How Changing Wall Colors and Lighting Can Make Your Home Feel More Spacious

Small rooms can feel cramped and uninviting. Incorporating the right paint colors and selecting appropriate light fixtures can create an optical illusion to make a tight space feel larger than it really is.

How to Choose the Right Color for Your Walls
Lighter colors, such as off-white and light shades of green and blue, can reflect more light than darker colors. That can help you capitalize on natural light and can make a small space seem more open. In a room that receives a large or moderate amount of natural light, painting the walls in a shade of white, light taupe, grey or pink can create an impression of space.

A dark paint color can be overwhelming in a large room, but it may work perfectly in a tighter space. Using a darker color, such as charcoal or black, on the walls can make a small room seem cozy. If you decide to use a dark paint color, balance it out by incorporating furniture and accessories with lighter hues.

How to Use Accent Colors to Make a Room Seem More Spacious
You may want to paint one accent wall in a different color than the rest of the space or use a lighter color for the trim and moldings than for the walls. Painting the walls and trim the same color is another way to make a small room seem more spacious. The lack of a visual difference from one area to another will make the ceiling seem higher. Painting the doors, trim and ceiling in a single color can also unify a space and make it feel larger and more open.

How to Choose the Right Light Fixtures
Don’t rely on only one source of light in a small room. That can cause the room to be bright in the center and darker in other areas. Instead, use multiple light fixtures and lamps to illuminate the space. You can incorporate a combination of overhead lights, wall fixtures and lamps to brighten the area and make it seem roomier.

If the room has a relatively high ceiling, take advantage of the vertical space by installing a light fixture that will hang down. That will draw people’s eyes upward and take their focus away from the room’s small footprint. Recessed lights, backlighting and light fixtures that draw attention to artwork and other focal points can brighten the entire space and make it feel larger and more open.

Consult a Design Professional
Choosing the right paint and lighting for your home can be complicated. Many variables can come into play, including the size and layout of the space, the locations of windows, the amount of natural lighting, your personal preferences and how your family will use the room. If you need advice, get in touch with a local interior designer.

5 Design Ideas to Tackle Blank Walls

Nearly every home has one. Unfit for furniture, yet too conspicuous to leave bare, it’s the dreaded blank wall-dun, dun, dun!

Do you need inspiration to tackle this design disaster? These five ideas, suggested by the editors at Better Homes and Gardens, can help you fill that vacant space:

Book It. Draw inspiration from literature you no longer have a use for—matte the covers of books or periodicals with eye-catching artwork (National Geographic covers could be particularly striking), and arrange in groups to scale on the wall.

Float On. Floating shelves can help fill a void without weighing down the room. Stagger shelves of varying widths, and adorn them with accessories you already own. To really make the display pop, paint the shelves a color that contrasts with the shade on the wall.

Go to the Dark Side. Personalize the wall with shadowboxes or silhouette art—both can be customized to suit the overall theme of the room. You can repurpose old cookbooks into a gallery of culinary-inspired silhouettes, mount unused dinnerware in a series of shadowboxes, or do a reverse silhouette with silk plants and spray paint.

The Bigger, the Better. Center one oversized statement piece—think a typograph print, a floor-to-ceiling canvas, or an extra-large mirror—to define the space without adding visual clutter.

Take Up a Collection. Cluster together collections of small-scale prints. Look for ones with soft, muted palettes—think calm seascapes or tranquil forests—to add visual interest without overwhelming the space.

If you’ve just moved into a new home (or have stared at that blank wall for far too long), use these design ideas to fill it.

