Exciting Room Themes for Little Boys

Looking for a fun and exciting theme for your little boy’s room?  How about doing something different for your son’s room? The trick to having a themed room is to not overdo it. Otherwise it can become overwhelming and start to look redundant. It’s not difficult to work with a theme. You can simply mix up colors and patterns for a successful design.

Sports

The most common theme that comes to mind is sports. Luckily there are plenty to chose from, which is good for creating a unique look. Pick one, two or even three! Painted words, sports balls, equipment, team names, logos, flags and more look really great on solid colored walls.

If you choose to do all of this on the walls, pick a solid color for the bedding and add sports patterned pillows. Chose painted or light stained wood furniture. The light wood can remind us of wooden baseball bats while the painted furniture is great to add a pop against the solid colored walls. For a finishing touch, try framing some pictures of your little guy playing his favorite sport!

Sailing

Maybe you want to stay away from the common sports theme room. Well, what about sailing? Little boys love blue and what theme could possibly have more blue than sailing?

Striped, dark blue bedding and decorative sailing pillows are a great place to start. Pair this with white furniture, Paint the walls a light blue. Hang up sailing prints or even mount a lifesaver on the wall. Finally, add a dark blue lamp base with a white shade, sailboat accessories and photographs of your rugrat boating with his family.

Construction

For my last suggestion, what about creating a real manly man theme such as construction? Little boys love cement trucks, dump trucks and tools, so why not bring this into their room? I recommend painting the walls a solid light color with construction images. Add construction theme bedding and pair it with solid colored decorative pillows. Finally, keep the lamps, accessories and stuffed animals of a non-construction theme to change things up a bit.

What Makes A Dining Room More Comfortable to Eat In?

What elements of design make some dining rooms more inviting than others? When having dinner with friends, the majority of your time is spent in the dining room or kitchen, so let’s talk about how to make an eating area more comfortable.

Table Shape

The dining room is often one of the first rooms your guests will see when walking into your home. For this reason alone, it is important to make a great impression. Figuring out if a round or rectangle table is right for your space is a great place to start. If your room is more of a square shape, a round table is usually the right fit while a rectangle table will obviously fit well in a rectangular room.

Furniture Size

Make sure you buy the right size table for the room that will allow for a nice walking space behind all chairs. I recommend leaving at least two feet. This gives your guests one foot to pull out the chair and one foot for those walking behind.

Upholstery or Wood?

When deciding on upholstered or non-upholstered chairs, first think about the majority of your guests. Will there be many kids? If so, you may want to go with a wooden seat for easy clean up. But upholstered chairs add an element of comfort that lasts long after dinner is served.

Keep the Eye Moving

Rooms that can accommodate buffets or china cabinets offer a stunning effect. Having items for your guests to look at while spending time in your dining room will make their eyes move throughout the space, keeping them focused and awake after a big delicious meal. I recommend placing colored glass, intricate china or vibrant accessories on top of the buffet or inside your china cabinet.

Window treatments

Window treatments can be helpful in more formal dining spaces by adding splashes of color that can be repeated in the china cabinet, buffet, artwork or rug. When walking into the space, the window treatments will soften the look against the hard wood table and give off a comfortable feeling.

Flooring and Walls

It is a smart idea to keep the walls a neutral shade with colorful artwork. Rugs always look great under dining room tables. However, if you have a beautiful floor underneath, rugs may not be necessary. A rug can make sliding chairs in and out difficult and could collect stains. On a positive note, rugs will absorb sound that may carry out of the space and disturb others in the home.

How have you created a comfortable space to dine in?

Can You Find Inspiration For Your Home in Your Summer Cocktail?

Looking for inspiration to transform your bedroom this summer? Well, look no further than your favorite summer cocktail!

That’s right many of the fresh colors we find in our cocktails are trendy today! Consider my personal favorite summer cocktail – the margarita. It comes in many different flavors and colors: golden, strawberry, lime, blue, etc. If you love the color in your drink, don’t you think you might love the color in your home? Beware – the bright pink cosmopolitan may not have the same effect on your walls.

The Walls

These fresh summer colors can be brought into all areas of the home. The bedroom is always a great place to use a refreshing color palette. After all, this is where we go to relax, refresh and recoup after a long day. For starters, I suggest painting the walls in your favorite cocktail color. Want to go the extra mile? Try painting one wall a couple shades darker than the main color for a stunning accent!

