Creative Ways to Decorate a Kid's Room

There is probably nothing more fun than taking the time to decorate a kid’s room.  They simply love having a new room that has a spark of their own personality.  Allowing your child to help you decorate is a great way to bond and to get to know them.  While many parents may not want to have their kid’s input, it is important to allow them to choose some aspect of their room such as the color.  There are many other creative things that can be done to make a kid’s room truly unique.

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Choosing the Appropriate Home Theme

Home ThemeIf you have just purchased a home or are tired of your existing décor, you may be thinking of a new home theme.  There are so many new ideas and DIY kits out there to make a home truly memorable that it can be difficult deciding on just one. There are many ways to create a theme for your home.  Some may be more appropriate than others.  You may need to take into consideration how much of your home bears this theme such as if the theme is going to include the outside of the home as well as the interior.

Many gated communities or condominium complexes have strict rules regarding the decorative aspects of the exterior of the home.  They want a unity to all of the exterior colors so check with your homeowners association before doing any projects to the outside of the home.  You may find your home looks great on the outside just to be told you have fines to pay and that you need to repair the home back to a state that conforms to the rules of the homeowners association.  This does not mean you cannot make improvement to the exterior; you just need to do them within the guidelines.

The interior of the home offers much more leeway.  There are usually no standards to go by when choosing a theme for the inside of the house.  Just figure out what is appropriate for your theme and you can work away on it.  You can find pieces that fit the theme as well as cabinet hardware that matches and follows this theme.  The following are a few themes for a home that can be used:

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Benefits of Shopping Online Opposed to the Big Store

Anytime you want to purchase something, you may just jump in your car and head to the closest discount store to get the best price.  You think that this is the way to save the most money.  The problem with this is that while there are some savings, you may be giving up quality.  Also, there are other ways to shop to get a better price.  Shopping online can offer many benefits to the shopper as opposed to the big store discount chains.

  • Quality – Even if you save money, you can give up quality.  How much of a savings is there when the product breaks or is damaged because it was not made to withstand the test of time?  You end up having to buy the item again to replace the one that is no longer functional.  Instead, spend the same amount online and get a better product that does last much longer because the quality is better.

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Inexpensive Upgrades to Help Sell Your Home

inexpensive upgradesSelling your home can be difficult today because of the drop in sales in the housing market.  Homes are not being sold for the same price that they were purchased as housing costs are plummeting with the market.  There are some inexpensive upgrades that can be made to the home that can help it sell much quicker and for a better price than the market shows.  The following are some inexpensive tips to upgrading your home to help you sell it.

  1. Go Green – You can make your home more desirable by putting in some green and ecologically friendly aspects.  Switch out your existing lighting with low energy LED lighting or other more economical light types.  You can also plant some shade trees that offer a cooler home.  Install a downspout with a barrel to collect rainwater for watering the garden.  Low flow toilets and shower heads can also make the home more green and help it to sell much quicker.
  2. Kitchen Bring your kitchen up to date by changing some small parts of it.  The pulls and hinges on the cabinets and drawers can be changed out to something more modern that adds a nicer touch to it.  Replace the old sink hardware with new and see how quickly the look of the kitchen is updated.  If you have some DIY skills, you can always change the paint or the stain color of the cabinets to make them look fresher.
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Decorative Hardware Styles and Colors

Crystal Knobs
Crystal Knobs

Many people simply use the same hardware for their drawers that they use on their cabinets.  When the drawers are in the bedroom or dining room china cabinet, it is not common to switch out from the stock ones that come with them.  When redecorating, do not forget that you can create a new look by simply changing the decorative hardware styles to match the new décor.

If you are changing a child’s room to a more grown up look, when they transition from toddlers to school children, you may want to give the room a more grownup look that can easily transition to the teenage years.  For a boy’s room, you may want to choose the colors of blue and green.  The great news is that there are drawer pulls in many variations of these colors which are also made out of stone and other materials.  Use more feminine colors when decorating a girl’s room such as lilac or peach.

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Tips for Decorating with Switch Plates

Switch platesThere are many small changes that you can make within your home to enhance your decor and one great way to make a difference is by installing decorative switch plates. The switch plate was originally designed as a way to protect you and your family from the electrical wires within the walls. They still serve this very important function but they’re not all just plain and simple anymore.

Decorative switch plates come in a variety of styles and colors. For example, some of the finishes include antique bass, copper, flat black, satin pewter, marble, nickel plated and chrome but there are still other options available. They’re also available in many different designs from the simple to the extravagant. They come in a variety of prices but most all of them are very affordable making it possible for you to choose a designed that suits your needs and décor perfectly.

Some of these are plain while others have designs etched into the edges and some of them are themed orientated to make them more decorative. For example, you can buy switch plates designed for nurseries, children’s rooms or ones that are animal or sport themed. Some are designed especially for bathrooms and kitchens and some can be used anywhere. There are many options to choose from.

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