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Day 10!!!!

March 24, 2010 By

Well folks, I’ve done it…100 decorating tips in celebration of my first 100 blog posts!  Tomorrow, we’ll be back to your regularly scheduled blogging :) .

91. You can make curtains out of just about anything.  If you can’t find exactly the curtains you’re looking for in your favorite home store, try looking in the bedroom or kitchen section.  Flat sheets, table clothes, and even just look pieces of fabric all make great curtains. And with these little curtain clips, you don’t even need to sew!  If you have a piece of unfinished fabric you’d like to use and you don’t know how to use a sewing machine, try safety pins or hem tape!

92. Don’t be afraid of color.  I love this photo from The Little Things.  She has a pretty neutral kitchen, but really made a statement by adding this teal island.  Try something out of the box.  If you don’t like it, you can always change it.  Your room is NEVER permanent!

93. If you share your home with someone (husband, kids, roommates) remember that even if they aren’t super opinionated, they still appreciate being thought about when you decorate a room.  Your hubby may not care what sort of pictures you hang on your wall or couch you pick out (as long as it’s comfy), but he probably will appreciate it if you don’t paint the walls hot pink, or pick out that overly floral fabric for your curtains.  And your kids will probably appreciate it if there are areas of each room that are specially designed for them (places to put their toys, showcase their artwork, etc.).

94. When you are considering paint colors for you home, remember that people will see your house as a whole not as a group of individual rooms…so make sure paint colors flow from one room to the next.  They don’t need be the same color, but make sure the coordinate!

95. Do you have kids? Want a fun way to display books or pictures in your house?  Take a look at this.  You can learn how to make and install these yourself over at Frugal Home Designs!

96. Put things in unexpected places…we have a tree in our guest bathroom…seriously. It seemed so odd at first, but I really like it there now!  You never know where something will work, so play around!  Remember nothing is permanent!

97. In the same vain, try putting something unexpected on the wall.  Walls of picture frames can sometimes become boring, even if the frames and their contents are interesting.  So try something three dimensional:  a wall sculpture, a old tennis racquet of your mothers, an egg beater.  No joke.  I recently saw a home magazine with an old egg beater hanging on the wall, and it looked so neat! You never know what’s going to work for you.

98. Don’t ignore your laundry room!  Whether you have a whole room dedicated to your washer and dryer, or just a closet, don’t ignore this space!  I saw the CUTEST laundry room on HGTV the other day…the walls were a light blue and they had bead board cabinets. Which made me think, “How many of us are neglecting our laundry rooms?!?” Your laundry room doesn’t have to be quite this nice (picture courtesy of Lemon Annie), but don’t ignore it! At the very least, spice it up with a sassy paint color!

99. Invest in galvanized steel buckets.  Lots of them.  They can hold flowers, Coronas on ice, sand and candles, art supplies, or one of my favorite uses…toys in a playroom.  This photo is comes from Nesting Place:

100. Sometimes it’s easy to focus on all the things you want to “fix” in your house.  Right now, take a moment, a night, a weekend, heck even a month to appreciate all the things you LIKE about your house.  Focus on the positive!

Thanks for hanging with me through all 100 tips!  See you back here tomorrow for more This American Wife!

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Day 7.

March 20, 2010 By

61. Need a bedside table? Try using a stray chair!

62. Pull out that bag of seashells you collected at the beach last summer and throw them in a bowl (or a vase or a basket) and set them on a stack of books on your shelves.

63. All that artwork you have from your kiddos, nieces, nephews, etc., frame it (and  then replace it on a regular basis as your kiddos grow).

64. Do you have crazy colored tile in your bathroom but no budget to replace it right now? Paint your bathroom a complimentary color, like this example from Real Simple.

65. When you need a boost, bring fresh flowers into your home.  They look great on your kitchen table, on your dresser, in your bathroom…or all of the above!

66. Try angling your bed in a corner.  This can add a whole different feel to your bedroom and this configuration may even help your room flow better!

67. Use an old saucer as a soap dish in your bathroom–this is perfect for a shabby chic look!

68. Have a photo printed larger than your standard 4×6, 5×8, or 8×10 sizes and frame it.  It will make an amazing statement!