The Furniture

You will notice that you have a ton of the same color in the room once the walls are painted, so be careful not to use too much of just one color. I recommend using maple, white or ebony colored wood furniture. This will offset nicely off the fresh colored walls and bring a nice balance to your room.

The Accessories

Try pairing a white duvet cover with accent pillows that repeat different shades of the color on the walls. Keep the artwork of a similar nature. Flowers, seascapes and sunsets always speak well of a summer feeling and will most likely have corresponding colors.

Lamps on the nightstands should be kept light. Try a skinny silver base with a round white shade or perhaps a white or glass round base if you would like more of a weighted lamp.

Accessories that work well with these fresh colored themes are seashells, simple photo frames, candles and books. Don’t forget to buy some corresponding coasters. We wouldn’t want that glass of water to ruin your brand new nightstand!

The Flooring

Finally, keep the flooring a neutral color. Beige carpeting, hardwood or tile are great for creating a summer feel. If you are using a hard surface, try a simple solid colored area rug for under your bed to keep your feet warm when you get out of bed on those cool summer nights.

How do you create a light, summery feel in your home?

I Love Contemporary Patterned Rugs, but How Do I Make It Work?

Do you find yourself in love with a patterned contemporary rug but uncertain about how to incorporate it in your home? You are not alone.

Contemporary rugs look awesome but can be hard to work with. The large scale patterns and multiple colors might clash with other pieces in the room. Might I recommend trying to pair a large printed contemporary rug with a solid colored sofa?

Solid Color

Now, the best part about contemporary rooms is that the sofa doesn’t have to be the typical beige or white. It can be a vibrant solid color; green, red, black, etc. Pick one color found in the majority of the rug and make that same color your sofa fabric!

When using chairs in a room, I would typically recommend a patterned fabric. However, this might pose a challenge when working with a patterned rug. Instead, try repeating the same solid color fabric used on the sofa. Popping the colors in the rug with patterned throw pillows on the sofa and chairs can be a great accent.

Common Patterns

Always use patterns that correspond well together. Keep everything geometric or swirls or circles; otherwise the patterns may start to fight each other.

Artwork for Accent

Next, why not repeat the same type of pattern and colors found in the rug with the artwork. But here is where you can start to bring in some other elements into the space. For example, some contemporary flower prints will work great with a geometric patterned rug!

Mirrors

If more than a couple pieces of artwork are needed in the room, why not try a contemporary mirror? There are some really neat mirrors out there, such as what I call the “sunburst mirror,” a small, round mirror with pieces of metal coming out from the center. Some will even have tiny round mirrors at the end.

Simple Accessories

For the finishing touch, keep the accessories simple, such as large coffee tables books, a simple floral in a contemporary vase, picture frames or a large bowl with fillers such as coffee beans and candles.

Do you prefer a contemporary or traditional design for your home? How have you blended patterns and color?

When to Use a Solid Colored Rug in Your Living Room

Do you have a hard surface floor in your living room? Need a rug to add some coziness? Deciding on what the best rug is for your room can pose to be a challenge for many, but here are some simple tips to use when deciding if a solid colored rug is right for you:

Popping Out

Solid colored rugs can have two major effects on a room: they can either add a pop of color or blend in. When working within a modern style living room with mostly natural colors, a pop of color in the rug can do wonders. For example, if the majority of your room is cream colored, adding a vibrant red rug or green rug can have a dramatic effect.

The key to making this element work is to repeat the same color throughout the room in the wall art, throw pillows or accessories. But be careful not to add too much because it can take the effect away. At the same time, adding too little can leave one wondering why in the world there is a vibrant colored rug in the room.

Texture can play an important role to the effect the rug can have on a modern interior. Shaggy rugs are often used, which will add a comfortable and soft feeling against the straight edges and solid colors.

Blending In

For the opposite effect, a solid colored rug can blend into the room. In many coastal and classic traditional homes, we often find ourselves not wanting to draw attention to the floor but to the furniture pieces themselves.

Coastal homes and classic traditional homes are known for having sisal rugs. Sisal rugs will give the solid colored and natural texture often needed in these types of environments. We often find the plain white or cream sofa with decorative pillows to add a pop of color. When pairing these smooth fabrics with a sisal rug, it creates a nice balance throughout the room.

Traditional, classic homes have furniture with clean lines that tend to draw your attention in the room; the sisal will not take away from this but will actually add the texture difference needed for a more powerful impact. In coastal homes we often find tropical prints, strips or soft plaids. Again, the sisal won’t compete against these. Besides, what better type of rug to have that hides the sand that will come in off the beach?

