10 Quick Home Decorating Ideas
By Michael J. Holland

Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you’re looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang interesting art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

3. Bring In Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

5. Hang Pictures or Mirrors – Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects and nice view or an interesting architectural element.

6. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows- The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

10. Eliminate Clutter- Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room. Find storage spaces for papers, toys, and other items that take from the personality of a room.

For figurines and vases, you’re certain to find something you like at Go Collect. And for quality prints and posters, browse through All Posters. They’ll even frame your choice.

Reprinted with permission.
About the Author:
Michael Holland is the founder of ImagineQuest Information Products, Inc., which is dedicated to providing FREE advice and inexpensive infoproducts that will enhance the lives and lifestyles of its customers. Be sure to visit his web site
http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com to sign-up for his FREE ezine called DecoDreams. Michael is also the coauthor of a very unique set of home decorating eBooks that are available on his web site.

As the kids are going back to school, and we are looking towards the holidays – yes they are just around the corner – we thought we would help you out with some decorating ideas for your home. This is the first in a series that will take you through your home and make it “in-law’s worthy” just in time for the rapidly approaching holidays!

There are 5 popular themes for decorating your living room which will be discussed in this article. While some may prefer the more traditional colors and lines to accentuate their living room, others may opt for a more earthy or contemporary design. Here are a few ideas which you may wish to think about if you plan to redesign your living room.

Black and white has always been a classic style. You can effectively combine this style with geometric shapes and designs. There are a number of living room pieces which have become quite popular today. Among them is a yin yang sofa. The sofa itself is white, with a black cushion encompassing the yin yang white circle. In addition, it comes with a white on black, and black on white side cushions which are quite attractive and useful. Considered a contemporary style, you can paint the walls of your home white, and add a touch of red to accentuate the décor.

Another popular color being used in some living rooms today is Chinese red. While it can be used to design a living room in Eastern décor, it has become the color of choice for most modern and contemporary living rooms. Using Chinese red to paint one wall of the living room, you can certainly choose a modern theme to accentuate your room with white slip covers; or whatever you choose to enhance the overall scheme of the room.

An eclectic style encompasses many colors, but is brought together by different fabrics, textures and patterns. Using red, gold, cream and brown, you can use a multitude of pieces from a variety of periods. While this may not be to your taste, you certainly have a myriad of shapes to work with.

The country style is still popular today, using an array of soft blues and red plaids in combination with paisley prints to accentuate an entire room. The cozy, warm feeling is further demonstrated by an area rug complimenting the furniture’s rustic look and window treatments which accent the brown woodwork within the room.

Perhaps you’d like to look into Shabby Chic! This is a very popular theme in which slipcovers are used throughout the living room; accompanied by painted furniture (pieces which may have come from a flea market); it is literally a mix of old and new; mixed and matched; plain and stunning; with white being the central theme. Interesting concept, don’t you think? If this appeals to you, you can check online for Shabby Chic stores and decorative ideas. It’s intriguing enough to take a look.

Whatever you choose out of the 5 popular themes for decorating your living room, there is such a variety today that you will no doubt find one that expresses your particular style.