1. Paint the wall with a cote of white latex enamel. It is best to use low-luster enamel with a sponge brush applicator (available at most discount stores for around $1). Let the paint dry to the touch.

2. Choose a flat earth-tone or neutral glaze using a clean sponge brush. Apply the glaze in random strokes over one-half the surface.

3. Repeat this step with a darker glaze, but leaving small random areas unglazed.

4. Next we wash! Apply a white wash in some areas and a earth-tone wash in others. Again, the more random the better!

5. Fold an old newspaper in half and then in half again. Place it flat against a small part of the wall and press. Lift and repeat in another area. Each time you lift, more glaze will be removed.

6. Turn the paper in different directions to help blend the colors into random patterns. Fun, huh?

7. If you feel that one area needs more color, spread glaze on the newspaper and press it flat to the desired area.

8. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the look. Leave some light and dark spots in the pattern.

9. Let the paint dry. (Don�t watch it – it�s deadly dull!)

10. Finally apply more white wash to the entire surface. Soften the colors by dabbing with a clean cotton cloth.

11. Allow the paint to dry once more. (I didn�t say this process would be exciting, did I?)

The look you will achieve with this technique will mimic the depth, color variations and rough look of more expensive stone tiles. Not bad for a little paint and some old newspaper, right? Now go out there and dab!

A good suggestion for starters is to plan your closet with hanging rods nearest the outside walls. In most cases, this will give you the optimum access to shelves and drawer spaces.

For reach-in closets with double-folding doors, it’s often better to put the drawers in the center where they’re more easily accessible. For a closet with sliding doors, place the drawers on either end of the closet.
Wardrobe Inventory.

Separate your closet into these categories:

– What you currently wear
– What you’ve worn only a few times in the last 12 months
– What hasn’t even been considered in more than a year

You might want to bag and store clothing from the second category above, and consider donating the things from third. Numerous charities appreciate clothing donations and will even pick them up from your home.

When storing out-of-season items, remember to always clean the items first and store all boxes in a dry place.

Assess the cloths you want to keep in your closet. Think about how much drawer space, hanging and shelf storage you’ll need before you begin shopping for closet organizer kits and design ideas.

Do you share a walk-in closet with a spouse? Make the right side for one person’s wardrobe, and the left side for the other. If you have enough space, the back wall can be shared.

One of the most trendy closet designs of modern home improvement uses drawers or baskets with long verticals of 24″ shelves in the center of the side walls, with hanging space on either side.

If you don’t have enough room for such a layout on each side of the closet, but you’d still like shelves, drawers, shoe storage or baskets, plan on using the side walls for hanging space and put a drawer unit on the back wall.

General Closet Organization tips:

Double hanging space of your closet by adding a second rod at 40″ from the ground and adjusting the upper rod to 80″.

Use your closet doors to create more space by adding over-the-door racks. This space can be used for cap racks, shoe storage, valets, towel racks or general purpose hooks.

To avoid wrinkling, avoid hanging garments too close together.

Use specific hangers in your closet to gain space and store items, like Multiple skirt hangers, multiple slack hangers, belt, scarf, and tie hangers.

To retain the original shape of your sweaters and eliminate hanger marks, it’s usually good to fold them instead of hanging them. New hangers are on the market however, with rounded edges to prevent hanger marks.

As you use up closet space, think about adding garment racks. These come with wheels for easy movement, and many come with covers.

Walk-in closets can be thought of as a series of “reach-ins”. Measure each wall separately and plan your storage wall by wall. Use corner shelving to craft the most of the space you have.

Institute just a few of these closet organizing tips and unleash the full joy of your “intimate space”. You’ll also see that this is one of the simplest forms of home improvement you can undertake.

Wood blinds can be custom crafted suit the décor of the room. When the blinds at the doors and windows match the rest of the furnishings in the room, it adds a feeling of beauty and elegance to the whole room. Wood blinds are available in a very wide range of shades, colors, materials and textures to suit any design palate. They can be vertical or horizontal, side-opening or middle-opening, top-down or bottom-up.

