New Trends in Paint Colors For 2009

Tired of the same old colour schemes? These three fresh new colour combinations are the perfect way to give your home a contemporary new look
Heather and Chalk
Purple is a big trend for 2009, but deep tones can be overwhelming, so follow our tips to help you get it right

Go for soft heather purples balanced with creamy off-whites. These soothing colours are easy to live with and cobined with light wood, work well to create the perfect country scheme.

Use your curtain fabric as a starting point for your colour scheme. Choose a floral-print fabric with vintage-style purple blooms and then co-ordinate this with your wall paint.

Choose chunky, waxed oak furniture and an aged leather armchair to achieve a timeless look. Then add a big sofa piled with cushions that you can really sink into.

Pick out the heather tones with purple accessories and use wool and cashmere cushions and throws to add a luxurious feel.

Slate and Coral
Be bold with fiery coral, cooled by slate grey and arctic white; this scheme is as modern as they come

Grey is a soft and calming colour, perfect for creating a relaxing living room. It's a practical choice for a modern interior and it can be easily livened up with bright coral and accents of white.
Layer tones of grey in the furniture, carpet and some accessories, then pick a punchy statement shade of coral for the walls.

Keep shapes and patterns simple and pick up on the coral from the walls with the cushions, accessories and curtains. Compliment the colour scheme with a fabric which mixes in a touch of grey, too.

A few quirky items in pure white, such as a clock and table, will stand out and lift the scheme.
Duck egg blue and Rose

Duck-egg blue is a classic choice and combined with pink it creates a contemporary, elegant look.
Cool duck-egg blue and warm rose pink make a perfect colour combination for an elegant living room. Keep this mix fresh by adding an Oriental twist.

Paint the walls in this soft blue shade then choose flooring and upholstery in warm neutral tones, before adding the vibrant shade of pink.

Follow the Eastern theme by combining chinoiserie-print curtains with embroidered cushions and dark wood furniture and flooring. Ornamental bridcages and orchids complete the look.

Give the rose accent more impact by keeping accessories, such as picture frames and ceramics, neutral

By Penny Day

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How to Measure For Wallpaper

When you want to try a new look for your home, wallpaper comes into mind. The first thing you will be asked for is the measurement of wallpaper needed. You need to find out how to measure for wallpaper. This question will bug you for quite a while because you will need to consider the total cost. So, how to measure for wallpaper?

The design of wallpaper you want will play a vital role in learning how to measure for wallpaper.


· If you want vertical striped designed wallpaper, there will be no additions to your calculations. These are random match wallpapers that don't need to match with each strip.

· Straight across match designed wallpapers need to be matched with other strips of paper. While the designs of these stop before the edge of the wallpaper, you will just have to align them with each other.

· Drop match wallpapers have complex designs. Not only do these designs fully fill the entire paper, they need to be completely matched with the other strips. As for example, a flower may be cut in half at the edge of one strip. To match it with another strip, you will have to cut a part of the next strip just to match the pattern. This will have you end up ordering a few more rolls.
Now that you have an idea of how costly it may cost you, you are now ready to learn how to measure for wallpaper.

1. Measure the length and height of the walls. Take note of these measurements, you will learn the area of the room you want to put a wallpaper in.

a. Perimeter of the Area = (sum of the length of each wall in the room)

b. Square Footage = Height x Perimeter of the Area

c. Number of Single Rolls = Square Footage / 25
(A single roll of wallpaper covers about 25 square feet.)

2. In case the room has varying heights and/or lengths of walls, you can follow the following calculation.

a. Length x Height = Square Footage
b. Total Square Footage = (sum of the square footage of all the walls)
c. Number of Single Rolls = Total Square Footage / 25

3. Add the openings (windows, doors). Subtract one single roll for every 3 openings for big openings.
Double Rolls = Single Rolls / 2

4. Keep these measurements in a paper so you can show it if asked for it when you are already looking for wallpaper. Also, when asked about your calculations, be honest and be patient.

The above steps presented are just the first steps. As mentioned above, the designs of wallpapers will still have to be considered. Coming up with the number of rolls based of the measurements of your walls does not necessarily mean you have come up with the precise measurement you need for your wallpaper. The above illustrated calculations will help assure you that you will not buy more or less than what you need. As for the additional rolls, you can try to ask for a professional's assistance.

