Would you like to add more elegance and style to your home? 
Would you like to know how to do it for less money?
 
You’re not alone. Americans spent $343 billion on home 
enhancement, according to a recent study by the Barnard Retail 
Consulting Group of Upper Montclair, N.J. So if you are thinking 
of improving your home decor, you are in good company.
 

Trends driving today’s decorating 
 
People are changing their decor more often than in the past. 
This is due to the greater pace of life in general, as well as 
shorter design cycles in other style areas such as clothing 
fashions.
 
Consumers are more style and fashion conscious and want to 
express their individual taste. The Internet, movies, magazines, 
and TV programs all display a much wider range of home decor 
styles—elements of which consumers want to incorporate into 
their lives.
 
People are investing less in decor items. Young people 
especially, often leave the old decor items behind, rather 
than pay to move them to their new homes.
 
 
Can I decorate without a decorator?
 
Today, more people than ever are making exciting changes to 
their homes, and they are doing so without the expense of a 
professional decorator. If you are thinking of improving your 
decor you may be wondering:
 
 
Can I make the changes myself?
Will the results look professional?
Can I learn about my options?
Can I make the changes for a reasonable amount of money?
 
 
In a word—yes! Not only can you successfully decorate your home 
yourself, there are compelling reasons for doing it yourself. 
These include:
 
 
Saving money
Getting exactly what you want
Implementing the decor changes on a time frame that matches 
  you budget and available time
Expressing your unique sense of style —go high end on one room, 
  more modest on another
 
 
 
Where to find decor ideas:
 
Home decor trends change often. To find the latest trends:
 
 
Read home design magazines
Go window-shopping at furniture and design stores
Talk to in-store designers
 
 
Will my new decor work with what I have?
 
One of the exciting design trends of recent years in the 
“eclectic” look—the mixing and matching of various items, 
fabrics, colors and styles. Many people today typically have an 
assortment of home furnishings: antique items they inherited, 
items bought while single, and items chosen as a couple. Today 
you can combine these in creative and fun ways for a look that 
is pleasing and uniquely yours. This is quite a contrast to the 
more stuffy approach of period furniture and decor of the past.
 
Where do I start?
 
With the home decor choices available, starting a project can 
seem a bit intimidating.

Like all successful projects, you need a plan before you start. 
Consider your objectives—do you want to add a new piece of 
furniture or redo a whole room? Rather than get bogged down 
with reviewing endless possible decor improvements, let’s focus 
on the following four areas that yield impressive results for a 
reasonable price:
 
Paint
Area rugs
Furniture
Lamps
 
 
Paint
 
Painting a room is one of the easiest but most impressive decor 
changes you can make. You can make a small room look larger 
with lighter colors. You can also make a smaller apartment 
look larger by tying its rooms together with a lighter color.
 
Conversely, you can make a large room more intimate by using 
darker colors. A splash of color can brighten a drab space. 
Have a favourite rug or piece of furniture? Then you can use 
this as the basis of your decor and select a paint color that 
complements it.
 
Purchase your paint from a quality speciality paint retailer. 
National paint retailers have the latest colors and can instruct 
you on new painting techniques. Since they only sell paint, they 
have very knowledgeable staff that can assist you in finding the 
perfect color for your project.
 
How to paint like a pro
 
Select one or two dominant colors for your room. While the 
choice of paint colors is up to you, you can get the best 
results by ensuring that you:
 
 
Buy quality paint. Rule number 1: You cannot afford cheap paint! 
Why? The biggest cost of painting is labor—yours or someone 
else’s. Quality paint covers better, goes farther, looks better 
when finished, and wears longer. Saving a few dollars a gallon 
is false economy. Unless you are painting a kitchen or bathroom 
that will experience frequent scrubbings, use a quality latex 
paint. Latex paint produces fewer fumes when drying and allows 
you to clean your implements with soap and water rather than 
with mineral spirits, such as turpentine.
 