What do you prefer: a blend or a pop?

How Do I Make that Oriental Rug Work in my Home?!

Often we have a love-hate relationship with oriental rugs. They are comfortable, add an eclectic pattern to dull areas, but can remind us of our Grandmother’s house. So, should you go with the oriental rug or not?

First of all, look at the color. Many antique rugs are in fashionable colors we can still use today – black, burgundy, green, navy, gold, plum, etc.  I would recommend getting rid of the light blue, mauve, and pinks from the 80’s and early 90’s. Most often, the areas in the home where oriental rugs work best include the foyer and hallways, dining room, living room or study.

Foyers and hallways are often simply decorated. Naturally colored walls or grasscloth are most commonly used in today’s homes. If any furniture is placed in these areas, they are often large casegoods and decorative chairs. There isn’t much of a chance to bring in pattern and color, so oriental rugs are a great pairing in these environments. They add interest, color and cover up the bare hard surface flooring beneath our feet. Florals, artwork and accessories are a great ways to repeat the colors found in the oriental rug throughout the space.

Another perfect spot for oriental rugs would be the dining room. Large wood or glass tables are the focus of this room. Secondary to the table would be the dining chairs, which may have upholstered backs and seats; this is a perfect opportunity to repeat the colors in the rug. If a buffet or china cabinet is found in this room, placing dishes, glassware or linens in or on these pieces with colors from the rug will move the guest’s eye throughout the space. To add the finishing touches, repeat the colors on the table centerpiece, in the artwork and draperies.

We often find oriental rugs in living rooms and studies. If you would like a more masculine feel to this space, I would recommend pairing the oriental rug with leather sofas and heavy, dark wood furniture. What better way to pop the solid leather color and wood than with a busy rug? Repeating these colors in the artwork, pillows, accessories and lamps can tie the room together with a dramatic effect.

Do you like the look of oriental rugs? How have you added them into your home?

Add some spring to your home

Spring has sprung! It’s time to open up the windows, do some spring cleaning and brighten up your interiors.

There is no better way to bring spring indoors than by adding fresh flowers. Who doesn’t love the look and smell of flowers? Why not make a table centerpiece with them for everyone to see? 

Buy a new vase, bowl or pedestal bowl. There are all shapes and sizes today. You can find a plain, simple one at a fairly inexpensive price.

Next think about the feeling your room gives off. If you answered traditional, try using tulips or roses. Modern? How about calla lilies or daises?

Once you’ve chosen flowers and vase, it’s time to start thinkinghow you can make this look different. Add some sliced lemons, limes or oranges to the vase. Finding whole fruits to place on the bottom would also work to give off a more traditional look. Beware that you may need to change the fruit before the flowers die or get soggy!

Do you live along the Great Lakes or near a body of water? Why not gather some local stones off the beach to put them at the bottom of the vase? Or do you live on the ocean? How about sea shells?

Next, decide if you want to use more than one vase of fresh flowers. Do you have a large table? How about buying a pair of matching vases or bowls to place on opposite ends? Choose three different sizes and arrange them in a pyramid shape to build interest in the height differences.

Want to give off a romantic feel? How about adding candelabras or candlesticks? To really go all out, coordinate a table runner and placemats with seasonal plates, glasses and napkins. Now that says welcome spring!

How have you brought spring into your home? Do you prefer fresh or silk flowers? Share your ideas so we can all celebrate!

Fake It! Bring the Spring Season Indoors With Fake Flowers and Save Some Green!

Tulips, allergies, cleaning out the winter cobwebs, washing the last salt off you car, birds… all things that come to mind when thinking Spring. So as we all complete Spring cleaning, put away our winter coats and boots, this becomes the perfect time to step back and do a little interior “perk up”. Here is a great way to bring the Spring indoors while not breaking the Summer vacation budget.

Invest in some good flowers – I always thought my mom was old fashioned and crazy when it came to her fake flowers in the house. Every season she will dust off another set of false buds and place the proper arrangements around the house. Now that I am an adult, and understand how much fresh flowers can cost every week, this is actually a good idea.

• Invest in some “good” silk flowers, the ones that look real – so avoid the plastic water drops, glitter and added fake lady bugs.

• You want to look for the sheen of the petals so that they are not too shiny. Are the real flowers shiny or matte?

• Also be sure to check the color of the stems. You do not want to purchase fake flowers with stems that are too green or too yellow.