For those not interested in working with professional decorators, many manufacturers today are offering custom-designed wood blinds for doors and windows. There are also various online websites that offer consultancy services for choosing wood blinds for the talented amateur. These sites contain exhaustive information for all kinds of decorative needs. Specialist advice is also available from home decorators and interior decorators. From measuring the windows, choosing the right kind of blinds, choosing the right kind of material for the blinds, choosing the right color, texture and shade to suit the rest of the room, size of the blind, a professional can share the tricks of the trade.

Many websites also offer customer service for maintenance of the wood blinds. With all the variety in the market, each and every detail can be addressed while ordering for the wood blinds. Most manufacturers are also willing to design the blinds as per the specifications of individual customers. It’s easy to see why custom wood blinds are becoming very popular these days for all kinds of designers, the professional ones and the talented beginners.

Hardware choices should be the primary concern when designing a bathroom. Faucets
and spigots, as well as tubs and toilets, produced in a variety of shapes and materials can
centerpiece a design. Open showers are currently popular with the younger upwardly-
mobile crowd, and claw-foot bathtubs are almost always considered to be classic and
attractive. Evaluate privacy issues first; don’t put the toilet and tub too close together.

Is it a possibility to center your bathroom around a favorite theme? The answer is most
certainly “yes.” Keeping in mind that “less is more” while choosing a decoration pattern
that will coordinate with the rest of the home will open many design possibilities.
Finding a color or pattern inspiration from simple or small artwork may be the first step
toward creating a bathroom masterpiece.

When designing a bathroom’s tiling, take the time to shop around through different
hardware, decoration and craft stores. The more expensive of the different types of tiles
should have durability, aesthetic value, and a non-porous surface. It should be easily
cleaned and sanitized, and it needs to install easily without any expensive or caustic glues
or cements. Get creative also; all tile in bathrooms need not be made of porcelain.

After the design and production of a space-conscious and attractive bathroom have been
completed, focus on decoration accessories to bring out personality and individualism.
The bathroom is the most sacred room of any interior, and placing prized possessions on
the walls or shelves is an interesting way to bless this special room. Use courageous
ideas and do not be afraid to take chances, but above all: keep it simple.

Furniture can be a utilitarian device in your home or it can define your personality. In some cases it can do both. Certainly you have been in the home of a friend or relative and wondered what the heck they were thinking when they decided to put that couch and that table together. Furniture is a personal aspect of the home, and discovering ones personality in their furniture choice and decoration attempts may be frightening at best.

There are times though when financial limitations cause a slight change in what you want in furniture and what you can actually afford. Going into debt over furniture is never a wise decision. Using your imagination and utilizing that which you can afford in an imaginative way is not only fun but also it allows a whole new meaning for your personality to pour through the grand design of your home.

Lets face it we can’t all be interior design specialists, nor do we all wish to be. There is nothing wrong with wanting your living space and the furniture in it to reflect a refined element. Decorating your home in the style of say, Early American Flea Market is not really a refined definition of style. However if you possess the innate quality to lean toward eclectic and have the great luck of making that work for you… Early American Flea Market is not such a bad “style” after all.

Some people have a talent for accurate furniture choice and decorating specific rooms or areas. But mostly the coming together of a room works simply because they are not afraid to let their true colors show. Basic furniture has its place in our society and in the “true colors” part of decorating a home. There should never be any qualms about utilizing all the styles and colors of basic furniture available. And you should always let your spirit flow.

Why are people drawn to log homes? According to surveys, nine out of 10 people who choose a log home say they made their decision because they liked its distinctive look. Given the weight of the aesthetics, why do so many couples agonize over the details?

For some, a little research can give pause. That’s how it was for John and Katherine Overbee, who had long dreamed about building a log cabin as a retirement home. “We backed off a little,” he said. “Unless you have a lot of time and money, the intricacies of solid log construction can be worrisome.”

Even with all their uniqueness, there are basically two different types of solid log home construction: handcrafted, the most extreme log home, which may take years and millions to complete; and the milled D-log, in which the top, bottom and one side of the log are milled flat. With both methods, one log is stacked on top of another to form a wall, and then the roof is built off the walls. Proper allowances must be made around windows, doors, stairs, and cabinetry to allow the log walls to settle through the years.

