Although garden furniture maybe a bizarre topic of conversation in the height of winter, it’s not actually as ludicrous as you may think. Springtime can be an excellent opportunity to spend time in your garden, and it is often the most popular time for sowing seeds and observing wildlife. Many garden furniture retailers drop their prices in the wintertime, as spending time outside isn’t the most pressing thought on homeowners’ minds. This means it can be the perfect time to browse through ranges and catch the perfect deal on some designer garden furniture. With shopping in mind, it’s time to consider what’s going to be in fashion for the spring season of 2012.

Creating Levels

Interior design within the home is all about creating different visual levels, creating texture and adding personality. Many people neglect the idea of creating different levels in the garden, yet it can make for an incredibly attractive outdoor area! Hanging chairs are perfect for adding a new visual level and are a must-have garden furniture accessory for the spring. You can enjoy relaxing in it as you watch the daffodils bloom and listen to the birds sing.

A Source of Heat

You’re probably under no illusion that the early months of the year aren’t the warmest, but by no means does that mean you can’t enjoy your garden! It just means you have to prepare properly and invest in an attractive outdoor heater. Chimneas can not only be a great way to keep warm throughout the day or night, and they are also an extremely popular ornamental feature for the contemporary garden. Fire pits also are also a common designer garden feature particularly for those who entertain. Place it in the middle of the seating area to keep everyone warm.

Somewhere to Dine

Eating outside can be pleasant at any time of the year, particularly, having brunch on a crisp, cool spring morning. Metal garden furniture sets are timeless classics that can add a touch of class to any style of garden. Their durable, sleek frames allow them to enhance the appearance of a contemporary or traditional garden. Table and chair sets are perfect for dining on the decking, whilst absorbing the tranquil atmosphere in your garden. If you have a rather large garden, you could accompany your table and chair set with a metal garden bench from the same range for style continuity.

Spring is the perfect time for observing nature, watching animals give birth to their young and seeds germinate and eventually bloom. Too many people shy away from the garden during the spring because of the typically cold and wet weather. Ensuring you have the necessary garden furniture and accessories allows you to take advantage of this wonderful season from the comfort of your own home.

Source: kagozi.com via Erica on Pinterest

Our master bedroom was due for a makeover. I knew the colors I wanted, so I ordered a bedding set and logged onto Pinterest. I started gathering images of grey and red decor, looking for pieces that would inspire the design for the room. I knew I wanted it to be modern, yet soft. I was tempted to go monochromatic and just do greys, but I’d seen some greys paired with a bright red and I fell. in. love.

I started out with 3 obstacles:

1. We rent, so I couldn’t paint the walls.
2. My furniture is antique and all dark brown. No changing that.
3. Budget. While I had saved up a little for the project I didn’t have a lot to spend

The bedding came from Bed Bath and Beyond. Nothing fancy. Under $100 for the whole set: Comforter, bed skirt, 2 shams and 3 decorative pillows. I picked up the white sheets at Tuesday Morning.

Source: etsy.com via Erica on Pinterest

After that, I lived and breathed Pinterest for about 3 hours. I searched, pinned and dreamed. My husband isn’t big on having floral patterns or overly girly stuff in our bedroom, and we both lean more towards either modern or retro decor, so traditional or chic was out of the question. These bird pillows caught my eye, and I knew right away I had a theme. I brainstormed a bit and came up with an idea for the main piece of artwork. We don’t have a headboard, so I wanted something big that would go above the bed and form the focal point of the room. I came up with this 3 dimensional wall hanging. Everything else would have to tie into that.

HobbyLobby became my obsession. At least 1 visit a day, sometimes 2 or 3 for about 4 days. I scoured the sale items, used coupons on the full-priced items and came away with some really good stuff.

Here’s what I ended up with:

• Pinterest Inspiration Board for Grey and Red Bedroom
• 4 large blank canvases, some acrylic paints and brushes, branches from the floral department, and a feathered bird
• 2 red flameless candles and 1 red ball candle
• 2 black woven baskets from Hobby Lobby and 2 matching red ones from Tuesday Morning
• Metal bird on a branch from Hobby Lobby
• 3 large red silk flowers and more sticks from Hobby Lobby floral dept.
• 2  – 1/2-yard pieces of fabric from the local quilt shop

• 1 black plate – already on hand
• 1 large metal vase – already on hand
• black spray paint – already on hand
• 3 black and white family photos in black frames – the only existing wall decor in the room (sad, isn’t it?)
• 1 large oil painting my husband did in high school. I’ve loved it forever but we’d never hung it up.

