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Decorative Accents for Every Kitchen Design

Whether you have recently renovated your kitchen or you are simply trying to give your existing kitchen a fresh look, you will find that accent pieces are a welcome addition to your decor theme. The kitchen is a room that needs to be both practical and functional as well as pleasing to the eye. While you likely aren’t going to want to clutter up your countertops with a ton of knick knacks, you should consider adding decorative accents where it is appropriate.

Accents to Consider for Any Kitchen Decor Theme

A Fruit Bowl or Bread Basket – Fruit bowls and bread baskets have been sitting on kitchen tables and counters for centuries. While these accents once served a more practical purpose, today they are there for style more than anything. Not only will a fruit bowl or bread basket look perfect on the corner of your counter, but these items also create a welcoming atmosphere in your kitchen.

A Tray – Kitchen counters are frequently used as catch-alls and it’s tempting to just throw your keys or your unread mail in a corner. In order to stay organized while keeping your kitchen looking neat, you can add a tray to your counter that can act as both storage and decor.
A Unique Light Fixture – Sometimes you have to look up in order to see the most significant accent piece in a kitchen. There is almost always a light fixture located above the kitchen table or island and this fixture can play an important role in the overall look of the room. Choose an interesting light fixture that will set the tone or style for your room and you can build the rest of your theme around it.
Glass Canisters – Canisters have long been used by people for storage, but these practical pieces can also double as decor in your kitchen. Glass canisters are versatile and can complement any theme that you select for your kitchen. Instead of storing coffee or sugar in your canisters, consider adding fresh lemons, limes or oranges for a burst of color.
A Ceramic Vase – Ceramic vases come in all shapes and sizes, making these pieces an easy option for kitchen decor. If your kitchen is already filled with patterns and textures, then you may want to consider a plain, neutral vase that can hold any type of flowers. If you are in need of more color in your kitchen, then purchase a vase with a distinct pattern design that can hold bright blooms.
A Comfortable Rug – Kitchen flooring is not often described as comfortable, largely because most people opt for hardwood or tiled floors. A large, cozy rug underneath your table will make it an appealing place for people to sit back, relax and enjoy their meal. Not to mention, the colors of the rug can tie into the rest of the kitchen design, making this piece one of the most pivotal accents in your kitchen.

These accent pieces are classic and timeless, and they will easily blend into any theme or style that you have chosen for your kitchen. It doesn’t matter if you have gone with a rustic farmhouse theme or a charming vintage motif, you will need just the right accents to complete the look of your kitchen.

Tips for Staging Every Room in Your Home

There is a lot that goes in to home staging beyond just tidying up. Interior designers and real estate experts have found specific ways to make the absolute best of any home by knowing how to make the best of every room. General staging tips like cleaning and going for neutral colors apply everywhere, but here are some tips and tricks for staging every room of the house:

Living Room

Create Symmetry – If you’re stumped about how to arrange your furniture or decorative items in your living room, go for symmetry. Placing smaller pieces like throw pillows, table lamps and end tables evenly is pleasing to the eye and will let buyers focus on the room itself.
Highlight Important Features – Does your living room have a particular selling point like a working fireplace or a bay window? Make sure you give special attention to these features in cleaning and decorating.
Remove Some Furniture – One secret to making a room look larger is removing at least one piece of furniture. Even in tiny spaces you can create the illusion of more space by removing what is least essential. Things like bookcases, sideboard tables and extra seating are examples of things to stow away.

Kitchen

Pack Away (Almost) All Dishes – Leaving a single set of (ideally matching) dishware in your cabinets will help the kitchen feel lived in while making it appear more spacious. Removing clutter is important, but keeping a small amount of dishes and flatware keeps the space from feeling too sterile.
Clean Your Fridge – If your fridge is covered in magnets and reminders it’s time to stash those away. This hides personal touches that could distract buyers and also keeps the focus on the appliance itself. Don’t forget the inside, too: scrub all the drawers and shelves in your fridge until they look brand new.
Empty & Hide the Trash – While emptying the trash might seem like enough, take it a step further and remove the trash bins entirely. If they’re usually located under the sink, hide them somewhere else and leave that space empty instead. This is an instant way to create more storage space in the eyes of a potential buyer.

Bathrooms

Hide All Personal Products – Any and all personal products should be removed from the bathroom. Don’t settle for tossing everything in a drawer, either: clear out all the storage space to create a clean slate.
Add White Towels – Fluffy white towels instantly turn any bathroom into a luxurious spa retreat. Even if you have nice towels of another color, consider swapping them out for white ones. This makes the bathroom look bright and clean while creating a calm, clean environment.
Don’t Forget the Toilet – Like it or not, the toilet is one of the most important appliances in your home. Make sure you scrub it clean and fix any nagging issues like leaks or running water. For an extra boost, replace your toilet seats with new ones.