Short on Light? These 4 Houseplants Are For You—

If you’d like to add some greenery to your indoor life, but your home is lacking in natural light, don’t worry—there are many varieties of houseplants that thrive in low-light environments. Select wisely, and you’ll have an indoor garden thriving in no time, not to mention a host of natural air purifiers making for a healthier living environment. Here are some plants that will be healthy and happy in not-so-sunny situations:

Snake plant. This plant is known for its striking tall, skinny leaves, and small, fragrant lily-like flowers that bloom along a single stem. Snake plants also offer versatile design options for your home—ranging anywhere from 3-4 in. tall, to 3-4 ft. tall, they can perch nicely on a shelf or side table, or make a dramatic statement as a floor plant. An added plus—snake plants are very drought tolerant, making them the perfect option for busy (sometimes forgetful!) plant parents.

Peace Lily. While lovely peace lilies do require regular watering, they can thrive in less light than other plants in the tropical family. Place your peace lily close to, but not directly in front of, a window in a warm room in your house—North or West-facing windows are best for avoiding direct sunlight. Water your plant at least once a week or whenever you see the leaves drooping, and mist it from a spray bottle as well. You’ll enjoy both the peace lily’s stunning white blooms as well as its major air-purifying properties.

Philodendrons or Pothos. Also known as Devils Ivy, philodendrons or pothos, are one of the most popular, easy-to-grow, low-light plants. Known for their long, trailing stems that can reach 15-ft. long or more, these plants offer a variety of foliage options, from dark green to chartreuse or variegated shades of white and green. They’re perfect for positioning on a high shelf or from hanging pots in any room of the house.

Chinese Evergreen. If you’re looking to add a little color to your interior design, consider a Chinese Evergreen, which offers either multi-colored green or red-and-pink foliage. Another excellent choice for air purification, these plants can tolerate slightly dry soil as well. Certain varieties can reach 2 – 3 ft. in height, making for a striking statement in any corner of your home.

How to Choose the Best Houseplants

Just like picking paint and furniture, it’s important to spend time choosing the best plants for your interior space. Not only should you be considering the care your new plant friends will need, but also how they will impact your space as they grow to their full forms. Below are several tips for picking the best houseplants.

Understand sun exposure. The quickest way to shrivel a houseplant is by giving it the improper amount of sunshine. Take the time to get to know the sunniest and shadiest areas of your interior, and pick plants that thrive in that environment.

Consider maintenance. If you’re choosing houseplants that need a good amount of TLC—water, trimming, etc.—make sure you have the time in your schedule and bandwidth in your brain to take this on. If not, pick a plant that needs minimal attention, like a succulent.

Pick proper containers. Learn the root length of the plant you’re choosing, and how big it’s likely to grow, pick a container that can accommodate it—consider drainage, too!

Choose plants that compliment your space. Have tall ceilings? Consider a plant that grows tall, not wide like a palm. Looking to make your room look a little wild? Pick a climbing plant, like a golden pothos or some form of ivy.

Consider color. While varying shades of green can feel gorgeously lush, no need to stop there! Add color to your interior botanics, like orchids, peace lilies or prayer plants.

Dress Up Your Home’s Decor With a Gallery Wall

Are your closets overflowing with pictures and other framed goods that would undoubtedly look much better hung in a prominent location than hardly ever seeing the light of day? Hanging pictures is a great way to tie a room together and add some character and personality to your space.

Instead of simply hanging one picture here and another one there, you can work through your collection a whole lot quicker if you think outside the box and cluster pictures, creating a gallery wall.

But before you go grabbing for a hammer, nails and maybe even a level, assess the space and items you have lying around and come up with a plan. While you may not stick to it 100 percent once you get started-and that’s okay-having even a rough idea of how you envision the space when it’s complete will save you a lot of trouble.

Stick to Your Style. While you may have swooned over gallery walls in other people’s homes or in design magazines, trying to recreate something you’ve seen will most likely leave you feeling less than impressed with your own creation. Tune into your own personal style and incorporate photographs, artwork from your children, greeting cards, a favorite piece of fabric or any other trinkets that truly mean something to you. When creating a gallery wall, anything goes.

Mix and Match. Variety is key here. From various sizes of artwork to numerous textures and even different colored frames, don’t shy away from incorporating different pieces and styles to create a personalized, yet cohesive, look.

