Hey y’all!

I am moving into a small 1 bdrm apt, and need help with decorating tips. I do have a limited budget (think LIMITED), but I’m also not creative. I enjoy Japanese culture, and have lots of little “nick-nacks” from Japan, but NO idea how to decorate with that! I also have 1 large blank white wall, that I can’t paint – any ideas?

Also – know of any “at home tricks” or creative ways to stretch a penny??

Thank you SOO much! I really appreciate it! ^_^
Dining Room Decor

My home is a 3 bedroom ranch and I am looking for a new decoration idea for my outside garage lights. I have been hanging up lighted up wreaths with red bows for the past 10 years. The whole sub does the same and I am BORED with it. Any other ideas or pics for decorating the exterior garage lights??? Thanks!
Shabby Chic Decor

what all do i need to decorate a home made cake? some easy n good ideas for a b’day cake decoration please
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my mom is an amazing decorator, she cleans homes for a living and works her but off! i would rather see her doing what she loved, which is decorating. Any idea would help. Thanks
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If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, this is going to be the most important area of your home that you decorate.

The fireplace is almost always the center of interest in any room. The furniture is usually arranged around the fireplace, and this is where the eye goes when you walk into the room.

If your fireplace does not have a mantel, you might consider installing one. A mantel is nothing but a piece of wood, and can be held up by simple brackets. Mantels can be very traditional, or they can be as rustic as a half timber.

To get the most out of your decorating budget, concentrate on your fireplace. There are many things you can do that do not take a lot of money.

If you are just beginning to decorate, start by looking at all your possessions. You will want the things you like the most to be displayed as prominently as possible.

If you have a favorite picture, put it over the fireplace. If you have a family portrait you cherish, again, put it over the fireplace where you will see it all the time.

Do not be concerned about the size. You have a couple of options to make it work. You can group pictures so that the effect is the same as a large picture, or you can have your picture put in a frame with a large mat.

This is often done with small pictures. It is very dramatic. Although the pictures are not large, the oversized mat and frame give drama and increases the visual size of the pictures.

After displaying the things you love, choose some other objects to give interest to your mantel. The most important rule when decorating a mantel is to vary the height of the objects that you place on it. If you squint at your fireplace, you do not want to see a straight line going across your mantel. Straight lines are harsh. You want the eye to flow up and down from object to object.

Candles are great for height. Small plants soften the line. Photos always add charm, and you can bring in some shiny texture with brass or silver frames or other accessories.

If you have a very traditional room, you might consider a symmetrical arrangement. This is a very formal look. This look usually has a big picture or mirror over the mantel, one large object in the very center of the mantel, and the matching objects on each end.

One last thing to consider is scale. If you have a very small fireplace, you do not want to overpower it with very large accessories. If you fireplace is large, small accessories will make no impact, and be visually lost.

To get the most effect from your money, concentrate on your fireplace. Often this is enough to carry the whole room.
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Making the decision to decorate or redecorate a room in your home is easy. Finding the time and resources to make it happen can be the hard part. In fact, we could probably start a club for folks facing the same dilemma and have a lot of members!The reality for many is that daily living expenses come before home decorating projects.

However, these scenarios don’t change the fact that we still want to create a home that is unique to our lifestyle, expresses who we are and is a place we love to come home to. The challenge is to accomplish these goals while maintaining our budgets and daily schedules.

There are some simple steps you can take to design and decorate a room or area of your home, and they don’t take a lot of time or money. Let’s be realistic, though, and acknowledge that you have to put some amount of time into any project in order to reap the benefits and achieve the goal. And while some of these steps are cost-free, there is a small amount of money involved in several. The good news is that you always have control of your budget, so as long as you follow these steps and plan accordingly, you’ll be fine.

First, spend some time in your ‘design project room’ and decide what you want to achieve with your project. There is nothing more frustrating than making decisions before you know what you are trying to accomplish. Second, decide how much you are able to spend on this project, even if the number is small. Be realistic and stick to the budget, whatever it is, and you will minimize stress.

Now that you have your plan and budget, the next step is to do a quick room evaluation, looking at the walls, ceiling and floor. Even if your budget is very slim, a fresh coat of paint in any color, even a shade of off white, can work wonders in the transformation of a room’s overall feel and appearance, and is highly recommended. If painting is a new experience for you, talk with a representative from any reputable paint store and they will provide some helpful tips.

The next step is to determine where and how you will acquire the items on your design project list. A great source of decorating items can be found in other rooms, closets, cabinets, drawers and such. Many people place certain pieces together, such as an end table and lamp, and assume that they should always stay together. Look at each piece of furniture and accessory item in your home as individual and unique, to determine if there is something you can move to your design project room. The same goes for the treasures that may be hiding in closets, cabinets and drawers. Inventory these items and most likely you will find something that would be an interesting addition to the room.

A great source for purchasing used furniture, household items, accessories and anything else you might desire for your project is by using craigslist.com. You can shop online and never leave home, spend as much or as little time as you want searching for the items you need, and control the budget by what you choose to pursue. If you are careful about your selections and who you deal with, there is some well made and well priced furniture to be gained.

You might also consider the option of slipcovers if your furniture is worn but has good ‘bones’. There are numerous sources for affordable, attractive slipcover options that will save hundreds of dollars over purchasing new furniture.

Other sources for furniture and accessories are consignment shops and stores such as Salvation Army and Goodwill. Don’t discard these options until you give them a try. You might have to spend a little bit of time looking, but you can find some treasures if you are persistent.

Finally, if your budget will allow and you have the desire, purchase just one new piece for this room. Online discount shopping sites are time and fuel savers as well. Minimize frustration by bookmarking the sites with items you are interested in so you don’t forget where you found them. If you’re not sure what sites to select, do an online search using keywords such as ‘discount home decor’ or similar, until you find the sources that appeal to you. If you take a little extra time and do some specific online searches, like ‘inexpensive area rugs with nautical themes’, you can find exactly what you are looking for. If time allow, visit discount furniture stores and head straight for the ‘clearance’ section, or go to your nearest Target (or target.com), or similar type establishment and check out the furniture options. The quality of the casegoods might surprise you.

Your purchase may be a new lamp or other type of accent piece, possibly a side chair or area rug. It doesn’t matter what you buy, for by making this one purchase you can lift your spirits, find greater satisfaction with the result of your efforts and enjoy your newly decorated room to the fullest. Happy decorating!
Country Cottage Decor

Does your home have a fireplace that you are currently not using very often? Or are you thinking about adding a fireplace, faux or real, to one of the levels in your house? If so, here are some ideas for decorating your fireplace to bring out its natural beauty and charm.

How you decorate your fireplace will depend in part on the room where it is located. A bedroom fireplace may look quite different from one in the family room or den. Part of your decorating decision will be based on the room and its tone. For example, your bedroom fireplace should have a cozy, intimate look with a d