interior-decorating-ideas.com

More and more Americans today are looking at their homes as a place of refuge in a stressful world of challenges and economic instability. Instead of going out to dinner or social events, they’re cocooning with their families. Now, more than ever, their homes need to be restful and soothing, yet stylish at the same time.

Interior designers and industry experts across the country have noted this trend as well, along with an increased focus on cost-consciousness as homeowners become more selective about how their money is spent.

Here are their top 10 home decor trends for 2009:

1. Color Your World
Colors will literally be across the spectrum next year. On their Web site, the Pantone Color Institute forecasts lively colors and sophisticated, grounded hues with Fuchsia Red, Salmon Rose, Palace Blue, Lavender, Rose Dust and Vibrant Green predicted to be popular.

Andrea Vollf, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), believes strongly in “transforming an ordinary home into a living oasis” using neutrals, especially warm and cool grays, along with bold accent pieces. Deep shades of blue are in demand by customers of Jan Hubbard, ASID, and Candice Mathers, Allied Member of ASID, with Hubbard also noting a draw to spice, bisque, toast and green/gold tones to create a warm ambiance. On a brighter note, both Mathers and Susan Pantaleo, ASID, see yellow emerging as a very versatile color. Popping up in every shade from Sunlight to Dijon Mustard, Pantaleo lauds yellow’s attention-getting appeal and ability to add life to any room.

2. Light up Your Life
Because residential interiors are incorporating more intense paint colors — not only as accent walls, but throughout an entire room — more light is needed to properly illuminate a room. According to Jeff Dross, senior product manager of Kichler Lighting, lighting manufacturers will introduce chandeliers with more arms or multiple lights per arm, as well as pendants and wall-mounted fixtures that accept higher-wattage bulbs.

3. We’ve Got You Covered
Wall murals will continue to be in high demand in 2009, according to Todd Imholte, president of www.MuralsYourWay.com a leader in the production of decorative wall murals for more than 35 years. “Wall murals are a very cost-effective way to completely transform the look of a room,” says Imholte. “We recently introduced 90 new mural designs including bold graphic patterns, contemporary designs and murals inspired by nature such as birch trees and bamboo.” Murals Your Way offers a gallery of more than 5,000 images, as well as the ability to personalize an existing gallery image or create a custom mural from a personal photo or artwork.

4. Establishing a Pattern
In a press release distributed earlier this year, Michelle Lamb — co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, Inc. and senior editor of “The Trend Curve” — stated that patterns are being constantly updated and reinvented. Some ways to keep them fresh include combining classic and contemporary styles in one piece; utilizing tiny, country patterns that include calico or patchwork; and trying distinctive materials, like foil, or embellishments that cluster and layer upon each other.

5. Comfort is Key
Vollf sees 2009 as being the year of comfort, with furniture that is comfortable and functional, yet still elegant. More and more people are interested in creating a personal refuge that is chic, peaceful, inviting and easy to maintain so that they can relax and unwind at the end of a busy day in an aesthetically pleasing environment.

6. Wood is Good
According to Kathy Peterson — celebrity design expert and co-host of Lifetime TV’s “The Balancing Act” — wood flooring is blending into an eclectic mix of wood tones. She also forecasts hardwood wall coverings (wood, resin, metals) with seamless panels of custom designs becoming focal points of a room. Dross echoes the popularity of wood throughout the home, seeing floors, walls, ceilings (bead board) and furniture incorporating wood at their center.

7. Shining Stars
Metals will continue to shine next year, according to Lamb. She envisions them being translated into modern metallic finishes and textures that create a sense of visual excitement and high energy. Particularly noteworthy are platinum, dark silver, rose golds and copper, and colorful metallics.

8. Hooray for Hollywood
Carmen Natschke — editor of “The Decorating Diva” — sees a revival of “Hollywood Regency.” According to her Web site, this style is “glamorous, classy and elegant; composed of an eclectic mix of styles like Neo-Classic, Asian, Baroque and Art Deco; sumptuous and luxury fabrics, shimmering finishes, mirrored furniture, chinoiserie, bamboo and lacquered furniture; bold color; clean lines and beautiful symmetry.”

