Top 4 Decorating Styles for 2009

What Decorating Style are You?

Do you know what your “Style” is? Many of us have trouble discovering what style of decorating we have in our homes. I often hear people use the term “Eclectic”. I think they decide on this because they really aren’t sure and think this will give them a license to have a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Remember that your style does not always have to be in every room in your house. You can change styles in your different rooms. Check this out to see some hints on how to find your style.

How do you find your Style???
1. Do you have Multiples of items around your house?
2. Are you hanging on to something just “because”?
3. Where do you shop for things for your home, flea market where anything goes or the same store all the time?
4. What is hanging on your walls right now? Is it a poster, print or canvas and what style is it?
5. What was the last thing you bought on an impulse?
6. Is there one piece that is different in your house? Maybe you love it and are just afraid of changing your style?
7. Where do you love to spend your time on vacation? What is your favorite room in your house?

Modern Country
Modern Country combines a more traditional country décor with modern trends that will result in a very comfortable and stylish decorating style. Mixing your favorite collection with both traditional and trendy elements makes it definitely have a more modern feel.

Classic Chic
Creamy soft whites and pale blues can turn your room into a comfortable, casual look using vintage accessories and comfortable furniture. Think of visiting with your grandmother, snuggled in comfortable soft furniture with fresh flowers and the soft scent of candles in the room. Classic Chic balances elegant things with old and worn accessories.

Retro
Celebrate the 1940's and 50's with vintage style. If you love bold colors, shiny chrome, and vivid patterns, you’ll love the vintage look. In the kitchen, think 1950s with sunny yellow, jadeite green, and checkerboard floors. Red and white with a punch of black applies well to this vintage look.

Tuscan Style or Mediterranean
This warm, comforting style can be modified to suit your house, condo, apartment, town home…whether you live somewhere in the hot south, in cool, damp climates or the bitter cold, everyone can transform their favorite spot into a Tuscan getaway using warm tones with lots of wrought iron accessories. Imagine Italian grapes ripening on the vine and drowsy heat radiating off ancient stucco walls. Tuscan decorating style speaks of a rustic life lived in red earth, Mustard Seed and Simply Sage colors, accented with rustic iron pieces artfully twisted into utilitarian forms.

How and Where to Hang Art on your wall

How & Where to Hang Art on your Walls


If you're not sure how high to hang art (prints, photos, posters, collectibles, etc.) on your walls, maybe these ideas will be helpful. Just follow along and before long your walls could look like something out of a designer magazine
You may have heard that you should hang artwork so the center of the picture is at eye level. Well that is a good thought, so hold on to it for a minute. But if you are confused, especially if you’re 5 feet tall and everyone else in your house is so much taller. Then for whose eye level does this rule apply to. Is it the same no matter what size the art is? What about a grouping or if you are hanging it over a sofa?
This is the rule of thumb. Approximately 60 to 65 inches from the floor to the center of the art is a place to start. It may be the perfect place to hang your particular piece of artwork, or it could look terrible. How do you know? Well try by starting to think of the artwork you are hanging as it relates to everything around in the room. Whether you hang a framed picture over a sofa, on a stairway wall, or in the hall, each of these spaces will have elements to consider.
So, right about now you are probably thinking “Thanks a lot”, that was helpful. So let’s look at a few more things that could help you find just the right place to hang that artwork.

10 More Tips for Hanging Art
1. Will you mainly be standing in the room (as in an entryway or hallway)? Does the room have faulted ceilings or is two stories high? If so, it may make sense to hang artwork a bit higher than the 60-65 inch center starting point.

2. Will you typically be sitting in this room? Maybe it is a dining room, family room, or office. Hang pictures a bit lower here so they can be enjoyed while sitting. Try sitting in a chair and have someone hold the picture against the wall, moving it up and down so you can see how it looks.

3. If you are hanging a large framed print or grouping over a sofa or sideboard it will look better when hung so the bottom of the frame is positioned 6 to 12 inches above the top of the sofa back or tabletop.

4. Is your artwork very small. In that case, consider hanging it in a group of other objects.

5. When working with a grouping of pictures or objects hung on a wall, think of the grouping as one large picture and relate the bottom of the entire grouping to the furniture underneath it.

6. What if you are hanging a tall vertical picture, panel, or poster? In this case, it may be better to think about placing the art so that the top one-third area of the picture is near eye level. However, the actual height of the piece will determine the best position on the wall. Again, have someone hold it lower and higher as you see what looks best.

7.Be sure and think about the proportion of the item to the wall it will be hanging on. A small picture hung on a large wall can look out of balance. Look for narrow walls (such as the spaces between two doorways or windows) and consider hanging two or three small pictures in a vertical line. In this case, treat the center picture as the center of the grouping.

