The tropical look provides an island retreat awaiting you as you walk through the front door. Close your eyes and imagine the colors you’d see walking along the shore of an island paradise. Use soothing blues and white to reflect a glorious sky, lush greens, and earthy neutrals like beige, cream and brown to represent a sandy surf. Accent colors include reds, corals and other hues that remind one of tropical flora.

Be environmentally conscious and fashionable when purchasing your floor covering. Sisal and jute rugs woven from natural fibers keep the tropical look alive on the floor and provide textural interest against wood flooring.

A popular accessory for Tropical-style rooms is a wide-blade fan constructed from rattan or with palm paddles. Many of these fans today perform double-duty as light fixtures, with bulbs already attached at the base of the fan. This option keeps rooms bright and circulates air, making it a thoroughly modern, space-efficient design that nevertheless brings thoughts of the Tropics to mind.

While tropical woods like ebony, mahogany and teak are popular for attaining a tropical look, don’t purchase them unless they are certified sustainable. Wood furniture can also achieve a tropical look with carvings; popular motifs include pineapples, palm leaves or trees and flowers. Bamboo and rattan furniture also go far to create your private paradise, are eco-friendly, and utterly picturesque.

Keep fabrics breezy and light, both in color and texture. Favorite tropical prints reflect native botanicals that provide splashes of color, like the hibiscus or Bird of Paradise. Use real plants to bring the lush beauty of the tropics indoors, or dot bare surfaces on walls with floral prints or indigenous art. For a fun and practical twist, place a travel trunk someplace that needs some tropical flavor, and use it to store linens and other items out of the away.

For a HUGE selection of furniture, including bed frames, bedroom sets, and dining room furniture, visit Eco-Furniture.com today.

Apartment Decorating

In today’s economy everybody is spending less, but wanting more.  So how can you get your apartment to have that “Designer look” for less?

First, DIY or Do it yourself.  You can save tons of money with your home decorating projects if you can do it yourself.  Visit your local book stores or library and you’ll see hundreds of books on home decorating ideas and do-it-yourself projects.

Start collecting design magazines and clip out the pictures of rooms you like.  Study your pictures, observe the different architectural features like windows, fireplaces, recessed ceilings and decorative crown mouldings in the space.

Also note the different furniture styles used within the space, window treatments, upholstery fabrics and floor selections.  Study the lighting that was selected, rugs and home décor accessories.  Ask yourself, what did you like most or least about these? 

Keep a decorating file on hand to inspire and delight your creative senses.  Take the pictures with you when you go shopping to keep you on track with the style you are searching for.

Take a trip to your local Lowe’s and Home Depot stores to see all the DIY books and magazines they carry to help you get started. They also have special classes to teach you how.  DIY doesn’t sound so scary now, right?

Second, start with one room and third, stick to your budget.  Sounds easy?  Well, in fact it’s easier than you think.  I think what really hangs people up is that they are overwhelmed by the magnitude of the project.  That’s why I say start with one room.  It’ll be much easier on the budget. 

Did I say “budget”.  Don’t fret.  It’s not such a dirty word.  And in this tough economy, even the rich have a budget.  You can decorate these days on a very tight budget.  It’s just learning how to be smart and creative.

Janice Nickole publishes a series of articles on home

decorating to share her years of experience in home

decorating ideas.

There are those that fight straight tradition and eschew the trendiest of the trendy. They prefer to be free of the tethers that define country style. For these unique souls, there is one place to flee for creative sanctuary—the diverse furniture style known as Transitional. The label “transitional” can cause confusion for some. Transitional walks the line between traditional and contemporary furniture, with lines that are less ornate than traditional styles but not as severely basic as contemporary lines.

Consequently, transitional furniture is no single extreme, but a harmonic blend of styles that can be adapted to an individual’s preference. Comfort and practicality are key aspects to transitional furniture, with many pieces made to meet the demands of the active household. Durable materials found in this type of furniture include contemporary media like metal and glass, but also sophisticated, lush fabrics. Within the elegant curves of this style are two sub-categories: eclectic and casual. Eclectic style furniture borrows from several furniture styles freely. A cluttered, disjointed look is avoided by unifying color or textures, while casual furniture is classically inspired with today’s family in mind. It’s comfy and perfect for entertaining friends and family without formal airs.

Pick out furniture that is sturdier in dimension than contemporary pieces, but lacks the sometimes oppressive proportions of traditional items. Juxtapose traditional curves with contemporary straight edges. Avoid anything that may seem “overdone” or too formal, shying away from elaborate carvings and sticking with unfussy ornamentation. If something seems too “cold” and modern, move on to something that imparts more warmth and comfort.