9. Embrace the Outdoors
Seamless transitions from indoor to outdoor space are envisioned by Pantaleo, who says the most successful outdoor spaces will be an extension of the home’s interior style and color scheme. Using nature as a backdrop, she suggests pulling colors from adjacent rooms to maintain a visual connection. She also recommends accessorizing gourmet cook centers and plasma televisions with weather-resistant chandeliers, rugs and artwork to create a cozy, appealing and relaxed ambiance.

10. Go Green
Eco-friendly products will continue to be in demand by today’s energy-conscious and environmentally-aware consumers. McKinley Adams, Allied member of ASID, predicts consumers will be interested in sustainable building materials that may cost a bit more up front, but will save money in the long run. He also sees a surge of interest in vintage furnishings for inside the home, while Mathers anticipates increased use of grass cloth and natural Sisal finishes.

Painting the interior of your home can be one of the most rewarding and cost-effective ways to completely transform your living space. By following a few simple tips, you’ll maximize your time and efforts, while ensuring the end result will look as if you hired a costly professional.

* The most important step to getting a great look is preparation. As a general rule, walls should be clean, dry and dull. If your existing surface was painted previously with semi-gloss or gloss paint, the surface should be lightly sanded to a duller finish and all sanding dust removed. For previously painted walls, thoroughly wash them with a mild soap and water solution, then rinse with clean water and allow them to dry. If there is loose or peeling paint, scrape and sand the area. Be sure to apply appropriate patching material to cracks, nail holes, or other surface imperfections, then sand smooth and remove sanding dust. Pay close attention to drying times for patching materials before priming or painting.

* A base coat of primer should always be used to protect bare, unfinished drywall. Walls that were previously painted can also benefit from a primer if they’re stained, previously painted with a dark color, or in general disrepair.

* Choose high-quality paint, brushes and rollers. Using these items always saves you time and money in the long-run. To ensure a professional-looking finish, try Dutch Boy’s new Refresh paint with exclusive Arm & Hammer odor-eliminating technology. It’s not only a high-quality paint, but it’s the only paint product available that actually removes common household airborne odors from rooms such as kitchens, laundry and family rooms, bathrooms, nurseries and basements.

* Create a clean, open working space. If large furniture items can’t be removed from the room, be certain to cover them and the floors with a canvas drop cloth or plastic sheeting. Avoid using sheets or newspaper, as they can allow paint to soak through and could be a slip hazard.

* Tape it off. Using painter’s tape to keep paint off the trim and windows will help provide clean, straight lines. Be sure to press the tape down well along the edge to prevent paint from bleeding under.

* Have a painting strategy. The ceiling should be painted first, followed by the walls, then the trim, doors and windows, and lastly the baseboards. After painting the ceiling, paint the edges of the walls where it meets the ceilings. It’s important when cutting in ceilings or walls to feather out the paint to avoid a common painting problem known as hat banding, where the paint you cut in dries before the paint your roll onto the walls. Painting one wall at a time will also help eliminate the problem of hat banding.

* Break in your roller cover. To help get a smooth finished appearance, take your roller frame (with roller cover on) and roll into your paint tray. Using a piece of cardboard or newspaper, roll out the paint until the excess is removed. This will help assure that you will not get any skip marks while rolling your walls. Reload your roller cover and paint.

* Apply two coats of paint. Don’t rush the process by applying a second coat too soon. If you’re using latex paint, wait at least four hours before you apply a second coat. Wait at least 24 hours between coats with oil paint. Allow freshly painted surfaces to cure for 30 days before washing with a mild, non-abrasive cleaner and water.

* Clean it up. If you’re only taking an overnight break don’t bother to clean the brush, just squeeze the excess paint out and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. Use a rubber band to secure the foil at the base of the handle. If it will be a few days before you resume your project, toss the wrapped brush into the freezer. But, don’t forget to defrost the brush for an hour before you start painting again.

