The Finishing Touch

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Find Paint to Complement Your Drapes or Fabric

If you have the perfect linens or draperies, use your fabric as a starting point when selecting paint.  Simply take a fabric swatch (from a sofa or draperies) to the paint store. Look for paint chips that pull out the different hues in the fabric. The paint color doesn't have to match the fabric exactly -- in fact, if the wall color is slightly lighter or slightly darker than the color in the fabric, the results will seem "evolved" but harmonious.

The major exception is when the wall color and draperies match exactly. This approach enlarges a room by creating an unbroken envelope of color while softening the walls with dimension and depth.

To match a solid-color fabric exactly, take a swatch to the paint store or home improvement center; there, a spectrometer, which measures heat and light can translate the fabric hue into a formula for matching paint. This will only work on solid fabric, however.

Choosing a darker tone for the walls makes light-color upholstery pop by contrast, and creates a more dramatic environment. If the draperies match the paint or are close to the same shade, the walls and draperies work together to form a consistent background, and the sofa stands out as a focal point. If you choose a lighter color for the draperies, then the darker wall color will draw more attention to the windows.

As you narrow your choices, remember that a paint chip is only a general indication of how a color may look on the walls.

Editor's Tip: Always test the color on the wall, or on a large piece of poster board, then view it in daylight and at night to see if the color is right.

Ditch the Dorm

Here are five tips from the editors of Domino.com to up the level of sophistication in your first home or apartment. Advice for that moment when you stare at your futon and “College” poster and realize: It's time to grow up.

1. Repaint! Ideally, with a shade that you'll enjoy for years to come. Neutrals are a great option because they allow you to use color more freely in the space and won’t intimidate buyers when you trade up.

2. Edit ruthlessly: Before you can decorate, you must organize! And before you can organize, you must toss the junk! Sort through everything in your home and get rid of anything you haven’t worn in the last year or used in the past three months, aside from the most sentimental possessions. Donate everything else to the thrift store or trash it.

3. Upgrade your window treatments and lighting: Nothing says dorm like those paper shades and standard white frosted domes. Choose window treatments that suit your style. Cell shades with top-down-bottom-up features are a modern choice and will save you money on your energy bill. Replace college halogen desk lamps with something more decorative, and use freestanding floor or table lamps instead (these tend to cast more flattering light than overheads, too).

A new living room of blinds for under $500 dollars?

Dear Jessica,

I am a newlywed trying to pull our new house together as the holidays approach.  I don't want any disapproving looks from my new mother in law when she visits for the first time over the holidays.  How can I take care of my three living room windows for less than $500 dollars?

Lynda, Buffalo

Dear Lynda,

Not to worry.  There are plenty of wonderful options in your budget.  Like many people, you have three living room windows, one large 58x72" picture window and two smaller 36x 60" windows. 

Under 200: For an amazing $161 you can decorate your entire living room with our Blinds.com Economy 2" Fauxwood blinds. Fauxwood blinds are heavier than wood blinds. So if you plan to raise and lower these often, consider wood blinds as an alternative. 








Under 300: Lynda, if insulation is a major concern try 3/8 Double Cell Light Filtering Shades and spend only $276 for your whole living room.  They gently filter natural light, protecting your fine upholstered furniture and offering privacy.  Add a few extra dollars for our exclusive new Measuring Insurance and rest assured that we will replace your order 100% even if you measure improperly.

Another benefit, Double Cell blinds are especially effective at saving you energy costs. The double pleats trap air and repel the summer heat and winter cold, keeping you comfortable a must in chilly Buffalo!

 

Spice up Your Window with Autumn Colors

The new season is the perfect time to turn over a new decorating leaf.  Change the feel of airy summer rooms by adding a table scape of seasonal gourds and brown pillar candles.  Store your wicker furniture and add accent pillows in shades that echo pungent spices and harvest vegetables.  You'll "fall" in love with the new look of your home.

Sunny Breakfast

A vibrant color in a small area has a big presence and creates greater intimacy. The cushion fabrics reinforces the red Roman shade and the oversize Moroccan lantern adds to the drama while accentuating the graceful curved ceiling.  Come Spring, try a shade and pillows in vibrant greens or cool blues for a fresh look.

John Derian for Target

The holidays are right around the corner and our schedules are all jam packed with visits from the in-laws, parties, and of course the usual holiday dinners.  I am not quite ready to succumb to turkey-printed china in honor of Thanksgiving and wanted to up the style quotient of my first real bachelorette pad with unique housewares that would impress and work for events from my housewarming, to cocktail parties and family gatherings.  