Plan It Out. The best way to avoid putting unnecessary holes in the wall is to plan out the entire design before you even think about taking a hammer to the wall. (If you’re a visual person, this step is even more important, so try to resist the urge to skip it.) While it’ll require some additional time, you’re going to want to trace each frame onto a piece of paper. Once the templates have been cut out, tape them to the wall in a pattern of your choosing. Then move them around as necessary until you find the perfect grouping.

Switch It Up. One of the best (or worst?) things about incorporating a gallery wall into your space is the fact that it’s never finished! Don’t be afraid to keep adding things or even swapping out certain pieces.

If you’re ready to finally cross that gallery wall off your to-do list, remember, the options are endless. And there’s no right or wrong way to go about it.

Family-Friendly Artwork Apps

In the age of apps, there’s more to preserving the masterpieces your children create than just sticking them on the refrigerator.

Eventually, the magnets will slip and something that’s dear to you—or your child—could fall off and end up in the trash. If you have the space for keeping their school artwork or homemade projects, you may keep them in plastic containers and sort through them at a later time. But if you’re running out of closet space or are worried that too many of these precious memories will be lost, there are some mobile options that can help you archive them. Here are a few:

Cloud Storage
If you don’t want to keep the physical papers around, take a photo with your phone and store it in the cloud or on your computer’s hard drive. To share them with relatives, put them in Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Be sure to protect them with a password that you only give to relatives.

Digital Apps
Photos or videos are the most obvious ways to electronically store these projects, though mobile apps can help you organize and enhance them.

Keepy and Canvsly are two apps that help save and organize children’s art and school projects. Keepy allows audio and video commentary to be recorded while capturing images of a child’s artwork—grandparents and others can be invited to view the artwork, and can comment on it. They also have built-in tools to create and buy photo books and other gift items from artwork you’ve saved.

As with any company, assume it will go out of business one day and that your data will be lost. Keep a digital copy somewhere, or you can also print them out for a photo book.

Custom Printing
If you don’t want to print the artwork through apps, you can either have your smartphone photos printed at Costco or other stores, or go to a custom printing company such as Plum Print to have your photos professionally organized and printed into a book.

Make it Public
If you want to share your children’s art beyond friends and relatives, Artsonia is an online and worldwide student art museum. Upload the artwork to the Artsonia mobile app and you can share it with the world. Not only will your child’s grandparents be bragging about their artwork, but the rest of the world might too.

5 Budget-Friendly Home Upgrades You Can Complete in a Weekend

Just because you have a budget and short span of free time on the weekends doesn’t mean you can’t make some impactful changes in your home. Even the smallest changes can make a difference. Here are five home upgrades that you can not only complete in less than a few days, but also for less than $20.

Replace Old Hardware
Whether in your kitchen or bathroom, hardware can say a lot about your home’s style. Swapping out the handles on your cabinets and drawers can change the vibe of the room for just a few bucks. Removal and installation are a breeze—just unscrew the old and screw in the new. Look at your local hardware store, or even online, for inexpensive options that pack big style.

Replace Switch Plates
If you happen to live in an older home, chances are your light switch plates are outdated. Maybe it isn’t the style that’s old, rather the plastic is faded or discolored. Either way, it may be time to swap them out for new ones. For less than $20, you can get a new set of switch plates for an entire room, maybe even more. Get creative with paint and design each plate to compliment whatever room it will live in.

Weatherstrip Doors and Windows
Whether you’re pumping A/C in the summer or heat in the winter, if your doors and windows aren’t weatherstripped, you can end up with high utility bills. Simply stick your foam or felt weatherstripping tape along the tracks of your doors and windows. Though installation is easy, you may need a few basic tools, such as a drill or screwdriver. For more drafty areas, consider a low-cost door sweep.