With a little craftiness (the good kind!) and some holding things up in different places, trying to decide what to put where, I ended up with a room I adore.

It’s so relaxing now to walk in there and have everything match. It’s modern, yet soft, and just what I hoped for. While the planning and dreaming took about 4 days, the actual project only took 2 afternoons. This includes painting and assembling the decor. There is a certain pride in knowing I created this peaceful retreat myself!

A fun note? My husband’s painting was not a part of my original plan. I actually had almost everything else hung and was lamenting over the blank space above the TV when I spotted the painting leaning against the wall in the livingroom. I’ve always wanted to hang it, but never had a space for it. I tried it. The colors matched perfectly and it was just the right size. Also? It has the whole “branches theme” going on. Love.

What DIY projects have you been up to lately? If you could make-over any room in your house, which would it be and what would you do?

PS. Are you on Pinterest? If not, get yourself over there. Pronto.

Ready to craft? This project is so easy, anyone can do it. Before you start making excuses, let me tell you, I’d never painted before. Never used acrylics or done art on canvas. I can hardly even draw a straight line. Now that your excuses are gone, pick your colors and your theme and let’s get started!

Need some ideas?

Use different kinds of sticks. Maybe some cherry blossom or pussy willow. Use real or fake, colored or solids.

Maybe leave off the bird and use butterflies. You could make a really pretty seasonal decor by choosing a neutral background and changing out different branches with the seasons…

This project should take two days. Acrylics take a while to dry. Also, if you’re spray painting anything like I did, you’ll want those nice and dry before you try to add them to the canvas.

Day 1, Step 1 in creating your own three-dimensional wall art:

Paint your canvases with some acrylic paint. Be sure to put it on thicker than it looks like you’ll need because after it dries the canvas tends to show through where the paint isn’t very thick. Pick a pattern for applying the paint and stick with it. I used circular strokes to create a soft look. You could do short quick dabs to create a more choppy look.

Step 2:

Leave the canvases to dry and start preparing your foliage. For me, this meant separating the sticks I found in the floral department, laying them out on plastic (outside!) and spray painting them. These will need to be turned and painted again on the other side later…

Step 3:

If you plan to use an additional color on your canvases (I mixed some white and light grey to make the moon) you can go ahead and add that. The first coat of paint doesn’t have to be hard to add more, just stiff enough that you won’t be blending the colors. Go ahead and add anything you want. Perhaps an inspirational quote, or a word you live by. When you’re done with that, check your sticks (if you’re painting some) to see if they’re dry enough to flip and paint again.

Day 2, step 4:

Lay your canvases out on a table or counter, in the same way you plan to put them on the wall. Pick a side to anchor your foliage to. You’ll only want to tie your sticks, branches, stems, etc to one canvas. This will make hanging them easier. Start arranging the stems the way you want them. When everything is laid out just right, use a needle and some thread (use a big knot on your thread so it won’t pull thru) and starting from the back, poke the needle through the canvas.

Tack the sticks on in at least 2 places for each stick. If there are any Y’s in the sticks or places where two stems cross create an X pattern with your tread. This will help to secure the branches so they don’t move up, down, or sideways. Tip: Do this at the kitchen counter. With all the stems arranged pull the canvas out towards you so half of it is on the countertop, and half is hanging off, allowing you to get your hand underneath while you’re sewing. Also, use very long sections of thread so you don’t have to tie off and start over too often.

Step 5:

Once all your foliage is tacked to the canvas add any birds, fruit, butterflies, etc. These usually come with wires so you can just tie them right to the branches. If not, some good craft glue should do the trick!

Step 6:

Hang up your artwork. Tip: Use two nails per canvas, spacing them out a bit. This will help to keep them from going off-level (something you’ll notice very easily if you have more than one hanging side by side) and the canvas that has stuff tacked to it will be very off balance; one nail simply won’t do it!

Now, step back and smile with pride. You’ve just created a masterpiece! See how I created a master-bedroom makeover with this project as a wall centerpiece!

If you make something, we’d love to see it! Just add your link to a comment so we can all ooh and ahh over your project! Subscribe to our newsletter and Like us on Facebook for future crafts and projects.

