Organizing and Removing Clutter
The first thing on a priority list for somebody when redecorating is to remove items that don’t need to be there. Cleaning out the spaces and organizing books into bookcases will help make the room look much cleaner. Many people like to lighten up their space by taking out heavy or bulky items and replacing them with light, airy pieces. Displaying smaller collections can also help make a room appear less cluttered.

Rearranging Furniture
One of the easiest ways to make a difference in a room is to move the furniture around. Relocating the couch to another space and placing a bookcase in the other corner can completely change the look of a room. Considering the natural light filtering in and the fact that the fireplace will not be needed can help somebody determine where the furniture should be placed.

Exchanging Linens
A good place to start to help filter in some natural light is the windows. A lot of homeowners use dark linens during the winter months, but this could have a negative effect in the warmer months. Replacing curtains with light, airy curtains allow natural light to come in and make a room appear much more open. Taking off old throw pillows or sewing accents to them can help brighten up the space. Bright floral pillows are always a good choice for spring and summer, along with using just vivid colors, like fuchsia, orange, or yellow. Rolling up an old rug and placing a new one is a much brighter color can also help brighten up the space drastically.

Decorating the Wall
Taking down old pictures and replacing them with fun graphics and art work can brighten up a room almost instantly. While some people like hanging strictly photographs, adding ones with some color and fun elements can make a room appear much lighter. Depending on the interests of the person, the options are almost limitless to what is placed on the walls. Some people love the look of fun plates on the walls, while others are fans of traditional color photographs.

Adding New Accessories
Depending on how the room is decorated, there are a lot of things that can be added to make a change. A dining room can look drastically different with the addition of new placemats in fun colors and an interesting centerpiece. A bowl of lemons bring in some color to a table, while still being functional. New towels in a kitchen or bathroom can add some color and help bring the room into a more festive state. Using fun patterns and colors will help add some punch without being too out there.

Redecorating a room during the change of seasons can help lighten somebody’s mood right away and help the space feel just right. Exchanging linens and rearranging the furniture to allow in natural light can help open up the space. New towels and pillows can add splashes of color and help bring old pieces of furniture into the new season. Taking the time to check out the existing accessories will make a big difference in the room and help it appear much brighter with the right amount of flair.

Deborah Petersen is a content contributor for Design 55, a designer and online retailer of Design 55 Modern Furniture.

First of all, inspect carefully the damage caused and evaluate how it came about and what type of breakage it is. If you have pets, especially cats, then furniture is always going to be in danger of getting scratched and ripped. For households with children then scuffs, scrapes and spillages are likely going to be a relatively frequent concern.

Luckily, over 90% of leather furniture can be repaired at home. Check whether the damaged furniture item is made from protected or top coated leather. If so, you are in luck. You’ll be able to distinguish this fact from the uniform color and appearance of the leather. For the rarer non-protected leather furniture, you’ll need to find the services of an expert restorer.

Leather repair kits can be purchased from most hardware stores and online shopping websites. Detailed instructions will make the repair job simple and straightforward and as long as the damage is not large and extensive, you’ll find that the sofa, armchair or footrest will be looking as good as new in no time at all. Make sure to act as soon as a cut or hole appears otherwise it will get worse very quickly and likely lead to an unfixable situation.

Most kits will involve a chemical compound which fills the tear or hole and secures the edges together. This will work also for scuff marks, scratches, wear spots, cigarette burns and cracking. In the case of puncture holes, a spare piece of leather will likely be needed. The smaller the damage, the quicker and easier the repair job will be and once you have repair once injury to the leather, you’ll find yourself more skilled at repairing damage in the future.

It’s very important to make sure the affected area is clean before repairs are made. Think of it in the same way you would clean the area around a human wound before applying anti-septic cream and bandages. Be careful to use only soft soaps and avoid harsh chemicals which will cause more damage to the surface of the leather. After the repair job is completed, it is wise to condition the leather with a special conditioning cream. This keeps the leather shining and supple. This should be done every six months.

So you see, you don’t have to panic and start preparing to throw your expensive sofa out onto the street for the vagrants to use. Most leather furniture can overcome minor to moderate damage from cat claws, cigarette burns, spillages, scrapes, punctures and blemishes.

However, before you embark on the refinishing process, you will need to bear in mind an important question. Will the value of the item decrease if a new finish is added? Some antique tables, chairs or cabinets often gain value due to their old and rustic nature and refinishing such a piece could mean the price, if you’re intending to sell it one day, plummeting. Research the history of the particular piece of furniture and make sure it’s one that will benefit from the finishing process, in all ways.

“Wait a moment! By refinishing, do you mean the same as refurbishing?”

