Crack the code of Decorating
The key to decorating is to help your home tell its story. You are just the interpreter. If your home has history - Enhance it. If it's a newer home, create its own character. Anyone that’s redecorated a home would have a list of priorities and work towards it. Most would start in the kitchen and work their way through the living, dining and entertaining areas. Quite often the more private spaces like the bedroom gets left off and doesn't always get as much attention or has very little left in the budget for it. These are just a few things you can do (sometimes with the stuff you already have) to improve these very important areas of your home.
In the Bedroom
Mix & match your bed linen
Buy the best quality linen you can afford. Pick two colours that compliment or contrast, to form the basis of your design. In a bedroom you might want to use more soothing restful colours so as to promote rest and sleep. Don't have the doona cover to match the pillows. Even though you buy linen in sets, does not mean they need to be used together. Mix pattern and colours to make it more interesting.
Cushions
Personally I'm not a fan of cushions but I know plenty of homes that have an abundance of them. Please try and stay away from matching sets that get placed symmetrically to look 'pretty'. Try out combinations that contrast in size, design and shape. Texture and colour are a definite plus.
Bedside Tables
It's a myth that they need to match. They don't! They also don't need to match your bed. All these furniture stores that sell furniture packages have a lot to answer for. Once you've picked your feature colours for your bedroom, try and match your bedside tables to that instead of the bed. If you are up for some re-wiring, hang your bedside lights off the wall or ceiling as opposed to sitting it on the bedside table - this will save you space for all your bedside essentials.
Drapery
Most bedrooms would have a sheer curtain and a heavy drape to control the light entering the space. Two things; firstly, make sure the rails are fixed as close to the ceiling as possible. This gives the illusion of the window being taller than it actually is, and in turn makes your room look bigger. If your curtains are on tracks, these can be fixed off the ceiling as opposed to the wall! In all these scenarios ensure your drapes hang all the way to the floor. Secondly, you don't need to stick to the conventional idea that heavy drapes need to sit in front of the sheer curtain. If you were to reverse this concept you'll be surprised how much brighter and lighter your room looks.
In the Bathroom
The bathroom can be such a fun and exciting place in terms of design but people seem to mostly shy away from doing anything different! My bathroom is entirely green on the inside. I have green walls, green door and artwork with green ducks! This might not work for you though. Towels are one, but not the only way to add interest in to the room. And yes, a bathroom can have artwork. It can also have candles, a tray of beautiful soaps that smell fabulous, it could even have potted plants. The littlest things like your clothes hamper or your vanity mirror design should add to the design. Clutter is however not ideal so make sure you have sufficient storage in your bathroom to keep all those essentials hidden away till you need them.
Paint is always a cheap and very effective way to add interest to a small space such as the powder room. You can keep your tiles a neutral colour and be BOLD with the plasterboard walls. A statement colour behind the loo, together with a beautiful stool in the corner to hold a few books on could be just what your little room needs to gain back some interest.
The key to decorating is keeping it interesting yet simple. Don't try to mimic the magazines that have books perfectly lined up and throws placed just right on the couch to make the room look oh so stylish. We live in the real world where kids trudge sand in to the house in their shoes and generously sprinkle it all over your freshly cleaned floors. But we learn to live with it and still strive to keep a beautiful home. I hope some of these little suggestions will help you on the road to a serene and beautiful space.
