Spring Decorating - Quick and Easy Interior Decorating Styles For Spring

Get a fresh new feel in your home this Spring. Find out how to get beautiful Spring decorating styles with minimum hassle and expense...

At this time of year, as the sun streams in through the window, I'm sure that for you, as for me, your thoughts turn towards Spring and Summer...

This is the time of year, when everything in nature is fresh and new, that your home decorating can start to look a little tired, old and scruffy. You might be tempted to do a whole makeover, but there are actually some easy ways that you can get that lovely fresh Spring-like feel into your home, without too much hassle or effort (always good!)

Don't forget the old favorite: the Spring Clean! Spring is a traditional time to oust the dust and grime from your home. Days are longer and the light is brighter, so it is much easier to spot dirt lurking in those forgotten corners. Take the opportunity for a thorough Spring clean and de-clutter, and your home will thank you for it. See, it's looking better already!

Now your home is lovely, clean and clutter-free, open the windows, curtains and blinds wide and let the sunlight come streaming in.

Take down heavy curtains, and replace with lighter alternatives to give a fresher feel. Net or voile, or anything pale and flowery is always an excellent choice for Spring.

In the Winter time you have probably enjoyed cosying up to thick throws and furry cushions, and rich reds, browns and oranges in your color scheme. In the Spring and Summer, these dark and warm colors can just seem a little over-powering.

Spring and Summer colors are pale, pastels and fresh, floral colors - think of the colors in nature at this time, blue skies, green grass and foliage, white fluffy clouds and lambs, and pretty spring-time flowers all make up the natural palette of Spring. It is a good idea to take your inspiration from these colors.

Don't worry; this needn't be a massive makeover with painting of walls and much expenditure. Do as much or as little as you want. Some new cushions, throws, pictures or accessories can make your transition to a Spring time interior decorating scheme easy.

For the ultimate in easy makeovers, paring down your clutter, and something as simple as a pretty new vase with big bunches of fresh Spring time flowers can really make a huge difference at brightening up your home and really getting you in the Spring and Summer-time frame of mind.

For more Spring decorating ideas, photos and videos to inspire your easy Spring home makeover, please check out my website: Spring decorating styles

Check out http://www.interior-design-it-yourself.com for a website designed to help you use professional interior design tips and techniques, to bring that wow factor into your own home.

Ideas For Decorating Small Spaces

Your home is where you relax and entertain so it's no wonder you want it to have top notch appeal. Yet, remodeling or renovating a living space that is small can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, there are some simple options due to the fact that there are many interior design tips now available for decorating small spaces.

You want to be positive to decorate for the size of your space. One substantial thing to avoid with small living spaces is clutter because it is apt to make the room appear significantly smaller.

Making good use of the area in your living space is critical so think about this when thinking about your room design. A stylish minimalist or Zen like decorating theme might work the best since it will be less cluttered thus making the room feel more spacious. Just be sure you choose an interior design you really like as this is where you spend a lot of time.

When purchasing furniture for your living space stick to accessories and furniture which are small sized. One method to make good use of space is to use a sofa and chair, as opposed to a sectional which will make it seem more spacious but still allow comfortable seating. All small scaled items can be monotonous and you might want to add interest by adding a few bigger pieces, so mix your diminutive sofa, use a large lamp or artwork- it can make the room appear larger plus add charm and character.

Another consideration for decorating small spaces is to take into consideration where the pieces are going to be arranged in the space. Even your living space can add to your well being when designed with Feng Shui in mind. Use furniture away from your doorways, as you'd be surprised how easier access to and from a room can make it look more spacious. If you could, focus the eye from the open door to a bigger piece like a which can help divert the eye and provide the illusion of a larger room.

The color palette is an additional essential cosideration when designing your living space. If you had always thought that you had to paint your spacially challenged rooms white, then here is some great news for you. If you don't want drab paint that is bland, go for using a monochromatic interior design in a beautiful color, or combine select colors which all reflect identical brightness. For a scheme that is more colorful gor for blues and greens that all reflect the same intensity or tone or to provide a soothing effect consider a monochromatic color scheme of pale blues. To add depth and drama, consider painting an opposing wall a deep, intense color - this makes it seem further away as well as adding an interesting atmosphere. A gray-blue shade is great for decorative charm and for also making the walls seem to recede, Therefore making the room appear larger. But then if that sounds overly boring, don't worry because cool colors such as purples, greens and blues also recede so you can use your wonderful shades without making the room seem diminished.

These tips allow decorating small spaces to be easy in addition to effortless. Purely because your living space is spacially challenged doesn't mean it can't acquire the same fabulous design style you see in bigger homes - it merely takes a bit of creativity and imagination.

