Modern merriment: Holiday decor that blends trend and tradition

The holidays are full of traditions, from big family gatherings down to the simple pleasures like hot cocoa. When it seems like the whole world is in a festive mood, it's easy to get excited about checking off items on your traditional holiday to-do list, especially when it comes to decorating your home.

First, consider the overall decor you want to display. By combining modern design and classic traditions of holiday decorating, your home can become memorable - inside and out.

An important, but perhaps underestimated, element of holiday decorating is lights. Everyone knows they're necessary, but not many people think outside of the box when it comes to creating a unique display. More options exist today than ever before, from brilliant white or single colors to an array of jewel tones and all shapes and sizes that can customize your decor.

In these energy-conscious times, LED lights should contend for your attention. If their reputation for casting a cold glow has kept you at bay, it's time to think again. Now, LED lights have the warmer tone that so many people seek while still offering longer life and lower energy expenditures than traditional bulbs. Since you can find them in almost all variations offered by traditional bulbs, your decorating options are wide open.

In addition, consider these new spins on holiday decorating:

* Pop art: If you're feeling bold, make your holiday decorations all about of-the-moment color and modern details. Start with an artificial white tree, which you can find at home improvement retailers like Lowe's, complete with integrated lights that you don't need to re-string every year. The snowy white branches are the perfect backdrop to make brightly colored glass bulbs and baubles really stand out. Go for colors like fuchsia, apple green, lemon yellow and turquoise. For an extra "wow" factor, add even more lights - use multicolored strands that will play on the hues of your ornaments. Make your own tree skirt from brightly colored felt, and glue on small mirrors or silver-tone charms for extra sparkle.

* Rustic: Think rich woods, earth tones and, of course, splashes of brick red for this upscale-yet-casual look. Stringing your tree with white and gold lights will give it a warm glow; play on that ambience with raffia garland and ornaments made of natural materials. Hang cable-knit socks on the mantle for another touch of cozy luxury. The key to this look is that it is glowing, rather than shiny. Try wrapping gifts in brown kraft paper and adding pops of color with ribbon in colors that match your decor.

* Winter garden: We all love to see plants growing in the middle of winter, and this theme is all about the beauty of living flora. It's a simple palette, but one that will impart an elegant look: creamy white, red, touches of brown and green, green, green. While your tree is a traditional spruce or fir, look for opportunities to incorporate other plant textures, like spongy moss or magnolia leaves that are shiny dark green on the top and velvety brown on the bottom. Poinsettias are a perfect complement to this look, but this year, they're going high-tech. At Lowe's, poinsettias will feature a Microsoft Tag on the label; smart phone users can scan it and instantly learn more about the plant they're buying and how to care for it, the same tag will also be on the live, freshly cut Christmas trees.

Getting started with your holiday decorating projects is as simple as going to your local home improvement store to stock up on what you need. To plan ahead, go to www.lowes.com to browse their holiday decor items before you shop. Then it's time to get the whole family involved with making your home look holiday-perfect - just another tradition that makes this such a fun time of year.

Putting An End To The Confusion

With so many different kinds of window treatments available today, it's no wonder that selecting the right solution for your home can be a difficult decision. But if you follow the basic ideas presented below, you should have no problem finding window treatments that will satisfy your home interior decorating needs.


Privacy
Unless you have lots of land to roam, you probably have windows that need to be covered for privacy reasons. If your living room has a view of the street, you'll want to shield it from passersby. If your neighbor can peer into your bedroom from their backyard, you'll want to eliminate their temptation to pry.
Light Control
When you think of using window treatments for light control, sleeping is probably the first thing that comes to mind. However, controlling the amount of light or glare in a room can also be important for other activities such as watching television, reading, or working at your desk.

Style
Before you select window treatment fabrics and patterns, you'll want to first decide on the mood you want for the room. Do you want it to be casual? romantic? formal?