8. If you’re hanging artwork by itself, cut paper templates to size each piece of art and attach the paper cutouts to the wall with painter’s tape. This will give you the option to stand back and see how the artwork’s size relates to your room and your furniture. Move the template up and down to find the perfect spot prior to hanging the picture.

9. Another way to see how it will look is to clear the floor below where you will be hanging it. Now lay the print(s) or items out on the floor as you would if they were on the wall. When you step back you can see how they will appear on the wall.

10. Remember odd numbers of items if you are grouping smaller items together. 3,5,7, keeps it more balanced.

Now don’t be afraid to hang things on your wall. Be sure and lay it out before you pick up that hammer. But remember that you can also put a little spackling on the wall if you don’t like it. It is not the end of the world. Be brave – you can do it, I know you can.

It’s Time for A Summer Makeover in Your Home

Summer is such a relaxing time and a time that welcomes something new. Warmer weather calls for a change in your home's decor. Update your home by bringing in sheer fabrics, pretty florals, and garden elements. Check out these "Top 10" ways to make over your home for Summertime!

1. Lighten Up!
Do you have velvet drapes or a heavy corduroy sofa? Now is the time to change them out for lighter looking alternatives. Remove the drapes and replace them with airy sheers. Slipcover the sofa or chairs with paler tones or florals.

2. It’s all about the Front Door
Make the first impression the best impression. What can you add to your entry way or front porch that shouts Summertime and Livin’ is Easy!!! Some new planters, how about a great wreath for the front door. As you enter the home, have some signs of Summer welcoming those who enter.

3. Change the Focus
If your furniture is centered in front of a fireplace, think about ways to rearrange the look for summer. Change the focal point away from the mantel to a view of a garden, placing the conversation grouping to take advantage of the garden scene just outside. You could hang a special quilt like the one on page 31 of our catalog. What about transforming a wall with a photo gallery.

4. The First Impression

Summer Time living often gets your family moving out doors maybe out to a porch or deck, but even if your home does not have a porch or deck, you can get the same look and feel of a porch inside. Introduce a few garden chairs, accessories, and floral fabrics into your great room. You’ll feel like you are outside every time you’re in the room.

5. Add Life to your room
Lanterns everywhere, Candles & more candles, and Words can make a great addition to every room in your house. Get rid of those dusty silk flower arrangements. Bring in fresh green plants & flowering pots. Did you ever have a Beta Fish? These can really bring the outdoors inside. You can put them in your favorite vase. These things can make your room feel light and fun after the long wintery months . Cut flowers can make such a great impact as well. Add a single stem to a group of different size and shape bottles. There are many ways ways to add fresh floral touches to your room.

6. Time to Re-Accessorize
You can add a little personality and get a fun new look with something whimsical. Maybe it is one of those great “Words” that are so popular right now or some personal photos. It might be time to take it up a notch & rework your accessories and makeover your shelves. Clean winter dust off the shelves and begin to replace objects with an eye toward keeping the look light. Bring out your floral china or white ironstone, set up a collection of pitchers or glass, and include plants and picture frames as well. The sky is the limit with your collections. You can go from the “beach” to “Retro” very easily just by changing a few of your Accessories in a room – it will give it a totally different look.

7. Think Words
Add a little inspiration to your room with some fun “words”. They can tell a great story or just make someone smile. These can be used inside or out in any size. Personalize them to your own family and beliefs. Words are the hot new accessory.

8. Organize It
Baskets are a great way to de-clutter your room. Look for ways to stay organized during the busy summer months. When your home is overwhelmed with clutter it may not feel inviting. So time to get things organized and cleaned up for the summer months. You can find some great things to help declutter at some of the home stores around. Don’t forget those shelves can look cluttered too.

9. Your Fireplace isn’t just for Winter
Now is the perfect time to sweep away the ashes of winter fires and start fresh. The fireplace looks great with silk plants, an arrangement of candles, or even a few family pictures. Think of something totally off the wall and put it in the fire place. It will turn some heads and get a fun response from your visitors.

10. The Power of Paint
Freshen up and lighten up with some bright fun new colors. Don’t be afraid to use color – you can always paint over it if you don’t like it. But it can make a huge difference in a room.

If you need a little help with any of these areas be sure and check out the sale going on at my website www.athome.com/patdempsey The attic is the place to be. Some of these items will not be there after June 30th.

DECORATING QUIZ


Are you ready for a change??

Would you like to make one or more rooms in your home into an area that you and your family would really enjoy spending time in this summer?

What room would you like to decorate or redecorate?

What types of things will you enjoy doing in this room?

