Shelves - Space Saving Solution

Shelves are one of the best solutions offered to rooms with small spaces. They can hold books, collectibles, decors among other things. Not only this can be considered functional but it can be made decorative too. Shelves can accent a room's existing tone or can bring about a whole new touch to the space.  

A lack of bookshelf space is a problem in most households with limited spaces. However, installing shelves help you organize your things, leaving the room clutter free. Choosing the right bookshelf for your home is already challenging enough but choosing where to intall it is another thing. How do we resolve this?

When you need extra space for your stuff of interests, scan your room. Look for corners, the undersides or backs of your furniture, walls and  uder the stairs too. Just make sure that wherever you plan to intall the shelves, it can withstand and support the weight and will not collapse when in use. Make sure to match your shelves with the style of your room for a unified look. Whether you install it in the bedoom or the bathroom always give it a style. 

Shelves in full height can create plenty of storage for your stuff. This can be very interesting for your walls especially if done right; painted or varnished appropriately to the room. For a more organized look, make sure to arrange your things in a neat pattern. 

Go around and check what shelving solution interior shops can offer you. You will be surprised to see that there are lots of ideas and designs to choose from - ready made to do it yourself shelves. Before you choose what type of shelving solution you need, identify what would best suit your purpose. If you own a home, you may opt for built in shelves designed to fit your needs. However, if you are renting, removable shelves are your best option. You can pack them up and take it easily with you.

Bring Style To Your Living Room

Even wth professionals, a small room can be pretty much challenging to work on but do not despair with that thought. You may struggle with limited options, however, creativity can address your concern. If you know what you want then nothing can stop you from making it happen. You can still own a living room you always dream of. Something you can be proud of. A living room you can show off to your family and friends. 

INVENTORY

The furniture set  is the belle of the ball of any living room. After all, it wouldn't be called as such if your living room doesn't have it. Take note of its color. Is it printed or in plain colored design? Is the color in dark hue or light? You need to consider all these. What other stuffs do you intend to keep? You may want to get rid of other things you don't want anymore. The lesser stuffs you have, the better for the size of your room.

WALL TREATMENT

What is the current state of your walls? What paint color does it have? If you intend to include this in your budget then so much the better. I already mentioned in my previous posts that walls alone can make a difference to the entire room. Given the size of a small area you would, at least, want your walls to create an effect of a larger room. The best solution to this is to paint it light. It doesn't have to be white but something very light and cool to the eyes. Darker hues won't work for small areas. If you are stuck and not sure what color to pick on, select a color from your furniture set and get a paint of the lightest hue. If you have a plain colored set, you can go for the same color with the lightest hue. 

FLOORING

I am not sure what type of flooring you have in your home. I just hope, whoever did your house did not install something dark in color. It is alright if you would want to leave it as it is. But if in case you would want to have it redone, I suggest to get something lighter and nearer to the hue of your wall paint. It will create continuity and make the room appear larger. There are a variety of floor treatments you can select from. You may window shop around and check what would closely fit to my suggestion. 

FURNITURE SET

Be careful in arranging your furniture set. Sketch a floor plan of your living room and try rearranging the pieces from there. It would be more easier than actually doing it. Make sure to follow the guidelines I have discussed in my previous posts (Arranging Your Furnitures & Interior Space Planning). 

If buying a new set is a part of your project, go get something that is small in scale and not bold in color. If you want a printed fabric, select the ones with simple small floral prints. Stripes in fabric is also an option. It can make the room look longer if the stripes are horizontal; higher if stripes are vertical.

ACCENTS

• Throw Pillows - Get the complimentary color of your furniture set or your walls for your throw pillows. You can have them in bold color; mix and match it with the printed ones of the same color or you can create an analogous color scheme with your throw pillows. Limit the colors to a maximum of three - one dominant and the two in pastels would be great.
• Lighting Fixtures - Go for simple style modern lighting fixtures. No chandeliers! 
• Area rugs - Invest into something lighter in color if you have a dark flooring. Select a color hue that has the same as your throw pillows.
• Mirror - A large plain mirror sheet would be great for small living rooms. Hang it facing your window to give an illusion of a larger room. 
• Shelves - You can install a natural colored planks of wood on one side of your wall as your shelves for books or picture frames, knick-knacks and other decorative items you have. A book case would be fine, however, if you have an extremely small room, I would opt for shelves to have enough space on the floor. 
• Coffee table/ Center Piece - I would suggest a glass top one. Something solid would make the room look cramped. A see through table top would be best.

