of those times. I said I would not mind if he ordered one for his dash, but we really did not need one for the living room. He mumbled something about we would see, but I planned to stand my ground as long as necessary. That was when he said he was just thinking of how much he thought our two-year-old grandson would like one, that if we had one in the living room, that he would just love it! He went on to remind me just how much our grandson had enjoyed the singing fish that we owned, and how he really liked the full-sized buck mount we had just looked at up town, the one that sang just like the mounted fish. Now I find myself contemplating ordering a second one. A bobble headed buck rubbing his antlers on a miniature tree would not look very bad in my living room I guess.

Painting a room as a family sounds about as exciting as discussing the family budget. No one really wants to do it - even the person who planned the redesign of the room. There are a few simple ways to make the process easier, and more fun, for everyone.

First, be sure that you always purchase the proper supplies. Going to a paint store or a home improvement store should be an invitation to ask questions. Do not be afraid if you have never painted. Explain that to someone who works in the paint department, and you should find all of the help you need. Before you go, pick something to bring to match or complement in terms of color. Once you are there, you will need to think about the finish you want to determine the type of paint you will need.

Purchase gloves, facemasks, and rollers and pans if you want them. Make sure that you pick up the blue paint tape as well. Do not try to shortcut by not using the tape or by using regular masking tape. Regular tape will not come off well. Plus, you will not be able to see it as easily once you get started. Not using the tape inevitably will result in mistakes.

After you have the materials, set aside a day to do the painting. Then, on the big day, have everyone show up with hair pulled back and in clothes that can get ruined by the paint. No one should go barefoot either. Try to wear old socks and shoes.
The first step is to move all of the furniture out of the room or at least to the middle of it. Put down drop cloths for the painting so that you do not ruin carpet. If you are redoing the whole room, you can skip this step.

Once you have the furniture moved, take off the electrical socket covers and the light switch. Do not permit a child to complete this task, of course. A careful adult should take care of this job as it involves live electrical current.
Next, you will use the blue tape you purchased. Put it around the baseboards, doorframe, windows, and electrical sockets. Be sure to put this tape anywhere you think you will want to keep paint away.

Whew! The prep work is done. Now it is time to get down to painting. Supervise the painting slowly. Everyone should proceed with the same type of stroke - back and forth or up and down. Make sure you are clear about where everyone is to start and stop with the painting.

Once you have completed one turn around the room, put the lids back on the paint so that it does not harden. Wrap the brushes in cellophane wrapping. Give the paint a couple of hours to dry. You can return and see spot work that needs to be completed and whether or not you will need another coat of paint.

When you have completed the whole painting, dispose of the rolling pans and any materials that cannot be reused. If you will not use the remainder of the paint within a year, get rid of it as well. If you will be using it, put the lid on tightly, using a hammer to ensure it is on, and then put it away. Wash out the brushes with hot water.

Following these steps will make your painting much easier to accomplish without fighting and frustration.

by Christina VanGinkel

If you are looking for a unique way to make your house stand out from the neighbors, consider a door that stands out from the crowd. A new door is one of the fastest possible ways to give your exterior a facelift. Doors often become dented, scratched, and worn, causing the whole house to take on a dilapidated appearance. Repainting the door is also an option, as many doors can be sanded down and refinished with relative ease, and your main goal being to give a fresh look to the door area. If you are on a tight budget, keep this option in mind.

If you choose to go with a brand new door, the first thing you need to do is to take measurements to be sure the door you choose will fit. In many houses, doorways can be altered, but in some manufactured houses, a door of a different size can be a problem. Doors no longer come in just a basic few examples either. Doors have evolved right along with everything else. On a recent trip to Home Depot, we headed to the back of the store to look at what there was to offer in the way of doors, as we are going to install a brand new main entry door sometime before fall. We know that we want a door that will let in light, but at the same time provide privacy, and if possible provide a touch of individuality from a regular run of the mill door. One of the first doors we looked at would answer both of these requests. A plain styled door, white in color, with a window that took up nearly half of the door, its window encased a blind that could be open or closed depending on whether you wanted to let light in, or keep prying people from viewing in. The blind, being encased as it was, would not collect dust and grime, making it a breeze to keep clean, always a major plus in my book. Individual style it did not have.

We looked at several more doors while we were there, including a set of patio doors that opened in the traditional sense of a regular door. While this setup would let in an enormous amount of natural light, it would not provide any of the privacy we were looking for.

Not yet decided on a door, we headed home. Since we started our remodeling, I have gained many of my ideas from browsing through various books, catalogs, fliers that arrive in our mail, and magazines. Though our house is a manufactured home, one of my favorite styles of magazines for ideas is anything relating to log living. While our house is not log, we do enjoy the style. One door in a recent log living magazine that garnered our attention was a massive hand carved door. While we knew this would not work in our home, we did like it. We liked the hue of the wood, the graphic features, and the individuality that the door would provide to some lucky owner.

It also gave us the idea to go with a door similar to the white one with the enclosed blind, but in a deep color, yet undecided. We would then have the doorframe custom fitted with figural woodwork, also yet undecided. With several artists in my close family though, I feel confident that this can be accomplished. It will provide the light we are looking for, along with privacy when we want, and the biggest plus, provide our new entryway with its own individuality.

by Christina VanGinkel

Mixing bright colors via paint or objects such as pillows and throws, into a room is a fun and inexpensive way to breathe life into an otherwise dull decor. Small touches of paint that some would consider an extreme color to paint an entire room in; can be just the thing to use on trims or accents. If you are not sure where to begin, study the room you feel needs to be revamped. Look for areas that small touches of a bright paint could work. Consider bare surfaces that look a bit dull or sparse, such as a sofa with only its original cushions on, which is covered in a basic, neutral colored fabric.

