Home Decorating for Looking Fine in ‘09

Every year hundreds of Interior Design trends and predictions originate from just as many sources. We’ve waded through a great many of them, and edited a shortlist of trends and tips that seem to work for every style of home and every amount of square footage. Some are trends, and others are consumer behavioral shifts that seem to be more permanent.

1) Bye Bye Beige

No, that doesn’t mean you have to eliminate this trusted neutral from your home’s color palette. It does mean to take advantage of everything else on the color wheel to introduce splashes of color to create energy and interest in your rooms. Toss a trio of pillows in your favorite color onto that beige sofa. And if that color is lime green, so much the better. An area rug in an eye-popping shade is another way to bring life to the lifeless. A group of brilliant vases, a small collection of lacquered boxes or an enormous, shockingly hued framed poster are all inexpensive ways of bringing a “timeless” neutral room front and center in 2009. And if you have a spare Saturday, spend it painting a powerful accent color on a wall in your living room or master bedroom. The difference it will make is astonishing, and can be had for the cost of a can of paint.

Good to Know: Decorating Your Place

We have 5 easy tips that will make you feel right at home.

Whether you just moved or your looking to revamp your current residence, decorating is essential to making your home distinctly yours. Though decorating may not seem that difficult, it’s sometimes hard to know where to start. And while it can also seem overwhelming, it’s also easy to spend too much and getting poor results.

Lucky for you, we have 5 easy tips that will make you feel right at home and not at the bank.

Walls

Your walls are more than just supports for the ceiling. They are there for color, contrast and to serve as a backdrop to establish drama and set a tone. The walls in your house are the largest working space you have for decorating and they are the best place to start.

Paint is an inexpensive way to make over your place and only requires a trip to the hardware store, your good judgment and a little hard work. If you’re renting and painting isn’t an option or you can’t decide on a the right shade or hue, add color with personal knick-knacks or keepsakes such as that old quilt you never use or your favorite sports apparel and accessories (hockey sticks, baseball bats, hats, etc.).

You could even make your own photo collage out of picture frames from the dollar store. If you’re a renter and also can’t poke holes in the walls, try those double- sided tape hooks. They can hold quite a bit.

These ideas can add color and style to any room, but remember not to over do it.