Home Decorating Tips for You
Need to spruce up the place? Check out these home decorating tips.
June 16, 2009— -- "Good Morning America" culled through design magazines and do-it-yourself decorating Web sites to come up with these creative ways to spruce up your home.
Check back periodically because we'll be updating the list as the tips keep rolling in.
1. For a really striking new look, try painting your walls lighter and use dark tones or bright color for the trim.
2. Pay attention to your front door. Buff it up with a fresh coat of paint, a new knocker, a polished knob and a working doorbell.
3. Enliven your walls with color. Choose a room as "summer room" and paint it light blue, soft yellow or bright green.
4. Paint a room's furniture white or black. This takes care of any mismatched pieces or imperfections and makes the forms stand out. White brightens a room, while black gives a refined look.
5. Paint your floors. Not only can this make for an innovative floor covering, it can cover up imperfections. Your painting mistakes will only add character to the room. But if you make a mistake, you can always start fresh after cleaning the area with a cloth and letting it dry.
6. Look for a light color for the ceiling. To match the ceiling with the wall color, buy ceiling paint that's one or two shades lighter than the wall color on its color chip. Alternatively, dilute the color of the wall with white paint so it's 25 percent color and 75 percent white.
7. Use Chalkboard paint.This paint's primary colors are green or black, but can be hidden when your children have finished playing. One option is to paint the inside doors of your child's armoire.
8. Do combine fabrics and furnishings from different time periods. Use an antique piece here or there to enrich a room's decor.
9. Swap heavy fabrics with lighter ones. For instance, consider chiffon or organzan to replace drapes.
10. Arrange wall decorations creatively. Draw an imaginary rectangle on the room's main focal wall to avoid scattering items just to fill space. Instead, fill the rectangle with portraits, plates or clocks for greater effect.
11. Bring in touches from the shore. Synthetic coral from the local aquarium or fish store lasts longer than real coral, is eco-friendly, comes in brillant colors, and costs less. Consider them for centerpieces or mounting on wooden stands.