Transitional lighting avoids overworked metals and opulent decoration. However, it’s not as stark and simple as some contemporary fixtures, which may only have a single halogen bulb behind a frosted cube, for instance. Most transitional lighting employs metals like steel and iron, and the shapes are curved and definite, but avoid crossing the line to a web of intricate knots, loops and curlicues.

For a HUGE selection of furniture, including dining room furniture, coffee tables, and dining tables, visit Eco-Furniture.com today.

People who live in warm sunny climates (yes, I’m one of the lucky ones!) have an abundance of sunshine, greenscapes, flowers and warm, tropical air to enjoy every day. We also have many local home decor choices when it comes to tropical or Florida style decorating, so if we choose to bring the outdoors into our homes, it’s quite simple.

So what do you do if you don’t live in my area of the world and want to bring some of that tropical sunshine into your home decor? Or, you may reside in a warm climate, but want to do something more creative than palm tree pictures and place mats. Whatever the situation, you can create a beautiful tropical home decor that uniquely expresses your lifestyle.

First, determine what room or area of your home is going to be part of this decorating project, and then decide what your budget is going to be. It is critical that you address these two important points before doing anything else. If you are decorating on a budget, which most of us are, that will dictate your approach to this tropical transformation.

Tropical colors can be bold and beautiful, in shades of blue, green, coral, turquoise, purple and yellow, so if you love color, this is a great decorating style for you. Conversely, you can create a beautiful tropical decor with soft colors as well, so there is no definite ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ path for you to take when it comes to color choices. I’ve had success with the following color palette, and although it is different than the color schemes mentioned above it worked very well. The walls of the guest bedroom were painted a medium shade of bronze-brown, floors were bamboo wood, window treatment was a simple off-white sheer tied back with a delicate silk leaf greenery, ceiling fan with faux bamboo paddles, simple palm tree sketches with brown frames on the walls, slim silk palm tree in the corner and a taupe iron bed with bedspread in cream, green and brown with a muted palm tree pattern. The understated theme of this room did not shout ‘tropical style’, but the color and accessory combinations worked very well in my Florida style home.

You may decide to bring the tropical atmosphere into the room in a big way by using a bright, bold color on the walls of your room. Or, you may opt for a muted shade on your walls and use the bright colors for accents in the room. Remember that the tropics includes naturals, including trees, trees and more trees, so a beautiful, realistic looking silk (or real if your green thumb and location will allow) palm tree or something similar will always look great. Bear in mind that you really do get what you pay for with silks, so choose the best that your budget will afford.

Accessorize thoughtfully and creatively, trying to avoid the types of commercial and over-used pieces that you probably see elsewhere. Look for a unique lamp that has a tropical feel. Remember as you shop to look online, for there are many great sources for tropical themed rugs. Choose carefully because one unique area or entry rug could potentially become the focal point of your tropical theme. Or, you might find artwork with a standard tropical theme, but the framing or artistry makes it stand out as unique and unduplicated.

Window treatments can include plantation shutters, wood blinds, lightweight fabrics and fun print valances, depending upon your style preferences. Avoid heavy, dark draping styles, as they are contrary to a tropical decor.

The same thought is applicable to the overall feel and look of the room. The upholstered furniture does not have to be wicker and white, but it should have a light overall ‘feel’ and appearance. For example, if you are striving for a tropical look to your room’s decor, a navy blue and hunter green plaid sofa will probably not create the feel you are seeking. A sea foam green sofa with a combination of cream and coral accent pillows will take you in the tropical, or Florida style, direction.

Determine your tropical color scheme and how you will apply it to your room, shop for unique and notabl (not necessarily expensive!) pieces, include natural textures, refrain from over-accessorizing, and you will be on your way to creating a beautiful Florida style decor, no matter where you live.

Candi Randolph is a Design Consultant and author of ‘Ten Simple Steps to Design Success!’, a simple home decorating ideas e-book. For more information please visit MySimplyDesigned.com

Victorian style is a traditional look that is the result of a medley of influences, including classical, Oriental, Gothic and Italian. Victorian style is synonymous with bold color and arresting combinations. Persian blue, deep reds, rich greens, dark plum and wine, terra cotta and darkly stained woods create a warm depth in rooms. If decorating a bedroom, choose from a lighter color spectrum, but keep the juxtaposition of soft blues, soothing greens, pinks and grays striking for maximum effect.

