Decorating

A Fresh Take on Western Style

Western style is almost always stereotyped as kitschy design with animal heads and wagon wheels.  That really isn’t the case and designers are mixing the modern and the rustic to create a cozy and chic space, a fresh take on western design if you will.  Here are some ways to incorporate western design anywhere, even a New York City penthouse.

Pops of Color

Western design tends to pull color from nature which means a lot of green, tan, orange and yellow.  This leaves you with a home full of basically neutral colors, but you can use rich reds and brilliant turquoise as accent colors or in rugs and throws.  Have a brightly colored or patterned quilt to add color to your bedroom or on the back of a couch.  Here are some ideas on how to do just that.

Soften Up the Log Cabin

If your home’s interior feature a lot of wood, particularly on the walls you can soften that look a bit with the right window treatments. Use lighter colored window treatments and bedding in the bedroom.  In the living room you can still use lighter colored drapes but avoid that heavy dark leather furniture.  Instead consider pale colored fabric sofas and chairs.

Rethink the Antlers

Deer heads and antlers on the wall are what can turn your room from classy to over the top, so rethink the antlers.  Try instead a ceramic sculpture or piece of Native American art.  You can add color while still maintaining that western feel without making your home look like a hunting cabin.  There are lots of pieces of tasteful wildlife art that can replace the antlers.

Add Some Modern Details

Living rooms and kitchens done in western design often come with big features, large wood cabinets, big stone fireplaces and big trusses.  You can add some modern details to soften up the room, you can work in some modern pieces of art or accessories that give the room modern touches.

Combine Textures

There is a lot of wood and leather in western design which can make your room feel kind of cold and impersonal.  You can soften the space with accents in different textures.  A high quality lush area rug is one way to do that, something like fleece or equally soft works great.  So do throw cushions or a blanket on the back of the leather sofa, both will make the room feel cozy and warm.

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Decorating

Common Bedroom Decorating Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Common Bedroom Decorating Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Out of all the rooms in your home your bedroom is the most personal.  Your bedroom should be the most comfortable room in your house while still reflecting your personal style and taste.  That being said people still make mistakes when it comes to decorating the bedroom, here are some of the more common bedroom decorating mistakes and how to fix them.

Color

Picking the color in your bedroom is something you should be careful with.  While bright fire engine red might be your favorite color, your bedroom is a place you unwind and relax after a long day, so color choice is crucial.  You want colors that are relaxing but not boring.  What is your favorite color?  Start with that as a primary color then work in accent colors.  Try painting one wall first to see how it looks at night and under natural light.  Take the time to make sure that this is the right color for your room.

Arranging the Furniture

Since the bed takes up most of the space in the room people end up lining up all their dressers along one wall.  The dressers are at uneven heights and this makes your bedroom look cluttered.  Arranging furniture in a smaller bedroom can be a challenge, you should measure the dimensions of the furniture and plan out where you want to put everything.  Remember to leave yourself enough room to walk around, balance the furniture with the walking space.  Here is some help arranging bedroom furniture.

Limit the Patterns

Between bedspreads, curtains and wallpaper you can end up with a lot of busy patterns that are too much.  You should have elements of design in your room but you need to figure out where to put them.  If you have a bright and colorful bedspread then use a solid color for the drapes, or vice versa.  Using patterns can create a focal point in the room, but rather than add another pattern use accent colors or try different textures rather than patterns.

Hanging at the Wrong Height

This covers both curtains and artwork, most hang curtains too low and art work too high.  Artwork should be at eye level but since people vary in height you have about 6 inches either above or below your eye level.  Window treatment can be used to make your room look taller, you can hang drapes from ceiling to floor or just below the window casing.

These are some of the more common mistakes that people make when they are decorating their bedroom.  All of them are easy to fix.

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