Re-caulking the Bathroom
Check your bathroom tiles inside and outside of the bathtub, as well as all around it. If the seams are starting to crack or discolor, it may be time to re-caulk. To start, collect your tools, including the chalking, a bucket of water and rags. Consider a caulking tool for a more precise application. With less than $20 and a free afternoon, you can breathe new life into your bathroom while also keeping moisture away that can cause serious damage in the future.

Paint Doors or Trim
Of course, a fresh coat of paint on your walls or exterior can do wonders for curb appeal and transformation. But paint doesn’t need to be limited to just walls. Painting a fresh coat onto the trim around the interior doors and frames of your home can help to hide years of damage from pets, children and natural wear and tear. Or, paint your front door a bright or interesting color, adding a dramatic new flair to your home’s exterior.

A weekend may not seem like enough time to upgrade your home, but with a few tools, some creativity and a crisp $20 bill, you can achieve plenty of your design dreams. DIY pro or novice, these budget-friendly home improvement projects will keep you busy all weekend long, maybe even less!

Here’s Why You Should Decorate With Green

Regardless of the shade, adding elements of green to your home can improve your mood, complement your design, and more.

 

Below are a few reasons to choose green for your interior design scheme.

It’s soothing. Green has long been used in decorating for its calming effect. Add some green curtains to your bedroom, paint the wall across from your sleeping space green and snag some easier ahhhhs.

It looks great with wood. If you have wood floors or furniture, tying in a shade of green will make your space even more lustrous.

It’s complimentary. There are so many gorgeous shades of green that it will be easy to thread a little green into your decorating scheme.

It’s natural. Don’t want to add any permanent green to your home? No problem! Just grab a few fresh houseplants and pepper them throughout your room for a fresh splash of green.

It may bring money. While you may not believe in this superstition, some swear that the color green brings wealth. Add some green to your home to call in a little windfall. It can’t hurt!

Retro Colors Make a Comeback: What’s Hot in Decor Right Now

Everything old is new again, and that goes for decorating with color. While the last decade in home décor has largely been defined by white and varying shades of beige and gray, today’s designers are harking back to yesteryear with paint colors, furniture and even kitchen appliances.

Part art deco, part ‘50s suburban and part ‘60s mod, these awesome retro colors are fresh and refreshed to fit today’s tastes, say the color mavens at Sherwin Williams, whose wall color faves this year include shades of pink, aqua and pale or mustard yellows with accents of slate or peppery coral—great ways to set off the stark white of baseboards, crown moldings and door frames.

Big Chill, a retro appliance company launched in 2001, is finding huge success with its growing line of refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers in pink, aqua, yellow and more that bring a spirit of nostalgia to today’s kitchens, along with their high-tech efficiency.

Small kitchen appliances from crockpots to mixers and toasters are now available in a wide range of bold and retro colors, and look for pink velvet, pale blue and teal sofas from a variety of furniture design companies as vintage furnishings make a huge comeback.

You might also find bright orange and sage green shantung side chairs, shabby-chic and pastel-colored buffets and bookshelves and other accessories, and don’t miss the lighting display in most home stores, where Tiffany lamps and vintage shades are gaining ground in sales.

A roomful of these vintage colors can make you feel a little nostalgic, a little happier and a little more optimistic. What more could anyone ask for?

4 Stunning Flowering Houseplants

Are you the type of person who likes to take their flower garden indoors? Indoor plants do more than simply add color to your space; they can also improve the mood of those who live with them.

Bromeliads. These funky, spiky plants are in the pineapple family! Bright and tropical, they like lots of light and don’t require too much water, which makes them a great choice for a beginning gardener.

African Violet. These are some of the most popular blooming house plants, as they flower for a long duration and are relatively easy to care for.

Begonias. A well-cared for begonia will bloom almost continuously. Place them in a bright location away from windows.

Peace Lily. These lovely, graceful flowers are adaptable and low-maintenance. They don’t demand too much light and can survive stints of both over- and under-watering.