Harvest Time Decorating

The wonders of the Internet and electronic communication have made everyone more aware of their neighbors around the globe. For example, when it's autumn in the Northern hemisphere, people in the Global South are enjoying springtime. And when it's fall in the South, Northerners are reveling in spring. However, no matter what months autumn comes, it's always a time to celebrate the harvest with rich colors and symbols of abundance.

The simplest and easiest decoration for harvest season is a bright orange pumpkin sitting on the front steps or porch. Pumpkins and other gourds make such excellent long-lasting decorations that it's possible to use them inside and out during harvest season. For variety, decorators can use pumpkins as the centerpiece around which to craft striking displays. They can be surrounded with pots of ornamental grasses in colors such as purple, bronze and red. The richness of the fall palette lets decorators choose from color combinations that make dramatic contrasts such as bright greens with browns and plums against a large orange pumpkin.

What's more, not all pumpkins are orange anymore. White pumpkins have been cultivated that give a totally different backdrop to a home decorating display. Combined with feathery purple or red fountain grass, white pumpkins make a truly unusual and visually stunning home decoration for fall.

In fact, white pumpkins and fountain grass can form the anchor of an entry display useful from the beginning of harvest time until its ending. For example, add in creepy props such as scarecrows, skeletons, ravens or other spooky denizens for Halloween. After that, change them out for vivid fall flowers such as chrysanthemums in yellow, red and bronze, or add in vegetables and fruits for true harvest flair.

Texture also plays an important role in creating pleasing fall displays. A mixture of plants with textures, such as wispy grasses or bumpy succulents, with smooth surfaces like pumpkins adds interest. Gourds and squash with bumpy skins also can serve as contrasting elements. Another way to add both texture and color interest is to group a porch display on outdoor rugs in vivid colors, such as red rugs and yellow rugs. This will give the decoration tremendous visual attraction from the street.

Wreaths offer an additional way to dress up an outdoor space in fall. Dried fruits and berries, along with colorful fall leaves, can serve to decorate doors and windows well into the fall. As winter approaches, leaves can be substituted with pine boughs or other evergreen branches, and decorated with new additions such as holiday bows, metallic balls or different season fruits. What's more, don't be stingy about wreaths. Hang them in every available space; just be sure they coordinate with other decorations.

A new way to gather ideas for harvest season display is to go on a variation of the "leaf-peeping" drives to look at changing fall colors. This new tradition is known as a "drive-by" wherein homeowners drive around neighborhoods and take pictures of interest porch displays. This kind of search can uncover all kinds of harvest time decorating on porches, doors, courtyards and other outdoor spaces. It's probably wise, however, to look for inspiration in neighborhoods at some remove from one's own, to avoid joshing about "copycat" displays.

It is Always Exciting to Find Out About the New Trends in Home Decorating

Every year there are new trends in home decor and with today's uncertain economy, this year's trends are a little more subtle. Unlike previous years, accessories are less showy, opulent and more organic and down to earth with beautiful handiwork, natural textures and colors. A simple but inexpensive trend is throw pillows with natural elements such as raffia, shells and wooden beads sewn on or pillows and throws with a repeated botanical theme or large leaf patterns. After being out of style for well over ten years, wallpaper is gradually coming back into style this year but not with stripes or garish patterns. Instead, wallpapers new look is very big patterns, bold scenes or abstract wall murals such as a country scene that are not overpowering but make a statement. This year, gold touches are trendy with accessories such as a rim of gold leaf on a vase or glass bowl in style and silver out.

People are more environmentally aware than ever before and are choosing design elements such as bamboo because it grows approximately two feet daily so is a renewable resource. Instead of wood flooring, many homeowners are selecting beautiful, highly durable bamboo flooring. Bamboo furniture such as chairs, tables, sofas and accessories including bamboo picture frames, vases, bowls and kitchenware continue to be a popular new trend. Materials that mimic the natural elements of nature, such as bamboo and wood are very fashionable and continue to increase in popularity. You can find these designs on everything from lampshades to rugs, window shades and other accessories.

Cozy comfort is another new home-decorating trend this year with more colorful, vibrant rooms featuring over-stuffed, upholstered furniture such as second hand sofas, chairs and antiques found at estate sales, flea markets, secondhand furniture stores and even garage sales. Homeowners can create comfortable, relaxing rooms without giving up beauty or elegance. Room divider screens that are functional, beautiful and decorative are coming back into style. Part of their new popularity is that they make lovely home accent pieces of furniture, are often used in studio apartments or one-room workspaces to give people the sense of a divided or separate room and define living spaces. Anything handcrafted or homemade is in style and many creative, arty people have come up with other uses for room dividers such as headboards.

When it comes to color and new trends in home decorating and choosing colors for patio furniture cushions or patio umbrellas, there are several color trends emerging such as warm colors including oranges and browns. After quite a few years of not being popular when it came to home decorating, these colors are now resurfacing along with green, navy and deep teal hues. Other popular new trend colors that are becoming more common for patio umbrellas are mineral-like tones such as blacks and light and dark grays. The days of boring eggshell and white walls are gone for now and replaced with beautiful, bold colors including light green, mocha, and brick red walls.

Easy Bathroom Decorating - Creating a Look That Will Please Your Eyes

A lot of us are always wanting to do some bathroom decorating, but don't really know where to start. We may have a bunch of ideas, but without a plan of attack they never seem to come to be. If you're in this predicament then don't feel bad because you're not alone.

At least you realize how important a bathroom is. There are a lot of people that never think twice about it and spend all their money on the kitchen or living room. The bathroom is used by everyone and should be one of the first places to go when thinking of decorating.

In this article, I am going to mainly talk about some tips and techniques for home improvement with a particular focus in bathroom decorating. Decorating your bathroom can be a fun and fulfilling experience. Whether it's the first time or a redecorating, finding the things the work best with your room can be very rewarding and give you a sense of pride.

In your bathroom the biggest design element is usually the bathtub or shower stall. A bathroom shower curtain provides an excellent opportunity to start a theme as a highlighted point in your room. You could think of your shower curtain as a canvas that will display your decorating concept and define the entire bathroom.

One of the best things you can do and is often what most bathroom decorating professionals will tell you is design your bathroom around your shower curtain. It is however a really good idea to know what it is you're after before you go out and purchase the curtain. It will be the difference between a bathroom you love or one you hate.

This should be the same for any room you decide to decorate whether it's the bathroom or not. Decorating around one piece is a fun way to go, but sometimes it would be more rewarding in the long run to find a bunch of things that would suit your whole room and then decorate around those.

In addition to shower curtains, there are a whole lot of other things you can use to decorate a bathroom. A Bathroom rug set, some counter decorations, and a whole host of decorative towels can add charming touches to any bathroom.

A good focal point to start with may very well be the shower curtain, but it will never make the room complete without accents that make it stand out and easy to enjoy. You'll find it much easier to find things that work great in your bathroom if you establish a theme beforehand.

Adding color to your theme is something that will also make it much easier to figure out what accents will work great. I know sometimes it can be difficult to choose a color. I find that for a bathroom use a light color like a light blue or green works great, but if that isn't your taste a simple black and white provides an elegant look.