Follow this simple how-to to help you choose a color scheme for your home. Learn to mix colors and fabrics and how to repeat color throughout the room. Read some of the principles of decorating and learn how to use coordinating fabrics and dressmaker details.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
First, choose a style (formal or casual) and a theme for your room (such as American country, English garden, techno modern).
With the style and theme in mind, decide on an 'anchor' fabric that has 3 or more colors.
Use the background color from the fabric as a wall color.
Pick a mid-toned color from the fabric for flooring and large furniture pieces, which could be a solid or patterned design. Upholstery can also be done in your anchor fabric or coordinating fabric.
Use the brightest colors from the fabric for accessories and accents like welting, picture mats, and decorative pillows.
Place your anchor fabric in at least three places in the room (upholstery, pillows, curtains, etc).
Use coordinating fabrics in other scales (larger or smaller) as accent fabrics on chairs, pillows, cording, and tablecloths.
For example, to use an 'anchor' fabric with an American flag design: use white (the background color) for walls, navy (a mid-toned color) on floor, blue and white ticking on the sofa, and red (the brightest color) for accessories and accents.
To continue this example, the coordinated prints could be the blue and white ticking stripe, a navy star print fabric, and a red and white mini-check used on chairs, curtains, and pillows.
Tips:
Repeat colors evenly throughout the room, and in at least 3 places.
Adding dressmaker details in cording and trims is one way to disperse color and add interest.
Divide color use to approximately 60% of the room in the background (lightest) color, 30% in the mid-tone color, and 10% in the brightest, accent colors.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
How To Change Your Decor With the Seasons
How To Change Your Decor With the Seasons
It's fun to feel cozy in the winter with warm colors and soft, fluffy fabrics. In the summmer, a cool, airy look is appealing. Read here to get some simple ideas for transforming the look of your home with the seasons.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
When the cold weather arrives, have a collection of cozy, fluffy throws to place on your furniture for snuggling. Remove them or replace with soft cotton or silk throws for warmer months.
Remove the toasty down-filled duvet from your bed in the spring and substitute a light cotton matalasse bed cover or a simple cotton blanket.
Floral arrangements of pine and holiday colors can be changed for light, colorful ones for the spring and summer. Put away dark brass or pottery containers and bring out clear glass or crystal vases.
Change dark-patterned decorative pillows by covering them with fresh, floral prints or plaids for warmer weather. Either change out the pillows with a second set or alternate the decorative covers.
If you have a collection of plates on display, put classic holiday designs away for the winter and replace with pretty floral china from grandma.
Have your draperies made so they are reversible allowing you to easily turn them from lively to neutral with the seasonal changes.
Be sure to put garden magazines and flower books out on the coffee table in the spring and summer. That will help bring the outside in and add color to your interior.
Tips:
Keep spring and summer colors and accessories light, both in feel and color.
Changing with the seasons gives you an opportunity to get out some long-lost pieces and make them the center of attention for a while.
The change of decor can come all at one time, like spring house cleaning, or over a period of several days or weeks. You'll be surprised what a difference just a small change can make.
If winter seems especially long, forget the calendar and get your spring things out even if there's snow on the ground. You may still need the warm blankets, but the look can be light and uplifting.
It's fun to feel cozy in the winter with warm colors and soft, fluffy fabrics. In the summmer, a cool, airy look is appealing. Read here to get some simple ideas for transforming the look of your home with the seasons.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
When the cold weather arrives, have a collection of cozy, fluffy throws to place on your furniture for snuggling. Remove them or replace with soft cotton or silk throws for warmer months.
Remove the toasty down-filled duvet from your bed in the spring and substitute a light cotton matalasse bed cover or a simple cotton blanket.
Floral arrangements of pine and holiday colors can be changed for light, colorful ones for the spring and summer. Put away dark brass or pottery containers and bring out clear glass or crystal vases.
Change dark-patterned decorative pillows by covering them with fresh, floral prints or plaids for warmer weather. Either change out the pillows with a second set or alternate the decorative covers.
If you have a collection of plates on display, put classic holiday designs away for the winter and replace with pretty floral china from grandma.
Have your draperies made so they are reversible allowing you to easily turn them from lively to neutral with the seasonal changes.
Be sure to put garden magazines and flower books out on the coffee table in the spring and summer. That will help bring the outside in and add color to your interior.
Tips:
Keep spring and summer colors and accessories light, both in feel and color.
Changing with the seasons gives you an opportunity to get out some long-lost pieces and make them the center of attention for a while.