“I love the look,” says Katherine. “But it seemed like everyone we spoke with has had problems.” The problem is the way cold air finds its way through the solid log wall. “During the first three years the log walls can actually shrink and settle,” John says, as he shows how he held a piece of paper by a log wall and watched it move from the air infiltration. “If a guy likes to caulk there’s less of a problem,” he adds with a smile.

So . . . should you go out on the limb? For many, like the Overbees, building a solid log home was not a logical decision. The solution came when the couple discovered a hybrid form of log home construction.

It was more than two decades ago when David Janczak, founder of Wisconsin Log Homes, began testing new-energy-efficient designs and introduced the Thermal-Log building system. To eliminate heat loss and stop the settling problems, Janczak designed a super-insulated, 6-inch thick-framed wall. Just as important, he also originated the precut half-logs with full log corners. In essence, he created an entirely new category of log home construction.

The insulated log home construction not only satisfied John but also gave him the peace of mind to build the home they dreamed about. “I absolutely love it,” says Katherine. “We’re at home — it’s a place of peace.”

Just under 2,000 square feet, it’s a home of pleasures for Katherine and John. “We were surprised at how well this space accommodates our daily activities,” Katherine says. The people at Wisconsin Log Homes suggested they look carefully at their lifestyle and how they really live.

“We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to work with a team of people who want to help you build your dream home,” says John. “They guided us through every step of the process.” He credits Wisconsin Log Homes for making their home a better place to live.

Katherine admits that she did get ahead of the process when she selected a 3,666-square-foot floor plan within 10 minutes of paging through Wisconsin Log Homes planning guide. The 144-page catalog is filled with color photos and over 100 floorplans but most importantly, helpful building information to guide people in a logical sequence.

Upstairs, two bedrooms flank the bathroom. The loft doubles as an office. The open downstairs contains a kitchen, living and dining room, plus the master bedroom. Just off the dining area is a cozy room that Katherine uses as her art studio.

The Overbees were also delighted when they discovered that Wisconsin Log Homes had a Design Center and an in-house interior designer for creative support. Working with an open floor plan, it was important to integrate the kitchen. Wood flooring connects the kitchen with the living and dining space. Lighting, cabinets and unique furnishings complement the elegant yet rustic log interior.

“It all came together so nicely and it’s so beautiful. The end result is a home that emphasizes who we are,” Katherine says. “Friendly, relaxed, nothing fancy, nothing extravagant. It fits us like a glove.”

Oh, one other thing: It wasn’t the large floor plan that Katherine loved, it was the large custom-tailored window wall — it makes a striking statement and frames a special view from the great room.

Simplicity: the Art of Home Decorating

If you’re thinking about breaking the bank for the sake of a beautiful room, think again. You don’t have to spend as much as an oil tycoon to have a home every bit as beautiful. Here’s why:

A pair of human eyes can only take in so much, no matter how much is put before them.

The secret is not to aim for beauty that comes from opulence, but for a simple beauty. And simple beauty is usually less expensive.

The best way to go for simple beauty in interior design is to make the focus of a room a single well-chosen decorative element.

Art Prints: Simple Home Décor Focus

But what single beautiful element could you actually afford?

Unless you happen to get really, really lucky at a crafts fair or estate sale, there’s only one sure way to buy high taste on a low budget. Not original paintings or expensive wallpaper. Just a well-chosen print of a painting or photograph that reflects your style and taste and matches your room.

Surprised at such a simple answer to the decorating conundrum? Perhaps, like most people, you do not understand what art prints really are.

What Art Prints Are Not

Art prints are not posters.

Posters are made using paper stock similar to what magazines use. Art prints are made using special heavier print stock especially for prints.

Posters often play rather loose with the original image, cropping it, resizing it, adding text, or even changing shading. Prints will typically come much closer to the original, and will rarely crop the original image or alter its appearance significantly.

Posters are vastly less durable than art prints. You can expect a high-quality print to last decades without showing signs of age.

Art prints are not reproductions (though they are close).

Reproductions of a work of art, usually a painting, involve using exactly or nearly exactly the same brush strokes and materials, which is why they are so expensive. Prints, meanwhile, reproduce the look of the artwork without reproducing every detail of it. For instance, even though many prints of paintings use textured surfaces or even artificial brush strokes, the exact brush strokes of the original are not copied.

