Fashion accessories make an outfit complete. From that perfect hobo bag, layered strands of beads, an ultra soft pashmina scarf to a killer pair of shoes there is no doubt adding that special piece can make you feel like a fashionista…
Wallpaper does the same for your home.
Finding ways to make your kids rooms interesting and functional is not always easy. It is especially difficult when you have pre teens at home who would like nothing better than to paint everything black.
If you have a fan in your home (like I do, Madison you know who you are) here are some decorating ideas for you.
courtesy of freshhome.com
Could we have a harder group of people to decorate for than the teenaged male?
They are not exactly outspoken when it comes to the decor of their rooms. In fact most of the teenaged guys I know tend to shrug and mumble, “I don’t know…whatever…” Don’t be fooled. They really do care they just don’t want to talk about it.
They have long out grown their cutesy themed rooms. They may appear indifferent to the whole design thing but they really do want a comfortable space for hanging out or studying or they may want a space to reflect their various current interests. Over the years I have had requests from guys (reluctantly dragged into Seven’s with their parents) ranging from an all black room to a room with different colors on every wall to giant sports murals to snowboarding wallpaper.
Many of us as parents would draw the line at an all black room though. Sorry guys.
But I have come up with a few different ideas for you.
When many of us were growing up did we ever think we would be parents — let alone parents of pre – teens? Yikes! I know I never pictured it for myself that’s for sure.
My mother’s words have often come back to haunt me, “You just wait! Someday your kids will act the same way.”
Some days life is like a field full of land mines. You never know what you may say that will send off the fireworks. It is great for everyone if the pre-teen in the family has a neutral corner or bedroom to retreat to.
I remember enjoying the Chronicles of Narnia when I was younger and I think it is great how those books have stood the test of time. My own kids have read them and loved the cinematic interpretations too.
If your pre-teen is like mine, why not give them a room that reflects their interests (fleeting as they may be) ?
CL Designs Kaleidascope
Winter. Blah. Michigan. Double Blah…
I don’t mean to offend those of you who love the snow but I rather enjoyed our respite last month from the white stuff. However this being Michigan, deep down I knew it wasn’t going to last long.
I suppose being stuck inside is a good thing. It has given me time to take a look around at my walls and consider changing a thing or two.
Instead of overexerting myself by shoveling the driveway, I think I’ll get a work out by taking home a bunch of wallpaper books and figuring out a plan for my house.
If you are looking for a great pick me up this winter consider some of these beautiful wallpaper patterns. I have paired them with paint colors if you need ideas for coordinating some other areas around your house…
I admit it. I am a push over for Christmas. I love the sights, the sounds, the smells, and I love the holiday colors! The rich reds, greens, metallics and shimmery hues inspire me to paint!
What? Really? Another thing which inspires me to paint? Say it isn’t so!
I admit that painting a room in a color just for the holidays is a bit excessive (even for me). I am on a 2 year painting rotation, not a 1 year — yet…
So what do you do if you need a little holiday cheer but don’t want to do anything permanent?
Long, long ago in the age of beige, people were craving a little color. Because the idea of painting an entire room anything other than beige or off white was too intimidating for most, along came the Accent Wall. A section of color painted in a room was the solution– a tentative way for homeowners to dip their toes into the color pool so to speak.
Remember walking into a home and seeing a bold color kind of standing on its own looking lonely and heavy in relation to the rest of the room?
Remember the strong reds, blues and greens that covered a single wall in almost every room? What was once an unpredictable pop of color is now, well…sort of predictable.
Welcome to 2010 and the introduction of (drum roll please…) the Feature Wall.
Feature wall? Sounds like a marketing gimmick. Just a new name for an old concept. Well no, not necessarily.
In a couple short weeks school will begin again. Here are some suggestions for turning boring student rooms into something a little less vanilla. Most student housing has rules about what you can and can’t do with your new home away from home — so please double check before getting too carried away.
Since most little boys probably aren’t huge Fancy Nancy fans, I had to come up with a plan for them too. I recently went to see Toy Story 3 in 3D and really enjoyed it. It’s not often we can find a movie to entertain us adults, a thirteen and eight year old! I thought it was as entertaining as the first one.
My favorite character is Buzz Lightyear (although Woody is a close second). What little boy wouldn’t want a room inspired by outer space and a charismatic intergalactic space ranger?
While walking through the mall the other day I passed through a large cosmetics department. As I peered at and pondered over the many selections and interesting colors, it struck me how much painting a room and applying makeup have in common with each other.
Some will call me crazy for making such a comparison. (If you have read my previous posts on my paint-a-holism you will know I am a little bit paint crazy.) Don’t you remember years back when people referred to make up as ‘face paint’? So why not paint as make up? Makes sense to me. In fact it makes sense to others as well…
It has been a while since we have had a decorative paint worth getting excited about. Recently we have been training on the cool effects and techniques achievable with Modern Masters Metallic Plaster. Because decorative painting is a passion of mine I am very excited to tell you about it too.
Many of you have tried some sort of decorative paint project in the past, some with more success than others. Long gone are the days of sponge painting and rag rolling! (Thank you very much) In are the days of texture, metal effects, shimmer and depth! I know that sounds like a lot to expect from decorative products but you are truly limited only by your imagination!
Wallpapering is not something we generally think about tackling over the summer although on those really steamy days it could be nice to hang out in the A/C or when it rains. Given the number of rain days lately I am sure we can find some time to hang a few rolls. Feature walls, small powder rooms, entryways all make great spaces to paper. Even the backs of the bookcases should not be excluded from a little wallpaper pick me up… (Plus with these fresh summery patterns I don’t know how anyone could resist!!)