Windowsills and the interior part of the window are two places that paint color can add that extra wow. Over the top of a doorway, or the entire doorframe are two more places that a secondary color can be added. If windows or doors have figural accents, consider how these would look repainted in a color that would speak volumes when compared to the room's main color. Kitchen cabinets or backsplash areas are ideal spots to paint. Wainscoting, or the wainscoting's trim, could also work, though the wainscoting itself would be much more of an extreme color job than just painting a small area such as trim.

Too often, in rooms that are meant to be fun, such as a game room or family room, people are just as afraid to bring in color. If the room is on the verge of a redo to begin with, consider the flooring. This also works in kids rooms. We tore up the carpeting in my son's room before we really had any clue as to what we were going to do with the bare floor once it was exposed. After painting his walls a neon green, we went ahead and painted his entire floor a bright blue. Part of the floor was then covered with a rug in tones of green and blue slightly darker than the paint colors we used on his walls and floor. The room may not be conducive to sleeping, though he seems to have no problem falling into slumber in the glow from his floor and walls, but it is a fun room. For a twelve year old, what more could he want than a neon green and blue room!

If you are unsure of adding an extreme color to any of these areas, do not despair. There are still other ways to bring color into a room. For living rooms, family rooms, and bedrooms, add some bright colored pillows and throws. With a wide variety of fabrics available, you can find them both in fun colors and in fun fabrics. I recently saw pillows in neon colors made in faux fur, shag, velvet, and in nylon covered miniature beanbags. Kitchens can also be livened up by adding chair cushions in a mixed up color scheme that displays bright colors in one hue or a mixed variety.

Whatever method or area you choose to bring color into the rooms in your house, know that if you at least give color a try, you have the chance to be pleasantly surprised when that color breathes new life into your tired decorating scheme.

My daughter's first bedroom had a flower theme. Her toddler bedding and curtains were adorned with quilted flowers and it was a pretty, no-frills little room when she was a baby.

When we moved her to a big girl bed (a regular twin size) of course I had to buy new bedding to fit the bed. Since I needed to buy new bedding anyway, I decided it was time to change the theme of her room. Since I am by no means an interior decorator, I knew I needed help. Or inspiration at least. I turned to the first place I always do when I need to get inspired-- Pottery barn.

I scoured the Pottery barn Kids catalog and nearly doubled over with excitement. There was lady bug bedding and flowery bedding and checks and ginghams. As usual, Pottery barn Kids had several things I wanted, but because the items were a bit pricey (I was trying to stay on somewhat of a budget), I decided to check a few other places. I then went to my favorite old standby, Target. Target had an adorable "Fairy Princess" line of bedding and accessories at the time (which by the way, I believe they still have) and I eyed it for a while. Finally, when the "Princess" quilt went on sale I snagged it. I also bought the matching sheet set, the sparkly purple lamp, and some cute "castle" wall hooks and a matching switch plate. A quick check on Target's website showed that there were numerous other items to this "Fairy Princess" line, but they were no longer available.

Enter EBay, the catchall for any and everything under the sun. If anything is ever sold out at your favorite store, you can count on EBay to have people selling the stuff. Sure enough, a quick search on EBay produced several sellers who were selling the matching wall stickers, shelving and canvas artwork. There were even fur and sequin covered pillows available, but I stopped short of that-- I could just imagine the sequins all over the place.

I placed some bids on EBay, but my husband didn't like the idea of stickers on the wall. After some brainstorming, we instead decided to commission my artistic sister to paint a "Fairy Princess" mural on the wall. It took her several days to complete it and it turned out absolutely wonderful, the perfect accompaniment to the bedding and accessories.

I also purchased some wooden wall letters to spell out my daughter's name—they came with pink ribbons that matched all of the princess décor and they provided a dramatic focal point to an otherwise bare wall. A princess mirror over the dresser was the finishing touch. And in the end, we had a very cute "Fairy Princess" themed room for my little girl. I couldn't wait to show it to her.

So what was my daughter's first reaction when she saw the completed room for the first time?

"What happened to my flower room?" she asked. " I don't like Princesses! I want my flower room back!"

Sigh.

Any design book worth its salt will tell you that the quickest and least expensive way to change a room is to paint the walls. Yes, you can dramatically change a room for the cost of a gallon of paint which about twenty dollars they will tell you.

Obviously, whoever believes that statement has never paid a visit to my house. In our basement, the cans of unused, wasted paint are lined up against the wall back wall. Why so many wasted cans? Because my husband and I absolutely stink at picking out paint colors.

So just go with neutral, you may be thinking. Oh yes, we've tried that. I mean, is it just us or does the color never look the same on the wall as it does on the paint swatch? Even with neutrals.

For six years we have been trying to find the right color for our kitchen. After some botched attempts with greens and golds, we opted to go neutral. The color, "Eggshell Cream" appeared to have a light tan, slightly ivory tint to it, but when we got it on the wall it was white as snow. I mean bright white, blindingly white, whiter than milk. Luckily, my husband had only painted one small half wall before we realized that the color was completely boring and not at all what we were looking for.

We wanted to be daring, go a little darker, so after looking at every color swatch at the three major home improvement stores in our area, the next color, "Vanilla Brandy" was purchased. We repainted that same half wall before we realized that the color was so dark that it was making our already small kitchen seem like a cave.

This time my husband was mad. Because the color was so dark, we couldn't just repaint over it. No, we had to Kilnz it. If you're not familiar with Kilnz, it's basically a white-out for walls, a great little cover up. So we went over the 'Vanilla Brandy" with the Kilnz, in preparation for our next venture.

