Home Decor: How to Creatively Mix and Match Metal Finishes

Wrong. It is a common misconception that every metal in your kitchen should look identical. In fact, kitchen styles that mix metals are incredibly chic because by breaking supposed design rules, they look distinctive and fascinating. It is entirely possible to mix bronze and nickel, stainless steel and copper in a tasteful and attractive way – so you can keep those beautiful bronze drawer pulls and use different metal finishes elsewhere in your kitchen as long as you follow this guide to smart metal mixing. We love these metal finishes that mix and match metal finishes that mix and match from HGTV.

Choose Dominant Metal Finishes

Just as you must always choose a dominant color for a space, you must choose a dominant metal for your kitchen, as well as no more than two metal accents. Typically, the dominant metal will be that which is most prominent in the room, like the stainless-steel appliances or the oil-brushed bronze faucets; no matter where you look, you should catch a glimpse of your dominant choice. The metals you mix in should complement and supplement your main metal, either offering balance in tone or texture or carrying the motif further.

For example, if your kitchen is to be largely white and gold, you might add a gleaming silver chandelier for metallic equilibrium. Alternatively, if you have brushed nickel and stainless steel, you can match Italian pewter dinnerware to the cool, textured theme.

Select Your Metals Color Scheme

Metals are essentially colors, just with a bit more sparkle and shine. Therefore, before you make firm decisions on your kitchen’s metal finishes, you should have a solid plan for the room’s color scheme. Generally, warm metals (like gold, copper, and brass) go with warm colors, while cool metals (chrome and silver) go with cool colors. Meanwhile, in neutral-colored rooms, you should feel free to go wild with your metallic mixing and matching. You can even use metals to add more texture and temperature to a room, perhaps placing a copper lamp in a gray space or a nickel-framed mirror in a beige one.

One way to intelligently mix and match metals in your kitchen is by varying the color of your cabinets. For example, white cabinets in a kitchen island can boast oil-brushed bronze fixtures while black wall cabinets use brushed-nickel knobs and pulls. You can manipulate the colors around your metals to make them flow with the rest of the room.

Mix Warm and Cold Metals

If you thought it was a sin to mix and match metals in your kitchen, you probably believe mixing warm and cold metals is akin to blasphemy. In truth, using just one metal in a space is monochromatic and boring, and using a single metal temperature in a large kitchen is equally dull. Instead of worrying about precise matching, you should be thinking about interior design in terms of harmonizing – different tones working together to make beautiful music. If your space is large enough, and your color scheme permits it, you should seriously consider integrating warm and cold metals in your kitchen.

Remember to Use Textural Metal Finishes

Unlike flat color, metals tend to add a variety of textures to your space. For example, nickel and bronze hardware tend to have a matte, brushed grain, whereas gold and chrome are glossy and spotless – unless you forget to polish them. While you are surveying different metal finishes for your kitchen, you should keep in mind your texture options to create a rich atmosphere for the eye and fingertips.

Add Neutral Metal Finishes and Tones

In this post, we’ve written much about opposing types of metal finishes and when to use them, but there is one underused metal that serves as a neutral in almost every space: Iron. Iron is neither warm nor cool, and it comes it a variety of textures to suit any kitchen style. If you feel uncertain about mixing and matching more assertive metals, you should feel confident adding iron to any room because iron doesn’t clash with any metal. In fact, iron only serves to make other metals pop, giving them more color and temperature by contrast. Iron remains the hardest working metal – at least for decorators.

For more ideas for your kitchen cabinetry, see our archives!

Easy Decorating Tips to Attract Tenants for your Rental Properties

One of the biggest differences in making this personal transition is the way in which you decorate your house. What might appeal to you for a house that you’d want to live in might not be the best choice for a rental property? Rental houses need to appeal to broad ranges of potential tenants. With that in mind, here are some of the best ways to decorate for rental properties.

