Grab a pillow and find out. Changing kitchen counters is no small undertaking, but switching from an inexpensive material, like laminate, to a luxurious one, like marble, granite or quartzite , can significantly change the overall appearance of a kitchen or bathroom. The kitchen backsplash is another area ripe with opportunity. Even if you leave the existing counters in place, you can add or replace an existing backsplash using a favorite tile made from ceramic, glass, metal or cement.
If the cabinet doors have a design that looks dated, you can sometimes keep the existing cabinets carcasses, and replace the doors only. Many companies offer prefabricated vanities , complete with matching tops and sinks. Simply replacing cabinet pulls with new hardware can significantly change the look of a kitchen or bathroom. The kitchen and bathroom faucets are also no place to skimp — you touch them every day, so choose models that not only look good, but also have handles that feel reassuring when you turn them, and heads that offer the functionality you desire.
In a bathroom, this line of thinking extends to accessories as well — quality towel bars, robe hooks and toilet roll holders can all give the room an upgraded appearance at minimal cost.
Recycle your old ones and buy new towels and washcloths in a single solid color you deserve it. For a decorative accent, add patterned hand towels. This is the softest towel we tested—it feels like a plush towel from a luxury hotel and comes in a wider variety of sumptuous colors than any other we found.
Olsen, who has designed powder rooms with wild wallpaper and mirrored wall panels. That sentiment was echoed by Ms. Finally, remember that decorating should be fun. By Tim McKeough. Know Your Measurements Matching the scale of furniture to the scale of a room is critical. Copy the Pros Look in design books and magazines, as well as at online resources like Houzz , Pinterest and Instagram to sharpen your personal style. Plan the Phases Finishing drywall, refinishing hardwood floors and painting ceilings is all messy work.
When Decorating Styles Clash March 17, Entryway Ideas The foyer or entrance hall creates the first impression, so make it count. Design to Your Routine With a few key furniture pieces and accessories, you can make your daily arrival and departure sequence a breeze. Plan for the Weather As the first space people enter when coming from outside, the foyer has to deal with a lot — ice, snow, rainwater, mud and whatever else Mother Nature decides to deliver. Dining and Living Room Decor Ideas The main living areas, whether they are separate rooms or combined in an open-concept space, set the stage for life with family and friends.
Create the Palette You can see colors, patterns and metal finishes online, but digital images are mere approximations of what the real things look like. Treat the Walls Paint colors are notorious for appearing different hues in different light conditions and seeming to change between the paint store to home.
Choose the Furniture Working from your floor plan and inspiration images, choose the specific pieces of furniture — the sofas, chairs and tables — that will make the space livable.
Related Guide How to Buy a Couch This guide from Wirecutter will walk you through everything you need to know to bring home a durable, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture. How Things Flow No living room sofa or chair should be an island of its own. Add Rugs A living room with hardwood floors but no rug looks naked. There are three common strategies for doing so: A room-filling rug. Install a rug that covers almost the entire floor of the room, leaving a border or just a foot or two at the edges.
This usually works best in smaller rooms. Seating area rugs. Break a larger room down into multiple seating areas by using rugs to visually hold each group of furniture together. Or, in an open-concept space, use a rug to hold the living area together, while allowing the dining area to sit directly on the wood floor. Layered rugs. Pile smaller rugs on top of a larger one to create extra visual interest while reinforcing the layout of the room.
Related Guide The Best Affordable Area Rugs Wirecutter researched hundreds of budget area rugs, interviewed experts, and tested rugs with panelists, then put their feet on our favorites at home to find the best.
Finish With Art and Accessories The last step to finishing any room is to add art and accessories, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Sign Up for the Real Estate Newsletter Every week, get updates on residential real estate news, covering the five boroughs and beyond. Make a list of every single piece of furniture you want. Consider side tables, sofas , lounge chairs, entryway consoles, and bar cabinets.
Have you always wanted a chaise lounge? Maybe you'd like a vanity to get ready in the morning? Write it all down. Now is not the time to restrain yourself with budgets or measurements—let yourself dream up your ultimate wish list regardless of what actually makes sense.
Your deliverable: An ultimate wish list of everything you want in your space, regardless of space or budget. Once you know your needs and wants, place these items in a floor plan to see which ones make the cut. Use a paper and pen or an app like LucidChart to make a floor plan to scale, and start dropping furniture pieces in. Don't limit yourself with a budget yet—consider only spatial requirements.
As a guide, leave three feet of walking space in high traffic areas and one to two feet between sofas and tables. Your deliverable: A floor plan or a few floor plan options depicting how you want your space to flow, complete with all the furniture you'll need. Once you have a furniture plan, use the same floor plan to map out your lighting. Consider all sources of light— pendants , flush mounts, sconces, floor lamps, etc. Add floor lamps near lounge chairs and sofas, and table lamps on side tables, buffets, and consoles.
As a general rule, every room should have three sources of light at eye level, positioned around the room in a triangular shape. Your deliverable: Your furniture plan complete with a lighting map—and a list of your lighting needs. Now that you have a clear idea of what you need and where you need it, it's time to start assigning dollar figures. To do this, input your furniture list into a spreadsheet with a total budget amount at the bottom—pick a figure that you're comfortable with and seems reasonable regarding the number of things you have to buy.
Then, start assigning numbers to each item according to how much you think it costs or how much you feel comfortable spending on it. Remember to budget at least 20 percent for unplanned issues, taxes, delivery, and other fees. Your deliverable: A detailed budget plan to guide you through the purchasing phase.
Desiree Burns Interiors. Now comes the fun part: shopping for pieces you love. As you narrow down each piece, add its price to your budget spreadsheet. If you go over, try making substitutions until you reach a budget that you're comfortable with. Most items and styles are available at a variety of price points, so don't be afraid to visit various retailers to see if you can find a similar item at a better price.
Consider decorating in a high-traffic area such as your entryway or living room. Or you might set your energy to one category of decorating that affects several rooms, such as painting, for instance. You might color-coordinate apartment walls with shades in your favorite pieces of furniture. A fresh coat of color could make a great start for your decorating fantasia. Take care of a decor sore spot Is there a place in your apartment that looks awkward or feels unpleasant to you?
That might be the best place to decorate first. If you are not happy about that spot now, your feelings about this area are not going to improve without a change. Decorate there so you will feel better about the decor projects that follow. How the room is used, and by whom, should be considered as you arrange each room and choose materials, accessories, and accents. Consider the needs of each individual room, and research related articles pertaining to those spaces.
Home decor should reflect your personal taste and interests, but it must also address the particular function of those rooms. Living rooms can fill many functions, from a formal "parlor" used to greet guests to a space where the whole family gathers for study, entertainment, socializing, and play. In modern homes, the living room is often a "great room" that is contiguous with the kitchen and dining area. One of the first considerations is choosing a focal point for the living room and especially where you want to create conversation areas.
Your selection and arrangement of living room furniture should keep this element in mind. Only then can you move to the details of planning lighting, then choosing area rugs, art and accessories. You spend a third of your life in the bedroom, so you should carefully consider strategies for making it a restful place. Start with choosing the bed and the other bedroom furniture. While you may be able to save money in other areas, buying a good-quality mattress and pillows is always a sound investment.
Your choice of color is also critical in a bedroom—choose a lighter hue if you are a morning person, or a darker color if you are a later riser. The bedroom lighting is important for setting the right mood, as well as for allowing you to read and get dressed in the space. If you don't have a large primary suite, look for practical ideas for decorating small bedrooms. And guest bedrooms have their own unique needs for decorating.
0コメント