We decided to go with the same yellow that we had in our family room. Called "Cornsilk Yellow" it was a pleasant shade that we already knew we liked and besides, since our kitchen opened up to the family room it was a no brainer that the walls would look great if they were the same color.

Wrong again. A quick repainting of the half wall made us feel like we were drowning in yellow. It was too much, just too much yellow. Ugh!

So now what? Well, we've decided to just use up our original color, the boringly light "Eggshell Cream". Why? Because we've already spent close to a hundred dollars on paint and Kilnz and I refuse to spend another dime on this project. Yes, I suppose we could take the paint back to the store to see if they can adjust the color by adding some more tint to it, but with our luck we'll hate that too. So "Eggshell Cream" it is, as neutral as you can get until we decide to venture out to the paint store again in a few years.

In most parts of North America, the outdoor season is limited at best. So during the warm days of spring and fall and the hotter days of summer, it is wonderful to expand your living space out of doors. Whether you have a terrace, garden or back yard, it is easy to bring out the country theme of your house into the great out doors. The space does not have to be large, it can be a small back yard or even a balcony - any space is usable and can be enjoyable as well!

Decorating your out of doors space is very much like decorating inside. It is a matter of placement. The placing of items like chairs, loungers, pillows, and tables in order to create comfortable areas of conversation. Accessories such as candles, potted plants and garden ornaments should be placed carefully as not to interupt conversation flows. What good is a garden statue in the middle of the seating area when you are entertaining a lot of guests and they are forced to stretch in order to look over top in to be able to speak with guests on the opposite side?

Items that can be used to bring the country flair to your out of doors areas are almost endless. Furniture can be anything from Adrondack chairs to antique church benches to French bistro chairs. Furniture can be bought at thrift stores, big box stores or at antique or flea markets (or even perhaps if your city has a big garbage night and it is acceptable to go take from others garbage', sometimes you can find pieces that just need a bit of sprucing up!) Accessories can be candles, antique watering cans, baskets and just about anything with a country feel.

Your space does not have to be confined to your patio area. Imagine your out of doors space as another room with walls. The walls can either be real or imaginary. Real walls can include actual exterior walls of your house, a garden fence, a bank of shrubbery or trees or a trellis. Imaginary walls can be a row of potted plants, a path or any other dividing line that you may have or use. You can divide up space by using area rugs which can be made of outdoor friendly materials such as sisal. Market umbrellas also can define the space. These are handy, quite inexpensive and can be placed in strategic areas over a large yard for setting areas.

Or, if you have a larger back yard, you could set up little areas all over by using benches or small seating areas. The sound of a water fountain makes for an enjoyable retreat as well. So if you have a larger space, you could have a pond with water activity or if you have a much smaller space, even a table top water feature will work. If you have room outside, a place to store outdoor dishes and utensils is handy also.

Out of doors living areas provide colour, texture and fragrance plus an expansion of living space that can be enjoyed during those warm months, so why not take advantage of it?

by Christina VanGinkel

Vintage linens and quilts, including everything from sheets and pillowcases, to blankets, to table linens, to hand and dish towels, and other various textiles are always fun to bring into a decorating scheme, especially if you are one who likes the acquisition as much as the find. Summer, with its yard sales and auctions nearly every weekend, is the perfect time to head out in search of them. Once easy to find, good quality vintage linens are becoming a bit harder to locate. So expanding your search for them is necessary.

Auctions and estate sales that are closing out a household that has been in existence for at least several decades are often your best places to find linens that are both true vintage and decorative enough to draw attention. If you are lucky, you may even uncover linens that date back to the turn of the last century and even older. Because linens were considered an essential part of a household during that period, they were used frequently, but they were also taken care of. Ebay, the online auction site, also has a consistent listing of vintage linens and quilts. As with any online purchase, it helps to know what you are searching for, and to be cautious with purchasing from sellers until you are comfortable moving around and within the site. If any discrepancies arise before or during a purchase, it is best if you know what rights exist to aid you. Also, do a search at any major search engine, such as Google, for vintage linens. Online stores and storefronts for brick and mortar stores will show up in your search results, offering you additional shopping access points.

Goodwill and St. Vincent DePaul stores can offer a selection also, but many times the better quality linens are separated from the trash at these outlets and marked up higher than their actual value. So shop these stores with both a keen eye and a hand on your wallet, as you may find yourself spending far more for an item than it is worth. If you do not mind doing this, as part of the monies go towards charities, then consider this fact in your decision-making.

If you have a parent or grandparent who has a treasure trove of vintage linens tucked away, approach them in a sensible manner, inquiring if they would have any willingness to sell some or all of their collection. Often they were purchased or even handcrafted with the intent to be used for special occasions, and were then tucked away, never to be used. On the other hand, they have been passed down several generations and the newest generation has no desire to acquire a 'bunch of old stuff'. This was how I came into possession of a wonderful assortment of crocheted edged pillowcases. An aunt had intended to pass them down to her daughter. Her daughter had no desire to take possession of, let alone use, the lovely pillowcases. Her style of decorating was extremely modern, and if it did not come from Kohl's, JC Penney's, or Pottery Barn, it had no place in her house. My Aunt gladly passed several of them to me, keeping a few in case a future granddaughter showed any interest.

If you are in search of vintage linens and quilts, keep searching, as you never know where you may discover your next great find!

Sometime in the months between finding out about a pregnancy and bringing that new bundle of baby home from the hospital, new parents-to-be will be thinking about preparing a nursery.

After you have decided which room of the house will actually be turning into the nursery, often the first thing you will want to do is the walls. If you will have a painted nursery, try to have someone else do the actual painting. There have been enough warnings over the years about birth defects and paint fumes that whether or not it is actually true, you will not want to take the risk. If at all possible, just have someone else do the painting and then keep air circulating in the room and keep the windows open until the fumes are gone.