The change of decor can come all at one time, like spring house cleaning, or over a period of several days or weeks. You'll be surprised what a difference just a small change can make.
If winter seems especially long, forget the calendar and get your spring things out even if there's snow on the ground. You may still need the warm blankets, but the look can be light and uplifting.
How To Organize Your Bathroom to Work for You
How To Organize Your Bathroom to Work for You
Get rid of the clutter and organize your bathroom space to work for you with this simple How-To from About. After spending a little time, your bathroom will feel squeaky-clean and luxuriously orderly.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 15 minutes to 1 hour
Here's How:
Find 2 good-sized boxes and bring them into the bathroom. Collect all the items on the bathroom counter, in drawers and cupboards, and put them into the boxes. All means everything. Don't leave a single thing out, including soap, toothbrushes, and deodorant.
If you can sort the things in the boxes, do so. Mark one box Must Have and the other Optional.
Clean off every surface, including the counters, cupboards, shelves, drawers and everything you've decided you need to keep. Wipe everything dry with a towel.
Start to replace items, beginning with the medicine cabinet. Put back only the things that you can not live without or use frequently. This prime location should have only essential items in it.
Place clean decorative item back onto the countertop. The counter is not a storage place. It's for items you use daily or are part of the decor.
Set conveniently-sized drawer dividers into the drawers. Place often-used items by category. Have a section for hair items, makeup, shaving supplies, nail care items, etc.
Store bathroom cleaning supplies under the sink, placed neatly on one side of the cupboard. Place extra bath items neatly on the other side, keeping the two categories separated. Turntables made for kitchen items work well under the sink, as they make it easy to get at tall bottles. Simply turn the turntable around and you'll be able to grab the shampoo or conditioner.
If you have extra room in the cabinet under the sink, collect small items into plastic shoe boxes with lids and stack them to save space. Label the boxes. You'll be able to see what's in the boxes, but the items will stay orderly until you need them.
As you're going through things to put back in the cupboards, consider whether you really need them. Get rid of half-used products that you don't like and will never use. Toss those small sample bottles of products that you got free-with-purchase. Remember - less is more!
If there are things in either of the boxes you used for sorting, you probably don't need them. If they don't fall into the must-have category, you should get rid of them.
If there are any things that you don't need now but can't part with, store them somewhere else. Get them out of the bathroom and out of sight.
If you've followed the first 11 steps, you can now enjoy your neat, orderly, and organized "new" bathroom. Congratulations to you!
Tips:
It's much easier to do this job if you're not distracted. Try to map out an hour where you won't be distracted. If you can't finish the job in one work session, you might be tempted to just throw everything back where it was. Best to get it done all at once!
Wipe off everything you take out of the drawers and off shelves as you remove them. Then clean the shelves and drawers too. When it's time to put things back, they'll be ready.
Follow the rule 'when in doubt, throw it out!' The less you have the better things will look.
What You Need:
Two boxes to sort all your stuff
Cleaning rags
Cleaning products
Get rid of the clutter and organize your bathroom space to work for you with this simple How-To from About. After spending a little time, your bathroom will feel squeaky-clean and luxuriously orderly.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 15 minutes to 1 hour
Here's How:
Find 2 good-sized boxes and bring them into the bathroom. Collect all the items on the bathroom counter, in drawers and cupboards, and put them into the boxes. All means everything. Don't leave a single thing out, including soap, toothbrushes, and deodorant.
If you can sort the things in the boxes, do so. Mark one box Must Have and the other Optional.
Clean off every surface, including the counters, cupboards, shelves, drawers and everything you've decided you need to keep. Wipe everything dry with a towel.
Start to replace items, beginning with the medicine cabinet. Put back only the things that you can not live without or use frequently. This prime location should have only essential items in it.
Place clean decorative item back onto the countertop. The counter is not a storage place. It's for items you use daily or are part of the decor.
Set conveniently-sized drawer dividers into the drawers. Place often-used items by category. Have a section for hair items, makeup, shaving supplies, nail care items, etc.
Store bathroom cleaning supplies under the sink, placed neatly on one side of the cupboard. Place extra bath items neatly on the other side, keeping the two categories separated. Turntables made for kitchen items work well under the sink, as they make it easy to get at tall bottles. Simply turn the turntable around and you'll be able to grab the shampoo or conditioner.
If you have extra room in the cabinet under the sink, collect small items into plastic shoe boxes with lids and stack them to save space. Label the boxes. You'll be able to see what's in the boxes, but the items will stay orderly until you need them.