Lee Dobbins writes for Home Decorating 2 Day where you can learn more about home interiors and get more great home decorating tips.

Decorating Eco-Friendly - Taking Care of Your Home - Planet Earth (With Resources)

So how can you (savvy person that you are) help our environment? Think of the "R"s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, plus I like adding Redecorate, Re-energize, Revitalize!

Below are a few tips and ideas on how you can help our planet survive. Folks, it comes down to this - we either evolve or die. That simple!

We need to take positive action to have a better (healthier) planet and better (happier) you! So below are a few stylish ideas and tips on how you can help "your home" - planet earth. I am going to be revealing several websites, so I recommend that you read the entire article 1st then when go back to the websites that you want to check out further.

Should you use plastic or paper bags? Neither! Use reusable bags instead of plastics bags, which are not biodegradable. Most recycling companies do not accept plastic bags because they damage and clog their machines. Want a cool looking reusable bag? Then check out the Green & Gorgeous bag (that is the name of the bag!) at Vivre or my favorite grocery bag howgreenisyourbag.com.

Use bamboo towels. Yes, you read correctly - towels made of bamboo are eco-friendly, softer, and generally more absorbent than regular towels. Did you ever think you would dry yourself with "bamboo"? Well, now you can, and feel GREAT about it. Check out Brookstone to view their towel selection.

Get shower curtains that are eco-friendly and use no chlorides in its production. Look for the PEVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) tag.

Buy eco-friendly reupholstered furniture. Look for reupholstered furniture that uses soy foams (which contain no PBDE), other foams contain flame retardants that contain harmful PBDE. Check out the eco-friendly line at Crate and Barrel.

Protect your windows, your home, you by using film on windows to reduce the amount of solar radiation entering your home and thereby keeping AC costs low. Plus (big plus!), it protects you and your home from harmful UV rays. Other options are blackout lining and solar shades, which block solar radiation from entering your home, reduces your AC bill in the summer, and prevents heat from escaping in the winter.

Another way to take care of your home that is economical, saves about 75% of energy, and last about 8-10 times longer is using CFL bulbs (CFL = compact fluorescent bulbs). Be careful not to break the bulbs because they do contain mercury.

When choosing paint, make sure the VOC (volatile organic compound) is less than 100, which is safer for your lungs and our environment.

Organize green (with not just the color!). Even your organizational supplies and storage solutions can be instrumental in helping our environment. Go to thegreenoffice.com to see which organizational items they have that are recyclable, biodegradable, and have reduced chemical content. Another site with "cool" items is r-i-inc.com

Be proud to help our environment for it is our lives and our planet that we are trying to save and improve. Remember to live better!

© 2007 Ada's Interior Design, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Website: http://www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com

Ada Gonzalez is an interior decorator who designs solutions that provide comfort & function with a BIG SPLASH of style without having to spend hi-end prices on furniture & furnishings. Her designs have been featured in the Life & Style section of The Journal News, Sound Shore Express newspaper, and the Lohub Blog of Westchester County. In April 2007 she won a design competition called "Interior Motives". She was honored as an Interior Decorating Subject Specialist March and April of 2007 for DETC (Distant Education Training Council) helping perfect learning materials for interior decorating students. Her ezine called Smart Decorating!, which offers FREE DECORATING TIPS, is her way of helping people across the United States learn to comfortably live in and love their homes - to get more information on her ezine go to her website.

Email: ada@adasdesigninc.com
Web: http://www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com

How to Select an Interior Designer

Selecting an interior designer is the most important decision that you can make before investing a lot in a home decorating project. Assuming you can afford the services of an interior designer, you have many choices of designers available. How do you go about selecting an interior designer? If you have the time to go through an interview process, this is the best way.

Get three different recommendations for good interior designers that belong to the American Society of Interior Designers. Then ask each one of the three designers if they would do a free consultation with you about the space you are working with. Take good notes during the consultation, not only about their design ideas, but also other factors including cost, how they relate to you, and whether you think their sense of style is compatible with yours.

Once you have had a consultation with each interior designer, carefully go over your notes. Also, if they have any online portfolios of their previous work, spend some time looking at those. Which designer is the best fit for your room? Don't assume that a designer with a distinctly modern edge to their work will be able to change their stripes for your ultra-traditional project unless they have done it before and you like the results.

If you are looking for an interior designer and have a very limited budget, consider possibly hiring an interior design student to work with you on your home. They would appreciate the work experience and probably also expect to be paid less money than an established interior designer.

Kevin Lynch is a successful author and regular contributor providing advice and tips on home decor at Home Decorating, his site and articles are dedicated to helping you with your home decorating needs and wants.