Colors for nurseries painted before the birth or before knowing the gender of the baby should be a neutral color, of course. (As opposed to the old standbys of pink or blue.) Many people choose pastels for nursery decorating. Green, yellow, lilac, and cream are colors that will work for either a boy or girl occupant in future months. If the walls will be one of these plain colors, there are many wallpaper borders available that can brighten up the room.

On the other hand, flamboyant and vibrant colors have been finding their way into more and more decorating projects over the last few years, and a nursery is not an exception. It is usually a good idea to use an opposite "brightness" of the wall colors for the accessories, though. For instance, if the walls are pastel, try brighter colors for the accents. If the walls are bright colors, you will want to choose more neutral or light colors for curtains, accessories, and other things that will be in the room.

If you want to skip the paint altogether, wallpaper will work great. You can do top to bottom with it, or just halfway up the wall with paint on the other half. Whatever you can design will work well as long as it is within your decorating budget.

Speaking of the budget, you may enjoy doing some shopping at yard sales, online auctions, and flea markets. There are some real treasures to be found, but also some areas to use caution. One such area is making sure that anything electrical you buy is actually in good working order, but more importantly, is safe with no loose wires, etc. If you are looking for baby clothing or blankets, be sure that what you choose is safe and flame retardant (as blankets, sleepers, and so on should always be).

In addition to aesthetic decisions about things like wall coverings and paint colors, curtains and wall hangings, there are other things to take into consideration in decorating a nursery. If you have a rocking chair in the room, or another chair for late feedings or bonding time, you will want a night light or a lamp with a low light setting near that chair.

Also keep placement of the crib or bassinette in mind. Don't put it against a wall where there will be a loud stereo or television on the other side of the wall for one example.

by Christina VanGinkel

Dark wood furniture finishes are making a revival like no other time in recent history. In part, I believe, because of all the wonderful colored and finished fabrics that are now available as accents to the wood. My most recent Pottery Barn catalog is an excellent example of this. With leathers, linens, velvets, and other fabrics in earthy shades and deep colors that speak volumes all by themselves, the dark finishes seem to glow. Surprisingly, mixed in with these wonderful colors is also stark white. It works in small touches as a perfect eye-popper to the dark colors right along with the deep colors and tones.

You can still find light finishes, and will always be able to, as different people have different tastes when it comes to decorating, but it is amazing to me how through the years people keep coming back full circle to the deep, rich woods such as cherry and walnut, and dark stains and even paints.

I think it is a comfort to many people, when they enter a room and the furniture seems to welcome them in. Light colored furniture can be beautiful, but it often leaves a room feeling light and airy, which is good under many circumstances, but just does not provide the homey, welcoming feeling that many are trying to produce.

Many favorite pieces of furniture that are passed down through the years within a family are more often than not dark wood. My antique buffet is a perfect example of this. If I had to pick a favorite piece of furniture in my house, it again would be the buffet. Why is easy to answer. Because of all the pieces in my house, it gives off a feeling of warmth more than any other item. Its dark finish shows off its natural wood grain, which in turn lets the beauty of the wood shine through.

If you want to bring warmth to your living space with dark wood furniture, but are afraid to fill your house, feeling it would feel too closed in, start by decorating a single room. The bedroom is a good room to do a trial run in, as many bedroom suites are available that will meet your expectations. The Pottery Barn has several styles to choose from, including the Sumatra Collection, the Francisco Collection, and the Valencia Collection.

If the living room is more open to a redo, consider Pottery Barn's Glasgow Collection, PB Signature Media Collection, Chloe Occasional Tables, or Zoe Occasional Tables. On the other hand, for an office space, consider their Plantation Desk, or their desk from their Alden Collection. All of these offer a dark finish of various degrees, sure to fit your individual style. The desk from the Alden Collection for example features a hardwood frame with an edge-rubbed black finish, accented with antique-bronze-finished hardware, as does the Plantation Desk.

Remember to accent with the deep new bold colors, and you will soon have your rooms acquiring the comfortable, homey feeling that dark wood furniture can provide.

by Christina VanGinkel

In my mailbox this past week, was a copy of a log-home design magazine. An interesting article within its pages drew my attention even though I do not currently live in a log home. It discussed how a husband and wife each wanted very different design elements for their new home. He wanted a log home, in a typical large log, exterior and interior. She wanted color reminiscent of the country home where she grew up. Together, along with the help of an interior designer, they managed to pull both ideals off in one structure.

It made me think about a current project I would like to initiate in my own house, one that my husband does not have any interest in me doing. Our living room and kitchen are essentially one large room separated by a portion of the kitchen cabinetry. The two main walls, one in the kitchen, and one in the living room, face each other. We painted these two walls a color I refer to as rustic green. It is a subdued color, and we both like it very much and have not regretted the color choice at all. The difference of opinion we have is that I would like to freehand paint or stencil in different fonts an assortment of inspirational sayings on the kitchen wall. His opinion is we picked the subdued color because it offered a sophisticated look to the two rooms and we should just leave the walls alone.

Reading the article, I realized that it is possible to pull two very different styles together in a way that benefits both. Theirs was on a much grander scale, a whole house worth, than my dilemma, one single wall, but I felt I could learn from how they dealt with their difference and somehow find a solution for our smaller difference of opinion. They dealt with their varying views of how they perceived their ideal home to be by compromising and allowing each design ideal to be a major element in the overall structure. The house was built as he envisioned it, full-scale log grandeur, and as she envisioned it, full of country color charm. They made their union work by allowing his ideal to rule the structure of the house itself and her ideal to rule all the major interior structures such as kitchen cabinetry. They now coexist in a beautiful color filled log home.