As the winter descends, it’s more important than ever to have a cosy and comfortable living room where you can relax away from the harshness of the cold outdoors. In order for your living room to be an enjoyable room to relax in, it needs to be decorated luxuriously so you’ll never want to leave your sofa! If your living room décor is looking a little tired and dilapidated, you’ll need to partake in some tactical accessorising to revitalise its beauty.

A Warming Accessory

Radiators are an absolute necessity for warmth and comfort within the home. Designer radiators allow you to have a functional item which provides warmth whilst improving the appearance of your living room. Quirky designs which catch the eye can really create an impact – they can serve as an ornamental feature as well as source of heat. If your home has more of a traditional feel, you can choose on of the more traditional radiators with a modern edge, rather than having the unattractive, conventional white radiator hindering the appearance of your living room.

Comfort Under Foot

Rugs are the ultimate accessory for comfort and homeliness. They should invite your feet to rest on them with their plush texture and welcoming appearance. They’re more effective on wooden floors as the change in texture is more noticeable. The beauty of rugs is that they’re available in so many different designs and colours that you can always find the perfect one for your living room. Shop around for the perfect rug, don’t be too hasty, and always return it if it just doesn’t feel quite right for your home. They can often look ideal in the shop, but sizing, colour and lighting can affect just how it looks in your living room. Once you’ve found the perfect rug, you can sit back and watch your beloved pet sprawl in front of the fire on it.

A Burning Centerpiece

Fireplaces are essential for living rooms, from contemporary designs to traditional wood burning fires; they’re the ultimate centrepiece for any comfortable home. Fireplaces can be great to display accessories on, too. Place tea lights around the bottom of the fireplace when entertaining to create a romantic and calming atmosphere. Flowers can add a feminine touch to your centerpiece, but make sure they’re not placed too close to the open flame as they could pose a hazard! Also, if you have young children or pets, a fireguard can ensure their safety.

Making your living room cosy for the winter can really help you to appreciate it more. Many families spend the majority of their time at home in the living room, so comfort should be the primary aspect of the room. Once you’ve decorated for the winter, you can relax and put your feet up in the cosiest room of the house.

Christmas is the time when families and loved ones spend quality time together, and for many homeowners, it’s a busy time for entertaining and hosting parties. If you’re hosting Christmas dinner or a festive party this year, you’ll need to decorate your kitchen accordingly. If you’re stuck for a few ideas on what seasonal decorations are in fashion this Christmas then here are a few accessorising tips to get you started.

Festive Food

Decorating your dining table is incredibly important as, unless you’re dining out, that’s where you and your family will be eating your Christmas dinner. Carefully select some festive table linen of a high quality.  Red and gold are traditionally popular and can add plenty of warmth to your kitchen. Rectangle and oblong tables can often benefit from a gold table runner. The gold enforces the Christmas theme, and the table runner makes guests feel more connected – a necessity if you have a large family gathering.

If you have a round table, then focus on creating a focal point in the centre of the table. A Christmas candelabra is the perfect seasonal centrepiece, cradling lit candles which set a relaxing and homely ambience.

If you don’t have enough chairs to seat everyone and have to call in the “emergency chairs,” you can find that the appearance of your kitchen is somewhat off-balance. If you have an array of chairs in different designs, sizes and styles, then use chair coverings to make them appear a little more co-ordinated. Chair coverings are available in a variety of different styles and colours; mono-colour chair coverings in gold or white can create a modern, sophisticated feel whilst still adhering to the Christmas theme. If you’re handy with a sewing kit, you could even make your own. They’d be unique and original and in any design you like!

Festive Foliage

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a Christmas tree, but aside from this traditional necessity, there are a wide variety of other plants available which are now used to accessorise the home for Christmas.

Small, fibre-optic Christmas trees are becoming more popular in the modern home as they’re low maintenance and appealing to the eye. Whilst a large Christmas tree may not be possible for display in a kitchen with limited space, small fibre optics can bring the festive cheer to conservatories, kitchens, dining rooms and even porches.

Artificial leafless twig plants with illumination are also popular in the modern kitchen. Their appearance mimics that of a small shrub in winter when its leaves have fallen off. The twigs are fibre-optic or have small lightbulbs on; some have a static colour whilst others flash between a variety of colours. Artificial twig plants are spectacular for filling those empty corners in your home, their slender design enables them to brighten up the smallest of spaces. The twig colours are generally available in gold, silver and bronze choose the one which best complements your table decorations.

