Month: February 2007

Country home decor evokes a feeling of a casual, simple, and friendly lifestyle. There is a special warmth and charm that country home decor gives off that just makes you feel comfortable. It is fairly easy to obtain this look; you just have to know what additions you need.

You should start by using furniture made of light or natural tones, such as oak or pine. The same goes for your floor; it should be wood flooring, flagstone, or tile flooring. Adding braided or hook rugs will add the country look to it while adding warmth. When adding country home decor to your windows, stay away from mini-blinds and instead go for wood shutters, wood blinds, or just valances. Caf curtains in a floral or checkered pattern are always suitable for any country home decor.

Some of the best decorating ideas for country home decor can be found as close as your backyard. Pinecones, evergreen, moss, twigs, bark, flowers, and plants can add life and nature to your look. Placing these items on shelves or in wicker baskets can give you the feeling of being in a country cabin. Galvanized pots or wooden bowls are also excellent choices to use in your country home decor.

Colors

Bear in mind that when decorating any room there should be some level of continuity throughout. It makes the room more attractive to the eye and brings everything together instead of making just one item stand out. The way to do that is through color. You should pick one or two colors and add them to your curtains, pillows, pictures, or decorative items. It should be done in a harmonious style so that the colors do not clash or look out of place.

Country home decor colors consist of very warm colors such as reds, deep blues, bronze, or gold colors. Use these colors when you are adding playful decorations or animal motifs. Ducks, rabbits, and roosters are popular in country home decor, but don t overdo it. You can add simple colors by hanging up barn accessories or weathered signs, both of which add color and personality.

Simplicity and peacefulness is so much a part of country home decor so you shouldn’t mix and match too much or it will take too much away from the look you are going for. You don t always have to live in a rural setting to have the beautiful look of country home decor.

Keywords: Home Improvement, Home Decor

Contemporary, of course, means different things at different times. When your grandmother got a tiger-oak side table for her wedding, and your mother got Fiestaware to put on her kidney shaped coffee table, they were both contemporary. But contemporary home decor now means glass, minimalism, and plenty of storage for electronics. You cannot spurn your family heirlooms; you must simply find a way to integrate great-grandmother s Victoriana into a 21st century home.

Small Things

Some small antiques blend into contemporary home decor perfectly. Glass vases, silver, and textiles designed with clean lines and classic style are easy to use. The fabrics in many old quilts, for example, tend to be more neutral from a time before very vibrant dyes were invented. Geometric patterns are the easiest to sew perfect for contemporary home decor.

Primitive pieces are also wonderful accents in a contemporary home. An oversized, well-used dough trough is a perfect centerpiece on any large dining table. Fill it with something like sand or pebbles for a more modern look. Arrange bamboo in grandmother s old milk churn; the contrast makes both look better.

You must rely on contrast to make the more overwrought pieces look their best. Aunt Mildred might want you to display the antique pink epergne she gave you, but where can such a big piece of ruffled, dainty pink glass fit in contemporary home decor? Hang it as a chandelier. Or, make a modern monochromatic ensemble. Let one shelf of the bookcase be the pink department, and put all the pink there. Single-color groupings fit well in the contemporary home.

Furniture

Antique furniture is quite easy to put into contemporary home decor. Many contemporary styles are inspired by the past in any case. First, upholstered pieces like couches and chairs are the easiest to bring up to date. Replace seventies avocado or fifties floral with your own modern colors. Even pieces with elaborate carving can be toned down when matched with the right upholstery.

Consider breaking up sets, too. If a country table and six Windsor chairs look too country for your contemporary home decor, just use the dining table and pair it with new upholstered chairs that fit the rest of your style. Place the chairs in the other rooms of the house as side chairs. That way, you use the old pieces, but dilute their old-fashioned look. Even mom s kidney-shaped table has a place: remove the legs and hang it on the wall. It is automatic abstract art.

Keywords: Home Improvement, Home Decor