While considering how to approach my husband with the idea of my wall of inspiration one more time, and thinking how the couple in the magazine article worked the two design ideals into one, I had an idea. In the center of the kitchen wall is a bay window. The frame is painted white. I could paint my words of wisdom in smaller fonts in the same rustic green as the wall itself all over the window frame. It would not be overtly noticeable unless someone was close up to the window. It would allow me to incorporate my idea into the kitchen, yet it would keep the wall itself subdued and sophisticated as we had first intended it to be. What better a compromise than whimsical meets sophistication?

by Christina VanGinkel

As summer continues in full swing, with hot temperatures lasting longer lengths of time than I can ever remember, dragging on for weeks now, my mind is still jumping ahead to the upcoming fall. This is a byproduct of my time spent designing crafts for magazines, when one must be thinking fall and the impending Christmas season, when the average person is thinking spring plantings and summer vacations. With all the fall themed catalogs I have been receiving also, this has not been very hard of a mindset to get into. The same catalog I talked about yesterday, National Wildlife Autumn, besides being filled with an assortment of black bear décor, also contains a set of dishes that would make any fall table setting proud.

The American Wilderness stoneware collection, decorated in grizzly, deer, elk, wolf, ram, fox, cougar, and bobcat, is a sixteen-piece, oven, dishwasher, and microwave safe set that consists of dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, and mugs. You can also order beverage glasses that match, and a wide array of matching accessories to both complete the look at the table and in the kitchen.

A three-piece canister set, decorated individually with a grizzly, a ram, and an elk, will be a sure hit on your countertop holding basics such as flour and sugar, or the large one could even be used as a cookie jar. A platter for serving your main course, a two-piece baking set, a lasagna dish and an oval baking dish, a two quart covered casserole, a tool holder with six tools, spoon rest, three piece mixing bowl set, and a two piece vegetable bowl set round out the kitchen accessories. Keeping in mind the beauty of these individual items, you can easily take them from the oven to the tabletop without diminishing the look of your table setting.

To finish your table setting, the set also offers a four-piece soup bowl set, slightly larger than those bowls included in the base set, and a gravy boat and saucer. For those persons who think no table setting is complete without a tea set and matching sugar and creamer, the American Wilderness collection will not let you down. The 36oz teapot is decorated elegantly with a howling wolf. The sugar and creamer highlight a deer and a grizzly respectively.

Pictured, but not available, are a salt and peppershaker and a covered butter dish. For someone interested in completing the whole set, it would be prudent to see if these items were available through a different catalog or outlet, as they would be nice final additions to the collection.

A similarly pieced set is also available in the pattern Wolf Country, which features photography art in place of drawn art. The photographs, twelve in all, depict wolfs from the photography of Lisa and Mike Husar. The set contains a few less pieces than the American Wilderness stoneware collection. However, it is still encompassing enough to be a consideration for those who are fans of wolves.

If you choose to decorate you dining experience with either of these collections, your table will be resplendent in a theme fitting both fall's and winter's wondrous glory.

by Christina VanGinkel

Even though it is mid summer, my mailbox is suddenly becoming filled with an array of catalogs featuring fall in all its glory. The newest one to arrive is one from National Wildlife, marked autumn on its cover. Its pages are filled with an assortment of clothing and home decor items. Their lineup for bedspreads and quilts includes several beautifully designed choices. One caught my attention immediately as I am always on the lookout for anything decor related that includes black bears. While some items are available with black bears, they are oftentimes grouped with deer and moose. Finding items solely based on black bears is not always easy.

So when I flipped the catalog open and discovered a Bear Family tapestry coverlet from Hautman, available in twin, full, queen, and king sizes, along with matching shams and decorative pillows I was pleasantly surprised. It is made of 100% cotton, and it is fringed all the way around its four sides. The catalog also features several more black bear items on the same and following page. A Hautman Bear Lamp, featuring the same bear and cubs that are depicted on the coverlet, is available, as are a complete bathroom set. Shower curtain and an entire bath ensemble from toothbrush holder, tumbler, soap dish, wastebasket, bowl brush, lotion pump, and tissue holder are available, as are a matching three-piece towel set.

For plate lovers, Hautman also offers a three-plate set with rack featuring three adorable black bear cubs. To help you round out a room's decor, there is also an adorable bear table and statue available. The table is made of resin, which is hand painted in detail. The realistic looking little bear is seemingly ready to crawl up a tree. The table is topped with a twenty-inch glass top, making it ideal for bedside or even for use in a living room next to your favorite chair. The statue is also made of resin and is hand painted. At thirteen inches high by fourteen inches wide, he would look adorable just about any place you perched him.

The catalog also has a few other bear items scattered throughout, including a Black Bear Adventure wall tapestry. It arrives ready to hang on its very own wooden rod, but the catalog is remiss in not listing its size. On the opposite page from the tapestry, they offer a three-piece set of garment hooks. Again, these are made of resin and hand painted. Available as a mixed set, which includes a wolf, a moose, and a black bear, I wish they were available singly instead of as the mixed set. The same page also displays a variety of furniture pieces. One in particular, a hunt table, is designed to be used as a hall or buffet style table. Its front is adorned with two silhouettes of bear. It would be the perfect addition to anyone's decor featuring black bear in general.

If this style of furniture and decor related items is something that appeals to you, be sure to get a copy of this catalog or search online for Hautman furniture or black bear decor.

by Christina VanGinkel

Depending on what part of the country you live in, spring, summer, and fall all offer opportunities to spend part of your time outdoors. The problem with this in some areas though is the bugs, the hot sun, or unrelenting showers. Where we live in the Midwest, flies, mosquitoes, bees, and other flying insects all are reasons to stay inside when otherwise we would head outdoors to read, relax, and even eat a meal or two. This summer has also been much hotter than normal, so any respite from the sun is also much welcomed.