Reproductions also have to be conserved as carefully as original paintings in most cases, or they will fade. High-quality prints are given protection against fading, either in the form of a coating to the surface, or a Plexiglas case.

Reproductions, being paintings, are not very durable, and must be treated with special care. Prints, though not indestructible, are more likely to survive accidents. Some prints can even be washed with glass cleaner.

Of course, no art print will be a good anchor for a room’s décor if it’s not well chosen. Unfortunately, many people either don’t have any particular tastes when it comes to art or décor, or else do not trust their own taste. Luckily, the internet puts the accumulated knowledge of thousands of decorators, artists, and art experts at your disposal. Thanks to the internet, your home can look as good as the ones on TV.

Classic Roman shades have overlapping folds when the shade is lowered, but more different treatments do exist. Flat Roman shades have no folds when the shade is lowered. These shades, when made with sheer or light fabric, can soften bright southern lighting into a subtle, soothing light. A more elaborate sunburst Roman shade has extra fabric at the bottom, which is folded into a half-sunburst. These cheerful shades are perfect for breakfast nooks, in the kitchen, or in a young girl’s room.

Roman shades can be made at home or purchased. Making your own Roman shade will be an exercise in mathematical patience. The fabric must be fitted to the window, and the hooks to draw the Roman shade up must be placed at regular intervals. Patterned fabrics are more challenging because the patterns should not clash when the Roman shade is raised. Roman shades for sale only need to be installed and come in varieties an amateur may find to difficult to make. For example, some stores like JC Penney, sell cordless Roman shades perfect for houses with small children. Roman shades for sale come in hundreds of fabrics or even made of wood. The least expensive Roman shades start at around $30. Interior designers can also make Roman shades just for you, but these will be more expensive than store-bought or homemade Roman shades.

Visit home improvement stores or search online for Roman shade ideas, instructions, or even to purchase Roman shades perfect for your home.

You can buy packaged, basic Roman shades from most home stores, but you can also make or buy customized Roman shades. Roman shades are one of the most simple homemade window treatment projects. It is a great project for beginning home decorators. You can find free instructions to make them on the Internet. When you make your own Roman shades, you select the fabric, the spacing, and the style of Roman shade. The needed supplies, other than the fabric, are very inexpensive. You can make Roman shades without a sewing machine, but it will take much longer. The price of the fabric depends on the quality you select, but fabric stores carry lots of inexpensive fabrics.

You can also commission a local interior designer to design and make custom shades for you. The designer may suggest fabrics or styles you would have never thought of, and will make the Roman shades quickly. It will cost significantly more than if you made the custom Roman shades yourself.

You can also buy custom Roman shades on the Internet. A simple search on custom Roman shades will produce scores of online retailers. You will not have, however, the freedom you had with an interior designer. The shades will look custom, but you will have to search through the hundreds of available shades to find ones perfect for your windows. Buying shades online is less expensive than hiring an interior designer.

Inspired by Greek and Roman architecture, mantels made their debut during the Italian Renaissance in Italy. Fireplaces were commonly accompanied by elaborate columns, pilasters, carved figures and architectural molding. By the advent of the Edwardian era, mantels were streamlined to accommodate more subtle designs. Modern mantel shelves, on the other hand, originated with the use of the high density construction fiberboard.

As for mantel materials, mahogany has always been a popular choice, as well as walnut and elm. Indeed, the materials used for mantel designs vary greatly, ranging from concrete to wood, metal, gypsum, plaster and glass. For a more sophisticated look, many designers prefer a marble and tile frame surrounding a fireplace.

Creating a mantel can be a costly engagement, especially when shopping for a custom-made model. Some cost savings are available for those interested in constructing from a mantel kit, complete with shelves and ornamental designs.

For ready-made models, relatively inexpensive mantles tend to be made from fiberboard, and range from $250-300. Pre-cast concrete and plaster are somewhat costlier, though certainly still affordable for most homeowners. Stone and wood are considerably more expensive, starting at about $700 and reaching several thousand dollars.

If you’re looking to eliminate the contractor, you can build a fireplace mantel using a do-it-yourself kit. These are not always easy to assemble, but can be durable and detailed. You also have the satisfaction of having added to the beauty of your home.