Knowing how to measure for wallpaper will help you cut on the cost compared to what you might spend by simple assuming and buying.

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Interior Design Ideas

As most beach vacation homes are owned by people from the cold winter north, the natural desire is to design the inside of the home to reflect the surrounding outdoor scenery and all of the things that draw northerners to the warmer climates of the south.

The key to selecting finishes and décor for a beach vacation home is remembering one important word: Light. Light colors, light fabrics, light finish materials for floors and accessories and, of course, allowing plenty of natural light to penetrate into the home. If the homeowner allows the reasons they are drawn to beach style living to enter into their vacation home, they will find it very easy to be inspired in making selections that will extend that atmosphere.

Light, tropical colors for the walls, in very pale greens, peaches, and coral pink will subtly bring the breezy feeling of the beach into any room. Accent this breeziness by hanging sheer, white, floor-length curtains at the windows to ebb and flow with the ocean light winds. Ceiling fans are a must in any beach front vacation home, both for functionality and for aesthetics, and in a tropical climate the most appealing finish is that of a light with bamboo fan blades to reinforce the laziness and serenity of the areas foliage.

Furniture can be oversized, as long as it is light in color and comfortable, inviting the user to lounge and nap. Stay away from dark, heavy wood furniture, especially in a dining area, as this will leave an impact of formality that is not in keeping with the laid back lifestyle of the beach. For a more casual feel, you may even consider stringing a wall mounted hammock in a sun room, to further induce a mid day siesta.

To complete the interior décor, consider accessories that incorporate elements of the beach: sand, sea shells and palm trees are common themes that will bring the final touches of your vacation getaway into every room of your home away from home.

By Helena Topolova

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6 Fantastic Tips

If only decorating your home comes without a cost, you would probably have a new theme and design for your home many times every year. But just like most people, you shy away from home decorating and home improvement activities because you do not want to spend a lot of money on this.

The truth is decorating your home does not need to hurt your pockets. In fact, there are many practical home decorating suggestions and ideas that can be worked out even with a small budget. Here is a list of six fantastic tips that will help you achieve just that.

Tip 1: Form a plan

Planning is a crucial step in home decoration so that you will be able to accomplish it effectively and successfully. More importantly, this ensures that you do not end up wasting money or spending more than what you can afford.
Before you start writing down your plans, visualize how you want your home to look. Decide on the theme and color style you want to adapt and from here, start planning the things that you will need for your home decoration project.
List the things you need and determine which ones you can make yourself or create from the things that you already have, and the ones that you really need to buy. Formulate a realistic budget allocation for your expenditures to avoid overspending.

Tip 2: Adapt a theme

Having a theme for your home does not only make the decorating project easier but if you choose a practical theme, you will be able to save a lot of money at the same time. For example, a tropical interior design theme can save you money because you can get some tropical decorative accessories for free if you go to the beach. This include seashells, corals, starfish, leaves, and driftwood. You can even use what you have collected to make tropical wall hangings.

Tip 3: Invest wisely

Just because you are on a budget does not mean that you have to get every cheap thing you can get your hands on. Sometimes spending more will save you in the long run. For example, if you want to repaint the walls in your home, it would make sense to buy a high quality paint that would last a long time rather than to go for cheap paints that are also cheap in quality.

Tip 4: Watch out for discount sales

Discount sales provide a good opportunity to get hold of home accessories at a low price so keep your eyes peeled for these events. You can also try checking out online stores because there are many excellent deals that will enable you to find nice and good quality products without having to spend much.

Tip 5: Shop around

If you want to find great deals on products you can use for your home decoration, you should not stop at the first shop that you see. Shop around widely so you will be able to compare products and prices, and find the best deals at the most affordable prices.

Tip 6: DIY projects

You do not always have to buy everything. Some of the things you need you can make yourself. For example, create your own tropical wall hangings or wall sculpture art by framing a nice coastal photograph scene or by doing your own metal or clay sculpture.

If you have the patience, talent and imagination, you can make excellent decorating choices that will not only improve the overall style of your home but also be practical and realistic for the budget of your family.

By Jessica Ackerman

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