Decorate in a Way Your Rental Properties Can Be Maintained:

You may be determined to be acting landlord of your property. However, many people set out with this goal in mind, only to learn that they aren’t cut out for the job. That’s why rental management companies like Cedar Management Group are in business. They get renters, clean and maintain your rental property, and collect rent every month. Choosing decorations that are easy to clean and maintain, even for a management company that doesn’t have a hand in their choosing, is a great way to organize your thoughts when picking furnishings and decorations for a rental home.

Choose Durable yet Versatile Rental Furniture

You’ll probably choose renters who will take good care of your property, but you still should decorate only with pieces that can take a beating. Resilient carpets will protect your hardwood floors from scratches and versatile materials like tweed and microfiber will protect against stains and wear and tear. Sturdy shutters will outlive flimsy blinds. Also, consider washable paint throughout your interiors so that stains can be removed with a damp cloth. Consider the same materials for your rental home that you would have with kids and pets to protect your interiors.

Consider Minimal Decorating Ideas

In the end, you shouldn’t decorate that much. You should think more about the color of the walls and the floors than about the items that will cover them. Leave this to the tenant. Choose instead to invest in a makeover of your home that will make it appealing to a broad range of people. This has more to do with countertops and toilet seats than area rugs and drapes. Leave some of the decoration ideas for your rental properties to the tenant. It’s cheaper for you and actually, makes your home more rentable.

Decorating your rental properties can be difficult at first. It’s easy to create elements that you personally enjoy, which don’t appeal to a lot of other people. It’s usually good to create a neutral but friendly space, one which prospective tenants can imagine imprinting upon with their own decorative sensibilities. Good luck with your new rental property!

For more ideas for your rental property look at our home staging archives.

Home Decor: Decorating Ideas for an Organized Home

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Home Organization – Get Rid of Holiday Clutter

Over the holidays, your family gets a lot of presents – food gifts, toys, tech gadgets, and even clothes. Tell everyone in your home to get a garbage bag and put in all the items they don’t need. You can donate them to a local charity or a donation site.

If you have lots of Christmas decorations, decide whether you want to keep them all. Sort them and give the ones you don’t want to Goodwill or your local thrift shop. Store useful decorations in clear plastic containers for easy access. You can use plastic tubs as they hold more items.

Cleaning Tips: Renew your Dining Table & Furniture

Heavy entertaining can take its toll on your dining table. After the holiday parties, your beautiful table may be covered in smudges, nicks, dirt, and a lot more. The harsh winter weather can also wreak havoc on it, leaving it looking dull. Dust, shine, and recondition your dining table with a gentle detergent. Choose one that protects wood from wear and tear and use it to clean your other wood furnishings.

Odor Eliminator: Get Rid of Unwanted Smells

While rearranging your home might be your first priority, holiday smells can linger long after you’ve cleaned. Your house can smell of visitors’ perfumes and pungent holiday dishes. To ensure you get rid of these smells, use a deodorizer or a natural scent like cinnamon. You can also light scented candles. Put flowers in vases and place them throughout your home. The kitchen, bathroom, children’s play areas, and laundry room are often the culprits of stray and foul odors. Look to these rooms first.

Nothing feels as good as starting a new year in a condition of organized optimism. Before you become engrossed by the activities of January, take time to reorganize your home. Implement a few organizational strategies to ensure you get back on track quickly. You never know, these decorating and organization tips may be the best gift you give yourself this New Year!

How will you start to declutter your home this New Year?

Decorating Ideas to Bring Beach Decor into your Home

Find your inspiration in coastal decorating ideas:

Find magazines or online images featuring coastal home and design. Doing so provides quick and easy ways to create the cool coastal feel in your home, making it

You’ll see that patterns and textures work well with particular styles, adding interest without needing the strong use of colors.You can also check some real estate in the Central Coast that’s near the beach – and let me tell you, Aussies create one (if not the best) natural coastal home vibe in the world.

Use natural and relaxed tones:

Instead of making bold statements through saturated colors, use washed and muted tones with thrown in natural elements to complement the look. Think piles of cushions, throws and large floor cushions that feels like lazy summer afternoons. Looking for more beach ideas? We love this Aussie blog that features creative beach decor and creative decorating ideas.