These are just the basics. It is really very difficult to discuss everything in detail here due to the uniqueness of every household and lifestyle but should you wish to seek my advise, feel free to leave a comment or email me for that matter.

Home Accents

You can give your home a makeover the inexpensive way but in an elegant manner. A few suggestions here can give your home an incredible make over that it deserves. Your home is a place that should be welcoming, not only to you but to others as well. Mainly the reason why, as much as possible, you should pay attention to the interior details of your abode. It is not difficult to spruce up your home without busting your budget. The lack of appeal and excitement can give a bleak and boring atmosphere.

Among other things, accent pieces can greatly manifest your room into being. Accents can be such things as collectibles, lamps, light fixtures, photographs, artworks, knick-knacks or anything with personal meaning to you. They may be small pieces in terms of size but they are items that pulse with the personality of your room.

You may select your accents while you are still in the planning stage of your room or another approach is to be spontaneous and wait until everything else is in place and then add your accents with spirited thought. You can match your accents with the color you have selected to your room and furnitures to promote a harmonious unity of design. This can help build balance when placed symmetrically.

MIRRORS. Both decorative and functional that comes in different shapes, sizes and designs. This is ideal to a small room if you want to create an illusion of a larger room. It should reflect an interesting decor, for example a vase or the garden outside. Be creative on where to hang it.


AREA RUGS. These are great accents and an interesting addition to your room. It comes in wide variety of types and designs that will surely create a much more pleasant ambiance. These are not only decorative but also functional  to protect and cover at the same time any unwanted flaws on the floor. If you opted for a living room set with printed colorful fabric, select its dominant color and get a plain designed area rug of that hue or vice versa.

PICTURE FRAMES. You can frame pictures of your family or an art work. The size and shape of a frame determine the outlook of an art. However, this should complement the art work in it. Choose a picture frame carefully in such a way that it would serve as a great accent and add to the harmony of your room. You may  buy modern colored frames that would go with your furniture pieces or simply a stand alone color to complement your selected color scheme.

LIGHTING FIXTURES. Think of what type of mood you want to set in an area. For a room where you plan to entertain guests, you go for a bright light for a vibrant setting. Should you prefer a more very lazy atmosphere, you may get a bright yellow light as being the backdrop lighting for your floral decoration. There are several options to think of. Floral lights can add an ethereal charm to your interiors and even the exterior part of the house. Studio lights by way of example, could be a good way to complete a modern day design.

THROW PILLOWS.  One way to accentuate your room is by putting in pillows. This is a great way to add a little color and pattern to your room.

FRESH PLANTS.  Any of these variety can spruce up and give life to your interiors and will bring in a slice of nature right into your door steps. Plants are not only pleasing to your eyes but also make you happy and relaxed after a tiring day out. Make sure to take care of the plants and bring them out to sunshine once in awhile. Remove dried and wilted leaves as this will be a sore in the eye.


ACCENT CHAIRS. You may need an accent chair in your room. There are various styles and materials used in accent chairs and you can be sure there will be pieces that would blend with any existing interior arrangement you may have. Whether you're limited on space or have room to spare, you can have a reading nook in your room with a simple chair. If challenged with a small space you should opt for a small, comfy chair that you can get in and out of easily. Place the chair near the window and nighttime light source.

You don’t have to buy all the expensive and unique home decors to come up with an impressive look. There are home decors which are offered with discounts in stores if you try to look for them. Your special touch and attention can help you do things that will give your home the fresh look you always wanted.

Choosing Interior Color Combinations

Interior color is the most economical way of transforming a room into style. To most, choosing  a color can be a bit daunting especially if you are stuck having no idea on how to go about it. Walls create a big difference to the appearance of a room. Choosing the right color is a bit tricky but a well chosen one plus its accent colors can be very rewarding. There is no doubt that it can draw attention to interior detail flaws. 

 It is important that you know the relationships of these colors and how they are created. Warm colors are made with red, yellow, orange and a combination of these which makes us think of sunlight and warmth. On the other hand, cold colors give us an opposite effect of warm colors. As a general rule, the more blue, the colder the color is. Cold colors are made with blue, violet, green and a combination of these.