When entertaining this Christmas, impress your guests with a welcoming, festive home. Don’t forget you can always serve your food with a Christmas touch. Surround your Turkey with holly when serving, and provide your guests’ hot drinks in Christmas themed mugs.

En-suite bathrooms can add value to the home in terms of buying and selling, but they can also add value to your home’s functionality. Personal en-suite bathrooms are a great personal hygiene facility that doesn’t have to be shared with the rest of the family. This means you don’t ever have to wait for the bathroom, and you can relax in your bath, knowing no one’s bladder’s reaching bursting point due to you occupying the bathroom.

When decorating an en-suite bathroom, you’ll want it to be the perfect place for relaxation with personal touches, so it really feels like your own space. However, space is often limited in en-suites, so you’ll need to ensure your décor creates space and co-ordinates with the adjoining bedroom.

Accent colour

When picking an accent colour for your en-suite, you can use your bedroom décor to influence your choice. Take a look at the different colours and shades in your bed linen and choose one of these as an accent colour for your bathroom accessories. The colour scheme in your en-suite is entirely up to you, but remember that lighter, neutral colours create the illusion of more space, and darker colours counteract this.

Flooring

Choosing flooring for your en-suite requires some serious consideration. It can be tempting to use the same flooring as the bedroom to create the feeling of continuity and flow within your home, but this, however, may not be practical as the flooring may not be durable enough for bathroom use. Carpets can be plush and comforting, and although they feel great to step on after bathing, they can be incredibly hard to maintain. The constant saturation of the carpet can cause it harbour smells of damp, and it is much harder to clean than tiles or vinyl flooring. If you really want that flow between the two rooms, pick out specific bathroom flooring in the same shade or colour as your bedroom flooring.

Using Light to Create Space

Creating the illusion of space within en-suite bathrooms can be the difference between a cramped-feel and a luxurious feel (you’ll obviously want the latter). Mirrors and natural light are the key to creating space, and work rather well in conjunction with each other. White bathroom suites and chrome taps are the key to creating more space in your bathroom. Large bathroom mirrors really help to reflect the light in your bathroom too, as well as being used for vanity purposes.

Halogen down-lighters are the best way to get strong artificial light, and you should only need a few if your en-suite is rather small. Some halogen down-lighters can be fitted with an extractor fan too which is convenient for ventilation purposes as moisture can ruin the appearance of the bathroom.

When decorating your en-suite bathroom, consider how the room can add value to both your home and lifestyle. Co-ordinate it with the bedroom, but ensure that it has individuality and works as a stand-alone room.

Photo: jdn, flickr.com

Decorating the living room was an easy feat pre-parenthood. My husband and I didn’t have to worry about picture frames getting knocked off the coffee table or magazines getting rumpled and torn up. I remember how we used to keep stacks of Good Housekeeping and Real Simple on in a pretty little basket just under the coffee table, and how we’d have a nice vase of fresh flowers every so often on the side table beside the one-seater.

Gone are those days! With a 2 year-old running around the house 24/7, I’ve had to spare my magazines their fate (they’re now stored in files in the home office), and we’ve made some kid-friendly adjustments to our living room decoration.

As parents, we should want our living room to be a place where our child feels welcome, not restricted. And since we all want our homes to be both pretty and practical, here are some tips that can help us achieve that balance.

1. Go for multi-purpose furniture.

Coffee table: Opt for a solid wood coffee table, preferably one with storage capabilities. A wooden table made of mahogany or a similar hard wood makes for a sturdy activity area. It’s versatile and can be decorated with a pleasant runner and a happy bowl of ornaments, but sturdy enough to withstand the kids’ play times.

Ottomans with storage: Look for ottomans that are dual-purpose and have storage capabilities. This way, you can easily store the kids’ toys, coloring books and crayons, board games, and other items they might frequently use in the living room.

Toy-box benches: You can line one end of the living room with benches that double as seating (just add cushioned padding and throw pillows on top) and toy boxes for storage.