There are products that can help you enjoy the outdoors as living space even when insects and the weather are at their worst. Free standing screen houses, screen gazebos, and screen tents all offer protection from insects, along with protection from the sun and rain.

Prices on each of these are as varied as the products themselves. Screen tents are at the lowest end usually price-wise, and can be found for less than fifty dollars. They are often constructed in a similar manner to a typical tent used for camping, minus the full walls. Walls are made of a screen material and they may or may not have floors in them. Wind can be a problem with these, and they are oftentimes recommended only for short-term usage.

Screen gazebos are made in a similar style to the tents, with pole construction typically the same as screen tents. They may have a more ornate roof structure but keep in mind that they can be prone to being damaged easily by the wind. Prices range from fifty dollars to several hundred dollars.

Screen houses are at the highest end price-wise, and at the highest end construction wise. They often have steel frames, which are staked into the ground more efficiently than the other two styles. Screen material itself is also of a higher quality and better at keeping out insects. Due to their construction, if they are properly assembled, they should hold up better under moderate wind conditions. Prices of screen houses start at several hundred dollars and can easily top the thousand-dollar mark. If you are looking for a permanent addition to your yard, definitely check out the available options from companies such as Casita.

For someone that is looking to expand their living space to the outdoors, any of these options are worth consideration. They will allow you and your family to participate in everyday activities from the comfort of your backyard. They will provide a medium of shade even in yards where no trees or other natural shade exists. They will increase the shade's coolness if placed in an area already shady. They can keep bugs and insects away without having to use insecticides. Even the tiniest insects will be held at bay inside a top-quality gazebo or screen house. They also can act as extensions of your living room or kitchen, by providing a quite space to kick back with a good book and a tall, cold drink on the hottest afternoon of the year!

by Christina VanGinkel

If you are fortunate enough to be building your house from the ground up, you can enhance your living space without increasing the square footage simply by considering how you want to live in it beforehand. By knowing how you interact on a daily basis in rooms such as your kitchen, living rooms, and bedrooms, you can incorporate features that will take advantage of the space designated and avoid overbuilding which can cost you money both in the initial build and through future upkeep. You can also use the space already planned in as efficient manner as possible.

One of the best ways to do the latter, to take full advantage of the space in your floor plan, is to remove any items that waste space. Consider hallways for example. While they may be useful for offsetting bedrooms from high traffic areas, if your bedrooms are already set away from these areas, say on your second floor, consider alternate layouts that will reduce or even remove the wasted space of the hallway. This square footage can then be absorbed back into the rooms themselves. A few feet extra in a bedroom can make the world of a difference, especially if the rooms are smallish to start.

Think about your kitchen next. If you are an individual who cooks a great deal, think of all the items you would want in your dream kitchen. By sitting down and making an actual list, you will be able to work these items into the space now. If a kitchen island is a dream of yours, consider if running water and sink would be something you would use in the island. Adding these features later can save you money now, while plumbing for it right from the start may not add much expense up front, and save you considerable money down the road if you do decide to add the items. If you are unsure if you really want the sink, still add the plumbing during the initial build so in the future the only expense would be the addition of the sink if you so chose. Without adding the plumbing now, you then risk the added cost later of ripping up floors and walls to install the plumbing which can be quite easily added during the build. Think of additional items such as wine coolers, dishwashers, oversized bread drawers, even desk space. By considering each item before the build, you will be able to make the space for these items available. While you may not add them all right away, by putting in cabinets and countertops of the same sizes, it will be much easier down the road if you decide to add these upgrades.

Lighting and electrical outlets in closets are another item that can be modified simply during a build, but can be quite expensive to add later on. You may not really think that you need these items in a closet, but adding them at the start will not cost all that much. Adding them later can become a significant cost.

By putting a small amount of extra thought into your build beforehand, you can save a huge amount of time, space, and money later.

by Christina VanGinkel

Shopping for outdoor furniture is usually a priority in early spring. As soon as flowers start to sprout and the grass resembles a real lawn, getting out into our yards becomes a main goal for many of us. Furniture made to be used in our outdoor spaces increases our pleasure of using these expanded offshoots of our homes. You cannot just drag any old piece of furniture outdoors though. Most furniture will not hold up to the heat of the sun or the moisture from dew and rain. Depending on your style preferences, you can decorate your yard in furniture made from metals, plastics, and woods.

My favorites are the Adirondack's styled wood furniture. Reminiscent of past times when people took summer vacations for weeks and even months on end, when they would head to the Adirondacks to partake in organized activities at lodges and hotels, when summer truly meant a time to relax. While most of us can only dream of a vacation such as that, we can bring a touch of that feeling into our own homes with furniture styled in the same relaxing fashion as the originals.

L.L. Bean often thought of for their clothing, has a nice selection of Adirondack furniture. My favorite, and oftentimes the most familiar piece associated with the name and styling is the classic styled chair. With its high wood back and low-slung seat, it is just begging someone to come sit and relax. By adding a matching footstool, it becomes the perfect backyard spot to partake in a quiet siesta.

For those times that you and a friend would like to relax on the back porch and admire your garden and yard as it comes into its full summertime glory, make sure to check out the Adirondack glider that L.L. Bean offers. Available in green, red, white, or a natural that is a solid oak, lacquer finished. You can add a Casco Bay cushion in a complementing fabric for a glider so comfortable you will wonder how you ever enjoyed the view in your backyard without it. For that cup of tea or tall glass of cold lemonade, make sure to place a few of their foldable side tables in convenient places around your porch and yard.