As you're going through things to put back in the cupboards, consider whether you really need them. Get rid of half-used products that you don't like and will never use. Toss those small sample bottles of products that you got free-with-purchase. Remember - less is more!
If there are things in either of the boxes you used for sorting, you probably don't need them. If they don't fall into the must-have category, you should get rid of them.
If there are any things that you don't need now but can't part with, store them somewhere else. Get them out of the bathroom and out of sight.
If you've followed the first 11 steps, you can now enjoy your neat, orderly, and organized "new" bathroom. Congratulations to you!
Tips:
It's much easier to do this job if you're not distracted. Try to map out an hour where you won't be distracted. If you can't finish the job in one work session, you might be tempted to just throw everything back where it was. Best to get it done all at once!
Wipe off everything you take out of the drawers and off shelves as you remove them. Then clean the shelves and drawers too. When it's time to put things back, they'll be ready.
Follow the rule 'when in doubt, throw it out!' The less you have the better things will look.
What You Need:
Two boxes to sort all your stuff
Cleaning rags
Cleaning products
How To Carve a Halloween Pumpkin
How To Carve a Halloween Pumpkin
Use these basic pumpkin-carving tips from this how-to to help you carve the perfect pumpkin for Halloween.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
Be sure to cover your work area (a countertop, table, or floor) with newspapers or a sheet of heavy plastic. If you plan to carve lots of pumpkins, you might want to work outside where any debris can be hosed off or swept away.
Decide whether you will be cutting the top or the bottom off of the pumpkin in order to remove the seeds. If you cut a hole in the top, you'll have an easy way to vent the heat from a candle. If you cut off the bottom, you'll have easier access for an electric light cord.
Before cutting into the pumpkin, determine how wide to cut the access hole. The hole should be large enough to fit your hand through, as well as accommodate a spoon or other scraping tool. If you're not quite sure how large a hole to cut, try a hole about 6 inches in diameter.
You can draw your jack-o-lantern design on a piece of paper and transfer the design to the pumpkin. You can also draw right on the pumpkin. Be aware, however, that a pencil or pen can dent the flesh of the pumpkin and a permanent marker may not wash off. If you're drawing directly on the pumpkin, use washable markers or waxy china pencils instead.
Once you have drawn the circular area for the lid (or bottom), begin cutting with a knife or pumpkin saw. Knives will cut faster, but not quite as accurately. Saws are fairly delicate and it may take longer to patiently saw out the opening. If you use too much pressure on a pumpkin saw, (sold in kits) the blade may snap off.
Be sure to cut the top out holding the knife at a 45 degree angle, with the tip of the knife pointing toward the center of the pumpkin. Why? So the lid has a surface to sit on and it won't slip through the opening into the pumpkin.
Choose which side of the pumpkin will be the "front". Then on the back side make a mark with a pen or cut a slit in both the lid and the adjoining pumpkin edge to mark how the lid should be realigned after carving.
Next, get your hands slimy by reaching in to pull out the strings and seeds. Scrape this material away from the sides and the bottom with a heavy serving spoon (don't use your best silver!) or another kitchen utensil such as an ice cream paddle.
Continue scraping until all of the strings have been dislodged then reach in to remove everything that is loose. You should end up with a clean inside, free from pumpkin seeds or strings.
For easier carving, keep scraping the areas of the pumpkin where you plan to carve. Scraping the inner walls down to a thickness of about an inch will allow knives and carving tools to more easily pierce the pumpkin's flesh. (Test the depth of the skin by inserting a pin or small knife into an area that will be cut away.)
Remove all of these additional scrapings so the interior of the pumpkin is clean.
Draw a face or other design onto the pumpkin. Do a casual pumpkin with a freehand design or trace a pattern especially designed for pumpkins. Use a combination of non-permanent markers, china pencil, or pin pricks to mark the design. Make sure that the design does not start too low on the pumpkin or some if it may be hidden when you set it on the porch.
Carve your pumpkin where you will be comfortable -- sitting at table, standing over it, or holding it in your lap. Begin carving the design. Use tools you have including paring knives, utility blades, exacto knives, wood carving tools, or pumpkin saws and tools that are readily available in pumpkin carving sets sold in grocery stores during October.
Keep carving until the design is complete. If you cut too much out by mistake, you might be able to repair the pumpkin by reattaching a piece using toothpicks or straight pins.
Test the look of your design by inserting a votive candle or flashlight into the pumpkin. Dim the room's lights to get the full effect. You'll be able to see where additional areas may need to be carved away or expanded to better showcase the design.