Do you have a “Theme” in mind? Wondering what that Theme might be? Here is a little help in that area.

a. Maybe it is time to Dream a little Dream – take a moment to think about your favorite “place” and what it is about that place that makes your mind drift there. How can you bring that “place” to your living area? Is there a color that reminds you of this place? How about a smell, or maybe a particular thing like shells, or lighthouses, how about an America Flag? Get the idea? Is it outside or inside?

b. Another way to come up with a Theme is to think about something that you enjoy. Maybe it is old quilts, could it be clocks, or stars? Could you make that the focal point of your new room?

c. What was your last impulse purchase? Could it be that is the direction you should be going in? Maybe you were trying to tell yourself something.


Do you have a color already picked out?

Don’t be afraid to add color to your room. Maybe it is through your walls or accent pieces. Popular colors right now are reds, darker blues and greens, but don’t forget about those yellow colors. Be sure to think about your Color Wheel and the relation of one color to the other. Also remember this little tip when working with a Color Wheel. Next Door Neighbors are Best. (those colors ne xt to each other on the wheel go well together. Family is Always Welcome (those colors in the same family.), Opposites Attract (colors opposite each other on the color wheel work well together too). Also thinking about Changing to some new colors, keep this in mind too. 60/30/10 Rule. What??? Yes, use one color 60% of the time in the room, add another color into the room with 30% and then put some pop in the room with 10%. You will be amazed at what this can do to your room. It really can make a difference.

What is your budget? It doesn’t take a lot to totally change a room around. Sometimes just a few pieces and a little ingenuity can make for a HUGE difference.

Think about how it would feel to enjoy this space with your family and friends!!!
Won’t you be so proud to show it off and to just RELAX in your new Room. Nothing like experiencing Real Life with Style!!!

Check out my website for some fun things that will add pop to your room. Have fun changing things around this summer. It feels so good when you put it all together.
www.athome.com/patdempsey

Yellow - is it the color for you?

Color is in the air and it’s time for some fun & inspiring touches to happen in our homes.
I know if you are like me – you are so ready for some warmer temperatures and probably to be done with all that rain and gloomy weather! Boy, it sure has been a long, hard Winter and a wet Spring!
There is no better way to liven things up around your house, than with a few little extra touches of color. It will lift your spirits for sure.
Did you know that yellow is the new “hot” color this year? Now you don’t necessarily have to paint your walls, but you can add those touches of yellow to rooms in your house in some different ways.
How about some yellow towels in the bathroom, along with candles, artificial flowers, maybe even a throw rug on the floor. You can even add a few yellow soaps. In no time, you can have a fun new feeling happening in that dull looking bathroom. Bathrooms can be one of the most difficult rooms in the house to decorate. Recently I saw the cutest idea for a bathroom and I wanted to share it with you. It was in a friends house and she had gone to a local hardware store and purchased a small section of picket fence. Now you see, she had 3 kids and there were always towels lying around on the floor. Does that sound familiar? You know how that is with the kids and even the husband? Well, you may be asking what does that have to do with a picket fence? She took that small section of picket fencing, painted it yellow and she attached it to the wall in her bathroom. She added a few cute stencils of butterflies and flowers on the wall above the fence. Now when her kids are through with the bath they hang those towels that use to go on the floor, on their new picket fence! They love it and the bathroom looks much tidier now! So with a very inexpensive item from the hardware store – she turned her bathroom into a Springtime showcase.
So you see how in now time at all you can take a few very inexpensive items and turn them into a whole new look for your room. Think yellow this year and see where it leads you.

Decorating with a Summer Flair

Let's get started. This is all new to me and so I am off on a new venture.
Over the past few years I have contributed articles to The Country Register
Newspapers across the US and most recently even to Canada. I thought this
would be a great way to share some of those articles and to get some more
great ideas from those of you who also are "decorating addicts".


With summer comes one of my favorite holidays of the year – the 4th of July! I am partial to this great holiday with its Red, White and Blue theme. There are many of us who keep these colors going in our home year round as a special way to preserve our heritage and show our patriotism.

This time of the year you can add a touch here or there of Red, White & Blue or you can change up an entire room. Flag buntings make a great window treatment as do just good ole fashioned flags. Swag them at the top of your window for a great look. Lots of light can still get through to add a bright touch to your room.

What about that front door? You can drape a small flag through your existing wreath to make it look totally different! Hang one over the rocking chair on the porch with a touch of red, white and blue in your favorite pillow! What fun. A great outdoor lantern can be made from a good ole pickle jar, you know the ones that hold a ton of pickles….Now put a little sand in the bottom and a big pillar candle. Tie a rag ribbon around the rim of the jar in red, white or blue plaid. What a great way to light up the walk way on those warm summer evenings. I like to use several to light the way for friends and neighbors as they come over for our 4th of July picnic!

Your favorite Star dishes can be used to hold some of your heirloom pieces in the room. Maybe some of your red geraniums from the garden would spice up the room. Can you picture this in your head? It doesn’t take much when it comes to this season to make a great statement and show off your pride in America!!! Hurray for the Red, White & Blue!!!