Sundry lighting possibilities were available during the Victorian period and included gas, electric and oil based options. To convey the same historic flavor, sprinkle real candelabras and candelabra style fixtures throughout the home. Pick fixtures with ornate detail and sporting a silver or bronze finish for the sake of authenticity. For variety and to brighten traditionally dark Victorian rooms, select table and floor lamps with metal bases finished in iron, brass, copper or silver, or that are formed from china. While silk shades usually topped off these Victorian beauties, they also used linen and parchment alternatives, which are humane and available on the GREENCulture lighting site for compassionate consumers. Crystal accented chandeliers also fit the bill for lavish lighting in your dining room.

Victorian furniture is meant to be a focal point in a room, with large proportions, sturdy structures and darkly stained, lustrous woods. Because Victorian furniture is influenced by many previous styles, from Rococo to Gothic, the look can be more eclectic than most traditional styles. However, some stylistic commonalities do occur, such as the prevalent cabriole leg, fluted leg, elaborately carved floral ornamentation and upholstery.

Some furniture pieces have come to represent the Victorian era more than others due to their popularity among home owners of the time. Who wouldn’t want to come home to the plush comfort of a settee and recline for a minute or two? Victorians often placed these utterly stylishly, perfectly practical couches below stairs or on floor landing. If you want a more asymmetrical look, you can also use a meridienne, a couch that has uneven arms attached by a slanting back. Pair these sofas with deep-buttoned and balloon-back chairs to complete your seating arrangements and keep friends and family in luxurious comfort.

For a HUGE selection of furniture, including bed frames, bedroom sets, and dining room furniture, visit Eco-Furniture.com today.

Budget Home Decorating is a phrase that many people are finding is a relevant term in daily conversation. Stricter budgeting has become a part of many of our lives, mine included.

There are many ways to work within budget constraints and find ways to decorate your home to fit your unique lifestyle. Sometimes it doesn’t cost anything, there may be some expenditure involved or it could require some ‘layaway’ time. A combination of the three will ultimately yield the most satisfying results.

Here are some simple budget home decorating ideas that apply to many home decor styles and are cost effective to implement.

If you have a lonely wall in a room, do what I did when I lived in a Craftsman style home – I found an old fireplace mantel (not the entire unit, just the mantel!), painted it white and placed it on a narrow wall that was painted Hunter Green. I decorated the mantel as well as the area under it, and the overall look was beautiful in the room. Most guests didn’t even realize it was a faux fireplace!

Be thrifty in your hunt for the right mantel, going to flea markets, garage sales and resale shops. You may find a beautiful old mantel with a character all its own to add interest and drama to your space.

Here is the next budget home decorating idea. Cut the legs off of a table (flea market or garage sale find, or just plain cheap find!) that has the shape and size you want, and use it as a coffee table. Or, take two small end tables, cut them to the height you want and use those in place of a coffee table. There is no magic height requirement as long as it works for you and your lifestyle.

The next budget home decorating idea is to paint furniture to give it a fresh look. If you find mismatched wood chairs at a garage sale, paint them the same color to give continuity to your dining area. If your desk in the home office has seen better days – paint it! Consider painting a piece a color that you are using as an accent color to give it more ‘pop’ in the room.

Budget home decor idea number four is to switch out your old lampshades for new ones with a slightly different finish and shape. Just be sure to measure carefully to get the appropriate size as well as the correct halo for the base. Go one step further and put interesting decals on the outside, or even just on the inside, of the lampshade.

Small accessories can benefit from a coat of paint as well, and that is budget home decorating idea number five. Lamp bases, mirror frames, picture frames, bar stools…all of these can be given new life and a new direction with paint. Don’t forget about metallic paint and other ‘texture’ type paints to keep things interesting!

If you are willing to put in some time and elbow grease, you can spiff up a room or space in your home without spending much money. Give one or more of these budget home decorating ideas a try. You’ll have fun and create a fresh decor look for your home!

Candi Randolph is the author of Ten Simple Steps to Design Success, a simple and easy to understand guide with home decorating ideas and interior design tips. Please visit Great Home Decorating for home decor advice, tips, articles and help for all styles and budgets.

As you page through home decorating magazines, stroll past furniture store windows, and search for decorating ideas the internet, what actually inspires you to take action? When do you say, “That’s the look I want”? What gets your attention and sticks in your mind until you must have the object of your attraction?

Product designers count on the latest introduction of colors to first catch your eye. A color you’ve never seen before or one resurrected from years ago may to your inspiration to redecorate. Colors are carefully planned to change throughout year. If this season’s colors didn’t grab you, perhaps the next array will do it. Eventually some hue in the seasonal rainbow will speak to you and you’re off to the paint or furniture store.