Buy quality brushes and rollers. You want to apply your quality 
paint with quality tools. Ensure you have the correct brush for 
the job. For latex paint, you want to use a quality brush that 
has synthetic bristles. For oil paint, purchase a brush with 
natural bristles. Purchase high quality rollers with the 
appropriate “nap.” Nap refers to the length of the fabric on 
the roller. In general, a shorter nap will produce a smoother 
finish. Don’t try to clean rollers. If you finish a wall and 
need to stop for the day, use a fresh roller when you start 
again. By purchasing quality paint and applying it carefully 
with quality tools, you will be ensuring the best possible 
result for your efforts.
 
Don’t skimp on preparation. Actually painting the room is the 
final step. The time you spend getting your room ready to paint 
will reward you with a much better finished look.
 
 
Don’t paint over dirt. Begin by washing the walls and ceiling 
with Tri Sodium Phosphate or TSP. This comes in powdered form 
and you mix it with a bucket of hot water. Wear rubber gloves 
and use a clean sponge. Sponge the room with clear water when 
you are finished. Don’t skip this step, because you will be 
amazed at how much grime comes off from clean-looking walls.
Once the walls are clean, fill nail holes and any imperfections 
with drywall patching compound. Fill the nicks and scratches; 
let dry, then sand smooth. Always prime the areas you have 
patched before painting, otherwise the areas will show through 
as dull spots.

Remove or cover all furniture with drop cloths. Cover your 
floors and any baseboard trim before starting.
 
 
Take your time. One of the great things about doing it yourself 
is that you can work carefully and do a superior job. Relax, 
work carefully, and you will be amazed at what you have 
accomplished.
 
 
Area Rugs
 
A new area rug represents one of the best home decor purchases 
you can make. These affordable rugs come in a multitude of 
styles, fabrics, and colors. You can use them to brighten a 
room, accent your furniture, or provide a lively contrast to 
the primary decorating theme. Area rugs work well in living 
rooms of course, but also in bedrooms, halls, even bathrooms. 
There are three broad categories of area rugs.
 
Persian Rugs
 
Persian rugs have a well-deserved reputation as the finest 
in world. All Persian rugs are made by hand, visit 
http://www.area-rugs-source.com/persianrugs.html for more 
details. Each rug is a beautiful and complex original, 
painstakingly made by skilled humans. Many weavers come from 
families that have been making rugs for generations. The 
symmetry and accuracy of the complex designs is stunning. A 
Persian rug represents an investment in gracious living that, 
with proper care, will yield decades of beauty and elegance 
to your home.
 

Four main factors contribute Persian’s legacy of excellence:
 
Beautiful colors—rich vibrant colors reflect the use of the 
finest dyes
 
Enchanting designs—while each rug is unique there are three 
broad categories of design, each stunning in its own way: 
geometric designs, curvilinear and floral designs, and 
pictorial designs
 
High knot count—simply put, more knots are better because they 
result in a tighter weave
 
Highest quality materials—these rugs feature the highest 
quality wool, silk, and dyes. The highest quality materials 
yield the finest rugs.
 
 
Oriental Rugs
 
Oriental rugs come from Asia and are less expensive than 
Persian rugs. Oriental rugs come in a vast array of sizes, 
colors, and designs. All Oriental rugs have the following 
key characteristics:
 
Stunning Colors—rich, lush colors that blend together 
beautifully predominate
 
Beautiful Designs—complex patterns and even pictures characterize
these rugs. The religion of Islam inspires many of the designs 
and themes, giving the rugs an elegant and exotic look.
 
 
Contemporary Rugs
 
Generally the most affordable of area rugs, contemporary rugs 
tend to defy description; there are so many great possibilities. 
Broadly speaking, however, contemporary area rugs have the 
following characteristics:
 
 
Bright colors
 
Bold designs and patterns
 
High tech fabrics such as acrylic, polypropylene, rayon, and 
wool (low tech but high quality)
 
Unique shapes—unconventional shapes abound
 
 
Who has the best selection of area rugs at the lowest prices?
 
Internet merchants. A quality Internet-based retailer can carry 
far more stock than the local carpet store. They have lower 
prices because their overhead is lower and they tend to deal 
directly with the carpet makers—thereby cutting out layers of 
middlemen and the expensive mark-ups.
 
If buying a carpet over the Internet seems unusual, don’t worry. 
(People didn’t used to buy computers over the Internet either.) 
The key to buying a great carpet you will love is finding a 
reputable online merchant. You want someone who has a solid 
reputation, great selection, excellent product knowledge, and 
guarantees.
 