No. Although, in a small way, yes, for refinishing is certainly a part of the refurbishment procedure of old furniture. Refurbishing is generally when an old item of furniture is repaired with new parts due to it either partly rotting away or because of breakages in the wood from movement damage or old age. Refinishing is purely the process of adding another finish to the table, bed, bookcase or chair so as to recreate its former glory and so no extra parts are required.

Refinishing wooden furniture comes in three stages. These include, in chronological order, stripping, preparing and applying. Each stage is simple to do with the right materials and a bit of practice. Nowadays, with the development of chemicals and tools, the process is much easier than it was for people of previous generations. For them it was a tedious and laborious operation which no doubt resulted in many a strained back or slipped disc.

Stripping

A chemical finish remover will make the process of stripping the old finish as easy as taking your clothes off in the hot summer sunshine. Most chemical removers come with detailed instructions on how best to use them and this usually involves applying a liberal amount onto the surfaces of the wooden furniture and then waiting for anything up to half an hour before the next step. If you’re a glutton for punishment, you can use sandpaper although it’s essential to remove only the upper layer of the old finish so as to avoid damaging the wood grain.

After the allotted time is up, take a scraping tool and begin to remove the old finish. When scraping, it is sensible practice to wear safety glasses, gloves and to assume a balanced and stable position where you, or the furniture piece, will not topple over. A buffing cloth can be used to remove any remaining bits.

Preparing

The process of preparing recently stripped wooden furniture basically involves adding tender loving care to the surface of the wood and repairing any small damages. The most common preparation job will include filling in dents with putty and sanding our scratches and stains with sandpaper. In some instances, more thorough repairs will be needed which you might not have foreseen before beginning the stripping. Refurbishment will then be a requirement and should be completed before the third and final stage of adding a new finish.

The preparation stage will also call for an evaluation of the type of finish you will want to add to the wooden furniture piece. Some wood grains call for darker finishes whilst other types of wood look better with a simple clear varnish. A scout around local hardware stores will introduce you to the various possibilities as will a good surf around internet-based stores where more varieties of finishes will likely be found.

Finishing

For relative beginners to the art of finishing wood, the most advisable finish to use is oil-based polyurethane. This differs from the water-based varieties in that it’s easier to use as it is slower to dry and doesn’t raise the grain of the wood. For oft used table tops and chairs, the oil-based polyurethane is particularly apt as it is durable and frequently used on floor surfaces with a lot of wear.

The polyurethane can be applied to the wood with a regular bristle or foam brush. They come in a variety of sizes and the one you use will depend on the size and type of wooden furniture piece you’re refinishing. A 2 inch wide brush will normally suffice for chairs, tables, cupboards and related items.

Apply a first coat and leave it to dry. This first layer can be either weakened with paint thinner or put on as it comes, full strength. The benefit of ‘watering down’ the polyurethane for the first coat is that it dries sooner and is thus appropriate for sanding sooner than would otherwise be the case. The second coat, and those thereafter, should always be full strength. Make sure when brushing that all bubbles, sags and creases are removed by returning the brush over the affected areas and thinning out the polyurethane.

After each coat has dried, sand the surface smooth and get rid of any hair, dust or splinters that have fallen onto the surface. You’ll usually require between three and four coats before the wooden furniture piece has been successfully refinished. Of course, the last coat doesn’t need to be sanded at all. Good job, the work is complete!

With care and attention, not to mention working in good light, the refinishing of an old wooden furniture piece will be a reasonably simple task. Remember to bear safety in mind and refrain from rushing through the job so as to avoid accidents and bad quality finishes. Once one item has been successfully completed, you’ll have more confidence of your new found skill, plus better awareness of other furniture pieces that can be reborn and brought back to their former glory.

However, there are a few simple steps to take to find the perfect décor scheme for an individual room or your entire home. The first thing to do is to relax and not to panic. Making rash decisions based on anxiety or excitement can lead to designs one later regrets and that cost too much money. The following is a guide to bear in mind when selecting the interior décor theme and style for any room you need to redesign.

1. Brainstorm any and all ideas that have been floating around in your mind since you decided upon the decorating endeavour. Jot them down in any form you so wish, perhaps in diagram form or purely in a regular shopping-list format. No matter how silly the ideas might sound, write them down. Something will jump out at you as being perfect for the interior you are designing.

2. Explore the surrounding region where you live or alternatively, take a vacation. The point behind this is to gain ideas from elsewhere other than in your street. A hiking holiday in the country where you stay in log cabins can fill you will a whole host of tremendous décor possibilities and none of them need to be linked to frontier design. The same goes for beach, city, cruise and desert breaks.

3. Deciding upon a financial budget for your decorating can be of great help when it comes to making creative decisions. By setting yourself a limit, you can either tick or strike off some of the more imaginative and unique ideas you might have come up with. If you’re budget is small, then you’ll know more simple concepts will be needed whilst is money is not an issue at all, then more ornate, complex and/or wild décor schemes will be applicable.

