Decorate Ideas

The Victorian decorating style is one that combines antique accessories with modern methods and can really make your house stand out. Whether you have an old Victorian mansion or a new home, you can decorating with a Victorian style by changing small things, for instance painting and hanging vintage accessories to bring some of the Victorian age to your home.

A major component in victorian decorating is what you put on the walls. For this style the room colors make a big difference - you should contemplate putting reds and dark colors and anything with vintage appeal and depending on the particular style many colors either in your wall color or your accessories. Try using an antique style wallpaper and border sets on the walls, or if you want something different go with paint and stenciling. You don’t have to get too fancy or spend a lot of money and if you are afraid of a bit of color, merely paint the walls a neutral shade and let the accents in the room do the decorating.

The floor covering can make or break your decor, but if you can not buy new flooring then just use area rugs with a Victorian design. Oriental rugs are perfect for this type of decor and you can buy genuine antique rugs, or reproductions if you are on a budget.

Accessories are key to pulling your Victorian decor together. You’ll be surprised at the impact a few alterations can make! Concentrate on buying old photos, artwork and mantle clocks that match your Victorian decor. Be sure to add in plenty of antiques as well as Victorian era curios. Additional touches like vintage fabrics and vases filled with flowers can add that special touch that gives your home a professional look.

You might want to consider light fixtures in terms of both style and type to go with your Victorian decorating style,. Given that you are trying to get a Victorian look, you might want to take a look at using old fashioned ceiling lights with lamps with silk fringe shades but remember to pass up anything which is primitive or country looking. Don’t forget to include table lamps as well as wall sconces.

Furniture should be Victorian in style but you don’t have to use genuine antiques. For the sofa especially, you should consider a reproduction. This is because vintage Victorian sofas are very uncomfortable! Wooden pieces like side tables and curio cabinets would look best if you can buy real antiques - the new stuff is just not as beautiful as the old pieces with a rich patina. Always make sure you buy pieces that are in tip top condition.

How you dress your windows are important to your victorian decorating design theme. For a fantastic design in your parlor go with working with layered drapery or velvet curtains or heavy draped curtains with different fabrics. There are a lot of window treatments that can be paired with this design theme, particularly if you match fabrics to your window treatments, but you should avoid contemporary style window coverings.

One decorating area that is frequently overlooked when decorating is the wall space. Even the ugliest walls can be made to look good with great wall decor. Try adding vintage paintings and old photos to create an interesting look to your parlor walls to really bring out the charm of your Victorian Interior Design.

Putting together a perfect Victorian look in your home can be as basic as just buying new decorative accessories or as involved as replacing everything. Either way, working on the details and making sure to coordinate your furniture and decorative accessories will help you achieve a great new Victorian decorating look that you will be proud to claim you accomplished all by yourself!

Lee Dobbins writes for decoratinghowto.com where you can learn more about decorating your home in a variety of decorating styles.

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With such a dizzying array of choices in area rugs, which will be best for you and your home?

Well, there are a few major factors to consider when selecting the area rug for any particular room and first and foremost should be the general theme of the room’s decor. In other words, why would you put an oriental rug in a room that has southwestern furnishings? Even if the rug is a real beauty, it often can just simply look out of place and even detract from the appaearance of the room.

Of course, oriental and persian rugs are flexible and can be used successfully in many types of decor, but certain styles just clash and should not be attempted unless you really know what you are doing.

Contemporary rugs are a great choice with most modern room furnishings and they also come in a wide selection of patterns, colors and designs. You can find practically any color combination that you need in this one area rug category.

For western and southwestern decor, Navajo and southwestern style rugs are a great choice and usually enhance the overall theme of the room considerably.

Round and braided rugs are great selections for Early American themed rooms or rooms that are well-decorated with antiques evoking a feel for an older time. This design just fits in well and adds to the warm, comfortable atmosphere of it’s surroundings.

Once the thme of the room is matched, make sure that the colors you choose will accent and not clash with the furnishings, the wall colors, wallpaper, and flooring. It’s OK to use a splash of color to liven up the room, but be careful not to go overboard in this area as a little bright color goes a long way. And if the area rug will be placed in a high traffic setting, it may be beneficial to select a rug with darker shades anyway so it won’t show dirt and wear as easily.

And, of course don’t forget the cost. Handmade area rugs will most often cost quite a bit more than their machine made counterparts. Again, the decor of the room will often determine whether or not there is a need for such an expensive rug or not, but happily, many machine made rugs these days are not only very attractive in appearance but also wear well and hold up to years of use.

So then, taking a little time to determine your needs in advance can help you make a wise area rug selection.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics. You can find out more about area rug round by visiting our area rugs website.

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The bonsai is a very delicate plant; bonsai can be shaped and molded into any for you want, most people use wire and gently let the tree grow and shape itself according to the will of the gardener. Bonsai are a rare and stunning addition to any home, patio, garden or yard. And the bonsai can be long lasting if it is well cared for.

If you are looking for a new gift idea, one that no one else is likely to havecheck out the many kinds of bonsai trees available on the market. Especially for a housewarming present or any other presentand of course, as a gift for yourself if you want this elegant look that only bonsai can create in your own home.

The art of bonsai originated in Asia many centuries ago, the literal translation of the Japanese, means “tray planting”. As most gardening, growing bonsai is a truly artistic endeavor, there must be a similarity, or striking appropriateness of the pot in which you plant your bonsai. The tree must compliment the pot as the pot compliments the tree. Of course, as I mentioned before, the tree is then shaped. In fact, the tree, if not shaped by the gardener, will not live long and will grow, surprisingly enough, looking unlike a tree. Each branch and limb of a bonsai tree is shaped or clipped and molded into the perfect design.

Bonsai is the fine art of dwarfing trees and other kinds of plants to create a picturesque shape, when trained using the proper growing methods.

A successfully well-designed and well-maintained bonsai is a delicacy among the gardening arts. It is an ancient horticultural phenomenon and a perfect gift for any dedicated gardener you may know. And the bonsai make a lovely addition to any home, garden, patio, yard, office etc. It will be an impressive part of the overall look of your decor, as well as a unique touch that is certain to draw the eye and be the center of attention.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on gardening ideas please visit Garden Decor, or Garden Answers, or Garden Gifts.

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