 
Furniture
 
Furniture makes a big decor statement in a room. Casual or 
elegant, bold or subtle, there’s nothing like the right pieces 
to set a room off.
 
Here’s a little secret they won’t tell you at the furniture 
store—chances are good you don’t need to replace the furniture 
you already have to get a fresh new look in your home. Furniture,
especially older furniture, is often extremely well made. The 
frame is often hardwood and very sound. Likely the cushions are 
fine too. What might be a bit out of date is the fabric and 
pattern. Do you need to spend a bundle on having the item 
reupholstered? No you don’t!
 
Savvy consumers know that today’s innovative slipcovers can 
rejuvenate your couch or chair at a fraction of the cost of 
replacing them or having them reupholstered. Modern slipcovers 
fit beautifully, giving you a tailored look. Here are the 
benefits of using slipcovers:
 
 
Save money. Why spend $1,000 or more for a new couch when you 
can get the same look for a fraction of the cost?
 
Achieve a high quality look inexpensively with hundreds styles, 
patterns, and colors of fabrics to choose from. Many high-class 
fabrics are available such as suede.
 
Change the look whenever you want. Buy two slipcovers for a 
sofa—a casual one for everyday use and a second one for 
entertaining. In minutes you can transform from casual to 
elegant.
 
Enjoy your furniture more, because you worry less. Unlike in 
magazines, real children spill things and pets mess up the sofa. 
This is not a problem if a slipcover protects your sofa. Pop it 
in the wash and presto—the sofa looks immaculate again!
 
Respect the environment—don’t trash good furniture when it can 
still provide years of stylish service with slipcovers.
 
 
Best of all, you can view, order, and have these slipcovers 
delivered without leaving the house. Internet retailers have the 
widest selection and the lowest prices. Here is great example of 
lamps and light fixtures site http://www.a1-light-fixtures.com 
 

Lamps
 
In the right light, at the right time, everything is 
extraordinary.
                                     
Aaron Rose
 
Interior designers use lighting to bring a room alive, and so 
can you. Consider the beauty of a pool of light in a room, 
adding mood and elegance.
 
One of the best ways make a lighting decor statement is through 
a combination of floor and table lamps. Lamps represent your 
best lighting value because they require no wiring alterations 
to your home and because they can be moved from room to room 
and from house to house. By only lighting the areas you want, 
you can save energy and money. And you can add or take away 
focus from different parts of a room, according to your 
decorating scheme.
 

Using lamps effectively
 
Begin by asking yourself what you are trying to achieve. Do you 
want general illumination in a corner of the room or a lamp to 
light a task area, such as a desk or comfy reading chair? This 
will help you narrow the choice to freestanding floor lamps or 
table lamps.
 
Next think of styles. Today you can choose from literally 
hundreds of different styles of lamps in classical, contemporary, 
and futuristic styles. Both floor lamps and table lamps (visit 
http://www.a1-light-fixtures.com/floor-lamps.html and 
http://www.a1-light-fixtures.com/table-lamps.html for more 
details) also come in a vast array of colors and materials 
including brass and other metals, plastic and wood. Whatever 
your style, there is a lamp for you.
 
Finally, consider the light it casts. Today you can get lamps 
with bulbs that cast distinct lights. The oldest and most 
familiar bulb is the incandescent that casts a warm light. These 
bulbs are inexpensive, but not very energy efficient. Consider 
a lamp with a dimmer that accepts tri-light bulbs, so you can 
tailor the light to the mood and save energy.
 
Two other choices not available in the past are compact 
fluorescent bulbs and halogen bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs 
fit in standard light sockets and are super energy efficient. 
These bulbs come in a variety of lighting tones so you can have 
both energy efficiency and a warm, inviting light. The other 
choice today is halogen bulbs. These tiny bulbs cast a bright, 
whitish light—ideal for spot illumination.
 

Final decor thoughts
 
Whatever the scope of your project, be bold, take chances, and 
express yourself. If you’ve always wanted a red wall—do it. The 
suggestions above are modest in cost, allowing you to experiment 
and find just the right home decor look. Have fun!