4. Talk to friends and family about your ideas and ask them what they think will look great in your home. Frequently, a close and trusted friend will see something in your interests, tastes and hobbies that would make an excellent décor scheme, and which you might have missed in your brainstorming session.

5. Browse through interior décor magazines, both online and in print. Watch programs on television related to home improvement and design. Find local furniture stores in your area and have a good look around. Next time you watch a movie, study in more detail the set designs the characters are found in. Just by being more aware when watching television, you can find some great inspiration for your home.

By following these tips you can discover the perfect décor theme for your personality and style. There are thousands of possibilities when it comes to designing a room and the sheer number of options can be daunting. That said, if you select the scheme in a relaxed manner with an eye on the budget and the main use of the room being designed, you will come up with the perfect design for you and your family.

‘Home Maintenance For Dummies’ kindle ebook is a fantastic step-by-step guide on how to maintain your home to a high standard without forking out hundreds, if not thousands of dollars unnecessarily. The authors, James and Morris Carey, provide tips and advice on safe and efficient repairs you can make to an attic, basement, living room, bathroom and every other interior in the average family home.

Also within this ebook, which can be downloaded instantly onto a kindle, are tips on avoiding expensive repair costs by making sure everything is in good working order before any accidents or breakages occur. The roof and exterior of the home is also included in the vast array of useful information within the book as are ways to look after electrical appliances and home systems so they last longer and run smoothly. Seasonal change scheduling and ways to reduce costs by going greener and introducing environmentally friendly options are also included.

Whether you are worried about the leak in the roof getting bigger or the old furnace causing problems, this home maintenance guide will see you in good stead as well as save you a fortune in bills.

If you have a Kindle device, you can purchase this ebook from here: Home Maintenance For Dummies Kindle eBook.

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And planning the various aspects of your rooms first before you even enter the paint store will guarantee you the results you can enjoy and be proud of.

Tile, Countertops and Carpeting

Always start your home color design with the permanent, or fixed surfaces. Tile, countertops and carpeting will form the basis for your final color scheme and will ground the room. Determine if you want a soothing, neutral background or you want to go with something with a little more pizzazz.

When choosing natural stone, such as granite, marble or man-made ceramic tiles, note the underlying background color. This will set the tone for the next layer of your home color plan.

Fabrics and Soft Finishes

Choosing fabrics and soft finishes for your home may seem overwhelming at first, but go back to your permanent surfaces for clues. What undertone of color do the fixed surfaces have? If you are not sure, ask the vendor that you purchased the product from.

If you find a chintz or pattern that you love, check with the manufacturer to see what other colors you can choose from.

Accent Pieces

The cake is not done yet, but it’s time to add the icing! Determine if your accent pieces will blend into the decorating scheme or will add a pop of bold color. Think of very modern rooms that use lots of black and white with one strong accent color, such as orange. Remember that repeating a color throughout a room or even your entire home, will reinforce your color theme and add continuity.

Wall Paint Colors

When you have all your permanent surface choices in place, settled on the fabrics and soft finishes in the room and found the perfect accent pieces, then and only then, can you start shopping for the wall paint colors.

Find the common factor in the home color scheme you have put together and decide how you want the box (the walls) that displays your design, to look. You can paint all the walls one color, or you can pull a secondary color out of the scheme and use it to paint an accent wall in one room.

Follow this sequence for choosing colors and finishes for your home, and your remodeling and redecorating projects will go smoother, resulting in a more coordinated and pulled together look.

And if you need more ideas, advice and inspiration for your painting and decorating projects, see “Choosing Interior Paint Colors” and “Creating Room Color Schemes”.

Winter is when the earth rests and gets prepared to sustain life for another year. The winter is a time for introspection. A time to heal the sunburns of the summer and take it a little bit easier. it gives you a chance to be alone with yourself and get your life back on a more harmonious keel. Incorporating a few ideas from the art of Feng Shui into your winter décor will help you to get centered.

1. Light – the use of lights in varied colors in different areas of the house can break up the monotony of. A lot of people suffer from seasonal effectiveness disorder and having full-spectrum lights can help to energize you on those days you are feeling especially lethargic. Put this light in a the room wher e you spend the bulk of your time. Another thing to break up the bleakness of the indoor scene is using different light sources. Open the curtains to allow in natural sunlight use the lamps instead of the overhead. Little thing like this can help you stave off bouts of depression.

2. Make a comfortable get-away for yourself an area that is all yours. Make it cozy with a large chair some warm earthy pillows and throws. Throw in a comfortable footstool and overhead reading lamp. Let everyone know that this is your space by adding your personal items to it. Being cooped up with the kids all winter will make you crazy. Make this a spot that is off limits for the period of time you need to get centered and refreshed.