Just as with the inevitable changes in fashion’s hemlines and the width of men’s ties, some colors keep reappearing every few years. The avocado green of thirty years ago is back with a different descriptive name, so it’s now a fresh addition to a new color pallet for another generation.

Forms can also inspire. The alluring shape of a camelback sofa or the classic simplicity of a modern chair will set your mind to planning a whole new look for your room. May as well update those end tables and replace those tired lamps. Suddenly that lovely form that attracted you, that single impetus for change, has created a room transformation.

Decorating a mobile home or manufactured home can be a challenge. Paneled walls, vinyl wallpaper, odd angles and low ceilings are just a few of the problems home decorators must overcome. Here are some great ideas for decorating your mobile home with style and charm.

The most common complaint I hear in decorating a mobile home is what to do about those paneled walls. Mobile homes tend to have strips of vertical “molding” that cover the gap between each panel of wallboard. They scream “mobile home”. There are ways to work around them. First of all, you can remove them and use joint compound and a putty knife to fill the gaps. This works, however, as one of my readers pointed out recently when she tried this method, its difficult to get the gaps as smooth as the wallboard. Her solution was to apply joint compound to the whole wall, then texture and paint. Great idea! A lot of work!

If you don’t want to put the work into the joint compound method, you have options. The first is to simply choose one or two co-coordinating paint colors in a rich hue, then make the color of the walls the star. With a beautiful color as background, especially a rich color, then strips will seem to fade away. How about cranberry and mustard? Or a rich moss green and a golden yellow?

If you’re looking for a sleek, exotic look perfectly suited for smaller apartments and living spaces, Oriental-styled furniture is a definite option to consider. Chinese and Japanese offerings have had a great influence on Western furniture and modern design. Bedroom furniture pieces such as the platform bed and futon, as well as stacked chests and trunks are examples of Asian-inspired furniture that is practical and compact, and at the same time stylish and sophisticated.

Lacquered surfaces are a key attribute of the Chinese furniture style, creating luxuriantly deep finishes that are paradoxically subtle and striking in their elegance. Comprised of ebony, teak and rosewood, Chinese furniture often bears an inlay of semi-precious materials like lapis lazuli, jade and mother-of-pearl. Symmetrical construction, miter joints and copper, brass or pewter brackets are often employed to create a clean profile that enhances a modern, cosmopolitan living space.

Space-saving savvy puts Japanese-inspired furniture high on the list of city dwellers and dorm room denizens alike. If you love your sleek, streamlined platform bed and couldn’t live without your stowaway futon, you owe your admiration to the ingenuity of a culture that traditionally shuns large, overwrought furniture. Other recognizable items that hail from Japan include the stacked Tansu chests and Nagamochi trunks. Like Chinese furnishings, furniture influenced by Japanese design is defined by its joinery, with master artisans taking years to learn the construction of these complex, durable joints. Great pride is taken in the general lack of nails or glue that holds the structure together, and in the joint’s shock absorbing properties.

Much contemporary furniture owes its inspiration to ancient Oriental designs. The beauty of a piece was found in its usefulness and construction. Simplicity of design was valued more than ostentatious and gaudy overindulgence. The same can be said for today’s modern furniture, especially bedroom furniture, where sleek and simple equals stylish and sophisticated.

For a HUGE selection of furniture, including bed frames, bedroom sets, and dining room furniture, visit Eco-Furniture.com today.

The Scandinavian look is a bright, airy style that makes you feel like you can breathe easier just by stepping into it. This look is carefully constructed to give the illusion of light and sprang from Sweden’s harsh, long winter evenings. The overall look is homey and inviting.

Color here is viewed as an opportunity to create the brightness of a summer sky with marshmallow clouds and its cheerful vibes. For your base, you’ll want something like white, cream or sky blue, complemented with touches of warm yellow and gold, baby pink and bold red, gray and light green. Use these colors to stencil hearts, ribbons, scrolls and gatherings of wheat upon walls.

Like your walls and draperies, keep your floors light and bright! Consider blonde or pale woods, or a light hued paint for your floors. If you want to jazz things up, stencil or paint pale designs (like stripes and diamonds) on the floor’s surface. And don’t forget your floor coverings! In this case, pick up an eco-friendly sisal rug, like the kind found here, for a natural, attractive covering that protects your floors and family’s feet.

For a HUGE selection of furniture, including dining room furniture, coffee tables, and dining tables, visit Eco-Furniture.com today.