Nautical decor with beach colors can help:

A coastal or beach feel is achieved by utilizing a backdrop of white and neutral tones. Vanilla or milky white tones work perfectly to create a calm, cool backdrop, letting colors pop in a subtle way.

Consider muted shades of blues and greens – you may use the classic navy colors too. Introduce these colors with accessories and furniture, letting the neutral be your major theme throughout the space in ceilings, walls, and woodwork.

Need Some Nautical Decor Ideas?

Set a beach decor vibe in your home with nautical decorating ideas here.

Try adding beach theme bedroom details:

Whether you’re decorating your bedroom or a sitting room, look to beach theme bedroom details to bring in the coast. Big lounges with neutral-tone slip covers are very relaxing to fall back on and enjoy time with the family. The removable covers also make having white furnishings less of a nightmare.

Bigger pieces, like sideboards, do well with washed gray timber colors, providing that aged effect and making them feel comfortable and lived in. Introduce some white or whitewashed pieces to make the space feel like that beach house destination you crave for. These 50 beach theme bedroom ideas will give you plenty of coastal inspiration.

You don’t need to fill the house with shells and pieces of driftwood to create the relaxed coastal vibe. Using a subtle nod to this style will give a bigger impact. Washed-back picture frames, big glass bowls or bottles and vases in blues and teals works well to create the right feeling.

You may add rugs to introduce texture and color. Open-weave rugs with natural fibers create a natural coastal vibe for any room.

Bring in Plants and Great Lighting:

Big indoor plants instantly work to blur the lines between the inside and outside, creating an instant coastal vibe. Oversized plants with wide and glossy leaves create that island-paradise tropical effect, while the greens sit very well with neutrals, whites, blues, and washed grays. Colorful and tropical flowers in big pots add a vibrant, lush look and feel while giving that extra drama to the room. Perhaps the easiest ways to create a coastal vibe is to open up your windows and just let the natural light in. Remove those heavy winter curtains and replace them with light and soft sheers, which moves with the breeze.

“I want a home near the beach!”

Thought you might say that. If you’re considering owning a coastal home anytime soon, you can find homes for sale that’s near the beach, making it easy for you to make that coastal vibe a reality. Make sure to purchase a home that’s facing the beach so you can wake up with the sun, waves, and sky as your vista.

For more beach decorating ideas on Stagetecture look through our archives.

Now, with that in mind, would you still want to go for the same boring, mass-produced home furnishings—wall paintings, furniture, lamps, and other home fixtures—that can probably be found in every other home in the country? Probably not.

How to Make Your Own Personalized Home Decor

Image Source: Flickr (Photo by Stacie / CC BY-SA 2.0 )

If you want every item in your home to be a reflection of your personality, then you can’t just buy something from the store—you need to make your own!

Home Decor Ideas: Make something from scratch

Are you handy with tools? Can you sew or work a glue gun? If you’re the crafty type, DIY is one of the best ways to create interesting and one-of-a-kind home decor. Browse popular interior design Pinterest boards or check your favorite DIY blogs for some ideas and inspiration on what kind of decorative items you can make!

Depending on the size of your chosen project, going the DIY route is a relatively inexpensive (and more enjoyable) alternative to buying something ready-made. Is there a cute vintage lamp or a beautiful, handmade chair that you’ve been dying to purchase but don’t have the funds for? Just make it yourself! It may take a bit more time and effort, but the beauty of the DIY option (apart from costing significantly less) is that you get to control what the final product looks like. You get to put your own personal spin on it, and no one will have anything quite like it!

Real Simple gives 10 Simple DIY Home Decorating ideas to try out.

Image Source: Flickr (Photo by Emily May / CC BY 2.0)

Turn your own family photos into wall decor:

Personalized home decor can also be made from your own photos. Do you have digital artwork, family photos or images you want to display in your home? What’s more personalized than printing your own face (or your family’s faces) onto random decorative items in your home?

