Easy Kids Rooms Decorating Ideas

When trying to come up with decorating themes for kids rooms, think like a child.

Don't just limit your choices to the prepackaged ideas that you find in catalogs. You can create a decorating theme on your own that is better than one you can buy. And you can definitely create your own theme more affordably.

There are lots of resources around you that you can use for inspiration in decorating kids rooms. See if any of these get your kids rooms decorating juices flowing:

1) Your child's books. Regardless of your child's age, the books he or she enjoys reading or having read to them is a good indicator of what appeals to them. If your child is in school then you should take a longer look at the books that they read by choice than those they read by assignment.

2) Your kids's favorite outfit. Whether it's a cute little pink dress with ruffles or a camouflage t-shirt and faded jeans, a child's most treasured outfit is a good measure of his or her tastes.

3) Your child's favorite music. It could be a classical guitarists' soft notes or the raging amplified strings of an acoustic guitar that make your child's feet move, but your child's music is also a valid indicator of his or her preferences.

All these resources for decorating kids room have one common element...your child. At a very early age, children begin developing their own likes and dislikes. If you question this theory, try feeding a toddler for a few days. Even if it has been some time since you've done that you will soon remember that even toddlers know immediately whether they prefer peaches or green beans.

Whether considering themes for kids rooms, building a sandcastle or pleading their cases for a later bedtime, children don't impose the same limitations on their ideas that we do as adults. If an idea is practical from a child's point of view then the child finds a way to make it work.

For example, ottomans become stagecoaches, braided rugs become magic carpets, and the floor becomes a circus arena or an ice-skating rink.

For original ideas for kids rooms that you can actually use, watch a group of children playing. You'll see the fruits of unlimited imagination. When a concept enters a child's mind, the child takes that concept in hand and the concept is materialized.

All sorts of kids rooms possibilities exist in things you already own. Try looking at things you have packed away through the eyes of a child. Children see things for all they can be instead of limiting them to a singular purpose. What about that awful velvet painting? It has a perfect frame for your child's favorite poster...just imagine it!

About The Author
Michael Holland is creator of the Web sites http://www.kids-rooms-and-crafts.com and http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com. His sites offer lots of free tips and ideas for decorating kids rooms and all rooms your home. And if you'd like to get advertising-free decorating advice delivered direcly to your computer desktop just visit and subscribe to their RSS feeds.

What To Consider Before You Start Decorating Your Home

The success of any decorating scheme depends on how well it suits all the members of your family. To create a décor that you will be happy with, think about what you want and also what you don't want. It's a good idea to know what you have before you begun to change things. As you begin to pull your design ideas together, think about your preference and what will work in your home.

Color can work wonders...it can change the look of a room and change your feeling about the room. You can start by looking through magazines, and catalogs. Give yourself plenty of time, it will take longer than you think, and your ideas will develop as you go. Gathering samples is a great way to begin. If you are starting with a color, your samples might include fabric, paint chips, wallpaper, carpet, wood, stone, and tile.

Knowing what you can spend on a project will give you a clearer idea of what you can achieve. If you'll on a limited budget, mark off those things that will make the most difference, such as a new wall color and a new sofa. You can set the mood of a room in lots of ways, such as lights, and furnishings. There are no hard or fast rules or must-do sequence for this process.

About The Author
Roger King has been involved in home interior designs for several years, and has been helping people find and review the best value for interior design solutions, to meet their needs. Visit his Web site http://www.all-homeinteriordesigns.com to learn more about this service.

Professional Decorating Tips for Fireplace Mantels

Although fireplace mantels were originally used for cooking and heating, contemporary mantels have become the key focal point for setting the decorative style and atmosphere of a room. You can utilize simple accessories to enhance the room, or go all out with themed holiday decorations to transform the entire space for any special occasion.

Paying attention to basic design elements such as color, texture, balance, and size will help pull your decorations together into a beautiful display.

Getting Started

Professional designers often start decorating projects by jotting down ideas for the mood they'd like to create, and then collect an assortment of items to emphasize that style. They might not use everything they've found, but having things on hand means they can play with different combinations until hitting on the best design.

Spend some time considering how you'd like the type of event you'll be hosting. Are you having a flashy black tie cocktail party, or a relaxing springtime brunch? Maybe you'd just like to find new ways to freshen up the everyday look of a room? Either way, remember that different combinations of colors as well as the style (Victorian, modern, retro, country) of items you use will affect the overall mood of your room.