If you like to dine outside or entertain frequently, they offer a 15 square-foot table that combines with benches that can be used for seating anywhere around the table. Unlike a picnic table, that defines where to sit, the benches can be placed on the sides, ends, or used off on their own, and leaving the table to be used buffet style.

L.L. Ban did not forget the kids either! They offer an Adirondack styled picnic table sized perfectly for the younger crowd. At 33" long, 30" deep, and 21" high, it fits up to four children for convenient snacking and meal taking outdoors.

Other places offer this style of furniture also, but for one-stop shopping backed by a name that signifies quality, check out L.L. Bean's varied selection.

While nearly all of our homes have the traditional rooms such as a kitchen, living room, bedrooms and bathroom, some people are fortunate enough to have homes with additional rooms such as a family room, dining room, and den. Still others might have an extra bedroom for guests or a sewing room or a study. Now that more and more people are working from home, and home businesses are on the rise, people are discovering that they need not just extra space, but an extra room from which to work. If the work involves any type of creativity such as writing, artwork or design, the need for a separate room is even more important. It is difficult not only to get creative in a corner of your living room or kitchen; it is also hard to keep track of papers, supplies, and equipment.

If you are in need of a special work room for creativity and you are fortunate enough to have an extra room in your home for just such a place, you will want to decorate your room appropriately. The room should be inviting, warm, comfortable, cozy, and it should encourage creativity.

For a creativity room, the first thing to consider is the color. Any color will do, but it must make you feel good. If pastels are soothing to you, then choose a pastel you like. If wood paneled walls inspire your creative muse, then go with wood paneling. Bright colors are often striking and encouraging, but over time, we often tire of them, so think ahead. Use your color theme to decorate the rest of your room, complementing the walls and rousing your senses.

A creativity room should have windows for plenty of light. If the window looks out on a nature scene of some kind, be sure to have minimal window treatments. You'll want to be able to gaze out the window for inspiration when you need it. If your window looks out upon a dull alley, a busy street, or some distracting or non-private scene, put in sheers or mini-blinds that will obstruct the view but allow plenty of light.

Plants are nice in a creativity room. While we don't often want other people or noisy pets with us when we are trying to spark our creativity, plants are living things that depend on us and can keep us company. Also consider adding soft music to your creativity room. A CD or tape player with classical music will soothe your mind, help to block out the rest of life's worries, and encourage your artistic or literary genius.

The desk or work table can be whatever you choose, but also have another place to sit; a soft easy chair, a cushioned bench, a bean bag chair, or whatever works for you.

Lastly, consider adding a small water fountain to your creativity room. Fountains can be found in a variety of shapes, sizes and prices, from very large, elaborate fountains that hook up to your household water system, to small desk-top fountains that can be found in discount and variety stores. Running water helps block out household and street noise without distracting you or taking away from your creativity.

Decorating a home on a budget can be fairly simple with a bit of pre-planning. One of the best and easiest ways of adding charm to a home is not by repainting, renovating or adding new furniture; instead, add new accessories to what you already have in your home. For a less formal look, try decorating your home with various types of baskets. Not only do baskets look beautiful in many different settings, they serve in a functional capacity as well. Baskets can be used in a variety of different ways. Following are merely a few:

1. Flower holder. A tall basket can be used to add character to a plain glass vase if you slip the vase inside the basket. Baskets can also be adorned with dried or silk flowers and then placed on a table as a centerpiece or on a side table as an accent. Many baskets are built to hang on the wall and can serve in the place of a door wreath.

2. Plant holder. Household plants will look cozier if they are growing out of a cute basket rather than just a plain pot. Macrame ropes can hold baskets with hanging plants, and baskets of various sizes can hold your table and floor plants.

3. Food holder. Baskets are very useful in the kitchen for holding bread items such as bagels, buns, and muffins, but they also look pretty filled with assorted fruit. A basket full of apples, oranges and bananas makes a kitchen look more inviting, and it can be used decoratively as well as functionally.

4. Candy holder. If you have children in the house, put away the beautiful crystal candy dishes and use a small, pretty basket instead. A tiny handled basket full of candy is reminiscent of Grandma's house.

5. Book holder. If you and your family are frequent library visitors, you might find it difficult to keep track of the books and when they are due. Designate a large basket in the living room as the library basket. Keep the library books and videos there when they aren't being used; when it is time to return them to the library, you will know where they all are.

6. Make-up holder. Since baskets come is such a large variety of shapes and sizes, you can find the perfect basket to fit in your bathroom as a make-up holder. An elongated basket might sit on the back of the commode, or a rounded one on the counter top. All your make-up will be in one place and it will look pretty as well.

7. Hair accessories holder. This is an item that is so easy to lose; keep all your hair accessories such as ribbons, clips, and bands in a basket on your dresser or in the bathroom. The basket can be large enough to hold a hair brush and hair dryer, too.

Remember, when decorating with baskets, you can decorate your basket as well using paint, ribbons, or add-ons. Be creative and enjoy!

by Christina VanGinkel

Let me start by saying that a new bedroom set is not within my current budget. My budget is about as busted as any budget can be and still be standing. But, as it happens, when someone is redecorating one part of their house, as we have been doing, it makes you aware of other parts of your house that could also use a bit of updating. Our bedroom is one such place. Budget or not, the parts of my house that have been redone are calling my bedroom out and telling it how outdated it really is.

In a quarter century of marriage, my husband and I have not yet purchased a bedroom set. We have not even purchased a bed of our own. Our first bed came from my mother, who moved shortly before we were married. She gave us what had been her and my father's bedroom set for over twenty-five years. A double bed with matching dresser and mirror, we newlyweds were thrilled to have the set. Then, a few years ago, my in-laws purchased a new bed, complete with new mattress and box spring, slept on it for about a month, and decided that they hated it. We were the happy recipients of that bed.

