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 Among the privileges and fun things about home ownership is being able to decorate and redecorate your home any way you like, as often as you like.
Many people approach interior decorating as a do-it-yourself sort of thing. If you are planning to undertake a major overhaul of your home décor this year, or just remodel or redo a few rooms, there may be more factors to your project to consider than first meet the eye.
“Creating comfortable living quarters is more than a matter of shopping for a new piece of furniture from time to time,” says the introduction of the recently published book, “Decorating Ideas That Work: Creative design solutions for your home,” by Heather J. Paper (the Taunton Press, taunton.com).
The table of contents explains it all. The chapters cover topics like designing your home, including choosing a style; using color, fabrics and texture; using wall coverings and window treatments; selecting hard and soft floorings; assembling furniture; addressing your storage needs; the use of
lighting; and accessorizing rooms with the finishing touches that pull it all together.
This book offers plenty of ideas for decorating every room in any style and budget range. Vivid color photos - there are more than 500 images and photos in this complete sourcebook – illustrate how it's done, with photos showing bedrooms painted in rich red and yellow; striking kitchens with black- and-white checkerboard floors bordered in all black; and plush living and dining rooms that feature patterned upholstered furniture in fabrics that coordinate with carpets and wall coverings.
The chapter on floorings includes a to-the-point discussion of the various types of hard surface floorings and carpets, as well as the variety and styles of area rugs and runners that can accent a room. The chapter on furniture addresses important factors such as seating needs, accent chairs and the different styles of beds and bed linens.
An especially helpful section discusses storage issues and shows how to display collectibles to make them a focal point of the room. As the photos demonstrate, it's not necessarily the hutch, cabinet or piece of furniture that matters, but how you arrange your treasures to show them off and make the most dramatic impact. H&O
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