2. Create a kids’ nook.

Create an area in the living room for a kids’ play area or nook.  This can be achieved by allocating a certain area for their kids’ toys and games, such as in a quiet corner behind the sofa or in one side of the living room. You can place their toys in functional shelves which can store baskets (I personally like Ikea’s Expedit shelves for this purpose), or have large decorative baskets which can double as tabletop surfaces.

3. Arrange kids’ artwork in frames on the walls.

Displaying the kids’ art work in frames is a great way to add warmth and character to your living room. Create a mini art gallery of your children’s favorite paintings and drawings by hanging them in decorative frames around the living room walls. The frames will add that modern and grown-up touch to your living area while the illustrations will give character to your walls, not to mention an instant face lift! Try interspersing photos of the family as well amidst the artwork; you’ll feel refreshed at how these displays can uplift the entire mood of your living room! (Here are some creative ways to hang decorative plates and how to create a wall display of varied-size frames.)

4. Use slipcovers.

Protect your sofa and other upholstered furniture with attractive slipcovers. They’re washable, so you can easily remove and replace them when they get soiled from dirty hands or random crayon scribbles! Steer clear of white slipcovers, though; instead, opt for patterned or darker colors which can camouflage stains and slip-ups if they happen. (Of course, wash the spills off as soon as they happen and have them professionally cleaned as needed.)

5.  Opt for eggshell finish on the walls.

Eggshell finishes are scrub-able, so if your kids happen to scribble on the walls, you can easily clean those stains off with a cleanser and water. Go for a nice neutral color that fits your living room’s overall look.

What are some of your kid-friendly decorating tips for the living room? Leave a comment and tell us all about it!

 

It doesn’t matter if you aren’t an interior decorator, or if you have a fixer-upper house that will never be perfect. You can remodel your home room-by-room to create a homey, classic, or elegant feel by following these seven steps.

Taking Home Decor From Drab to Fab in Seven Steps (the Before)

When I was getting ready to tackle the living room remodel and decorating project (read that as “having mental breakdowns thinking about how horrid the room looked so I was ashamed to have company”) I stumbled across this book at the GoodWill. Ten cents later I had a brilliant plan that even I could follow. Thank you, Lord, for sending me Christopher Lowell’s Seven Layers of Design: Fearless, Fabulous Decorating. Even I can follow directions, seven steps at a time.

The seven steps, or layers as Lowell calls them, of redesigning a room, are:

Paint and Architecture – Painting a room(aff) doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it might seem. I used the tone suggestions from the book to create a stunning, but monochromatic color scheme in my living room that brightened the entire room. Not only that, but the three colors together helped to disguise certain features, while making other unavoidable features (the “architecture” of the room) look much prettier.

Installed Flooring – While I personally had to skip this step in my living room temporarily because of our budget, we will be adding completely new flooring to the living room to tie the whole the floor together. Consider whether you’ll need to redo your existing flooring or work it into your remodeling design.

Upholstered Furniture – The large, upholstered pieces are usually the most expensive to replace and should last you the longest. Choosing neutral tones that can be decorated with a wide variety of accent fabrics and colors will give you the most flexibility long-term.

Accent Fabrics – These are the more easily-changed out fabrics like throw pillows, dining chairs with easily reupholstered cushions, curtains, etc. Because the places we use accent fabrics are less expensive to replace or remodel, they are the best places to be daring, try new things or trendy print. When the trends change, so can your table runner.

Non-Upholstered Furniture – One thing I picked up from Lowell’s advice was to make sure that your non-upholstered furniture served a real purpose (he called them “workhorses”) and that there were enough of them in the room. Each sitting place should have a spot to set a cup of hot chocolate down close-at-hand. We chose fabulous wooden furniture pieces to fill in this gap.

Paint, Photos and Plants to Create Layers of Good Design

Accessories – You knick-knacks, brick-a-brack, photos, wall-hangings, baskets and other accessories brighten a room, add color and interest, are another place to take daring chances, add seasonal accents and can be easily changed and exchanged according to your whims and moods.

Plants and Light – Adding plants and flowers softens the harsh edges of a room, helps freshen the air, draws the eye and creates a stress-relieving atmosphere. Likewise, consider adding light in levels – something I had never done before until reading Lowell’s book. Floor lamps, spot lamps, candle-light and accent lighting, in addition to your overhead lighting will help draw the eye away from sore spots, accentuate focal points and soften the harsh shadows cast by straight overhead lighting. Put together plants and lighting add the final welcoming touches that say “sit and stay for awhile” instead of “Whaddya want? Now go away”.

