Décor Tips and Tricks Everyone Should Know

Not everyone can afford the services of an interior decorator, but that doesn’t mean your home can’t look like a million dollars. Professionals are happy to share their knowledge, meaning you can use their tips and tricks without feeling guilty about it. Here are the most important décor advice, as dispensed by those in the know.

Let there be light:

Light makes a room appear bigger and lifts the mood. Keep windows and blinds open, and position mirrors across from windows to reflect light to extend their range and give the illusion there’s more light.

Light also creates atmosphere at night, if it’s soft. So invest in dimmer switches for overhead lights in the rooms that gets used the most and add a lamp or two (and drape a veil or something similar over).

Layer rugs and carpets:

        

An area rug on top of a wall-to-wall carpet is a quick and easy way to create warmth in a room. Pick a neutral colour for the wall-to-wall carpet and go for a rug in complementing colours. 

Make it a round one if you want to create movement as well as warmth. Keep it uneven

When grouping items, like candles and paintings, work with uneven numbers. Threes, fives, sevens, etc. have proven to be more interesting to the eye than even numbers.

Give it a personal touch:

Family photos, mementos from travels and children’s drawings are the type of things that make a house a home. Be sure to make them part of your décor or your home will be cold and impersonal.

Consider size and scale:
That big chest of drawers you like so much might not work in the smaller spare bedroom. Similarly, a big painting and a small painting might look odd next to each other. For reasons like these, home style tips by experts dictate that you always consider the size and scale of a room and the items that go into it.

Paint is your friend:

There is no quicker way to transform an entire room than by giving it a new colour. If you can’t afford to repaint the entire room, or if it is too much trouble, just do one accent wall. This creates a striking effect at very little cost. 

Texture creates interest:
Combine three or four different textures in a room to give it an instant lift. In the bedroom, for instance, think woven throws, mirrored night stands, soft linen bedding and a velvet headboard.

Spend money on big items:

If your budget is limited, don’t waste it on the smaller items in a room. Rather use the money you have on the big items, like an imposing chest of drawers, a chaise lounge or marble kitchen table. These types of investments will be much better buys.

Use one colour in different hues:
A room all done up in one colour will be very boring. Instead, use three or four hues that complement each other. Use two or three completely different colours if you’re daring.

Accessorize!:
You don’t have to spend thousands if you want to give a room a new look. By swopping decorative elements between rooms, or by shopping for a few new ones, you can redecorate for next to nothing. 

Article written by Chantel Harris

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Great Kitchen Styles

Colour is not limited to the paint on the walls. Interesting colours can be used as accents on accessories, wall finishes, borders, flooring inserts and window treatments. A sleek surface in a contemporary room gives a clean, almost austere look, but when the texture of rough, light-absorbing material is added, it creates a warm, welcoming buzz. In a kitchen there's no need to feel bound by fashion trends. Go with what makes you comfortable.

Grey is a good background colour in the kitchen as it enhances bright accents. Keep the bright touches to the accessories, and you will be able to change your look as trends and your budget change.

When light reflects off a surface, we perceive colour. Texture affects or perception of colour to the degree that it absorbs or reflects light. A room painted in high gloss yellow will be dazzling, whereas the same colour in linen will be much more mutted.

Inspiration: Kitchen and Dining by Marcia Margolius

Interior decor ideas: Country Kitchen

The style is reminiscent of the traditional farmhouse. Dark-stained doors get a new lease of life with distressed paint techniques and chicken-wire glass fronts. Keep the colour pale and accessorise the floral, herb and garland patterns. You don't need a rural setting to be able to gather round a country table laden with the colours and textures or earthenware crockery, wildflowers, and a charming mix of rustic and refined elements.

Accessories:
The use of green in this room is refreshing and teams well with the wooden counter tops. Under counter lighting highlights the decorative tiled floral insert on the walls. The chandelier above the dining table allows light to fall on the dining area while the rest of the room fades into the background. Wicker baskets slot into the modular shelf space beneath the wire mesh-fronted storage units.

The quarry-tiled floor is a rich tone of terracotta with a green insert, but wood and brick also works well in this rustic setting. A freestanding dining table, tableware, baskets, rattan chairs, cookware and jars of preserves complete the informal, rustic look. Roman blinds blend in with the style. For extra storage space, consider installing a simple pot rack on the wall.

Inspiration: Kitchen and dining by Marcia Margolius

Kitchen decor ideas: Seaside Chic

Natural textures with pale wood Shaker-styled units bring a fresh breeze into this seaside holiday home. The eclectic 'shabby chic' look continues to be a popular choice in casual, formal or contemporary settings.

Accessories.
Muted pastels, slightly wilted roses, chipped paint and pure whites blend modern practicality with wistful, old-fashioned aesthetic appeal. Tall glazed wall units, generously wide pot drawers and wooden counter tops are a feature of the u-shaped kitchen, where the work triangle is displayed to its best advantage. The plain white scheme complements the white-washed wooden beams and chunky wooden counter tops that add warmth to the kitchen. The plate racks on the walls add chararcter, and open shelves display colourful crockery and glass jars. The glass-fronted units give the room a lighter look compared to the solid doors on the units housing cookware and china. Stools pulled up to the counter top for casual dining have faded floral cushions for comfort.

Inspiration: Kitchen and Dining by Marcia Margolius

Dappled sunshine and citrus shades

This is a modern house in the country, and you can really feel the sunshine streaming into this space with its bright citrus shades and leafy patterns. The predominant colour is lime green, accompanied by an interesting mix of turquoise, pale blues, fresh greens and touches of pink. The hard lines of the architecture have been softened by the leaf print at the window - a reference to the trees outside, and the translucent checks in lime and turquoise filter the light and accentuate its sunny, dappled quality. But the geometry of the square-paned windows is too strong to be ignored - it has been picked up in the contemporary prints on the armchair, cushions and ottoman.