The reason for this is because the mood you choose will influence the type of fabric and style for your window treatments, which is a matter of personal taste…

Lots of fabric flowing from floor-to-ceiling conveys a formal look. Swags of sheer fabric draped across a wide window rings of contemporary elegance. A simple cornice covered in a colorful cotton fabric might be the spark that brings life to a casual room.

Another window treatment example is shown to the right.
I wanted something simple to cover a narrow bathroom window, so I had this decorative ascot valance made.
The bronze fabric provides a subtle touch. Similar to my living room, metal blinds are tucked out of sight until needed.

I hope this information of window treatments has been helpful.

A Touch of Pink

Some colors relax, others excite; pink does both. It provokes romance and glamour, and it is the color of love's first blush. Pink delivers feel-good emotion in the same way that a ranunculus blooms, one layer at a time. Give in to pink's pretty power.

White and pastel pink set a girlie tone in Caia’s bedroom. A wrought-iron four-poster, twinkling chandelier and faux fur throw make the room fit for a little princess.The space doesn’t feel small at all because of the layout, high ceilings and lots of light.

Small children are a unique consideration when designing compact spaces. Streamlined living zones with lots of open space between furniture keep chaos under control as little ones race around. Creating a superplush and nifty nest means kids have a special spot to play and rest.

How to Arrange Living Room Furniture

The living room will be a place for family or friends to sit and visit, so a special effort should be made to create a comfortable harmonious environment. How you arrange your sofa, chairs, tables and lighting means everything to the dream you're trying to turn into reality.Arranging living room furniture in a right way decides whether your living room looks cluttered and overstuffed or an organized comfortable room where you like to spend most of your time.

Furniture arrangements should have a purpose. Activity areas should be reflected and distinguishable in each area of your room. A small room should have at least one conversational area, while larger rooms may incorporate additional furniture groupings. A good rule of thumb is to seat at least six people comfortably.

Choose a focal point of the living room and arrange your furniture and lighting around it. Some of the popular focal point ideas in a living room are a fireplace, a view from the window, window opening out in a garden, a large bookcase, sofa with a special painting hung above it, a home theater system or big size plasma television.

Don't feel it is necessary to go out and buy all new pieces of furniture when you decorate. If you have a sofa in good functional condition, you can use one of the many styles of slipcovers available, pre-made for standardized sofas, chairs and loveseats. Throw pillows are also another decorating option.

You may also turn one of the corners of the living room in a focal point using an interesting lamp, tabletop waterfall or other unique decorative pieces on it along with the lighting to highlight it. Set up conversation areas for your guests.

Suggestions
Use area rugs to define seating areas. If you are dealing with a large room that has multiple seating areas, this will help characterize each area while tying together the scheme. Rugs are also useful for covering up unattractive carpeting or floors!

The lighter, neutral shades of walls generally found in rental buildings are actually a benefit. This color scheme leaves room for selecting furniture in basically any color, scheme or style.

A Passion for Blue and White

Blue and white always are the classical clolor partners.From clothes to home decor, people use the two color to beautify their life.Below, I will share some idea about bule and white in the home decoration.

Dish-towel stripes have been fashioned into chair covers and a bread bag, offering a graphic counterpoint to the toile wallpaper. The wood table and chairs lend a warm balance to cool blues.

The daybed is dressed in mattress ticking and a toile with the palest blue matelassé, all set against gray-blue walls, causing the white woodwork to pop.

For kitchen,a lively blue and white color palette, enlarged windows and a breakfast room addition combine for a light-filled, functional space for the entire family to enjoy. Bold prints, checkerboard patterns and painted diamond shapes are a feast for the eyes. Blue and white tile was applied in a checkerboard pattern all the way up the walls; the pine floors feature painted diamond shapes for geometric contrast.

Bedroom in Neutral Color

Neutral colors are difficult to classify. The more you reduce saturation, the more neutral a color becomes.These colors are very versatile. They are restful, and safe, because they mix well with others.When you want to 'warm up' the room, use warm accent colors - a red rug on the floor, or a throw on the couch. Then to 'cool' it down, use aqua or mint green in flower arrangements, pillows and pictures.

