Posts Tagged ‘decorating’

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FCS Fair 051510 186


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MAY 15, 2010 — The Friends’ Central Home & School Association’s FCS SHOW & SELL FAIR, Saturday, May 15th at the LOWER SCHOOL campus. Photos ©2010 Jay Gorodetzer 484-571-1859 Jay@JayGorodetzer.com — www.JayGorodetzer.com

If you are planning to sell your homes, you have to employ several tactics to make sure you attract the right buyers. It may involve severe advertising. Most seller these days, use the internet to get in touch with the many buyers out there. Advertising in this manner is one of the most effective tools to get an audience for selling. 

But the selling part does not stop there. In this process, you just do not want buyers to remain interested. You want to find a way to push them to make an offer. However, buyers would most likely not make an offer if they become disappointed after seeing the property in person. And do believe there are many cases of buyers changing their minds and even failing to make an offer, because the homes they saw in the internet is totally different from the actual thing. 

This is where home staging comes in. People use this tactic to make sure the property is in selling condition. This way buyers would fall in love with the property more than they did when they saw it on the internet.

Home staging is an easy concept. The essence of such activity is to make your homes presentable or simply make it ready for displaying. Home staging is also an art. It is a way of decorating things and integrating themes, which is not overwhelming or too personal. It creates a space for imagining. When buyers enter the home, they do not want to see how the seller lived their lives in it. They want to view their own. 

Buyers want to see a property that looks brand new even if the property is just resale. Home staging allows you to do this. You get to clean the house, de-clutter it, depersonalize it and repair major components to make it presentable and functional. 

Do believe that home staging can help in selling your homes. The recent study made by RESA or Real Estate Staging Association showed that staged homes for the years 2007 and 2008 sold faster than un-staged homes. In fact, un-staged homes that were staged later on, sold in a few days after it was re-listed. 

Even the Accredited Staging Professionals would agree that staging is an effective tool for selling homes. In fact, they claimed their success rate is 94.8%. As to DOM (days on market), staged homes sold on average of 37 days. 

Nothing is too difficult if you find a way to make it happen. In the world of real estate, the current condition tells you it is hard to sell properties. However, we can always cheat the difficulties. A home with great features and great locations will even become more sellable with the aid of home staging. 

Start cleaning and de-cluttering your homes. Brighten up the place and lighten up the tones. Add new landscaping or put greenery in your house. This activities need not to become expensive. If you have to spend for it, you can count on it that the return of investment is high. Moreover, your homes will not have to sit in the market for a long, long time. 

For Valentine’s Day create a romantic room that’s both seductive and passionate. Your sweetheart will love the vibrancy brought by your seductive room décor. Creating closeness in a room is about finding a good variety of features that make your partner feel comfortable and intimate. Choose from one of these elements:

• comfortable seating,
• flowing curtains, a
• glowing fire in a fireplace or a
• plush rug underfoot.

The romance created will become a relaxing setting inviting you to come in and feel at ease. Your objective is to find a design that makes you feel both relaxed and sexy while reinforcing the intimate nature of the room.

Designer Jamie Drake inspires this Manhattan bedroom with romance, mixing color schemes of magenta, fuchsia, and purple with bold floral patterns. The headboard is covered in Cowtan & Towt’s Brasilia Lilas violet. Carefully selected fabric allows a perfect match in the modern brocade bedspread.

For more on romantic room decor so seductive, they set the mood for Valentine’s Day, come visit us at Point Click Home.

Romantic Room Decor

Take a peek at the inside of Hollywood’s most intriguing bedroom design from 21^st century films. Cozy furnishings and comforting color scheme are the most important elements for an alluring bedroom decor. There’s absolutely no room in your home like the bedroom. The place dedicated to relaxing, romancing, sleeping and dreaming. It’s the place to getaway from everyday worries—so why not make a few changes.

We’ve compiled a few ideas for your interior décor with stylish inspiration and savvy advice–whether you’re looking for a comforter or you need silky new sheets to freshen up the room. Take a look through our home decorating ideas, shopping guides, designer insights, and chi décor picks, and get ready to reclaim your bedroom’s sanctuary status. Pick from our selection of choices to liven things up:

•Bed pillows can make or break a good night’s sleep so it pays to invest in ones that are well constructed.

•A mattress pad protects preserves and costs significantly less then replacing a mattress that hasn’t been properly maintained.

•Feather beds rest atop the mattress and are akin to sleeping on a bed-sized pillow.

•Sheets are the heart of the bed so buy the best quality you can afford.

•Blankets provide basic warmth above the sheet and because they’re available in a range of weights and materials, it makes sense to have a variety on-hand.

•Coverlets and quilts form the decorative middle layer and often double as a top-of-bed covering instead of a comforter or duvet cover.

•Duvets and comforters make up the top layer of warmth and are often kept folded at the foot of the bed to be accessed as needed.

