Tag Archives: decor tips

Stylish Doormats

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The first thing that greets your guests at the front door is the door mat. These functional mats can keep mud, dirt and water from getting tracked in to the house. Doormats can also be a stylish introduction into your home.

 

This entry hall nicely illustrates how a colorful and patterned doormat can liven up the space. The British Union Jack is a classic pattern that gives the hall a touch of Anglophile style. The red, white and blue of the mat coordinate with both the exterior and interior colors. Adding color and pattern with a door mat creates a cheerful greeting for guests and family.

 

Doormats can be placed on both sides of the front door. Outside mats should be a durable weather resistant material like jute or rubber. A boot scrap next to the front door is a good way to remove thick dirt, and mud from the bottoms of your shoes before entering the home. The interior door mat can be a more traditional wool throw rug, sisal or something that wicks moisture. There are so many options for patterns, prints and sizes that there is a door mat to match your decorating style.

 

Having a mat on the exterior and interior of the front door or kitchen door will help cut down on dirt and moisture being tracked into the home. Getting in the habit of removing your shoes by the front door is another way to prevent extra dirt from getting onto your floors and carpets.

Home Decor – Paint It Red

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The primary color red is one of the strongest colors on the color wheel. Red can intimidate some people for its bold, rich color. Small doses of red can be used as an accent color to spice up a room. Buying or painting a single accent piece of red furniture is a fun way to add a pop of red to a room.

 

A red chair or ottoman in a living room or a red console table in the entry will create a focal point. Red accents can be in furniture, rugs, lamps or soft accessories like pillows and throws. A red bowl on the dining table or kitchen counter is a nice way to incorporate the color into a room. Even a bowl of red apples can add a little burst of red to a kitchen.

 

If you want to make a bigger statement, use red on furniture or the walls. Red area rugs or or multicolor rugs that have red in the pattern are less overwhelming than red walls.

 

Red painted furniture can be done with spray paint or traditional oil based paints for furniture. To get a good saturated color, multiple layers will need to be applied. A red lacquer is great for its deep color and hard surface—perfect for a coffee table or dining table. The shiny, glossy surface of lacquer can be imitated with a high gloss enamel paint. Durable enamel paint is a good choice for chairs and surfaces that will get a lot of wear.

The Power of Paint

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We are all aware of the power of color.  For both our personal fashion and homes, color can be transformative.  While neutrals and black and white are great foundations for a wardrobe and home, nothing changes the look and feel of a room like color.  This is the reason that paint is such a powerful decorating tool.

 

Paint is one of the easiest ways to decorate a room.  Paint can open up a room, make a space feel cozy, raise or lower the ceiling, and personalize a space. When you paint your walls, you will transform your space.  This is true even if you are painting in neutral colors.  Going from a deeply colored wall color to white is just as transformative as the other direction.

 

The power of paint doesn’t stop with walls.  Painting the ceiling can also change the feeling of the room.  A darker color on the ceiling will lower the feeling of the ceiling and make the room feel cozier.

 

Beyond the architecture of the home, paint can change the look of furniture, fabrics, and even solid colored rugs.  Painting furniture is a wonderful way to give it new life.  Inexpensive solid neutral fabrics can be turned into interesting patterned materials with textile paint; the same is true for area rugs.

 

Next time you get the urge to change your room, start with paint.  A new paint color on the walls or old dresser can give you a new look without spending major money.