Category — Home Improvement

Do you have a living room that’s on the small side? If you do, and you want to make it look bigger and more open, you can do that pretty easily. You can make a room look and feel bigger than it actually is by simply using right color, furnishings and pattern. A room can be made to look nearly twice as large as it actually is with decorating, as there are many ways to “trick” the eye. The ideas in this article will help you make your living room look more appealing as well as make it look larger.

Light colors equal space

Lots of people know that a room can be made to look more spacious with the use of lighter colors, while darker colors look heavier and tend to make the room look smaller. This doesn’t mean that boring off-white or cream needs to be used on your walls. Things that will work are light soft shades of green, yellow or any pale color. You can use accessories to add small splashes of darker colors and add depth and interest to the room.

Increase the height of the room

How is this possible? A vertically striped pattern on the wall can easily accomplish this. If you can paint the stripes yourself, do it. Though, you can use wallpaper with a striped pattern if necessary. Something else to consider would be hanging pictures or other décor higher on the wall than usual, or using white crown molding where the wall and ceiling meet to pull the eye upwards.

Light up the room

If a room has plenty of natural or artificial light, it will look larger than one that is dark and gloomy. Allow plenty of light to flow through the room using blinds, curtains or other window treatments if you have lots of windows. Though, you can use table lamps, track lighting or floor lamps to add more light if you need to.

You also want to be sure to keep pathways that come into the room as open as possible. Try to not block doorways with furniture or accessories. In order to make the living room more inviting consider creating more intimate spaces where you can entertain guests by arranging the furniture at an angle, or placing you sofa, love seat and chair around a nice area rug.

It is best to use sleek and scaled down furniture in place of heavy, bulky looking items in a smaller room. Patterns that are loud, busy and complex should also be avoided. A small pattern would be something to go with, or you can use textures and fabrics to add interest.

Remember, a beautiful mirror can work wonders. Placing them in a way that allows them to reflect light from a window, mirrors can make your living room appear twice as large. Avoid a cluttered look by keeping accessories to a minimum and using only a few key accents to liven up the room.

Putting these tips and ideas to use will help you create a more welcoming and beautiful room, while making it look more open in the process. What you can accomplish is pretty amazing if you use the right colors, patterns and light. Remember that you want it airy, bright, light and uncluttered, it’ll be easy.

About the Writer..

For over four decades Leon Tuberman has helped people with their furniture and interior design needs. He owns and operates a popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They have a huge inventory of handcrafted Amish built solid oak furniture for your bedroom, dining room and living room. Whether you’re looking for wood beds for your bedroom or a cherry tv stand for your media room then they carry everything you need.

If you want to update your kitchen to give it a modern new look, it can end up costing you a fortune. Anything like counter tops, cabinetry, and flooring tend to be very expensive. Yet it’s updates like these that add the most value to your home. You don’t have to spend an exorbitant amount of money to give your kitchen a facelift and completely transform the look.

Many families spend the majority of their time in the kitchen and dining areas. You want a kitchen that’s as warm and appealing as possible without spending a lot of money to do it. If you want to refresh your kitchen on a budget, here are several easy ideas to get you started.

Refresh Your Cabinets
Depending on your budget, you may not be able to afford to buy all new cabinets. Fortunately, it’s possible to make them look brand-new yourself. Find an entirely different color to paint them. You might also sand them down and stain them a different shade. With a protective coat of polyurethane, you’ll have some sparkling, shiny new cabinets. Add some new hardware, and your cabinets will have a completely different look.

Add an Island
If you have space in your kitchen, adding an island will dramatically change the appearance of things. An island can add some much-needed counter space to your kitchen and can also serve to break up the room. If you want to hang a wrought-iron pot rack overhead, this is the perfect place.

Freshen Up Your Appliances
If you try to buy all new appliances, you’re really going to put a strain on your bank account. If you feel that your stove, refrigerator and/or dishwasher are looking a bit outdated, they can be painted as well. There is actually a special appliance paint that’s made for this purpose. If y ou have any rust spots starting to form, you can buy a special product that stops the rusting process as well. Just be sure to apply the rust solution before you paint your appliances.

Perk Up the Walls
Anything is possible when it comes to your walls. Choose from paint, wallpaper, or even paneling. Colors like orange, peach, and green are bright and energizing, and can lend a botanical appearance to the décor. If you have a large wall space, hang pictures that include fruit, flowers, herbs, and other natural elements. By transforming your walls, you can really bring a dull kitchen to life.

Don’t Forget the Floor
Are you unhappy with the flooring you have? This can be updated as well. Although many people don’t realize this, old linoleum can actually be painted. To help the new paint adhere, start by lightly sanding the surface of the linoleum. Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned it, the next step is to apply an oil-based primer. Once everything is dry, you’ll be ready to paint!

Create your own floor design using stencil patterns or even painting a “rug” on the floor. Get creative and use your imagination! You’ll need to apply about three layers of paint and then wait for those coats to thoroughly dry. Complete the project with three coats of durable polyurethane. This will protect your new floor and make it shine.

If you want a beautiful new kitchen but need to stay on budget, follow these few easy tips. While a complete kitchen remodel can cost tens of thousands of dollar, by doing it yourself you can have a made over kitchen for just hundreds.

