Decor & Design

Budget Friendly Home Decor Tips

Decorating a home enhances mood while ensuring that every picture that is taken in it is worth sharing with friends on social media. But, tough economic times can make decorating a home seems like an impossible or uphill task. Well, you can decorate your home even for those pinching pennies. There are many things you can to make your home look stylish and inviting for everyone. Here are budget-friendly home décor tips that should help you accomplish your goal.

Plan

Decorating a home is an overwhelming task for most people. As such, going in with a detailed plan can help, especially when you have budgetary constraints. Therefore, start by creating a plan that prioritizes the decorating projects to handle first. Bear in mind the fact that it’s not a must that everything is done at once. Some homeowners handle the decorating project bit by bit. Therefore, start with rooms and items that are used the most. Essentially, the home decoration project should be prioritized based on cost and needs. For instance, a print for the wall of a powder room or kitchen pendant lights cost less than window treatment or a new couch. Therefore, spread out items that cost more to avoid going in all at once. You can also go for cheaper alternatives.

Use What You Already Have

When decorating a home on a budget, you don’t need to overhaul the existing décor. Some of the items in your home can be used to create a new look for your space. Therefore, try to turn the décor items in your home into new, great-looking treasures. For instance, you can paint your old hand-me-down dresser to make it a great fit for the new home style without spending a lot of your money.

Decide on What to Remove

Before you decide on what to buy and what to leave out for a later date, consider the items in your home carefully. Decide on what to keep and what needs to go. Some damaged, worn, and dated items might be doing a disservice to your living space. If you consider such items non-essentials, remove them to provide a clean slate to your home. For instance, vertical blinds are some of the major offenders for those decorating rental apartments. If you’ve been keeping college posters, you might want to get rid of them as well.

Go Neutral

If you decide to invest in classic pieces, choose neutral colors. This will give your furniture a diverse and long life. Neutral items are easy to move from one room to another. And, you can switch cushions, accessories, lamps, art, and throw rugs to transform them in case your taste changes. When you choose versatile items that have neutral finishes and colors, you spend more on them once instead of after every few years.

Light Up Your Space

Don’t be caught up in the ‘mood’ lighting to come up with an ambiance. That’s because a dark space can strain the eyes. It might also not be popular with guests or family members. Therefore, choose proper lighting and colors for different parts of your home. Some lighting fixtures are affordable and ideal for budget-friendly home décor.

Follow these budget-friendly home décor tips to transform the feel and look of your home without breaking the bank. 

Holiday Decoration Ideas – Christmas Lights

Everyone eagerly awaits the holiday season, as the festivities are full of celebrations, gifts and having a good time with family and friends. From reindeer riding in the snow to kids eager to open their gifts, this season is full of merriment in every way. The holiday season also calls for beautiful decorations that set the tone for this joyous occasion. With modern holiday decor, you should consider color combinations other than the traditional ones.

You can also use a little creativity to enjoy a dark and fun Halloween. Opt for gothic decorations in unusual colors and materials, instead of using black, opt for reds and purples, and include velvets in the decorations for a rich look. Place silver candles in sleek and stylish candle holders, and include shiny objects like baubles and mirrors in the decoration and place it near the main entrance. Let the dark ambience and shiny colors dominate your Halloween theme this season.

To opt for an all contemporary look this Christmas, mix in colors like tangerines, pinks and blues for a distinctive look that is sure to grab your guests’ attention. An ideal modern holiday decor idea is a beautiful wreath made of vintage sheet music, old books and gift wraps. These wreaths look unique and attractive as well. Bring home a white Christmas tree with a hint of green to represent a Christmas tree covered in snow for an authentic effect. Decorate the tree with crystal or glass balls in different colors and add unique objects like hand-carved and painted figurines or accessories with a modern twist. Christmas is incomplete without an appropriate Christmas stocking that goes with your majestic Christmas tree. Christmas stockings can not only be used as embellishments on the Christmas tree, but will also serve as a home decor accessory or even as a toy for children. Modern Christmas stockings are a perfect complement with modern holiday decor. While small stockings can be used to dress up a Christmas tree, big ones can be hung outside the door for a decorative look. Opt for modern Christmas stockings made from wool suiting and fabric scrap, or felt and velvet for a comfy feel. Embroidered and sequined stockings look decorative and add a sparkle to the decoration. With the help of modern looking stockings and other modern holiday decorations like installing some beautiful Christmas lights, decorate your home in style this holiday season.

Benefits of Hiring A Painting Company

Paint is one of the easiest ways for homeowners to spruce up their home. A splash of color can make a huge difference in any room. Painting is one of the most time-consuming projects as well. Many homeowners decide against the hassle of doing it themselves and hire a painting company to paint for them. Here are some important questions to ask before deciding on one.

What References Do You Have?

All businesses are successful because of their customers. And, all of the fancy advertising in the world will not bring in more customers if the company doesn’t do good work. Word of mouth is the oldest form of advertising for any business. Many times, Americans will talk to their friends and family when they start looking for a painting company. In the new technology era, there are great websites for homeowners to read reviews about many different companies. Depending on the sites, these reviews will be honest, unbiased accounts of the work performed. Some painting companies may even have a website with reviews, but often times these are handpicked to reflect a more positive view of the company.

How Long Have You Been in Business?

Bad businesses do not tend to stay around for very long. If the company is not professional and customer friendly, previous clients will stop referring them to their friends and family. Worse, if the painting company is less than honest, the police may decide how long they stay in business. Most often, the companies that have been around awhile are a safe bet. They treat their clients right and do not use shady tactics to get more money.

Are You Licensed and Insured?

Depending on the locality, painters need to be licensed by the government to perform work. While some areas do not require licensing, some require the business to register in order to collect business fees and taxes. Others require the license to ensure good business practices are being followed and to track performance. All painting companies, though, should have insurance. They should have workers compensation insurance to cover any accidents to their workers and liability insurance to cover any damages or even theft that may be caused by their crew.

How Is the Contract Structured?

The contract is the most important part of the deal. It should list in detailed fashion all the work to be performed. This should include a detailed list of what work is to be performed by the painting company and at what points in the project payment is due. Due dates should not be specific dates, but a list of milestones. It should also include a detailed list of materials and who will be performing the work. Some painting companies will use their own employees while others may contract out to a third party. The most important thing for homeowners to consider when hiring a professional painter is how they treat people. Early in the process of interviewing different companies, the ones that take the time to explain things are usually the best.

Article submission by St. John’s Painters