COLOR WHEEL

COLOR SCHEME

Analogous - A color scheme closely related to each other. These are colors that are next to each other in the color wheel. They usually match well and can exude a serene and comfortable feel. If you opt for this color combination, make sure to make one color dominant to provide focus and use the other colors as accents.

Achromatic - It is a scheme possessing no hue; using only black, white and gray. It is a neutral color and can be combined with any color as accent to the room. This color is often used in kitchens and bathrooms but can also be used in living rooms. This scheme has a strong contrast. 

Complimentary - These colors are opposite from each other in the color wheel. A certain skill is required in placing these colors into the interior to achieve a harmonious balance. The high contrast of complimentary colors gives a vibrant appearance especially in full saturation.

Monochromatic - This is created by using any shade, tint or tone of one color from the color wheel. This can give a very restful and relaxing atmosphere. For smaller spaces a light monochromatic color scheme really enhances the appearance of a room.

Split Complimentary - is created by selecting one color from the color wheel, then use one color either side of its complementary color (blue, green and red). This often provides a more pleasing color scheme than a true complementary as it is still a strong contrast but not as intense. 

But of course, you can always create your own color combination but make sure that they are not of the same vibrant intensities as these may become a sore in the eye. You just have to be creative. White can be combined with other colors; which can give an elegant effect to the atmosphere. You can use black and white and add a color as an accent to make it interesting. There is actually no hard rules when it comes to color combination. Just don't over do it and you'll be fine. 

Black and White accented with Purple

Blue and Yellow

Blue and White

Arranging Your Furniture

Working with small spaces is truly challenging yet equally exciting as well. Getting the right pieces for your room is essential   but arranging them in consideration to the limited space you have is another thing. Of course, all of us would want to create a comfortable and cozy home. Though it is not easy but surely you can also depend on your furniture and how you set them up.

Start placing large furniture first before fitting in the smaller ones like coffee table, corner table and others. Having a focal point is a good idea as you would be able to arrange your pieces of furniture around it. In a regular home, a television set is the most common focal point of the living room. However, you need not limit yourself to the common ones. A coffee table  for that matter can be one too! But it should all depend on your lifestyle, preference and interest. Allow enough leg room from the sofa to the coffee or center table. Locate them though within easy reach of every seat and combine them with similar scale. 

Remember, your home is your retreat so you have to make it as comfortable as possible. It is important to consider space saving furniture that are comfy and functional as well. Expensive furniture need not be a prerequisite for a beautiful home although you can depend on its durability and resilience. Symmetrical arrangement work best for formal rooms; asymmetrical will give a more casual look.

Check how other rooms in the house interconnect each other. Think about the flow of traffic not only through the room but also in relation to the location of the other rooms. Make sure the way is clear. Do not place large items where they might stop doors from opening or closing fully. The room will just look small & cramped. Leave windows free from any large and tall items of furniture to allow light and air through the room. You surely wouldn't want to suffocate members of the household and your guests too! More so, outlets must not be blocked for easy access.

Interior Space Planning

This refers to layout on interiors, furniture arrangement considerations, work patterns and flow of traffic through a room and throughout the home.

Planning ahead is the most efficient way in decorating an area. You may need to refer to the floor plan of your house and draw sketches of a particular room you want to decorate, rearange or repair instead of actually moving everything from one place to another. Create a list of your existing furnitures and that includes shelves, lighting fixtures and what not. Rearrange those pieces on your sketched floor plan. Make sure not to block potential areas that would allow traffic flow from one room to another. Taking time to conider these things before beginning your project will pay off when you step back after hanging the last picture and see a beautiful, well balanced space. You may experience challenges in the process. However, if you are serious redesigning your home by yourself, it is important to take note that you must not be in a hurry. If buying a new set of sofa is a part of your plan, take time to shop around and make sure to get something that is not too large for a small area. Therefore, it is always advisable to measure the space and get the dimensions of each individual piece you intend to buy. Though buying furniture should be the last part of decorating your house, space planning is the absolute critical first step. 

Once you are done with rearranging those furnitures in your sketches, you are now ready to move forward and start planning on colors.

