Interior Decorating Information

Make Your Homes Style Unique With Mix and Match Decor


You see it all the time in retail discount stores: Color coordinated decor for just about anywhere in your home. And some of the designs are quite pretty. In fact, some people become obsessed by them. They're usually really cute, come in a variety of colors, shades, patterns and designs, and they just plain make decorating easy. There's no guesswork - everything is matched for you automatically. But there's also no unique style. No sense of "you" in the finished style. If you mix and match styles up a bit though, you'll end up creating something that's just right for you, your home, and your style preferences. Here are a few tips on doing that.

1. It's ok to start with a "cookie cutter" design style, pattern, or color theme you've found in a general store. These are actually great starting places for getting new decor ideas.

2. Try choosing just one or two matching items from the store. For instance, let's say you plan to decorate your bathroom in a sea green color scheme. You'll find plenty of really nice shower curtains to fit this color scheme well, so choose one you like. If you just can't resist... go ahead and get the matching accessories too, such as the toothbrush holder and soap dish.

3. Now most likely the ready made design of your shower curtain has traces of other colors mixed in. It's common for instance, to see blues, tans, yellows and oranges in a sea green coordinated bathroom set, because these colors tend to be seen when you're actually at the sea or ocean. So they compliment each other.

And this is a key decorating point: Your room colors don't have to match exactly. They should simply compliment each other. So in our sea green bathroom decor example above, it would be perfectly natural to add a set of solid tan colored towels, burnt orange wash cloths, and a throw rug with touches of blue in it. If the blue doesn't seem to fit quite right for your tastes, then try a deep forest green colored rug instead.

4. Try different color shade combinations. If you're using primarily green in the bathroom design, try both a light and dark shade as previously mentioned. Test the colors out though, because sometimes one shade doesn't sit well next to another. Sometimes you can tell this instinctively by holding two items of different shades together in the store, but other times you'll need to actually buy the items and test them in the actual room itself. Anything that doesn't quite look or feel right in the overall room design can simply be returned to the store.

5. Work with what you have. In our bathroom decor example, the shades of green might not work well if you have pink walls and aren't able to change them when you're redecorating. If you have deep, dark wood cabinets and other accessories, the darker green shades might make the room seem a bit too heavy and dark once you have all of the new decorations in place.

6. Don't be afraid to try mixing decor styles. It's ok to have a Southwestern style towel set in the same bathroom as a seaside designed shower curtain for instance, because both styles tend to use earth toned colors.

7. Last but not least: If you can't find decor styles you like at regular stores, try shopping around at yard sales and flea markets. Even if you find just one interesting or unique piece that really catches your attention - that's a place to start. You can create an entire room's unique design and decor style by simply working from the color and style of that one piece!

Remember that decorating your home is all about you. Your likes, dislikes, and lifestyle are what's most important. So be sure to inject a little bit of your own personality into the decor of your home, and your friends and family will be envious of your unique, stylish look!

© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. This article is provided courtesy of The Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network - http://www.diyhomedecorating.com - a large and growing home decorating and decor website featuring articles, tips, advice, and popular home decor shopping.


MORE RESOURCES:

Interior Decorating for Your Dollhouse
Corsavoo.com, France - Aug 23, 2008
Before beginning your interior design plan, be sure that you are clear on how the dollhouse will be used. If the dollhouse is to be used as a toy for small ...


US Labor Day Travel Likely to Drop, Continuing Summer Slide
Bloomberg - Aug 28, 2008
This year, because of construction delays on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the cost of gasoline, the owner of an interior-decorating business turned down an ...


5 Tips on arranging your dorm room
Crusader, MI - 6 hours ago
It's pronounced "Fung Shway" and it is somewhat of a buzzword for interior decorating. "Feng Shui" means "wind water" in Chinese. It is the ancient Chinese ...


The many shades of success
Westmount Examiner,  Canada - Aug 14, 2008
In the fast paced world of interior decorating and display (IDD), if you’re lucky, opportunity (and clients) come a knockin’ on your door more than once in ...


Irmo family room on HGTV’s ā€˜Rate My Space’
The State, SC - Aug 27, 2008
The two decided to take an interior decorating class together at Midlands Tech. Now that they’ve completed the interior decorating certificate program, ...


This doctor knows a thing or two about 'birthing babies'
Sault Star, Canada - Aug 29, 2008
When Mount Sinai started building a hospital at Elm and University, Ludwig met his future wife, who was doing interior decorating on the project through her ...


Ikea flats pack
ic Dunbartonshire.co.uk, UK - Aug 28, 2008
Buyers will also be offered an interior decorating service and a £250 Ikea voucher. The Swedish firm already sell flat-pack housing in Scandinavia, ...


A line in Design
Bugle-Observer, Canada - Aug 28, 2008
Sarah Pacey is the award-winning owner of the local Interiors by Decorating Den, which serves commercial and residential interior decorating needs from ...


Craft bazaar raises funds for fire department
The Rensselaer Republican, IN - Aug 28, 2008
ā€œWe also have a Mary Kay consultant and interior decorating being sold.ā€ Haun said other organizations are getting involved such as the the Republican party ...


Beverly Biehl of Frisco: The hen in the foxhole
Dallas Morning News, TX - Aug 22, 2008
Beverly Biehl of Frisco runs her own interior decorating and feng shui consulting business. Her e-mail address is Beverly @TheIntuitiveInterior.com. ...

Interior-Decorating - Google News

home | site map
© 2006