Interior Decoration Tips & Ideas

Sometimes the simplest decorating choice provides the most dramatic impact.

One of the most useful tips on home decorating that you can apply to actual practice is to aim for results that can endure for a lengthy period. Quality decorating should not exist in a limbo state of temporary transformation, which means putting time into preparation and plenty of thought into what the final effect will achieve before making a commitment to any individual decorating task.

Color

Give special attention to color when decorating your interior. The proper color choices can enhance a specific style, affect your emotional state of mind and can add depth to a chosen theme.

Mirrors

Decorating small rooms or homes should always include a consideration of the effects of mirrors. Mirrored walls can create an illusion of length, depth and width inside a room. Think also in terms of how to use a mirror to guide the eye around the other décor. Creative use of the illusory effects of mirrors can be achieved by running a narrow strip along the wall above bookshelves, on the back of a door and even on the ceiling.

Alternative Window Treatments

Traditional curtains and drapes are not the only choice when it comes to window coverings. Experiment with window treatments like roller blinds, painted pieces of canvas, vertical blinds and even indoor shutters with decorative murals on each side that combine to form an integrated whole when closed.

Painted Floors

Hardwood floors are a prime candidate for creative interior decorating ideas. Wooden floors can be painted with geometric shapes, such as a checkerboard, or you can use stencils to adorn your walls with inspiring quotes.

Decoratively Painted Walls

Paint can also be used to decorate your walls in a vast number of ways. The use of textured roller and blue paint can result in a wall that simulates the look of denim. A roll of masking tape properly used can result in stripes that are vertical, horizontal, diagonal or asymmetrical.

Glass Block Walls

Introduce the stylish look afforded by glass blocks as a way to decorate a room while also partitioning off a section. If you've got a large open space, glass block walls that reach either all the way from floor to ceiling or that stop somewhere in the middle can lend the room a definite panache that is actually functional.

Wall Lights

Decorating with wall light fixtures is another way to combine aesthetics and functional use. Wall lights are available in a number of different styles that can enhance a room's theme or period influence. The illumination of these fixtures can be manipulated to create a sense of mood or to shine some indirect light onto a chair for reading or a desk for homework.

References

• Artfire.com: Using Mirrors in Small Spaces
• "The Essential Guide to Decorating;" Vinny Lee; 2002
• "New Decorating Book;" Gerald M. Knox, Ed.; 1981
• "Decorating 123;" Jeff Day; 2000