The bedroom—it’s the most personal space in your home—design it accordingly.

Bedroom Design

Decorating with mirrors can bring your interior design to a new level. Some interior décor experts believe incorporating mirrors that are made from different materials or with different shapes can create a quite unique home design. The reflection in such mirrors sets an unique room decoration. The reflection in such mirrors is unique and quite impressive such as a masterpiece in art. You will find this method of interior design in hotels, restaurants, and boutiques.

Window Dressing — In a Manhattan apartment, designer Diana Viñoly gives a wall a glamorous and graphic touch with mirror-backed French-window surrounds from Amy Perlin Antiques. The Bull’s Eye rug by Carini Lang plays up the circular theme of the mirrored panels, and the sofa is by Classic Sofa. Get the look: Two Mirrored Wall Panels, 5; horchow.com.

Grand Scale — The dining area in this New York loft features a mirror frame that was salvaged from a château, chandeliers from Holly Hunt, and 18th-century chairs from Lucca & Co. The grand presence of this mirror, which has the effect of a large-scale work of art, helps to unite the other elements of the space, creating an inviting area for meals. Get the look: Rococo mirror, ,995; restorationhardware.com.

For more on great ideas on home decor with mirrors, come visit us at Elle Decor.

Interior Decoration is pretty interesting concept. You can simply transform your home or office interiors to anything special and innovative, just by implementing certain optimal interior decorating painting ideas that enhances appeal. There are many different ideas that you can try out. Perhaps one of the best one to consider is Faux painting. Let’s take a look at this in more detail.

Faux Painting is a form of interior decoration wherein you can make a particular home area look exactly like something dramatically different from the original. You can bring in any type of concept and make it look like the real thing, by using  faux painting ideas. Some types of faux painting techniques include sponging, stippling, combing, bagging or rag rolling.

All of them bring out some very interesting effects that can make your walls have such a natural and even outstanding appearance in contrast to the furniture and other articles that you place there.  One of the most vivid faux painting techniques is Sponging. You can create some very unique effects with it such as sandstone, granite, marble using it and you can see such an impact arising out of it. It’s quite an easy technique to carry out. Yet another quite dramatic faux painting technique is Marbleizing. Different kinds of tools are used to create a marble look effect on the wall. If you are looking for interior decorating painting ideas that are a bit on the intricate side, how about combing? This technique makes use of combs to create a Patten from floor to ceiling.

Another interior decoration technique is Wall Stenciling. This interior decorating technique adds depth to your room space. It gives the room a fuller look and you will be surprised at the kind of output that will come out as a result. This interior painting technique is pretty easy-to-do and it is also not very expensive. You can carry it out using a template.

If you want something that’s really creative, try out wall murals. You will find wall murals to be exemplary in the way they decorate the home and the kind of look and appeal that they can provide. This is one of the most interesting interior decorating ideas or techniques. Any kind of wall mural will look good and you can get as innovative as possible with the range of techniques and painting styles that you can use.

These are some of the interior decorating painting ideas that you can try out. However, for any idea to work out, you need to have the right kind of paint, as this is the only way a good finish will come out. You will find interior paint to come in many different varieties which are gloss, satin, semi-gloss and flat. Flat paint are at one end if the paint spectrum as they have an ordinary appearance, while satin, semi gloss and gloss paints have a highly appealing look and effect.

These are some creative interior decorating painting ideas that you can try out. You can find some more interesting painting ideas in magazines and internet sites dedicated to interior decoration.  Check out as many techniques as possible to find one that is suitable for your requirements.

If you sit down and think about how you lived a couple of years back, you will be surprised to note the changes that have taken place in your lifestyle over the past few years. Your kids have grown a few inches taller or have entered their teens. You have probably thickened a wee bit in the waist and the hip area. You have newer gadgets around the house, etc. Not looking back, but focusing ahead, you get an overwhelming feeling that you need to redesign and redecorate the house to compliment your changed life style. The thought of redecorating your house itself is scary, and you wonder how disrupted your already hectic life will be. But there is no alternative.

The next important and difficult question you are confronted with is, which is the right decorating scheme? Interior decorating is not about making the rooms look pretty, but it is all about functionality suiting your life style. It is also a form of self-expression. Every room in your home poses a challenge in determining the decorating style. Interior design magazines can help you solve this dilemma.

There is any number of interior design magazines available in the bookstores or even newsstand making it difficult to choose the right one. Home Depot, Design Expo, Target, and Wal-Mart amongst many others have stacks of magazines dedicated to home decoration. These magazines offer a lot of original ideas and are relatively inexpensive. Magazine editors are a careful lot and include designs to appeal to both the younger and not so younger audience looking to decorate their homes economically.