Choosing a Backdrop

To begin, you'll want to select an item to be the focal point of the display. Often this will be a painting or wall hanging that is placed on the wall just above the mantel, or even resting on the mantel. You can even change the focal point to match the occasion or season.

If you'd rather group several paintings together you'll want to only use a few items on the mantel itself to keep things from being overwhelming. The larger the item or grouping the more attention it will draw. A mirror is always a good choice to use as a large backdrop. It not only helps make the room feel larger, but reflects and draws attention to the other pieces you've placed on your mantel.

Don't forget to light your backdrop. Whether you use candles or install spot lighting, you'll want to make sure that the focal point isn't lost in the shadows.

Placement & Shape

The next step is to create a 'path' for the eye to follow, moving from the main focal point down and across the mantel. By using a variety of heights and sizes, and even texture, you can develop an interesting landscape that commands attention.

You can create a symmetrical design by centering one item on or above the mantel, and surround it with a series of identical items on either side. Each half of the mantel is a mirror image of the other. You can also layer items by height, with shorter items overlapping larger pieces. This style is often used to create a sense of formality.

Asymmetrical designs are usually the most popular, as they create a sense of motion by having different items on each side of the mantle. The key to this form is to keep the weight of items balanced visually. For instance you might have two larger objects on one end of the mantel, with a grouping of five small objects on the other end.

A radial design is created by placing objects around a central. The center item, regardless of shape, acts as an anchor. This kind of arrangement is best done similar to a symmetrical format; otherwise it can become too busy.

A layered look with lots of pieces and filler (such as greenery or garlands) works well for fall and winter, but is often too heavy for other seasons. One exception might be if your mantel is located in a large banquet or great room with high ceilings, otherwise keep things minimal by leaving breathing space between items.

Wrapping It Up

Whatever design style you select always be sure to follow safety precautions when using the fireplace. Do not place any items too close to the hearth itself, and use a protective screen to prevent ignition from sparks.

If you don't actually use your fireplace that often try placing decorations below in addition to on the mantel. You certainly wouldn't want a black void to detract from your display. A layered arrangement of white candles and greenery can be stunning for any occasion, but you could also do something as simple as a stack birch logs. Another alternative is to cover the hearth with a painted fireplace screen.

There are hundreds of options to choose from when decorating your mantel, but the same basic principles always apply. Using these designer techniques can help turn a ho-hum room into a memorable space that can easily be changed for any type of occasion.

About The Author
Kristene Markert is a writer and consultant for MissionStone.com; a manufacturer of custom cast stone fireplace mantels that have been featured on numerous home remodeling tv shows.
info@missionstone.com

How To Choose Color Schemes For Your Rooms’ Decor And Window Coverings

How to choose color schemes for your rooms' decor and window coverings.

The color that you choose greatly affects the décor and window coverings. Colors establish a mood and feel of a room, and when used properly can create different illusions. Using neutral or lighter colors such as grays and cream colors will give you an impression of spaciousness, where the darker colors can make a big room feel more intimate. Warming colors have the ability to make a room more cheerful and give it a livelier disposition. On the other end, cool colors are a more relaxing and soothing feel. When choosing your décor color scheme, consider the effect that you are trying to achieve. Sometimes it is tricky to choose the right tints, shades or the tones in order to get your desired look. So understanding how to use the color wheel can greatly help you in choosing your décor colors.

How does the color wheel work for decorating.

Time and effort spent first choosing your perfect color scheme will repay you back every time you enter your room or open your curtains First here are some basics using the color wheel. A monochromatic color scheme will use various intensities and values of just one color. Using this color style is relaxing since it allows your eye to flow from one shade into the next. This creates the illusion of space. Implementing patterns and textures into this scheme is recommended. Having two or three colors falling next to each other using the color wheel creates an analogous color scheme. So pick your favorite color as the dominant and accent with the others.

Here are some complimentary color schemes.

Two or more ways to choose your home decorating color would be complimentary color schemes, which are made up of two colors which are exact opposite from each other on the color wheel. Their style will produce a dramatic and unusually stimulating effect. This bold effect will be softened if you use one color as the predominant with the other color as an accent color. Split-complimentary is matching one color from the wheel not to its complimentary color but to a pair of colors on either side of its complimentary color. Red would be teamed not with green but with shades of yellow and blue green. Varying the intensities of colors will have the best effect.

About The Author
Daryl Plaza is the owner of: windowcoveringresource.com - a website focused on helping people to understand more about their window coverings and how important your décors designs are. We have resources and reviews on window coverings, window covering ideas and tips so you can learn more before you buy your window treatments.