For more information about Dutch Boy’s products, visit www.dutchboy.com or call (800) 828-5669.

Want to incorporate modern decor into your home, but not sure where to start? Make your home more fashion forward with a few fresh ideas that will help create a look that is modern, yet comfortable and livable.

Keep it Simple, Not Cold
Modern decorating can often challenge homeowners. The clean lines, polished surfaces, strong geometric shapes and asymmetry can sometimes appear cold and uninviting. But that doesn’t mean you should stay away from modern pieces altogether.

Avoid going too over the top and slowly incorporate modern elements to keep your decor refined and elegant. You can start with a few room basics, such as minimalist chairs or tables, and then move on to accessories such as paintings for a fresh touch.

Another way to make your move toward modern is to replace faucets in the kitchen and bathroom with more geometric, clean styles. The new Level kitchen and bath collections from Moen meet the need for minimalist home styling. Sleek, contemporary lines and high-arc spouts coordinate beautifully with today’s modern interiors.

In the kitchen, the Level pull-down faucet makes performing everyday tasks – such as filling large pots, pitchers and vases in and around the sink — simple. In addition, new finishes such as the LifeShine Classic Stainless finish – a cool-grey hue – provide a warmer take on the contemporary design and also coordinate with stainless steel kitchen appliances, sinks and hardware.

The Level bath collection also makes a bold, modern statement with its tubular-shaped handle available in both a single-handle, single-hole mount (both 7-inch and 12-inch to accommodate vessel sink applications) as well as a two-handle widespread style.

It’s in the Details
Incorporating key pieces and paying close attention to detail will make your modern designs feel cohesive. Use metal accents throughout your home, like chrome, nickel or stainless steel, to add a contemporary touch. To make any room in your home more modern, consider adding customizable shelving from IKEA’s LAXVIK system, which features geometric styling and a cool metallic finish.

As a contrast to stark, metal accents, utilize more rugged wood in accessories such as photo and art frames or bar stools. When it comes to modern wood surfaces, contemporary designs bring out the extremes, featuring very light or very dark tones, so look for shades that complement the rest of your décor. As an ideal background for your modern elements, paint rooms in neutral colors to highlight your updates.

Shed Some Light
Lighting is extremely important in contemporary design, and is often seen as the key to illuminating the room’s design. When choosing lighting for your home, there are many new options available that provide interesting, clean lines.

Track lighting or floor lamps are popular in contemporary design and often employ metals or bold colors to reinforce the other metal accessories or splashes of color incorporated into the room. Pendant lighting is another great way to brighten your space and showcase your designs. Or try wall sconces with sharp lines in boxy patterns and shapes; you’ll increase the modern feel of the room and add soft lighting to complement the strong designs throughout the space.

Getting your home into the modern mix doesn’t have to be hard. Use these ideas to make your move toward modern today.

If you are redoing your kitchen or just sprucing it up with new counter tops and some paint you probably noticed that some of your counter top appliances are looking out of date and a bit worn. There are some new offerings in the coffeemaker world that may be of interest to you.

If you stopped drinking coffee a while back because the acid didn’t sit well with you should investigate the Toddy Maker coffee cold brew system. The Toddy Maker uses cold water and a carefully designed filter system to produce an exceptionally pure coffee concentrate from regular ground coffee. Unlike hot brewed coffee the Toddy Maker eliminates the oils and acids that are only soluble at regular brewing temperatures. It takes about 12 hours to make the concentrate but it keeps for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

If you’re an empty nester and that old 10 cup drip coffeemaker makes disappointing small batches then consider buying the Keurig single cup coffee maker. The Keurig machines, there are several models, brew a satisfying single cup of coffee (or tea or cocoa) using a prepacked blend. You get a big selection including exotic coffee from all over the world. It’s very easy to operate and clean-up is minimized.

Homeowners know that improvement and redecorating projects can be financially draining. However, you can still invest in some simple home decorating projects that provide a big impact, and you won’t have to spend a fortune to complete them.

