The biggest decorating mistake

ese are all questions that I’m asked by moms when their daughters go crazy over a purple and black zebra print bedding set. Mothers want their tweens and teens to take part and have a say in the decisions made in decorating their rooms. But, they are not experienced enough to know how to accessorize and coordinate patterns that will allow the girls to design an attractive room based on the bedspread they choose.

The biggest decorating mistake that could be made is to buy up lots of zebra print decorations thinking that’s what is needed to go with the purple zebra bedding set. That many stripes in one small bedroom are enough to make you dizzy.

The comforter, dust ruffle and pillows in the purple zebra bedding require a solid color wall and accessories so that the decor doesn’t conflict with the striped print. For a sophisticated look, ebony wood, black lacquer and ceramics are an excellent choice.

Younger teenage girls might prefer funky over chic. If that’s the case, vinyl wall flowers in a 60s retro style might work. Refer to the pictures for decorating ideas. Purple flowers with bold, black polka dot centers stay in keeping with your color scheme but the shapes are sufficiently removed from the striped pattern in the purple zebra bedding set to provide contrast rather than confusion.

somebody tell me why purpl

somebody tell me why purple dorm bedding is scarce as an old hen’s teeth? Well, this old hen has just about had it after spending the best part of a day on the prowl for some purple twin bedding with extra long sheets.

Not only must the comforter set and the sheets have to be in what I consider to be a rather odd size, but this teenage girl is on a mission to have “THE” dorm room that all the college coeds are talking about. During our initial meeting where I jot down notes on my client’s color preference and style she said that she did not care if I used a particular theme or color scheme when decorating her dorm room so long as it was something new, exciting and not the boring old stuff that she had in her bedroom at home.

This statement gave me pause because I was aware of the fact that her mother had spent a fortune on this teenage girl’s bedding and bedroom decorations to celebrate her senior year in high school. Not about to let her breeze out of the room leaving me under that kind of pressure, with a long suffering look I begged her to please give me a few ideas to work with

d gardens differ from

ird gardens differ from other flower gardens in the plants they contain, rather than the manner in which you plant them. The bottom line is this: You have complete freedom of choice on how you arrange the flowers in your beds. Your overall style, either formal or informal, will dictate how the flowers are planted. Adopt a layered planting with

ome, just off the foyer

ome, just off the foyer or entry. This makes it a more ‘public’ room to greet guests without revealing the more private living spaces in the home.

A fireplace, entertainment center with large screen television or large picture window(s) with spectacular view will most often serve as the primary focal point in a living room or sitting room. It is critical to situate and arrange the room around your focal point as it becomes the starting point when arranging furnishings and design elements.

If your living room does not feature an architectural focal point you can create one by adding a feature such as custom built-in cabinetry and display shelving, a large screen TV or dramatic artwork. A secondary or supporting focal point can be distinguishe

rangement service I recently did in Japan of a guest bedroom, a living room and a dining room. You'll see all of the "before" pictures of this home, together with the "after" pictures, and you can read the accompanying explanations of exactly what I did to improve on the furniture and accessory arrangements, the difficulties I faced in these rooms, and you'll see first hand how I resolved most of the issues. One can't always resolve every issue, depending on the usage of the room, the architectural elements and the practical needs of the homeowner, but you'll see how I really turned these rooms from ordinary, boring and chaotic, to charming, functional and organized. You'll see first hand how it doesn't matter how old your home is, nor how old and dinged your furnishings are. With proper placement, you can turn any environment into a charming, inviting home. This exclusive report only comes with the purchase of Decor Secrets Revealed.

corate your living room, famil

ecorate your living room, family room or den, even your bedroom, kitchen or bath in one day, using the furnishings you already own. Knowing how to properly arrange your furniture is a key element to creating a room that is cozy, functional and inviting. It's not that difficult once you know the design concepts and principles that interior designers have used for decades to create stunning arrangements in decorating magazines and books.

There are many elements that must be taken into account: color, balance, flow and rhythm, just to mention four. All of the various concepts, however, must be coordinated together to create a cohesive unit that keeps the functionality of the room as well as enhancing it's beauty. Most rooms, particularly larger rooms, can easily be arranged in many different ways, all equally appropriate. So don't think that your room can only be done one way.

Furniture manufacturers tell us that furniture should be moved to different locations periodically so that the sunlight doesn't unduly damage the wood or fabric on one side or another. By rotating your furniture periodically to a different place in