Many companies out there offer unique photo printing services that allow you to have your family photos printed on anything, and these services provide you with a wide variety of options for making some truly personalized decor for your home. You can have your chosen photo printed on quilts or pillowcases, or even as a large custom mural that you can stick on one of your walls for a really bold statement.

Another idea is to have your photos printed on metal. Unlike other photo printing methods, metal printing renders your photo prints extremely durable, which allows for a wide variety of decorative applications.

We love these wall art ideas from Buzzfeed for more creative home decor.

Take a cue from home decorators – give old furniture a new look

If you already have furniture and just want to give them an updated look to reflect your preferred aesthetic, that is perfectly fine, too! Ratty old items can look new and trendy again with the help of the right tools, some creativity, and a little elbow grease. Personalized home decor in the form of furniture rehab is a great option too! A little DIY reupholstering, slapping on a new coat of paint, and adding some creative accents here and there will help breathe new life into your furniture and make them truly unique.

Image Source: Flickr (Photo by Crazy House Capers / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Home Design Ideas: Upcycle!

Never heard of upcycling before? It’s the process of taking something that would have otherwise gone in the trash and repurposing it so that it can be used again in a creative (and eco-friendly) way. If you have some old, broken-down items lying around in your home, don’t throw them in the garbage—turn them into something else!

Upcycling is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. When you upcycle your belongings, you “get rid” of an old item that has become useless to you, and at the same time you get a brand new piece of furniture or home decoration without having to spend an arm and a leg.

Need some cool upcycling ideas? Once again, Pinterest is your best friend.

So what are you waiting for? Get cracking on those decorating projects and be the envy of all your friends when they see your special, custom-made home decor!

For more home decorating ideas on Stagetecture, visit our home decor category.

Choosing Summer Paint Colors

Summer Color Ideas – Tidal Tones:

Tidal tones like ocean blues and greens help to refresh spirits and clarify ideas, no matter how far you may be from the beach. Combine these colors with rustic furniture and decor for a comforting, vibrant ambiance. Add in a splash of grey for a neutral tone amidst the brighter colors.

HGTV has 10 Tips for choosing colors for your interiors to take a look at.

Image via: Home Decor Ideas

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Paint Colors Tips – Earthy & Airy:

For a soft, airy feel, try a mix of whites, light blues, avocado greens, and neutral browns. These earthy tones, combined with bamboo flooring and blinds and green leafy indoor plants, bring nature indoors on those days where it’s simply too hot to be outside.

Benjamin Moore gives some great ideas for choosing the best colors for your home.

Home Colors – Summer Sunsets:

Oranges, yellows, and pinks provide the perfect palette for a sunset themed room. Try painting the walls pale yellow and save the dramatic colors, like burnt sienna or bright pink, for accent pieces and trim. This is an ideal theme for a room which may not receive much natural light in order to brighten it up.

Image via: Coastal Views

Home Interior Ideas – Coral Reef Colors:

Coral is a warm color evoking a soothing, tropical vibe reminiscent of the islands. Pair coral colored walls with relaxing blue and green décor like pillows, candles, etc. Add seashells or glass bottles filled with sand to complete a truly coastal experience.

Consulting with a professional color expert will help you to select the right colors and themes for you and your living space.

For more color ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

How to Create Cozy Decor Using Oversized Floor Pillows

Decorate with a floor pouf

When it’s about oversized pillows, there has never been a more versatile piece of furniture than the floor pouf. It is a bulbous floor pillow which is high enough off the ground making it perfect to be a seat, a table, and a place to rest your feet. Pick them in fun, patterned fabric that matches the décor of your living room, bedroom, or media room. You can also pair them with lounge chairs to create a wonderful and comfy outdoor arrangement.

Image via: Press My Cards

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Create a floor seating with a square pouf

The square pouf is another wonderful floor seating option. The simple shape of these furniture pieces allows them to stack easily while looking great. As the shape is simple, the patterns can be bold. Use them as accent pieces in graphic prints or bright colors. For a contemporary look, group four square poufs together to create a bunching table or place a small pouf on either side of the sofa as end tables for a more traditional look. You can also cluster cushions, throw pillows, and comfy poufs in the family room for the kids to lounge on.