• Research the leaves as well – make sure the leaf matches the flower

• Be sure to do the research on what the real flower looks like and use that as a measure for the fake.

• Pick the right vase – to save you money you can get one vase and change the beads in the bottom. Clear glass is always a good basic vase that can change with the seasons

• Pick your 4 seasonal flowers around the same size. This way the other elements (picture frames, etc.) on your table will fit with the vase.

• Buy quality so you only have to buy once. The better fake you get, the more years of use you will get out of it.

• Be sure not to place your good fakes in direct sunlight. You do not want the vibrant colors to fade!

• Be sure to dust often. Dust can make your flowers look dull and also trap allergens – so take them outside to shake them clean or use a damp cloth to remove dust from the individual petals.

So bring in a little Spring – good luck in your fake flower shopping! Have you ever come across good fakes before?

Bring the Spring Smells into Your Home

Is it time for you to buy some new candles, incense or reed diffusers? There is no better way to bring the smells of spring into your home. Scents can be motivational, relaxing or comforting enough to remind us of our childhood.

Candles can be as simple as solid color scented wax in a glass container or as decorative as sculpting on the wax itself. Reed diffusers are the newest addition and include a decorative glass container with reeds sticking out of the top. This distributes the scent into the air. Don’t forget an old favorite, incense. It is often used in religious ceremonies or for aromatherapy, meditation, creating a mood, medicinal purposes or simply to mask odors.

Placing candles, reed diffusers or incense throughout your home can be a great addition to any room. I recommend placing a candle next to your bed. Try lavender which is known for its natural calming effect. A simple decorative candle or candle holder will suffice here. By the time you add the lamp, books, alarm clock and photo frames, there isn’t much room left! 

Bathrooms can be a great place for candles, especially if you enjoy taking a nice hot bath. If you have a large whirlpool tub, sometimes placing a pair of elaborate candle holders in the corner looks great. But for those of us with less glamorous bathrooms, a simple candle or candle holder would work on the vanity without taking up too much room that we need to get ready in the morning!

If you are going to bring candles into the public areas of your home, I recommend making a statement out of them. If you are going to spend the money to have great smells, you might as well spend it on accessorizing the room!

A set of three candle sticks of different heights always looks great on a cocktail table with a floral or greenery. Use different heights to draw your eye through the display. This technique will also work on a sofa table or console.

For a dining room table, may I suggest a pair of candlesticks of the same height? Placing one on each side of a center piece will provide a dramatic dining room table display. To finish it off, place a coordinating table runner underneath and enjoy!

How do you bring your favorite smells into your home? What do you prefer – candles, incense, reed diffusers, or something else?

Ways to Impress Your Guests From the Start

First impressions can be extremely important throughout your lives. This includes you home! The entrance into our home is the first place your guest sees when they arrive. If its family, friends, your boss, or you are trying to sell your house, this is a key area!

Always keep this area picked up! Nothing says “Hello” like a pile of papers, shoes, or clothes that are waiting to be taken upstairs and put away.

Rugs: If you have a grand foyer, there are several options that might work for you. Most importantly, select a nice entrance rug. This is the very first thing that someone will see upon entering your home. Make it a nice. I would recommend darker colors so the dirt doesn’t show.

Seating: Give your guests a place to sit down and take off their coats and shoes when they arrive. Appropriate seating in a foyer will vary according to your space. If it’s a large open area, try fully upholstered armless chairs – this allows for comfort and flexibility. If the space is smaller and tighter, try a wooden dining chair and add an upholstered seat to soften up the space.

Console: I highly recommend a console. This is a great location for dropping your keys, mail, and other misc items you may have in your hands when first arriving home.

Artwork/Mirrors: Hanging a large picture or mirror over the console can make a grand impression. Make sure the picture or mirror doesn’t hang over the edges of the console – this will make the weight of the room seem uneven and top heavy! I personally prefer the mirror for last minute hair and make-up checks before leaving the house.

Lighting and Foliage: A lamp on the console would be great in the evenings when you may not want the chandelier on but would still like to be able to light the space.

Accessories: Try offsetting the lamp with a floral – for some reason they look really good in an entrance. Maybe it’s because flowers are often brought as a sign of appreciation for loved one. Offset the remaining space on the console with a small mint dish, picture frames, a book, or figurines. For the finishing touch, try a decorative coat rack so your guests do not have to search around in the closet.

How have you decorated your foyer? What do you think is the most important room in the house for impressing guests?

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