Four Simple Steps for Home Decorating

Home decorating is one of the most challenging parts of homemaking. It can also be the most exciting. Creating a beautiful setting for your family is a great adventure, to be embarked upon with vision, enthusiasm and love. It also requires a great deal of thought, skill, and most important time.



Anyone with the right bank balance can fill a home with expensive furniture, but this does not ensure either its beauty or success. On the contrary, such homes are usually disastrous, and what's even worse dull. This is mainly because they lack taste. Which brings us to that old question: What is good taste?

Home decorating that defining good taste is almost impossible. But in the most general terms it is basically a combination of planning, integration, balance, clarity and skillful use of color. And suitability. Remember a room must be related to the people who are going to live in it; otherwise it will be a complete failure.

What makes a room successful?

Four thing are of equal importance in home decorating. They are character (or personality), comfort, function and atmosphere.

Character

Many components go into giving a room character: imaginative use of unusual color schemes that are entirely your own; strategic placing of furniture; clever use of paintings, sculpture, books, collections, and the truly individual touches that stamp your personality on the room.

For instance, if you like books, don't scatter them in bookshelves throughout the home. Bring them together in one massive library arrangement. They can look both impressive and decorative if carefully arranged so that the bright dust jackets, or leather bindings offset each other. Take the shelves from floor to ceiling, on two walls if possible, leaving space among the books for a piece of sculpture, a photograph, a pretty plant or a picture.

If you have picked up native handicraft or collectors' items on your travels, arrange them on glass shelves on a wall or in a corner made to feature them.

If you are an art lover, build a room around a collection of well grouped paintings, matching your room color scheme to colors in the canvasses or vice versa.

Comfort

Perhaps your family prefers a casual way of living; ensure their comfort by consulting with them to make sure that your home decorating schemes suit them too.

Seating and lighting play an important part in your home decorating plans, particularly to a home-loving family who enjoy reading, listening to music, watching tv or entertaining friends and family. If you have only one family/living room, make sure seating arrangements are well-placed for easy conversation; that lights are strategically placed and positioned; that there are "personal" corners where different members of your family can pursue their activities and hobbies. When buying chairs and sofas, test them in the store to make sure they are comfortable and relaxing.

Function:

A home must function properly for all members of the family if it is to succeed

Do you have to cater to:

1. Teenagers who want their own room for entertaining their friends?

2. Younger children who need a playroom, where they can be "messy" with finger paints toys and games?

3. A home office, a work-room for handicrafts and hobbies; a recreation room to entertain friends?

All these factors are important in the overall functional planning of your home and are an integral part of your decorating schemes.

As soon as you recognize you needs, your home decorating plans will clarify themselves, and you will be able to provide for all the activities your family enjoys.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere in your home is largely created by you and your personality-plus the combination of character, comfort and function.

Color is a major ingredient in the creation of atmosphere. For instance, pastels and softer shades always seem to create a feeling of serenity; the more vivid, darker colors when used cleverly can also create a feeling of peace.

Textures are also important. Fabrics on furniture and used for drapes should blend well with each other and the rest of the room.

Lighting is the third vital home decorating ingredient in creating a pleasant atmosphere. Keep it subdued, soft and well placed for tranquility.

Flowers, paintings and books also add atmosphere to any room in the home.

One of the most basic things to remember is that the way you decorate is a reflection of you. Carefully planned home decorating is a wonderful, creative way to express some of your interests and tastes, as well as those of your family.

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