Home Decorating Trends and Colors for the Spring Season and Beyond

Spring is a beautiful time of year and a time for renewal. Let in the fresh air with this change of the season and the newest home decorating trends and colors.

The fashion industry has certainly been an inspiration and influence over the color and trends of home furnishings, but any color is fashionable with the personal self expression and confidence to make it work.

Besides, color boosts your mood and can create favorable first impressions!

Current home decorating trends this year of 2008 are reusable luxury with recyclable items giving new uses for vintage articles. The mixing of classic traditional styling with the newer contemporary and even the inclusion of some Lucite furniture pieces.

Incorporating these home decorating trends into your living spaces adds the uniqueness of your personal stamp to your decor.

Anything that is hand made, environment friendly and authentic, representing the earth using natural organic materials.

Start expecting to see less of the over scaled furniture which has been with us for a while to be replaced with a more streamlined silhouette and a "normal" scale.

What will be over scale? The fabrics will have large repeats on the upholstery and a dominance of graphic prints plus the use of natural materials like linen. Also, expect to see more outdoor fabric choices introduced.

Wallpaper is making a comeback and the use of metallic in paint color for the walls.

Look for accents and the use of silver finishes, mercury glass, mirrors, pottery and crystal.

A big color this year is pink and not just for little girls! Use pink in the darker raspberry tones and the pinky reds moving toward the coral shades.

Tone the raspberry with a rich neutral like chocolate brown, looks awesome.

Actually anything in the chocolate brown and espresso family but especially with a red-violet undertone, and in addition to the natural browns, earthy colors include the blues and greens.

Neutral grey in the quiet and clean tones of chalk, slate, charcoal and gray flannel will be evident. Grey is a great neutral back drop to the brighter accent color combinations used this year ( pair it with orange ) and is a softer approach to the black and white that is still quite strong.

Very dramatic and sophisticated, black and white rooms are quite stylish when one of the two colors dominates, and the black and white color palette successfully uses the bold patterns that are popular. An accent with red or pink will give it some punch or keep it subtle with taupe.

With an increasing awareness of important environmental causes, home decorating trends reflect eco-consciousness with the color green becoming the "new" refreshing neutral. Green is a natural and earthy color that definitely says spring, bringing the outdoors inside.

The peaceful green of ferns, palms, pine and sage blends well with any other color you choose, is very versatile and can be used in any part of the home with great success.

For femininity work it in with pinks, for a modern mix use it successfully with gray, or go earthy with chocolate brown.

Watch for many tones of water blues and sky blues with respect to home decorating trends that enhances the environmental movement. Metallic and denim blue and even lavender will all have a presence.

Home Decorating - What You Wish You Knew

Home decorating is an easy task but it requires careful planning. You need to consider a lot of factors so that the furnishings you put together will complement your room size, wall color, and shape. Here are few tips to enable you to get the most form your decorating efforts.

The first task is to determine your focal point. This place is considered the center of your decoration. It is the principal piece of furniture, object, or furnishing around which your decoration will revolve. Examples of focal points include fireplaces, room dividers and book shelves.

Once this point is located, the rest of the furnishings can come as you will now know what attracts the attention most in your room. The next activity is to choose a theme. What impression do you want your guests to have as they enter your living room? Do you want them to feel like they are in the countryside, in the home of a pop music celebrity, or that of a retro lover? The answer to this question will enable you select traditional, elegant, classic decor. You will accordingly choose rugs, lamps, colors and furniture that match your intended impression. You must note that the theme must be kept consistently throughout the room.

Flowers add special effects to the home. Live plants freshen up the atmosphere and artificial ones can make the place look lively. Choose tall vases with decorations at the base to make an elegant decor when placed at corners. Single sleek petalled flowers on the fireplace or bookshelf exude a fantastic appearance.

Rugs can add special glamour to rooms. You should choose the shape of your rug according to the shape of the room. Oval, circular or rectangular rugs will help in this way. Again, look at the pattern in the rug. If they are located at one point, then that part should be close to your focal point. If they are evenly distributed, then they can be spread across the room in any way. Also select your rug according to colors that will match your existing wall tones.

These decorating tips will enable you keep your home furnishings looking trendy and elegant. You can combine all or some of the suggestions in this guide depending on the effects you would like to create.

A Spark of Inspiration in Home Decor

It's easy to forget that decorating is an art form. As you go about filling your home with possessions, making compromises between beauty and function, and bowing to the limitations inherent in the space, it can be easy to let decorative considerations drop in favor of more direct pursuits.

However its important to remember that your entire life is a creative endeavor. Every move you make is precipitated by the fact that you are a unique individual. Your choices come from within you. This is as true of actions, as it is of movements and designs. When creating the atmosphere in your home, you are really setting the stage for the play of your life.

Part of being inspired to decorate, is finding something in life that really moves you. Once the spark of creativity is kindled, you can use the energy for just about any pursuit you desire.

However sometimes inspiration is elusive. Unfortunately, it can't be forced, and you shouldn't try, or you'll just end up having a negative experience, which will make it even harder to get excited about your decorating project. Instead take it easy, relax, and try to do things you enjoy which are related to home decorating.

