I need decorating tips for our new house

My wife and I are buying a house and we want to get some decorating ideas. We know what we like when we see it, but we dont have many ideas to make it OUR home. Can anyone recommend a good website or magazine that would show me lots of different styles? Any personal tips? We like wood!

first and make them classics (like wood flooring) and then finish your choices with the cheapest stuff (like paint and throw cushions). In other words you want to choose the pattern of your curtains and your couch somewhere in between flooring and wall paint.

thanks :hi:

using dark wall paint. That is why you don't see that much dark blue on the walls. Blue is cold, red is hot.

my bedroom is a rich warm and dark blue and it makes me happy and peaceful every evening when I lay my head down to rest

the name of the color is 'denim' and it's lovely

You are right. It looks really relaxing.

the pics are a bit lighter than in real life. it's the next to the darkest color on those paint cards of hues you get.

i wanted to go to the darkest, but hubby overruled me :rofl:

:hi:

and have one for the other side of the room

http://www.wards.com/Home-Decor/Wall-Decor/Prints-Plaques-and-Signs/Set-Of-4-Floral-Paintings.pro?fpi=43927=SR

A statue of copulating aardvarks would make a nice hallway entry piece and I'd go with the retro look in the kitchen - Sears green or pink appliances.

http://www.dormroomstation.com/IVG2/N/ProductID-68557.htm">Vibrating Hand

some thing like a picture or a vase or something that is colorful and makes me happy

then I pull colors out of that and go from there.

My living room was inspired by the art work



and here's some earlier pics from a thread a while ago

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=287&topic_id=7315&mesg_id=7315


in the bedroom, I decided on paint color first, I wanted a deep blue and I bought 7 (yes SEVEN) little paint tester cans to get the perfect color then went from there.....

in fact you inspired me to do another pic thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x7965

don't be afraid to get LOTS of sample paints before you do the room, the wrong color is so frustrating

when you think you like one, paint a BIG square (4x4 foot or so) and live with it a few days before you buy the 'real' paint, you'll be glad you did. also, most paint stores can pull a color off most any inspiration piece you find and you can go from there.....

have fun and congratulations on your new home!!

very nice! :bounce:

that will give you an idea of your 'style'

hgtv's website is very good LOTS of different pics of rooms in different styles

:hi:

now you don't have to go bankrupt furnishing all of them but you should get the painting out of the way. You will find that if you don't it is hard not ot stop and not get around to it for years and then you will have this feeling of "something doesn't seem quite right" like you haven't finished moving in.

Pick paint colors that work with one another so that from room to room it feels natural. so don't do natural tones and then mix in electric colors unless you want to have seizures as you move from room to room.

I had a professional help me (who did it for free cuz she is a friend) and the colors in my home just suit me and people are very impressed with how each room works with the next. (all my friend's doing).

Most neighborhoods have homes of a similar vintage and/or style so some of your best ideas can come from your neighbors that have lived in the homes for a while already and have already experimented with different things.

If it's an older home and/or you want to go with a more antique look, you might try checking in for a night at a B&B as some of them have some really great decorating ideas. There's no better places that I know of for wood ideas.

If you want a more contemporary look, I will suggest grass and not wood flooring. I installed bamboo floors in my home several years ago and haven't regretted it. Bamboo has a lot more favorable attributes compared to wood and it's cheaper in many instances. There's not too many down sides.

Your neighbors likely do have the same sort/style/age of home. If you're still stuck, check the realty ads for homes something like yours and look for open houses. Homes are normally at their very best and inspirational during an open house.

Or so I've heard.

:evilgrin:

I'm a "less is more" kind of person.

I'm also big on letting family photos be very prominent.

And whatever prints or posters I choose, I don't just choose because I like how they look. I want them to give my guests a sense of who I am.


other than that, I got nothing.

my wife is an amazing photographer, plus (since she is from China) she has a lot of family she doesnt get to see very often. It would be good to put up some family pics. Might remind her of the good times back home. Thanks for the suggestion :)

oh wait.

Never mind.

We did paint the living room English library red. We waited on the other rooms for awhile. Kitchen then bedrooms after we had lived with it see how the light is coming through windows etc as to not paint too dark or light depending? fun times ahead-

The kind of subhuman garbage that one finds at homeinteriors.com?

If you like stuff that actually looks good, the magazine DWELL is a good place to go for ideas - it's contemporary and modern, as well as ecological.

If you're more into the elegant older styles, then Architectural Digest is good.

If you're into shit, then go grab any woman with platinum highlights at the local mega-church - more than likely, she's a shitty untrained "home interior designer" who can help you make your house look like crap. And if she can't, you can bet your life savings that one of her "bestest friends ever!", that hangs with her on Wednesday mornings at the coffee shop for their illiterate Bible Study, IS a shitty untrained "home interior designer".

i do NOT want to end up with a curio case full of procelein cats, thank you very much.

Nothing says "I'm stuck in the 80s AND I have horrendously shitty taste" like one of these:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_d4m2Txz0O_k/SiNiBXO3VHI/AAAAAAAADeY/3QGKLZTxAac/s400/goose+jar.jpg

:rofl:

Spot on!

I hate country ducks. Fucking hate them with a passion that goes beyond mere human hate.

1.Look at your clothes. What colors are you inevitibly drawn to?
2.Is there a particular ethnic tone to your wardrobe; jeweled or beaded pieces, indian prints, paisley, geometric?
3.Do you like lean, clean lines or curvy stuff?
4.Do you prefer abstract or classical art?

Now, look through books and magazines and find rooms you love. Break down the elements to identify what it is you like. Paint and upholstery colors, textures, types of lighting, drapery styles, art objects, ethnic origins of accessories, etc. These can tell you a lot about what you like. Keep this stuff in a folder or something. You'll start to see patterns forming of your likes and dislikes. Pretty soon, you'll be able to tell in an instant if an item is "you" or not.

Mostly, have a good time with it. :hi:

That will be a big factor in what you do with it.

Avoid cluttery spaces. Have plenty of "easy to dust" surfaces.

Respect your house's age/architecture. For example, if you're buying a mid-century ranch, don't put in a lot of busy Victorian stuff.

Try to get some coherence among the furniture & decor, but, on the other hand, don't fall into "matchy-matchy" mentality too much, either.

Wood is good, but make sure your house doesn't feel too dark and oppressive if you fill it up with wood. Have some lighter, airy pieces in the mix.

Do you have pets and/or kids? "Indestructible" is your friend. :)