31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 21: Window Coverings

Posted on October 21, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Decorating is all about beauty and function… window coverings are no exception!

Successful window treatments are ones that are both beautiful and functional – they work with your lifestyle. Here are some things to consider…

Beauty of course is important when it comes to window treatments, not only for the design aspects of shape and color, but because of the feeling of warmth it can bring to a space.

Function is equally important. Do you want to keep cold air out and warm air in? Do you want to black out a room at night? Do you want privacy, yet still be able to see out? Consider what you expect a window treat to do for you.

Examine your space and decide what are the best window treatments for the room and your decor.

Explore different styles and find one that you love and that fills your requirements for your windows.

Assignment: Look through your inspiration file and magazines for ideas for window coverings. Visit a retail store with assorted window treatments and store an ask a window covering specialist about different options available for your room.

To start at the beginning of the series, click here!

31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 20: Exploring Fabric

Posted on October 20, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Now that you have your color scheme, it’s time to think about fabric…

When selecting fabric make sure to consider these points…

Patterns are important design elements to any space. Stripes, florals, checks and more can work together – experiment by mixing different patterns, both large and small.

Textures are everywhere…look for woven items, satin finishes, trim and more to create interest and dimension to a space.

Consider how patterns and textures work together and refer to the squint test to make sure they work together

Take time to understand the attributes of your fabric, making sure it’s suitable for your lifestyle. Ask how it can be cleaned, what’s the life expectancy, if it’s appropriate for how you intend to use it and how it will hold up over time.

Assignment: Go to a local fabric store and explore. Often fabrics are grouped by color – note how many different patterns and textures there are and how they work together. Keep an eye out for fabrics that could be used in your space and ask for a sample of any you love.

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31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 19: The Squint Test

Posted on October 19, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Yesterday we talked about selecting a color scheme, but how do you know everything matches? It’s easy when you use the squint test…

To ensure that color selections work together start by laying out paint chips and other samples or items that you have accumulated to use in your room.

Stand back and squint as you look at the colors and materials you’ve laid out. If they all blend when squinting – perfect! If one (or more) stands out above the rest, consider something else… it’s not the best choice! The goal is for everything to blend when squinting.

Create a color board with paint chips and samples of you final selections by gluing them to a board or inside of a file. Take this with you when shopping for your project for reference.

Assignment: Make a color board for the room your are decorating.

Have fun! Amy xo

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31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 18: Developing a Color Scheme

Posted on October 18, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Now that you understand color, the next step is developing a color scheme…

Follow these steps and you’ll find that developing a color scheme is easy!

Pull out your inspiration object or photo and use as a starting point for selecting your colors. Take into consideration any objects that you will be incorporating into the space.

Select paint chips that work well with your items and that appeal to you. Make sure to look at the paint chip under the light in your space. The lighting at the store may be very different then your lighting at home. Also make sure to tape it on the wall and look at it in the morning, afternoon and evening as a color will look different throughout the course of a day depending on the light source.

Choose one color for your walls and keep the others for reference when choosing accessories, draperies, fabric, etc.

Assignment: Pick out the colors for your space and staple the color chips to an index card. Store in your purse for reference when shopping.

Worried about if you chose the right color? We’ll talk about that tomorrow! Amy xo

To start at the beginning of the series, click here!

31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 17: Color Psychology Part 2

Posted on October 17, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Color Psychology is used almost everywhere you go, you just probably haven’t noticed…

Have you ever noticed that restaurants almost always use warm colors such as orange, yellow and red? It’s because they are known to make you hungry!

Think about typical room decor in warm or cool climates… You’ll see lots of cool colors such as soft blues and greens at the beach, yet warm toasty colors at a ski lodge.

Large Corporations may use paint to mentally warm a space or cool it down so thermostats can be lowered in the winter and raised in the summer, ultimately saving on energy costs. They may also use bright colors to stimulate workers or soothing ones to calm clients.