Here are some quick and easy ways to boost the look of your home while stretching your funds to the maximum.

Try Before You Buy
Adding some color to the walls is a trouble-free and inexpensive way to extend your home improvement dollar. Dutch Boy offers affordable interior paint in a variety of colors with the average price per gallon starting around $16, depending upon the retailer. To help you save even more time and money, rather than buying expensive and messy jars of test paint colors, consider turning to online sources before you launch into a painting project.

An online color visualizer provides that extra boost of confidence when pulling paint colors together by showcasing photographs of how professionals combine colors on walls, trim and accent areas in various rooms. The visualizer allows you to manipulate wall, trim and accent colors in a variety of room settings. A simple click of a mouse lets you see first-hand how any room in your home might look with one or more colors.

Freshen Up Your Décor
If your furniture is tired looking, or you need to match your new wall color with your current décor, you can lighten and brighten chairs, loveseats and couches with the creative use of decorative throw pillows. Rather than spending thousands of dollars on new pieces of furniture, you can purchase a few pillows at your local home outlet store for less than $100 and strategically place them throughout the room. For an even more dramatic look, use a luxurious pashmina shawl, wrap, or scarf as a throw. A fashionable pashmina can be the perfect finishing touch for almost any décor.

To further accent your newly refreshed room, consider adding an area rug. Unlike wall-to-wall carpet, area rugs can bring colorful designs and patterns into your room without overwhelming it. Area rugs can be well used by the frugal decorator, as they’re extremely versatile, and can serve many purposes. For example, they can start off in the living room, move to the family room or bedroom, and eventually end up in an indoor/outdoor room.

Grow a Worry-Free Garden
Fresh flowers are a great way to add life, and color, to any space. To give the interior of your home an even bigger boost, consider bringing in fresh-cut flowers from your yard and placing them in your home.

In order to stretch your home improvement dollars even further, consider planting a vegetable garden. Not only will it add dimension into your yard, but you’ll be able to harvest your own fresh vegetables for summer meals, saving you money at the grocery store. If you have the time and know-how, can your vegetables for use in the winter months. It will help you keep your food costs down throughout the entire year, especially during the holiday season when budgets can be tight.

Be a Savvy Shopper
No matter what home-oriented projects you decide to undertake, be certain to check for specials or incentives. As the economy has slowed, several major retailers are offering special discounts to lure shoppers into spending again. So take a few minutes to search the Web before heading out the door. Remember, by strategically investing money into the look of your home, both inside and out, you can be sure to increase its value and your affection for it. But you don’t need to spend a bundle to do it.

In an effort to jumpstart the struggling economy, the federal government has approved an economic stimulus package that will send rebate checks to qualifying taxpayers, some as early as May. Homeowners can use this refund to invest in home improvements that add value in a difficult housing market.

Qualifying individual taxpayers will get up to $600 in rebates, working couples $1,200 and those with children an additional $300 per child. Add that to the average refund some taxpayers can expect after filing their taxes ($2,548 in 2007, according to CNNMoney.com) and that’s approximately $3,800 in total refunds from the federal government this year.

Investing these dollars in home improvements, such as replacing old leaky windows with newer, energy efficient ones, can offer homeowners a significant return on investment. Some experts believe that replacement windows are one of the best home improvement investments you can make in your home.

“Remodeling Magazine’s” 2007 Cost vs Value Report estimates that a homeowner may recoup 81 percent of the cost of installing low maintenance replacement windows at resale. That means on an $8,000 window replacement project, homeowners may recoup $6,480 at the time of sale.

In addition, new energy efficient windows can lower heating and cooling bills, improve a home’s comfort and aesthetics, and add long-lasting value.

If the cost of new windows is out of reach consider changing or adding an area rug. Area rugs are an inexpensive purchase that can change the style and mood of an entire room. An oriental rug of unique design or striking colors will immediately draw the eye and become the focal point. You can use this feature to highlight a prized piece of furniture. Come Winter you will appreciate the comforting warmness.