These are monthly periodicals and have the latest trends and upgrades in kitchen ideas, gadgets, appliances and furniture. The cover of the magazine usually indicates its target audience. Younger people prefer the more contemporary design and it will be seen on the cover. Whereas the not so younger will prefer the country or the Victorian style. These magazines will give you ideas to suit your taste. These magazines will help you in finalizing the color scheme to create the right mood such as vibrant, cozy or mellow. Magazines also help in preparing an overall master plan and individual room plans according to the inhabitants.

The most important thing that these magazine do is help you in finalizing your budget. There are many magazines devoted to the latest shabby chic trend, which is based on aesthetics, functionality and beauty. If you are looking to give your home an antique look, there are magazines specifically for this too.

These magazines are well written and have ideas to suit the individual’s style and budget. Anyone desirous of changing their style or wanting to learn about different styles and trends should just look around the racks and buy a few interior decorating magazines to spruce up your home. You will surely end up with a dozen of inspiring ideas.

When you first get started on home interior decorating, it is a good idea to have at least some notion of the kind of color scheme you might like. That is not to say that you can’t change your mind while you are working out a plan. It is much better to change at this stage than when you already have the paint on the walls.

Good, well thought out interior decorating can add balance to a room and bring out its best features. Interior decorating should form the background for the way you choose to live in your home. If you’ve got a lot of books then it stands to reason that you will want plenty of good shelving. Plain wood shelves look best for this but if you already have some and they are beginning to look past their prime then play safe and paint them white. Think about the lighting in a room because this can enhance or detract from its overall design.

If you are not sure what color to use then play it safe and go for a neutral cream or magnolia – you can brighten it up with your soft furnishings and well placed lamps and ornaments. Many homes are a hodge-podge of furniture and decorating styles. If you replace furniture try to bear in mind the particular effects or style that you are trying to achieve. A well-chosen and well-placed piece can totally alter the look of a room.

Home interior decorating covers many aspects of the tasks. A lot depends on how much time you have to spare and what your budget is – whether you just want to spruce up a room or give it a whole new look. It is surprising for instance what new bath mats and towels do for a bathroom. Try sprucing up your room with some new cushions and perhaps a mirror or two. Move the furniture around and add feature wall paper on one wall – make sure that it tones in with the existing color scheme and you’ll be surprised how much style this can give to a room.

Perhaps the kitchen is your bete noir? If it is you can do a lot with some new blinds and lampshades. Try some potted plants on the window ledge this can brighten most kitchens. If the paint-work really is past its prime then you need to decide whether you need a whole new paint job or whether you can get away with touching up the doors and base boards. If your bedroom needs a face-lift then try some new bed covers and toning curtains. Add a few cushions to your bed and you immediately have a more luxurious look.

Did you grow up with the interior decorating idea that colors had to match? Whether that idea was in reference to colors in home decor, shoes/purses, makeup, or any number of other areas of our lives, everything had to match! That thought is not as prevalent today but still merits attention especially as your home decorating idea begins to develop.

You might say that color is an imperfect science. If you don’t believe me, try looking through a paint sample display for that “perfect” color. Remember, the lighting in the store is much different than the lighting in your home which also changes with the weather conditions and the time of the day and year.

Let’s look at the pros for matching colors in your interior decorating idea:

* You have a favorite color
* Your favorite color makes a statement and you want lots of it
* You don’t want to make so many decisions-you know what color you like and stick to it
* You love the challenge of perfectly matching colors
* Matching colors is second nature to you and you don’t want to change

Now, let’s look at the cons for matching colors in your interior decorating idea:

* It’s difficult to match color because of texture
* It’s difficult to match color because of light
* You want to incorporate several colors in your decorating plans
* You like the challenge of mixing and matching colors
* There is more flexibility and freedom to change your home decor over time

Consider a “middle of the road” approach to your interior decorating idea:

The “middle of the road” approach includes coordinating and grouping colors as well as paying attention to lighter and darker shades and tones. Putting three varying shades of purple together will look magnificent. Putting five reds with the same tone together will certainly give energy and pizzazz to a room-get the idea? What a great way to implement your interior decorating idea!

As you walk from room to room, color makes a home flow comfortably; it is the connecting component. In your mind you unknowingly take the color scheme from room to room for a few brief seconds. Use a single color as a theme that runs throughout the house while still providing each room with its own color persona. Keep that in mind as you are embarking on your next home decorating project.

As a side note, I read in a recent newspaper article that matching shoes and purses are making a comeback, but not as perfectly matched as in the past-food for thought!

When you step into your front door, does it feel like you’ve blasted back to the 1970s? It is probably time to modernize your interior decor. A remake of your home’s interior can become expensive. If you’re struggling with stretching your dollar, then becoming a bargain hunter is your next step. You will need a bit of patience and will need to spend a bit of time in the process, but there are some excellent deals out there that will help you give your home interior a makeover at an affordable price.