Now, as our house comes together with its new flooring and fixtures, our bedroom is starting to show its haphazard assembly. With my penchant for browsing stores, catalogs, and online storefronts lately, I could not help myself from just peeking at what new bed styles were available and what the costs might run if we decided to buy a bedroom set of our own picking sometime in the near future.

I found the bed that was meant to reside in our room in less than one day from when I first started looking. Even the whopping price tag, well over any budget that we could possibly eek out, has not deterred me from falling in love! I found it online and immediately printed a picture of it off and posted it above my desk. When my husband asked me about it, I told him it was my new inspiration for selling my book.

It is log styled cedar, with a metal insert footboard depicting a mountain scene. Our dream is to retire to the mountains of Colorado or Montana someday, so I can easily see myself falling asleep with a symbolic vision of our dream nearby, and the headboard reminds me of a cabin itself, and would look divine with fabric-covered pillows stacked up against it during the day.

My poor husband just shook his head and went on his way. I have pinned many an item up on my board for inspiration for this project or that, and it usually inspires me in just the way I intended it. He is probably trying to figure out if a bed of its size will fit down our narrow hallway, and if it does, if we will have any space left in our bedroom if I am actually able to pull off purchasing this dream bed. Wait until I tell him that I also found the perfect bench and dresser to match that the bed would just not be complete without.

Throw rugs can bring a warmth, style, and color to a room like little else. They can define a space, brighten it up and add a sense of fun to a room. Throw rugs can come in any shape and be made from practically any material. They can add a festive feel for any holiday to a room and are not only for floors anymore!

A throw rug is a great way for renters or dorm dwellers to add their own personal flair to their space. Besides a throw rug on the floor, why not put a brightly patterned one up on the wall as an art piece? A rug such as a tapestry type rug would look great on a wall and it can go with you when you move. Throw rugs can be folded and placed on the foot of a bed or used as a table runner on a coffee table or a dining table and can be pinned over a pillow as a pillow cover. Or cover the back of a less then new looking sofa. They can practically be used everywhere!

There are so many varieties of throw rugs. They can be antique rag rugs, needlepoint rugs, braided rugs, hand hooked rugs, Asian rugs, animal skin rugs (a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace could be a cozy place to sit!) Home made rugs can also be just as beautiful, such as a crocheted, a hand painted floor canvas, knitted or woven one, manmade fibres, or natural ones, the choice is endless!

So what do you look for when considering the purchase of a rug? Well, first, the size and color of the rug are the most important. Where are you planning to put the rug? Will it be going in a large or small area? Color is also important. A rug can either be of a plain color that can enhance either the main color in your decorating theme or an accent color. Subtle or tiny patterns can also be quite nice. Fabric is important also. If it is a high traffic area, a washable throw rug or a larger one of durable, easy to clean materials are your best bet (such as a cotton one), but make sure that you have either a rubber backing on it or an under layment of rubber to prevent slipping or sliding. To bring the outdoors inside, consider a natural fibre rug, such as ramie, or sisal (not easily cleaned, but very nice looking). Rugs can either be used inside of the house or as an extension of your living area on the outside of your house, perhaps into your patio area or poolside. These kinds of rugs can also make a great mud, sand and even ice and snow trap when placed outside or inside the door that leads to the mudroom or entry way.

No matter which type of rug you pick for the area in your house, it can add warmth to your living space for years to come and the best thing is, this decorative piece is a portable and can move when you do.

When many people are deciding on a way to decorate a room, they rarely think of using their hobbies and interests as a starting point. But really, why not use a subject you're passionate about as the inspiration behind a room? Decorating with your hobby in mind can be fun and it's a way to display your special interests and talents for everyone to see.

If your hobby is an outdoors or active interest, like golf or horses, look for pieces that highlight your favorite activity. If you look around enough stores and flip through enough catalogs, you will find all of the themed household items you could ever want. Just a few pieces scattered about the room can really bring the whole setting together. So if your interest is fishing, you could combine a fish-themed clock or painting on one wall with a fishing throw on the couch and a shadow-box display of lures and spinners on another wall.

If you collect something, it's probably not too hard to think of ways to use that collection as the focal point of a room. If you've built your collection as an investment, though, you may want to consider whether it's appropriate to put it on display where it can be damaged and depreciate in value. Think of interesting and high quality ways to put your collection on display, whether you frame several postcards or buy a curio cabinet for some figurines.

Perhaps the most important thing to consider when using a collection as decor is that it not look cluttered. There's a fine line between interesting display and jumbled mess. Invest in stands, small shelves or whatever is suitable to the item you collect to help control the overall look of the display. Twenty Precious Moments figurines displayed across the top of your entertainment center will be a mass of porcelain with many figures not visible or just not as noticeable in the background. But consider the difference if you bought or made small boxes of differing heights to place some of the figurines on. You no longer have to worry about the pieces blending together and you've created a visually interesting display.

If your hobby lies in the arts and crafts arena, then your creations are readymade for home decor. Think of ways to decorate several items in the room with your craft of choice so there is variety. Wall hangings and framed pieces are the most obvious decorations, but you can just as easily embroider a pillow as you can create a sampler to hang on the wall. If you normally paint on canvas, experiment with painting a design on your coffee table, or if you're not that adventurous, some baskets or boxes to place on shelves.

One word of caution, though. If you're not the only member of your household, make sure that "your" hobby is an agreeable decorating theme to others. But even if your husband doesn't share your love of quilting, that's not to say you can't decorate the guest room in that theme while the living room stays a more neutral decorating ground.