Some places try to influence your mood… Pink is perceived to make you feel relaxed and even weaker. Former Iowa Football coach Hayden Fry made the visting team’s locker room entirely pink – toilets and all. After a remodel by Coach Ferentz, there’s even more pink including the walls, toilets, sinks, lockers, floors and more!

Assignment: Take time to observe the spaces you are in and become aware of how color affects you!

To start at the beginning of the series, click here!

31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 16: Color Psychology

Posted on October 16, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

I mentioned yesterday that when choosing colors for your project, you should consider how the color makes you feel. That’s what we’re exploring today…

Color can affect how you feel in a room and how the room feels to you…

Colors are split in to two categories – warm and cold.

Warm Colors are welcoming, they make a room feel warmer, they are energizing, stimulating and can make a room appear to be smaller.

Cool Colors have a cooler feel in warm climates, are relaxing, peaceful and may cause a room to appear larger.

Assignment: Think about how you want your space to “feel” and keep this in mind as you explore colors for your space. Examine your home and see how this applies.

Enjoy! Amy xo

To start at the beginning of the series, click here!

31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 15: Choosing Color

Posted on October 15, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Today we’re going to explore color! Forget the fear… color is fun!

Color should be selected for a space only after considering the following…

Consider existing items that you will keep in the room, making sure that any color selection works well with the items.

Look to your Inspiration photo for color ideas for your space.

Examine how a color will make you feel. Will it be relaxing or stimulating? Will it warm up the room or cool it down? We’ll explore this in more detail later this week.

Evaluate how a color will affect your space – will it make the room feel larger or more intimate? We’ll cover this later this week, too.

Assignment: Look through your inspiration file for some preliminary color choices.

Have fun! xo Amy

To start at the beginning of the series, click here!

31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 14: Taking Inventory

Posted on October 14, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

I hope you had fun exploring walls, floors and ceilings! Today we’re going to make some lists…

Taking time to sit down and make some lists will help clear your mind and make a project so much easier…

An Inventory list consists of items you have in the space that you want to keep or need to keep for now.

A Short List is what you need to keep for now, but eventually need to replace.

A Wish List is what you need to buy or want to purchase down the line.

A Shopping List is what you need to be on the lookout for when shopping for your project. Carry it with you always.

Assignment: Take some time to create the above lists and make sure to update them along the way.

Have fun! xo

To start at the beginning, Click here!

31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 13: Considerations

Posted on October 13, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Now that we’ve looks at walls, floors and ceilings, here are some things to consider when working on a project…

When working on a project… Search for materials that are available for use and evaluate your options. Look in stores, on-line and in catalogs before you make a final decision.

Add texture for interest. A mix of items that are smooth, nubby, woven, etc… can be as powerful as punch of color.

Add interesting patterns. Mix it up a bit and experiment… don’t be afraid to combine florals, stripes and plaids.

Lines and Shapes are found in furniture, accessories, area rugs, etc… They provide flow and balance in a room and should always be considered.

Assignment: Look back through your inspiration file and look for texture, patterns, lines and shapes. Become more aware of your surroundings and these elements within spaces that you love.

Enjoy! Amy xo

To start at the beginning of the series, click here!

31 Days to Decorate Confidently. Day 12: Exploring Ceilings

Posted on October 12, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Often the forgotten surface, ceilings are an opportunity to introduce interesting design elements and add extra dimension to a room…

Think outside the box and explore the unlimited possibilities for your Ceilings.

Options for ceilings include faux paint, texture, medallions, beams, wallpaper, wood and so much more!

Consider the interest that it will add to the room. Design elements added to the ceiling add interest to any space.

Assignment: Like yesterday, explore magazines and internet sites such as pinterest, houzz, decorating blogs and other internet sites for ideas you may never have considered. Add any ideas you love to your inspiration folder.

Enjoy! Amy xo

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