It took me three days of non-stop work to implement the seven layers of design into my poor rent-house-white living room. Adding layers of color, furniture pieces, displaying my treasures in attractive ways, and bringing in new lamps and candles made such an amazing difference.

What’s stopping you from taking on the challenge of creating a new room? Work step-by-step and make your house a home one room at a time.

Nate Berkus

I had the privilege of sitting in on a phone interview with several other bloggers and got to hear Nate Berkus, star of The Nate Berkus Show, share some very helpful and specific home decor ideas that I think you’re going to love. I got a chance to ask Nate a couple questions and want to share those with you – ask well as tips and tricks garnered from my fellow blogger’s questions as well.

Decorating a Kid-Friendly Living Room

Untrained Housewife: How can a parent who still has children at home, marry their desire for beauty with their reality of oh…being a mom of four? What would your tips be for a kid friendly and parent friendly common room design?

Nate Berkus: “I think it’s really about sort of unconventional storage solutions, whether it’s decorative baskets – that are arranged as trunks or coffee tables, you know they need to be sturdy. You can use them as extra seating, but toys can go inside.

And I’m always very conscious of little fingers being slammed in heavy things. So I like the idea of being able to organize a space that has storage options that kids can access themselves without getting hurt.

Arrange breakables and beautiful pictures up on a wall.

But my fantasy room for that is really what goes up on the wall, that they can’t wreck.

Whether it’s a wall of different framed objects mixed with images, mixed with artwork, whatever tells the story of your family and who you are, that’s always a safe place to decorate with children.

And then I see some very durable sectional or sofa, and really cool accent pieces that already have age and patina to them so that when the bananas get smashed into the top of the side table, or the vintage trunk you use as a side table, whatever it might be, it’s not a crisis.”

I love these fabulous tips from Nate about decorating a common room area for both child-safety and pleasing aesthetics. Child-friendly storage units, sturdy furniture, well-chosen accents, and fragile or beautiful items on higher levels out of small children’s reach. It’s a brilliant way to still display a company-ready room, while not keeping it out of reality for active parents who have young children.

Thanks to Nate Berkus for his time – look for future posts with more of Nate’s amazing tips and tricks for home decoration and interior design.

An urban loft with new laminate floors

I’ve got to admit, I’m more of a nuts n’ bolts person by nature, but I’ve picked up some decorating and interior design knowledge over the years, and especially over the last year when a couple of decorating consultant friends have been broadening my rather limited horizon.

Broadly speaking, the theme of the newly renovated space depends on two factors. First, the personality and vision of the occupants, and secondly, what you’ve got to work with both physically and with respect to the decorating budget.

Coming Up with the Basic Decorating Theme

Sometimes, the existing architecture will nudge you in a certain direction. For example, a ranch style house lends itself to a southwestern style of decorating. That’s not written in stone; there’s nothing wrong with breaking with tradition if you’re eclectic like I am.

Over the past decade, it’s become increasingly popular to retrofit inner city lofts. Since these living spaces are basically one big open room, they lend themselves to being rather stark by nature and look great with a modern theme. Think contemporary, shiny, stainless stainless steel Energy Star appliances and modern pendant track lighting.

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Window Treatments and the Appearance of Windows

The aforementioned lofts are sometimes a bit lacking in the window department and make up for the natural lighting with skylights. Unfortunately, this can still be a bit claustrophobic. Luckily, there are some clever workarounds to this situation.

The easiest way to do this is to balance a room with faux windows. There are many ways to do this. Murals are likely one of the oldest methods. Maybe that is what our paleolithic ancestors had in mind when the did the cave paintings in Lascaux, France. We certainly know the Romans were big on this method.

Fast forward to 2010. It’s easy to mount an actual wood window frame on the wall and install a high resolution photo as a background. For those with really deep pockets, substituting an LED screen for the photo can add a striking effect.

Window treatments? These go from absurdly cheap homemade drapes to energy-saving Hunter Douglas Duette Architella honeycomb shades that will even score you an energy tax credit.

Well, these are just a few ideas to spark your imagination. You’re limited only by your creativity. Of course, if you’re a nuts n’ bolts guy like me, you might want to get in touch with Angie’s List to find an interior decorator and contractors in your area that come highly recommended by your neighbors.