About the Author…
For over forty years Leon Tuberman has helped people with their furniture and interior design needs. He owns and manages a popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They offer a huge assortment of solid wood furniture for your living room, bedroom and dining room that’s built in the Heartland of America. Whether you’re looking for file cabinets for your study room or a dining set for your dining room and breakfast nook then they carry everything you need.

Many homes have living rooms that are small, where it feels like there’s hardly even enough room to walk between the furniture. Unless you like a cluttered look, it’s hard to know what to do with a room no larger than 200 square feet. Fortunately, you have plenty of options.

If your living room or family room feels way too claustrophobic, you can start by dressing it up with vibrant colors and patterns. All too often, homeowners will lighten up the area a little too much-a common error. The fear of adding to a cluttered look can result in a boring, sterile room consisting of a sea of white: white walls and furniture, with very little hanging on the walls.

Decades ago, the presiding recommendation was that you “open up” small spaces with super-light colors such as white and linen. But now things have changed. These days, people want a living room that bursts with color and vibrancy. The room can be made to look airy, spacious, and very inviting. Using the right colors and patterns is the trick here. Here are a few tips that can help you take that small, drab living room and transform it into a beautiful space that’s just bursting with personality.

1. Choose a light shade for the room, but stay away from white. Take a swatch of the fabric you intend to use that contains the shade of paint you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a great color that lends a botanical feel to the room, consider celery green or vibrant peach. Paint both the ceiling and walls a lighter shade of whatever color you choose. Then you can paint any doors in the room, baseboards, and other trim a darker complementary color.
2. Use botanical prints to liven up a bare, uninteresting wall. You might take these from old books or anywhere else you can find them. Find a shade for the mat that complements the picture as well as the paint color you’ve chosen for the room. You might even group several together on one wall, creating a focal point splashed with color.
3. Add a light, airy feel to the room with sheer silky curtains. Place your curtain rod up close to the ceiling, allowing the sheer curtains to touch the floor. By making the ceiling appear higher, you give a more expansive look to the window area.
4. Use furniture that looks sturdy but isn’t overstuffed or bulky. Find patterns with colors that contrast and also complement your walls, curtains, and other décor. It’s great to include bold, contrasting patterns here. In fact, sometimes bold strips are a perfect touch. By creating a lively look, the smallness of the room gets lost in the inviting, vibrant atmosphere.

You might also add a unique and interesting touch to the décor by recovering the seat cushions of a solid-toned couch in a colorful, fun pattern. You might also want to use end tables or wood coffee tables that fold up or a narrow profile wood tv stand, if you have them. This way, you can open up the floor area after your guests have gone by storing them away.

This is just the beginning of the many ways you can open up those tight spaces in your home. These are just a few suggestions to help get your creativity flowing. When dealing with a small space, use your imagination, and most of all, have fun with it.

One of the most popular styles for decorating a home is rustic décor. This is a décor style that’s warm and inviting, whether you make your home in a densely populated city or a wooded rural area. Nothing feels more comfortable or welcoming than a home decorated in rich, warm shades. Furthermore, those who can’t get enough of natural wood are sure to find this decorating style to be a favorite.

Colors used in rustic décor include shades of forest green, cream, brown tones, and any other rich colors found in nature. Items such as walls, floors, ceiling fans, and furniture are often made of wood. Although hardwood floors are beautiful in any home, they are absolutely exquisite in this style. A great addition to the cozy, comfortable look and atmosphere is a braided accent rug or two, thrown at the foot of the bed or in front of the sofa.

For the Walls
These days, some types of paneling are outdates, but the wood panels that are applied horizontally are trendy and create an amazing look. If you think you would prefer to paint the walls, just be sure to stick to rustic colors. By painting only a couple of walls, you can add even more interest to the room. Create some contrast by painting one wall a rich tan color and another forest green. A perfect addition to a rustic décor style is a wall tapestry. Rich scenes of nature, mountainous terrain, and forest landscapes all make exquisite tapestries.

Furnishings for the Rustic Home
For a rustic décor, leather and wood furniture complement this look perfectly. Any exposed wood on the sofa, love seat, or recliner should match your coffee and end tables. If you’re going to include furniture with fabric, dark green, rust, and creams go beautifully in a plaid or striped pattern. Just remember that with this type of décor you want to stick to colors and textures that mimic nature.

For your kitchen, go with a long wooden pine or maple table. With the addition of a bowl filled with fruit, your wood dining table is completed! Mismatched wooden chairs or even benches are great seating options. With this style, the older and more worn the pieces look, the better. You might accessorize your rustic-styled kitchen with a home rug placed in front of the sink area, stone and ceramic pots filled with sunflowers or herbs, and prancing roosters.

Don’t Forget to Accessorize!
When it comes to accessories for this type of décor style, you want to look for items with an antique or worn look. Again, leather and wood keep the natural theme flowing throughout your home, making the perfect accents. A perfect addition to a living room or bedroom might be a distressed wooden trunk or an antique-style mirror. If you’re looking for mirrors, try your local flea market. It doesn’t really matter if what you find contains a few dings, as that will only add to the rustic appeal.

Rustic décor speaks of warmth, security, and family. You can create comfortable, inviting spaces in your home, no matter where you reside. A home should make you feel warm, comfortable, and secure at the end of the day. You won’t find a home quite as welcoming and beautiful as one decorated in the rustic style. Country or city—it doesn’t matter. This is one style you will truly fall in love with.