Tips:
Running short of time? Plan to clean out your pumpkin one day and carve it a day or two later.
Patience and care may result in the most beautiful designs, however even haphazardly cut pumpkins can look happy and festive.
It can help to insert a tool in the center of an area to be cut away, working your way out to the actual cutting line. It may also help to begin with shallow cuts, retracing them more deeply until the pieces are removed.
Keep cut pumpkins in a cool place whenever possible. Setting them inside large plastic bags may also help keep pumpkins from drying out.
Coating all cut edges with petroleum jelly will help keep pumpkins from drying out.
Use these basic pumpkin-carving tips from this how-to to help you carve the perfect pumpkin for Halloween.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:
Be sure to cover your work area (a countertop, table, or floor) with newspapers or a sheet of heavy plastic. If you plan to carve lots of pumpkins, you might want to work outside where any debris can be hosed off or swept away.
Decide whether you will be cutting the top or the bottom off of the pumpkin in order to remove the seeds. If you cut a hole in the top, you'll have an easy way to vent the heat from a candle. If you cut off the bottom, you'll have easier access for an electric light cord.
Before cutting into the pumpkin, determine how wide to cut the access hole. The hole should be large enough to fit your hand through, as well as accommodate a spoon or other scraping tool. If you're not quite sure how large a hole to cut, try a hole about 6 inches in diameter.
You can draw your jack-o-lantern design on a piece of paper and transfer the design to the pumpkin. You can also draw right on the pumpkin. Be aware, however, that a pencil or pen can dent the flesh of the pumpkin and a permanent marker may not wash off. If you're drawing directly on the pumpkin, use washable markers or waxy china pencils instead.
Once you have drawn the circular area for the lid (or bottom), begin cutting with a knife or pumpkin saw. Knives will cut faster, but not quite as accurately. Saws are fairly delicate and it may take longer to patiently saw out the opening. If you use too much pressure on a pumpkin saw, (sold in kits) the blade may snap off.
Be sure to cut the top out holding the knife at a 45 degree angle, with the tip of the knife pointing toward the center of the pumpkin. Why? So the lid has a surface to sit on and it won't slip through the opening into the pumpkin.
Choose which side of the pumpkin will be the "front". Then on the back side make a mark with a pen or cut a slit in both the lid and the adjoining pumpkin edge to mark how the lid should be realigned after carving.
Next, get your hands slimy by reaching in to pull out the strings and seeds. Scrape this material away from the sides and the bottom with a heavy serving spoon (don't use your best silver!) or another kitchen utensil such as an ice cream paddle.
Continue scraping until all of the strings have been dislodged then reach in to remove everything that is loose. You should end up with a clean inside, free from pumpkin seeds or strings.
For easier carving, keep scraping the areas of the pumpkin where you plan to carve. Scraping the inner walls down to a thickness of about an inch will allow knives and carving tools to more easily pierce the pumpkin's flesh. (Test the depth of the skin by inserting a pin or small knife into an area that will be cut away.)
Remove all of these additional scrapings so the interior of the pumpkin is clean.
Draw a face or other design onto the pumpkin. Do a casual pumpkin with a freehand design or trace a pattern especially designed for pumpkins. Use a combination of non-permanent markers, china pencil, or pin pricks to mark the design. Make sure that the design does not start too low on the pumpkin or some if it may be hidden when you set it on the porch.
Carve your pumpkin where you will be comfortable -- sitting at table, standing over it, or holding it in your lap. Begin carving the design. Use tools you have including paring knives, utility blades, exacto knives, wood carving tools, or pumpkin saws and tools that are readily available in pumpkin carving sets sold in grocery stores during October.
Keep carving until the design is complete. If you cut too much out by mistake, you might be able to repair the pumpkin by reattaching a piece using toothpicks or straight pins.
Test the look of your design by inserting a votive candle or flashlight into the pumpkin. Dim the room's lights to get the full effect. You'll be able to see where additional areas may need to be carved away or expanded to better showcase the design.
Tips:
Running short of time? Plan to clean out your pumpkin one day and carve it a day or two later.
Patience and care may result in the most beautiful designs, however even haphazardly cut pumpkins can look happy and festive.
It can help to insert a tool in the center of an area to be cut away, working your way out to the actual cutting line. It may also help to begin with shallow cuts, retracing them more deeply until the pieces are removed.
Keep cut pumpkins in a cool place whenever possible. Setting them inside large plastic bags may also help keep pumpkins from drying out.
Coating all cut edges with petroleum jelly will help keep pumpkins from drying out.
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