Open Space-With a wall of windows this room has plenty of natural light. Clean contemporary lines are inviting and not overwhelming. To complete the look, subtle pops of color were added through the accessories.

New England Elegance-Dark wood and black accents are softened by classic and comforting patterns and neutral shades. Sheer patterned panels extend a calming effect over the bedroom.

Warm and Natural-bedroom decorated in neutral beige tones is complemented by modern, dark-wood furnishings. Dark wood is a popular option in neutral rooms because it acts as an anchor when mixed with other neutral colors. One simple pillow in the middle of the bed helps to tie the room's palette together.

Neutral Guest Bedroom-monochromatic room is bursting with understated elegance. The warm and cool tones of yellow harmonize to create a crisp and classic space that will keep in style throughout the years.

Beachy Breeze-With a view like this, it only makes sense that the space inside should be just as beautiful. The color palette matches the sand outside. Light walls help to reflect all the light pouring in and a sliding door wall brings the beachy breeze inside.

Simple Comfort-Cozy and fluffy, this is one bed you could disappear in for days. Neutral, clean colors invite you into the space while a very fluffy down comforter calls your name. Large pillows are used to scale down the oversize headboard.

Furnishing also Can Transform Your Space

Whether rearranging furniture in a bedroom, living room, or even an office, once everything is properly arranged, you will feel as if the room is entirely new.Today, I want to show you some furnishings that can transform the space simply.

A cute sofa that you haven't seen:

The Cabinet Chair by Ontwerpers is quite crafty. Reminiscent of my school days, this chair is imbedded into the surrounding shelf. It even has a built in monitor and keyboard. A wonderful, eyecatching table set that doubles as a light, the Corral Table and Bronco Stool comes with 7 seats that fit snugly into the table’s design. Going along with that theme is the Monolith steel table that transforms into a sleek sculpture when not in use.

Simplicity. The cube has been a great inspiration to space-saving living and the CUB8is a classic example of this concept. It’s a clean, extendable coffee table with vast space. It even comes equipped with an integrated CD/DVD hanger. The SelfService furniture unit is an easy way to wine and dine in any small space. It accommodates four comfortably and the low seats slide right back into the table when the night is over.

How to transform your space

An unchangeable space or home decor for a long time may make you aesthetic fatigue. You can try to transform your room and space with some decor idea.

Look around your home, and consider the focal point in each room. Does each separate space even have a focal point? A focal point can be anything from a rustic fireplace complete with a decked out mantel to a stunning work of three dimensional metal wall art. A focal point could be a display created with wrought iron wall decor or a simple window with a beautiful view. If the area you plan on rearranging does not have a focal point, create one, and give each room or space in your home its own special decorative touch before rearranging furniture.

Use Paint. Any interior designer will tell you that paint is the most economical way to make a radical change in your space. Get paint chips or, if you can, actual paint samples to try on your wall. Keep in mind the lighting in your room because it may look one way in the picture but very different in your space due to the lighting. Think about the size of the room when choosing a hue. Lighter colors give smaller rooms a more spacious feel while darker tones can be used for larger rooms.

Use artwork as inspiration. If you have a painting, area rug or piece of wall art that incorporates a variety of colors, you can use these colors to create the palette for your room.

Use accessories. The advantage of using accessories to add punch to your décor is that you can change it up easily when the mood strikes you. If you have a neutral décor you can use throw pillows, area rugs, wall art and other accessories to bring color into your space. Try to keep your decorative accents in the same color family for a unified look.

When rearranging furniture and deciding on locations, keep in mind the importance of balance. Avoid placing pieces of the same height or pieces that are heavy in appearance all on one side of the room. Disperse furniture and accessories of various sizes and heights evenly throughout the room for balance and visual appeal.