69. Try using old wooden milk crates as storage for towels in your bedroom/ rain boots in your coat closet/ toys in your playroom.

70. That bulletin board in your office…paint it.  Go wild–paint the frame AND the cork.

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Day 4 of the Countdown (Twenty Dollar Tuesdays!)

March 16, 2010 By

In honor of Twenty Dollar Tuesdays, the ten items on today’s edition of 100 Decorating Ideas can all be done for under $20! Enjoy!

36. Cruise www.craigslist.com on a regular basis. There are great deals to be had on craigslist, but you need to get in the habit of looking on a regular basis to find that diamond in the rough. I bought this headboard for $10!

37. Spend $20 on new hand towels for your kitchen in one color and get rid of any towels that don’t match your kitchen or are too shabby to continue to reside in your kitchen.

38. Play mood music.  Whether it’s a classical CD or Frank Sinatra, mood music makes me so happy!  It makes me feel like I’m in a hotel lounge.

39. Clean out your coat closet so guests can actually use it!

40. If you feel motivated, use an unexpected color to brighten up the inside of your coat closet. I love this one from Real Simple:

41. Install new house numbers. This website has some great ones!

42. Paint your front door your favorite color. Mine is red!

43. Paint your mailbox to match your front door.

44. Keep your towels out on your bathroom counter in a fancy basket.

45. Identify a place you don’t typically spend a lot of time.  Rearrange your furniture or put something there that will force you to use that space!

And with that…I’m off to bed! See you back here tomorrow!

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Post 100!

March 13, 2010 By

Well folks, believe it or not, this is my 100th post.  I really can’t believe it!  And in honor of my 100th post I’m kicking of a week in which I’ll post 100, yes 100 decorating ideas!  Here’s ten to get us started!

1. Check your local craft store before you drop money at a home store like Pier One, Pottery Barn, or Restoration Hardware.  I have found items that are EXACTLY the same for about 20% less.  I’m not even talking about things I make instead of buy, I mean items that are EXACTLY the same (Example: Apothecary Jars).

2. Use hooks or pegs instead of towel bars in your bathrooms. See below:

3. Upgrade your boring white light switch and electric plates with something fancier like this:

4. Take the toilet seat cover off your toilet.  That shag rug thing that’s on your toilet seat…Take it off.  There is nothing modern or traditional or French countryside or whatever your style is about a toilet seat cover.

5. While you’re at it, that rug that wraps around your toilet seat base…Get rid of that, too.  Think of the nicest hotel you ever stayed at…got it? Did they have a rug that wrapped around the toilet base?  I didn’t think so.  If you really need something to keep your feetsies warm, just buy a plain ol’ rectangular rug.  It will work just fine!

6. Clean out the linen closet in the bathroom your guests use when they come to town.  Okay, I know this isn’t exactly out in the open decorating, but your guests will open that closet.  Make it look nice.  Get rid of random mis-matched towels, old bottles of sunscreen, whatever it is you store in there.  Fold the towels nicely.  Make sure bottles are nicely organized, and leave some toiletries out for your guests to use.

7. Paint a piece of furniture.  Whether it’s something you already own or something you buy at a thrift store, paint that sucker a crazy color.  Well at least something crazy for you. If you’re normally a beige person (like my mom) paint it eggplant or sage.  If you’re normally a red person (like me) paint it all white or all black.  Make a statement! I love this piece that Living with Lindsay blogged about this week:

8. Replace the curtains in your living room.  Chances are they could use replacing.  If they don’t change them out to better coordinate with the time of year (linen for summer, heavy cotton for winter) and then change them back in six months!

9. Since you’re already taking down the curtains, why not change out the curtain rod, too?

10. Lastly for tonight, Take all the throw pillows off your couch, bed, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love throw pillows…but if you’re looking to give your room of a different vibe for a bit try living without those pillows.  The look is much more modern!

And with that, I’m off to an 80s party.  Pics to come.  I’ll see you back here tomorrow for more of my 100 decorating ideas!

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