Bedrooms

Stay Neutral – While you’re probably sticking to neutral colors and decor in the rest of the house, it’s especially important in the bedrooms. Avoid anything gendered or aimed at specific interests or hobbies. You can still use color and minor decorative touches but the more neutral the better.
Stow Your Valuables – Any jewelry, heirlooms or treasured memorabilia should be safely stowed away. This not only reduces clutter but keeps your valuables safe from any chance of damage or theft.
Show Off the Closet – Take extra time to clean and organize your bedroom closets, as they are a huge selling point in any home. For a quick staging hack: pack up all but 3 outfits’ worth of clothing and accessories to make your closet look more spacious.

These are just some tips for home staging beyond the obvious deep clean. Working with a real estate agent or home staging professional can also help you make your home look like the absolute best on the market.

Three Sources of Home Decor Inspiration for Sprucing Up Your Home

Whether you’ve just bought a home or you’re hoping to spruce up your current house, redecorating can be a great way to make a home feel new and exciting. However, when it comes to the actual decorating and design, many homeowners are at a loss.

Sure, you could hire an interior decorator to help you out, but oftentimes that expense doesn’t fit into the average homeowner’s budget, especially if you just spend thousands closing on a new home.

Fortunately, there are many free sources of inspiration available that will help you identify the right style for your home at the right price for your budget.

In today’s article, we’re going to give you some tips on where to find interior decor inspiration so you can get started on restyling your home.

Grab an app or two

Searching for redecorating tips doesn’t have to be a full-time job. You can browse ideas when you’re on the train to work, relaxing in bed at night, or waiting for an appointment at the doctor’s office just by downloading a few select apps on your phone.

Two of the most common apps for home decorating are Pinterest and Instagram. However, you’ll need to give those apps some information to make sure you’re getting the right images in your feed.

On Pinterest, add “home decor” “interior design” and “home decor ideas” to your interests so that you’ll see those images and articles first in your feed.

For Instagram, you’ll have to follow accounts that post what you’re looking for, then Instagram will recommend similar accounts.

Here are a few common interior design accounts to get started with:

Take an online course

There’s more to interior decorating than just finding some furniture you like, making sure it will fit in your living room, and buying it. Design principles of color, texture, and form all work together to create the full experience of a home’s interior.

While people study for years to develop techniques of design, you can learn the basics relatively quickly. If you’re interested in learning something new and updating the design of your home, you could take an online course in interior design.

Howcast has a great series of free videos called Interior Design Basics that will provide you with a good overview. Then, if you want to continue learning, check out one of SkillShare’s many interior design courses.

Take a trip to the library

When it comes to seeing the best examples of interior decoration or finding detailed information on design techniques, nothing can beat your local library. Most libraries also have subscriptions to common magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, Elle Decor, and HGTV Magazine.

If your library doesn’t have many options, you can often request items for free through their interlibrary loans system. They’ll send you books and magazines from surrounding towns and give you a notification when they’ve arrived.

Home decor upgrades: Creative ways to DIY with paint

If you’re searching for ways to upgrade existing furniture and decor, DIYs with paint might be perfect for your next project. A little paint can go a long way, whether it’s on walls, cabinets, furniture or decorative accessories.

DIY paint projects for your walls

Painting your walls might seem like an enormous undertaking, but the reward is well worth the time and effort. A new coat of paint can transform an entire room without making any other major changes.

However, for a smaller scale project, consider painting an accent wall in your room of choice.

You can create bold geometric shapes and patterns using painter’s tape to mimic the appearance of wallpaper. Try a colorful honeycomb motif in your bathroom, or a more subtle herringbone in the bedroom using neutral tones.

Another great idea for DIY projects with paint is to paint the inside walls of your closets. A quick coat of white or another light shade will instantly make your closet seem bigger and brighter.

DIY ideas with spray paint

Spray paint offers a wealth of possibilities for DIY projects, especially when it comes to upgrading existing pieces. The key is to choose the right type of paint primer for the material you plan to refurbish.

Do you have old metal filing cabinets taking up space in your home office? Try spray-painting them in a bold hue to turn them into statement pieces.

For decorative pieces, don’t forget you can spray paint glass or ceramics. Turn unused mason jars into decorative containers with your choice of spray paint in a high gloss finish. Try transforming an old glass vase or pitcher into charming farmhouse style accent pieces.

Are you ready to grab a paint brush, roller or spray can? With painting projects, you can upgrade your existing pieces and create design statements with bold like-new decor. Keep these ideas in mind the next time you need ideas for DIY paint projects.