3. Smells stimulate the senses you can use the smells of other seasons to bring you out of the blahs. Or better yet nothing smells better or brightens up a cold winter day like homemade soup. If you have a fireplace lithe it from time. Look around your space to see just what may be out of balance. Using the fireplace as the focal point rearrange the furniture to give the room a better flow and see if that doesn’t hit your reset button.

Amy enjoys writing about feng shui home décor. She is an avid water fountains designer and enjoys created calm and relaxing indoor spaces. To learn more about Amy’s most recently designed bamboo fountain collection, please visit her indoor fountains store.

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Cleaning copper is very easy and in most cases might not even require a special visit to your local hardware store. Your kitchen or pantry will have the ingredients needed to bring your copper object back to its shining glory. Old remedies, whilst scoffed at by some, can be very effective and these include using things like lemon, vinegar, salt and even ketchup. However, they do need to be used in the right way.

It’s important to know what causes copper discoloration. The main copper tarnish culprits are cupric sulfide, copper sulfate and copper chloride. They do not like acidic chemicals and that’s where gentle household acids like vinegar and lemon come into their own. Alternatively, there are special chemicals one can buy from your local store and even specialist copper cleaners who will do the cleaning for you.

Many copper items found in the home come with a clear lacquer coating. This prevents any unsightly build-up and reduces the need to clean the copper. Objects such as statues, sculptures and other decorative copper accessories usually fall into this category. Items which are used in the process of cooking will need more regular cleaning and even the removal of the lacquer. This can be done by placing the item in a mixture of boiling water and baking soda.

The precise steps in cleaning copper can be found here: How to Clean Copper.

It might surprise you but killing ants once they are in the home is actually a bad idea. This is because the smell of their dead brethren brings more ants to the scene in order to carry away the carcasses. Think if you will of ants being rather like the armed forces in that they leave no one, or in this case ant, behind. Therefore the best way to prevent further swarms of ants is to engage in preventative measures.

The first phase in your ant prevention mission is to locate the main entrances ants use to gain entry into your house or apartment. Fill in any holes where possible and make sure there is no household garbage left near the doors to your home as these will attract all forms of insect and larger scavenger. Never leave food on windowsills as this is one of the primary entry routes for ants during the warm months when windows are left open.

Ants don’t like all food substances as one might have thought. They absolutely detest items such as red chilli powder, black pepper, mint and cinnamon. If you have a problem with ants walking across kitchen counters and tables then spread a little of these substances across the surfaces affected. The benefits of these are that they are not dangerous to pets and children and are extremely effective.

Open windows are one of the primary routes ants use to gain entry into the home. During the warmer months, it’s impossible not to have the windows open. That needn’t be a problem however as there are a few solutions you can use. Plant some mint and cloves in little shallow tubs and place on the windowsill. A ring of Vaseline or chalk around the window and door frames will also create an effective barrier. Ants will avoid these types of obstacles altogether. If you have a baby then you’re bound to have spare baby powder, this also works.

Another substance that ants absolutely detest and which will help you rid ants from your home is vinegar. This is cheap and in plentiful supply and can be mixed with water to form a more easy solution. Sprinkle some of this on surfaces which are particularly susceptible to ant invasion, especially food preparation areas.

Most of the solutions above will not directly deal with the ants already present in the home but they will stop further ants from entering. That said, after a few days of employing the above tactics, the existing ants will either die or leave the building. Always clear up dead ants when you see them to prevent the smell attracting their comrades. Regularly check for any new holes or gaps as well as renewing the natural remedies suggested above, especially during the hot summer months.

As with many words in the English language, “faux” comes from a French word meaning false or fake. In Interior Design, the word is used to describe something that is an imitation of something else, usually another material. The results of these imitations can result in the truly awful to the wonderfully successful, where the latter is often an understated recreation of marble or stone that is near impossible to discern from the real deal. How you go about using faux painting techniques in the home design arena will largely depend on knowledge, skill and practice.

There are many different faux painting techniques that deal with a whole host of settings, materials and effects. It is possible to hire professionals to carry out these jobs but they are usually expensive and if you’re keen, then it’s much more fun to try the techniques out for yourself. The best way to learn the multitude of faux painting techniques is from those who have trodden this path before and that’s where one of my favourite books comes into the picture.

The book is filled with pictorial examples of the many techniques as well as detailed instructions on each. Pierre Finkelstein, the author, is an award winning decorative painter and instructor who manages to convey the complexities of faux painting techniques into simple instructions that a novice can follow.

You can buy the book here: The Art of Faux: The Complete Sourcebook of Decorative Painted Finishes