Make a Room Appear Bigger and Spacious

Not all can afford the luxury of having a big house. Majority have regular houses with regular sized and often even with small sized rooms. Seeing your place is of limited space, the first thing you have to work on would be the color scheme. Monochromatic scheme (different shades of the same color) would be the best choice.

Paint your room with light airy color. Dark colors make a room look small and cramped while light colors create an illusion of space.  Stay neutral. They are very easy to work with and can be a great choice if you are unsure of what color to select. To wow the room, accent colors can be used as complimentary colors. They can be used in throw pillows, curtain trimmings; use in small quantities to lift or give a wow factor to your color scheme.

You would probably want to consider an area rug of sorts. This can add ambiance and serve as the focal point of your room. What kind of rug should you invest in? You may want to select something that would give a lively and dynamic effect to the entire room. If you want it to be under a furniture such as a coffee table or center piece make sure that the rug should be slightly larger than the area of the item that covers it.

Sketch a floor plan of your room. Create several sketches and arrange the furniture. Sometimes you can make a room look spacious just by how you arrange your furniture.

Make use of your walls and install simple designed shelves to avoid cluttering up your room. Paint shelves with the same color of your walls to hide it. Avoid too many home decors hanging your walls. Too many of them make your walls look cluttered, thus making your room appear smaller. Organize and keep your room clean. The less clutters you have the more space you'll be able to enjoy.

Poorly lit room will give an illusion of smallness whereas a room with a lot of natural or even artifical light will appear to be spacious. The more light to the room, the better. You may also want to invest with spotlights to highlight objects.

Installing mirrors in a wall can visually double the size of the room. 

Basic Guide for Redecorating Your Home

Who wouldn't want to live in a stylish home? Most of us dream to make our home stylish but budget always seem to get in the way. Hiring professionals to do it for us is always out of the question. But guess what? Even if you are on a budget, you can still plan your home well. You can be a designer of your own home with some of the tips and ideas I'm going to share to you. Whether you'd want to decorate a single room or your own house, you will find this useful and helpful.

Sure there are a lot of marketing ideas and products in the market today but only those with high paying income can afford to have those pieces. You can wow yourself by simply window shopping but you end up a bit frustrated wishing you can make your home even just a bit like it. You get stuck and you do not know how you would do it without having much to spend.

Go home. Relax and picture how you'd want to transform your home to something that would really make you achieve your dream room or express your very unique taste. 

Identify your style and what you like to do to your home. There are a lot of ways to simply add life to your room. It is just a matter of a bit planning, reorganizing and maximizing that small space. Most of us are inspired with magazine home articles or maybe a house of a friend or a relative you recently visited. Most often that not we are instantly attracted to colors or decorating styles which are not within your budget. There is nothing wrong with that and what I am trying to point out here is that you can actually carry it out throughout your home that will fit your lifestyle.

COLOR ADDS LIFE TO YOUR HOME

This is something definite - colors can add life to your home. Carefully choosing the color would definitely transform your home dramatically; creating a soothing mood not just to you but everyone who would be in it. The key here is the color scheme. Choosing paint color can be very challenging but I would suggest to start with your favorite. You can go to house paint stores and ask for color swatches; they are free. You'd be surprise to find that there are a wide array of colors you can choose from. From there, you can start selecting that would fit to your liking. I am not just talking about how you would want to paint your walls but you can also use the sample colors on the swatch to decide what color of furniture pieces would fit the color of your wall.

EXISTING PIECES OF FURNITURE

So you think, it is expensive to buy furniture pieces rather than the paint. That can be handled. You have a set of furniture you would want to keep. That is fine. You can actually do it the other way around. You can select a paint color for your walls that would match your existing furniture set. With the color swatches in hand, you can, more or less, visualize how the paint color would match your furniture. 

COLOR SCHEME

You would want to paint your walls lighter in color if your sofa set is darker and vice versa. Should you have a printed fabric, you can use the background color of that fabric to decide what to paint your walls. Select the brightest color of the fabric for the accessories and accents such as throw pillows and curtains. This would give you a proper color coordination within the room.

PAINT FINISH

Rooms with a small space requires a light color. Dark colors would make the room appear more smaller. The lightest of shade will do the trick. Matte or flat finishes hide wall imperfections, however, glossy finish will reflect more light.