When you are hunting for bargains, be sure that you buy items that have some value instead of frivolous purchases that you will regret later. For instance, you might come across a great piece of antique furniture that you think will look elegant once you’ve reupholstered it, only to find several years later that it is still sitting in your garage and on your husband’s “honey do” list.

Favorite interior design haunts for bargain hunters include second hand furniture stores and discount stores. If you spend a bit of time at these stores, you might discover some fantastic discounts on furniture, linens, accessories, and the like. You can even find bargains on household electronics such as wide screen televisions and stereo systems. If you are buying discounted household electronics, make sure that they are in usable condition. Ask the store owner to let you plug the appliance in and test it out. If not, the reason the item is so cheap might be because it does not work. The last thing any of us wants is junk and clutter in our homes, so buy your bargains with care.

Another favorite destination of seasoned bargain hunters are yard sales, flea markets, auctions, and estate (probate) sales that are usually run by private individuals instead of commercial businesses. Sometimes these sales offer nothing but obsolete junk, but with persistence, you can find some real gems. Estate (or probate) sales sometimes have the best offerings, particularly if it is a well-to-do person who passed away and the heirs are eager to sell things off. You can find nice artwork, furniture, linens and more at these types of sales.

New items can also be found at discount sales … and some of them are a source of affordable interior decor items at their regular retail cost. For instance, if you want to update your furniture today and want the ability to change it without having to spend a small fortune in the near future, futons are an excellent deal. Not only are they space savers because they can be used as either couches or chairs by day and beds at night, but there are hundreds of cover styles available at affordable prices. For example, if you create a floral design with your futon today, you can easily change it into a solid color with colorful throw pillows tomorrow, next month or next year. This offers a lot of versatility when it comes to interior decor.

One aspect of interior design work that bargain hunters may forget to consider is the cost of labor. Labor can include services such as painting, knocking out walls, installing light fixtures, carpet cleaning, and the like. Except for furniture and flooring, the cost of labor may be the highest factor in your home decor plans. Bargain hunting for labor is a bit different from bargain hunting for actual physical items. You might think you can save some money by hiring your best friend’s cousin who will work for $7 an hour, an illegal immigrant or some other person offering to do the work at a fraction of the cost, but unskilled workers may end up costing you more money in the long run because of mistakes or poor quality in workmanship. Not only can they help you in avoiding costly mistakes, but the more experienced or skilled worker may end up costing you less in labor than the “bargain workers.” This is because they have enough experience to finish the job at a faster pace then the unskilled worker, so you are paying for less hours of work.

If you are ready to jump on your interior decor upgrades, set a limit on how much you will spend. Sticking with your budget is a form of self-discipline that should be exercised throughout the interior design process.

When it comes to interior decorating on a budget there are a lot of ideas that are both simple and inexpensive that will liven up a room without breaking the bank. Many couples have a desire to decorate their home so that it looks antique, modern, and beautiful. However, they are surprised to find enormously high prices on the items that they would like to have. It is possible to go cheap and without looking cheap.

Even if you are completely redesigning a room or house, interior decorating on a budget is not only possible but is easily done as used house parts will save you a lot of money. Many times all you have to do is ask a local contractor for the ideal place to locate these items. A high quality door, windows, used sinks and other items bought secondhand are much cheaper and will provide a more efficient match the period of the home. There are plenty of antique and discount stores that offer a lot of good products on items that you may want to try to incorporate into your home. Most of the time their prices are an absolute steal!

When interior decorating on a budget the flea markets, auctions, yard sales and online retailers such as eBay, offer the perfect opportunity to find quality used home furnishings. Many of us have a home filled with a few family heirlooms, flea market or tag sale finds, and possibly one or two treasures from a quick dumpster dive. In these cases you have to figure out how to combine high and low design pieces to create a unified and polished look for your home.

When buying used furniture, finding a matched set can sometimes be difficult. Just remember to try and balance color and scale, while at the same time sticking to a theme. One of the first thing that you will want to do is identify a color theme. Then think about fabrics, candles, flowers, pictures. You may want to see what is available for you in accessories before you try and tackle the color scheme. In addition, you can easily mix and match colors, patterns, and items.

Buying products secondhand is a key component of interior decorating on a budget. You might be surprised to learn that mismatched items can actually enhance a room’s decor. Mirrors, candles, and photo frames are all cheap items and can make any home look lovely. Drive through your neighborhood or online and you will find a variety of unique decorating options.

Whenever there is a budget, imagination is the key to success. Always look for detail pieces or find new uses for traditional items.

You can save much more money by doing it yourself decorating and it can be both enjoyable and rewarding. Try to think about all the things that you would like to see in your decorating and then identify those things that you can make yourself. There is a lot of things that you could do to help lower the costs of your decorating bills, but use the tricks that everyone uses so as not to re-invent the wheel.