With a substantial savings in energy costs along with a solid return on investment from home improvement projects, buying energy efficient windows is a wise use of your rebate dollars. And, if you ever decide to sell your home, energy efficient windows can give you the edge — and often a higher resale value — over other sellers in an increasingly competitive housing market.

An area rug is one of the few home décor items that can change the style and mood of an entire room. An oriental rug of unique design or striking colors will immediately draw the eye and become the focal point. You can use this feature to highlight a prized piece of furniture like your baby grand piano or a teak coffee table and that fabulous new sofa.

The type and placement of lighting can completely change the look of a room, a doorway, a back yard or even a whole house, and create different moods at the flip of a switch. Most of us stick with light fixtures and the lighting décor that were in our homes when we bought them. Those aren’t always the most attractive or illuminating options.

Designers often experiment with contemporary design in their bedroom furniture selections. Headboards and platform beds are quickly replaceable and become good candidates to experiment with and possibly anchor a design style that can be unified throughout the whole house or apartment. You do not have to replace your bedroom furniture to get a new look. A new headboard combined with the rearrangement of your existing furniture may do the trick.

The old adage, “Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite,” is more than a nursery rhyme. To some, these pests have become a nightmare. Bedbugs, which were all but eliminated in the United States following World War II, have made their way back into the States and are spreading from coast to coast.

“Bedbugs have become a national problem, and few areas have remained unaffected by their return,” says Stoy Hedges, entomologist and director of technical services at Terminix.

Bed bugs are insects that lurk in the cracks and crevices of mattresses, box springs, headboards and furniture by day and emerge at night to feed on their sleeping victims. Small enough to stow away in a pants cuff, these hitchhikers can spread from city to city or continent to continent by crawling into luggage or attaching to clothing.

Encounters with the bloodsuckers used to be extremely rare, but reports have increased dramatically in recent years.

“Twenty years ago, people thought bedbugs were just a part of a popular children’s rhyme, but Americans are learning the hard way that bed bugs are more than a myth,” says Hedges. “In the past year, we’ve seen our bedbug reports jump by nearly 70 percent, and we’re even getting reports of these pests in four-and five-star hotels.”

Although the nocturnal pests were prevalent in the United States in the first part of the 20th century, they were virtually eliminated in the 1940s. Increasing international travel and changing pest control practices are thought to be leading contributors to the bedbug’s resurgence.

“The explosion in bedbug cases should be no surprise,” says Dr. Gary Bennett, a Purdue University entomologist. “Although bedbugs were nearly wiped out in the United States, they remained quite common in other parts of world and are now using our travel patterns as a way to hitch a ride back into the United States.”

While bed bugs are commonly considered a sign of unsanitary conditions, experts agree that the stealthy vermin are not a reflection of cleanliness. Bedbugs are opportunistic and will infest even the nicest hotels and homes.

Bedbugs aren’t known to spread disease, but bites can leave painful, itchy welts. Unfortunately for victims, doctors commonly misdiagnose the bites, confusing them with other insect bites or general skin ailments.

Because their victims are often asleep when they feed, bed bugs can be difficult to catch in the act. However, obvious signs of their presence are blood spots on the bedding and a musty odor in heavily infested areas.

Travelers can protect themselves by doing the following:

* Check around headboards, mattresses and box springs for bedbugs and the dark blood spots they leave behind.

* Hang all clothing. Leave nothing lying on the bed or furniture.

* Do not unpack clothing and store them in the hotel’s furniture drawers.

* Do not allow your baggage to sit on the floor. Store it on a luggage rack as far from the bed as possible.

* Do not take a personal pillow, blankets or sheets on a trip. Bedbugs can hide in these and be brought home.

* Use a plastic trash bag to seal your luggage while at the hotel. This will help keep bedbugs out.

* When returning home, leave luggage in the garage or basement until you are able to thoroughly inspect it for bedbugs.

* Vacuum suitcases when returning from trips and immediately wash clothing in hot water.

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