| House &
Garden
Traditional Home Decorating: Uncover
Your Own Hidden Treasures
(ARA) - The term "traditional" in decorating
means something different to everyone. Traditional is formal, semi-formal,
or casual; it is usually not too cluttered or ornate, with clean lines in
some areas and soft rounded spaces in others for balance. Some texture, on
the windows, walls and a floor, depending on tastes, makes the space welcoming
and livable. What can make your home special, is how these basics are translated
and incorporated with your accumulated treasures.
Take a thorough look around your home and make
note of special objects either displayed or packed in closets over the years.
"You bought them for a reason," says Judy Alto of One Day Interior Makeovers
in Crofton, Maryland. Was it the color or a memory that precipitated the
purchase? Whatever the motivation, having collectibles scattered over the
house may water down the effect of your treasures.
But your collection of treasures may have something
in common. Pay close attention to some of their predominant colors, themes
and materials. You may dislike the color red; but after making a few notes,
it may be that many of your fondest possessions are accented with this color.
Perhaps the items aren't fire red, but have dark red or burgundy incorporated
into them. Look again at the cover of that antique book or the still life
hanging in the guestroom. How about the old lamp from Uncle Henry's estate-the
same red? |
| You can bring these red hues together with
small, simple decorating projects such as painting odd frames you've collected
at yard sales or strategically placing botanical prints or the art that you
brought back from a trip. Focusing on one particular color, such as red,
and using it to accent other pieces, can tie in items you already own.
Some items in your home may even be a collection
of sorts. Someone in the family may play golf or baseball and has accumulated
a number of items representing either activity. Maybe there's a piece of
art or memorabilia in the den, another in the living room and still more
in the kitchen and bedrooms. You may unconsciously have scattered around
your home a theme that can be centralized, then expanded upon-and, with today's
decorating options, brought up to date.
Many interior designers suggest looking at your
belongings with new eyes and then beginning to redecorate with what you already
own without spending a fortune. Consider that plaid sofa, once perfect for
an apartment, and now sitting in the TV room. It doesn't seem to fit anywhere
and is out-dated. A new sofa, or expensive reupholstering, is not the only
solution. Look again to color. Is there a color in that plaid that can be
emphasized? Placing a wallpaper border around the room with a smaller scale
of the plaid, or using a check, will draw out the preferred color. Add a
small area rug, some new solid colored pillows or a blanket throw and everything
can be brought up to date.
Wallpaper and borders today also offer easy
redecorating solutions. If you're "wallpaper-challenged," start with a small
area or one solid wall with no cutting or corners; or use a simple ceiling
border in the laundry room or a floor border for a child's room. Accent borders
by hanging a long shelf along a wall, either above or below the border, to
showcase your treasures. Be sure to choose a pattern that will highlight
the collected treasures, not overpower them.
When you've decided on a wallcovering to accent
your treasures, the key to hanging it-and preparing for easy removal later
on -- is preparation. First, read the enclosed instructions; this only takes
a moment and can save hours of frustration. Clean the walls thoroughly of
dust and grease. Always use a primer to help the paper to move during
installation without tearing. A primer makes later removal easier without
the need for steam machines or scraping and patching. If moisture is a problem
(think bathrooms and laundry rooms) consider a primer with mildew control.
Most wallpaper borders today are pre-pasted and can be soaked in the kitchen
or bathroom sink. For larger rolls, just soak them in the bathtub. In a couple
of years, when you are ready for a change, the paper can be easily peeled
off and you can start anew. For more detailed instructions, visit
www.blonderwall.com.
Don't be afraid of design patterns and color;
try to work with what you already have. Think beyond patterns if you are
afraid of making a mistake and work only with the color. If you want to call
someone's attention to a smooth navy leather chair or a modern sofa with
clean lines, put some contrast into the room; a wallcovering can give the
vignette softness and texture. Add an area rug with a rich pattern and the
cold bareness of your beautiful furniture has been warmed several degrees.
Today's large foyer or entryway does well with a faux finish wallpaper and
keeps the traditional look without overpowering the senses when the space
is entered. It also is less expensive and more durable than a painted faux.
Accessorize with a small rug and welcoming flowers on a side table. Later,
a border can be added at the ceiling or midpoint. The thing to remember is
that anyone can redecorate a home without large-scale reconstruction or an
interior designer.
When it comes to wallcovering, what confuses
most homeowners is the sheer number on the market. Jura Koncius of The Washington
Post recently noted that "sorting through those tens of thousands of patterns
in unwieldy sample books has always been one of the stumbling blocks" of
home decoration. Today, you can surf the Internet for online sites or bring
home a CD-ROM with a company's entire library of collections. Chesapeake
Wallcoverings, for example, offers a wide range of options with borders and
coordinating side walls in their newest collection, Family and Friends.
Highlights of the collection include the "down home" flavors of the dye-cut
gingerman border that can be used alone or in combination with another shelf
border featuring baskets with ribbons and bottles of button and spools. English
Garden, a beautiful work of art by Lena Liu, has also been converted to a
27-inch floor border. Check out their Web site at www.cheswall.com, or ask
your dealer if you may take home their CD. Click on the room set photos for
other ideas on how you can update your home with a fresh eye on what you
already have.
~~~~~~
MORE
INFO:
Home Decorating Made
Easy. Offers home decorating advice.
A Step Forward In
Interior Design. Unique step-by-step decorating workbook for any room
in your home!
Decorative Wall Painting
Business. Start one today!
Decorative Concrete
Guide. Hottest new
trend.
The Budget Decorator.
Decorating with creativity, not cash!
The Secrets To Home
Decorating Success. Hot decorating tips, ideas, and secrets from the
experts!
~~~~~~
Must have! Recipe
Builder: Unique recipe software program with 10,000 recipes. Add your
own, add new recipes, move, revise, delete, compare, search and print
recipes.
~~~~~~
Fun! Start your own
Recipe Exchange
website! We LOVE this software :)
~~~~~~
Courtesy of ARA Content,
www.aracontent.com, e-mail:
info@aracontent.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITOR'S NOTE: Chesapeake
Wallcoverings is a new company, begun in 1996 to answer the need for
traditionally styled wallpaper in a price range accessible to the average
homeowner. Unique to Chesapeake is its willingness to draw upon the talents
of some the world's greatest artists in addition to its own talented design
studio and is always searching for new talent. The company delivers only
three collections a year to the public.
MORE HOUSE & GARDEN
ARTICLES...>> |