I became a fan of John Derian's decoupage work after reading his story in the New York Times last year, but needless to say my champagne taste and Diet Coke budget prevented me from becoming a large patron of his art.

Conveniently, starting September 15th, Target will be featuring a line by John Derian starting at only $5 for decoupage coasters at http//www.target.com/johnderian.

DIY: Bathroom Cubbies

Remember back to kindergarten when everyone had there own individual cubby to store their lunch box, coat and personal items?  Cubbies are a great way to give everyone in the family a separate space in a shared bathroom or just to keep different types of toiletries organized.  Choose the DIY cubby project below that fits your skill level and personal style and in an afternoon you will have a more stylish and organized bathroom.

 

A simple, divided plywood box covered in newsprint adds creative inspiration and storage to a petite bathroom. Vintage style apothecary jars and boxes make the most of otherwise limited storage areas.

Bachelor Pad Decor Done Right

Are you looking for a little masculinity in your bedroom? Tired of the frills and flowers? This Sueded headboard from Homedecorating.com is clean, sleek and stylish with a shot of testosterone.

The tones remain neutral, while the textures of the fabrics bring out a lush feel, keeping the room from feeling stark and empty. Complement the dark furniture and clean lines by keeping accessories and clutter minimal.

Not a big shopper, some men appreciate the convenience of purchasing a complete bedroom set – it means LESS browsing. This set combines a modern platform bed, with leather details and dark woods for a lux masculine look.

Keep your walls neutral by using a creamy camel colored paint in a suede texture or faux washing technique for added interest.

In keeping with the rest of the decor, window treatments should also be simple and clean. Opt for sheer vertical blinds from Blinds.com to add height to your windows while keeping the lines simple and uninterrupted.  Or choose cell shades with the top down bottom feature if you want your "man cave" to have a modern look with good insulation and varying degrees of light and privacy.

For those nights when you successfully drag Jane home, even a bachelor pad needs a touch of elegance (no women do not think your Swiffer is elegant).  However, a few candles are an important accessory for any room, even a masculine retreat. For a simple, clean display, arrange several white or cream candles of varying heights on a glass plate or a dish with smooth river rocks.

A masculine bedroom doesn't have to be boring or filled with cliche plaids and prints of hunting scenes. Varied textures like suede and leather will inject interest to your monochromatic room.

Easy Storage for Small Bathrooms

Have you run out of (bath)room but not out of stuff?  Read on and discover three ways to add major storage without a remodel.

Linear Storage
Problem: You don't have the floor space to add storage units.

Solution: Without using much wall space, this modern shelf offers significant storage. Oversize baskets maximize storage. For a symmetrical look, top each shelf with identical storage boxes or baskets.

Concealed Cabinet
Problem: Want to put a pedestal sink in the plans
for your new bathroom, but you're afraid
to give up the storage space?

Solution:  Add a Concealed Cabinet or two in your design and get the bathroom of your dreams.  Even if your bathroom is tiny, it can still be well organized.  You don’t have to toss your medicine, toiletries, dental supplies,air fresheners, and extra toilet paper. Store them in the concealed cabinet and keep them tidy.

His and Her's Bathrooms

Increasingly, bathrooms are being designed as retreats for couples with rare private time. Architects and interior designers say bathrooms are getting larger to accommodate massive tubs, double showers and huge vanities with opposing mirrors large enough that couples can stand back to back and still see each other.
"Communing while grooming" might seem like a strange phenomenon, but according to Kate Murphy of The New York Times, for a growing number of couples, it’s an appealing way to bond.  Once a privacy zone, couples now retreat to their shared baths for intimate down time.  But these aren’t just the functional bathrooms of yesteryear. 

Gary Carlson, a homebuilder in Scottsdale, Ariz., said, “It’s kind of like the bathroom has become the new den.”   Today’s bathroom is larger and multi-functional – more of a lounge than just a place to shower and go.  It’s a place for the woman to primp and share her new clothes with friends, while her husband  uses the same space to enjoy watching the game and grabs a snack from the stocked mini-fridge. In The Bathroom Break, Kate Murphy explains that for many busy couples, time in the bathroom provides a restful break, a rare snippet of "alone time" in their over-scheduled lives.  Murphy says it is natural that the bathroom became a shared space for the modern couple especially as the open floor plan of modern houses prohibits the privacy afforded in more traditional homes.