One popular past time is to flip through catalogs from manufacturers of furnishings. You can also browse home décor websites to see what kinds of items are available. Browsing through pictures of others, decorated homes, is also a great way to spark some creativity in your own mind.

Ultimately any spark of creativity will come from within you. It's already there, waiting, you just have to find it and coax it out. It's a matter of understanding who you are, and what makes you passionate. This is not only the way to decorate your home, it's also really the best way to live your life.

Handyman Services for Home Repair and Renovation

The process of searching for the services of skilled experts in the handyman field may initially seem like a trivial undertaking when everything within your home functions properly. It should be known that the total range of tasks that a handyman can perform is boundless. Although some people consider the initial costs to be high, they will understand that they pay off in the long run, especially since they help you save precious time.

Listed below are some tasks and services that a handyman generally offers, but there are a lot of other jobs that these professionals can actually work on around a home or commercial space. The listed items are however the basic services that can help any person in making their life less stressful and much easier, especially in terms of home decorating and renovation with a professional approach.

Carpentry

The most basic of tasks that a handyman is known to work on involves simple carpentry. This service involves other numerous jobs that fall directly under this classification. This can stretch from something as simple as setting up shelves to installing framing and moldings. So far, carpentry is known to be the service that is most sought after in handyman services. This is specifically needed by individuals who have little to no skill and knowledge in any form of carpentry work.

Even though the carpentry field can sometimes necessitate the need for wood carvings in products like tables, chairs, etc. this is not to be considered as part of the services provided by handyman. Such kind of carvings and furniture creations are often left to craftsmen who specialize in this industry. The services being offered by a handyman will include the repair of furnishings and parts of the house that are made of wood.

Plumbing and Electrical Jobs

Another common residential or commercial service that is provided by a handyman involves plumbing and electrical jobs. Many provide these services on an ongoing basis. This could entail monthly checkups on electrical wiring, pipes lines, sewage etc. These tasks are essential since working on the electrical and plumbing system is not something that anyone can do. The DIY approach is not wise in this scenario, compared to attempting a carpentry project. Repairing and replacing wires, water lines and light fittings are just some of the tasks that a handyman could do.

Decorative Projects

Decorating is probably the least known type of service that anyone would consider a handyman to render. Beautifying the space through the installation of wallpaper or through the application of paint is a part of this category. Finishing touches on various areas of the home or in furnishings can as well be completed by many handyman in an efficient and professional manner.

Log Home Contemporary and Modern Design Style

Modern and contemporary interior design styles for Log Homes are defined by clean lines accentuated by sculptural furnishings, art, and bold contrast. Some find contemporary style stark and unwelcoming while others find the underlying simplicity refreshing. Almost everyone can enjoy the uncluttered, relaxing vibe of modern style.

Colors used in contemporary and modern design for Log Home range from neutrals to bright colors, though it is the use of black that defines the contemporary palette. Muted colors and monochromatic color schemes are also popular in modern interior design including hues of white, cream, brown, and taupe. Pops of color are often added with accessories and accent furniture pieces.

Through the use of negative space, each element in contemporary design has the appearance of independence while still contributing to the overall design of the room. Architectural and functional elements enhance textural interest and line.

Contemporary Decor
The underlying simplicity of line, shape, and form in contemporary design requires only a few well placed accessories. Contemporary art is simple, dramatic, and large in scale. Art pieces are set off from other elements in the room by lighting or solo placement on a pedestal. Textures such as brushed metal, chrome, and glass are popular in modern kitchen and bathroom designs.
Woods like birch, ash, and maple are commonly seen in contemporary flooring and cabinetry. Plush or shag rugs add comfort and texture to wood or tile floors and help to round out the color palette. Lighting is an exceptionally important element in contemporary design. Recessed lights are used to wash walls and highlight art, while unique accent light fixtures serve as art statements.

Contemporary Furniture
During the early twentieth century, innovative materials started a revolution in furniture design. As a result, contemporary and modern furniture designers developed pieces from materials like acrylic, steel, plastic, and molded plywood. Influential design movements for modern furnishings include Scandinavian style, Bauhaus, and Art Deco. New materials are still being pioneered by contemporary designers who often seek out green design solutions.

Contemporary and modern furniture is often created in unconventional shapes with clean, smooth lines and no frills, ruffles, or carved details. Fabrics used on upholstered furnishings are often cotton or linen in solid neutrals, black, or bold colors. Sofa and chair skirts are flat or box pleated while exposed legs are thick and solid. Pillows, in clean geometric shapes, can be used to add a shot of color.

Since all contemporary and modern furniture is cleanly shaped, the upholstery is really what defines the casualness or formality of the room. Furniture upholstery in modern design tends to be low maintenance fabrics like cotton, microfiber, and leather. Upholstery colors range from bold primary colors to neutral hues of putty, cream, and black.

Simple Home Decorating Ideas

Simple home decorating ideas could be used to bring in simplicity in home decor with readily available accessories and objects to spruce up your home. But simplicity should not be mistaken for drab or a dull look as simple home decorations can be very practical and visually appealing. It refreshes your home and soothes your eyes.

Color variations can change the look and mood of the interior. Usually mundane decors rely on a single color. You could try more than one color to make the rooms look great and aesthetic as well. Combination of different colors can add vitality and life to an otherwise plain looking room.

Instead of using colors that clash with one another try color combination that blend easily. You could break the color combination in another room as modern home interiors are used to doing. Or else, try and maintain a certain pattern from room to room. Adjoining rooms could have complementary colors to maintain a balance if you like it tat way.

Natural light is always welcome in al homes and mirrors help reflect ad light up rooms that remain dark despite the presence of natural light. Instead of spending a lot of money buying new mirrors you could do with those at your home to bring in the sunny environment that was lacking.

Plants can bring in the much needed natural look straightaway. In case you are allergic to too many plants in your home you could always get dry flowers or artificial ones to get the greenery into your home interior. It is a very simple home decorating idea that you could use without much of a fuss. If you like real plants, then, with a bit of imagination you could bring over the garden to your living room.

Use rugs wherever possible like under the coffee table or in the bedroom to make the mood and tone of the room soft. Curtains add to the artistic touch and you could choose simple yet attractive prints or use blinds. Upholstery is usually blended with the curtain ad choices for color and print would be impacted by the other furnishing materials in the room. Curtain color ideas for simple home decoration follow the shades of walls and windows.

Americana Home Decor Ideas

A niche decorating style that seems to be gaining popularity at the moment is the Americana style. This is very popular among Americans who want to display their heritage, and also among non-Americans that want to have a themed room in their house. It is popular because of its obvious association with America and also with its versatile colour scheme.

The main colours are the same as on the American flag; red, white and blue, and these are used together in a variety of ways to create your Americana room. If you want a more subdued American feel then you can go for less contrasting colours, maybe cream, pale blue and dark red for example. Although you could use all three in equal amounts to create a striking room, most people choose to use one colour as the base and work the other two around it.

Once the room is decorated, it's time to accessorise! The first step is to buy furniture that goes with the design, this usually consists of fairly simple, white furnishings, perhaps a really plump sofa, and a storage box painted with an American flag, or the same design on a coffee table. The same goes for plant pots, which can be painted with a flag and used instead of end tables. Try going for something like a cactus to fit in with the theme.

After the core furniture is chosen, you will want to liven up the room with a few small American additions, like a license plate, road sign, Uncle Sam birdhouse, flag, and the list goes on. There are so many things you could put in this room it is unbelievable, so just look around, in books, shops and online. You will eventually find everything that you want to truly give you an American shrine.

It is very easy to overbuy, as there is so much stuff out there. If you find yourself in this situation then store some of your stuff away and rotate your accessories to always keep your room new. This way, you will never get bored with something that took a lot of effort to create, and you can effectively redecorate every few months without the need to fully reshape the room.

Creating a Well Furnished Home

The art of furnishing your home with the perfect furniture that blends with the surrounding really counts as this is the area of your home that you spend most your time. So you should take special care and put in a lot of effort to decorate and furnish your home.

This way you can create your ideal living space and it is important that you furnish your home by infusing your unique personality and efforts in decorating your home. Most people enjoy furnishing their home as it is a creative challenge and gives people the chance to decorate and furnish their home according to their likes and dislikes. Most people think that buying expensive furnishings and decorations will enhance their home decor but this is where people get the wrong idea as a perfect decor doesn't need to be expensive as any inexpensive item can also turn your home into an attractive and well decorated one.

Getting your home decorated and furnished by hiring an interior decorate will cost you money and though your house may turn out to be the perfectly decorated and furnished one but all this will also cost you money so its better that you stick to your own personal choice and instincts so that you don't waste money by hiring a professional if you have a low budget.

The best way to get your home decorated is by opting for a theme and considering your taste and preferences you can choose the one that suits your home. You can decorate your home any way you want by choosing from the American, French or traditional styles.

People who like to decorate their home with an Oriental touch can buy Paper lanterns and Oriental screens because all etches are part of the Oriental culture and will give your home an Oriental look.

Traditional people like to decorate their homes with a classical touch and prefer the Victorian designed furnishings to decorate and furnish their homes. The Victorian rugs and couches add elegance to the home and really help to make your home look like a Classical one.

Some people also prefer to mix match their themes and use the ultra modern furnishing and decor along with ultra sophisticated styles.

But before starting to decorate your home you should consider on the amount of budget you can spare as you need to plan a budget so that things work in an organized way and you don't get stuck up being short of money. When all these things are cleared up then you can start spending money and buy the furnishings for your lovely home with care.

You can easily avail the different home furnishing items from a furniture store near you or get connected to online stores that offer discounted rates and deliver the furnishing items to your home in fast forward way.

You can also buy at consignment store as they sell used home decor and furnishing at a cheaper rate and you can get good furnishing deals at bargained prices plus there are also many warehouses that also put up discount sloes that can be easily availed if you have a limited budget.