Arrange oversized floor pillows around a table

Placing oversized floor pillows around a low table, such as an ottoman or a coffee table gives low seating a purpose, and makes it quite comfortable to use. You can also create formal and casual dining space in your home for occasions such as holiday meals, and an informal one for gathering with friends.

Image via: Aroos Joon

Create cozy nooks with big pillows

If you enjoy lying back on a pile of feather pillows, then why not make them as a permanent fixture of a room? Get some super-sized pillows made out of old duvets and blankets and create your own personal nook under the staircase, in a corner in your living, or in front of the window. Now you will have something to relax and snuggle back on to your heart’s content.

Image via: Decoist

With big pillows and rugs, sitting on the floor to eat, work, chat, and hang out is simply so comfortable. But don’t just think that it’s an option only for indoor use. You can also use it outdoors like in the garden or patio. The options are endless!

How would you use oversized floor pillows in your home? Leave us an answer in the comments.

For more home decorating ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed – ‘Festive Fall Outdoor Entertaining Ideas‘ from Adele Baumann Healey. This week I feature Alison Hayes who gives us ideas for planning the perfect nursery. She is a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room and she helps you get ideas for your new arrival or helps you get inspired to help someone plan theirs!

If you’re interested in being featured see details here: How to be featured on Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration‘ series.

To see all the past Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration members on Pinterest click here.

Olioboard Inspiration #36

‘Planning & Designing the Perfect Baby Nursery’ –  Alison Hayes

Planning a nursery for your bundle of joy is an exciting wonderful experience, but it can also be overwhelming if you don’t know where to begin.  Here are some helpful tips to assist you in designing that perfect baby room.

Choose a specific theme or style. Selecting a concept or specific idea will help you narrow your focus and create a more cohesive design. This will also save you time and energy making your shopping selections easier.

Choosing a focal point

Decide what your focal point will be. Most nurseries focus on the crib as the center of attention, but there are other options to choose from like a large bay window or a family heirloom, such as an antique rocking horse or painted dresser that draws your focus.

Choose furniture that will grow with your baby. When selecting nursery furniture, think about the long term. Choose cribs that can convert to a toddler’s bed. Instead of a baby dresser, purchase a regular functional dresser that will look stylish in a nursery as well as a kid’s room. For versatile storage buy a bookcase, in the infant years it serves as a convenient place to organize baby items and will transition nicely throughout your child’s growing years. Thinking ahead will ensure you get the most out your money and your space.

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Choosing the right decor elements

Choose a textile before paint color. It can be disappointing to finally find the perfect curtains and baby bedding that you are excited about, but later find out that it clashes with your painted walls. Keep in mind that there are numerous paint colors to choose from, plus you have the option of color matching any object; it is definitely easier to choose your textiles first then buy paint to match it.

Use different levels of lighting.  Install a dimmer for intense overhead lighting. Implement stylish ceiling lights such as chandelier with lampshade coverings. It is also a good idea to have a small accent lamp for a cozy restful ambience, and don’t forget the nightlight for safety and comfort especially during those late night feedings.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Get your nursery underway early, so there will be plenty of time to air our out freshly painted spaces and new furniture smells. Getting a head start with a good design plan will reduce stress and ensure that you will have enough energy to finish the job.

Alison Hayes is an Interior Designer based in Baltimore, Maryland. She has over 10 years’ experience designing commercial spaces. She graduated with honors from Parkville University in Missouri, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design. She often uses Olioboard in her professional practice and fun and relaxation in her personal time.

This summer is perfect for a bathroom makeover. This is where you can relax and cool down from the summer heat. It doesn’t matter how much space you have in your bathroom. You just have to make the most of what you have and maximize the space.

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For more ideas, here are some helpful ideas on how to refresh your bathroom:

Emphasize color coordination

The idea of color coordination is to provide accent to your bathroom. Using coordinated accent in the bathroom provides pleasant and soothing effects. It gives harmony to the entire room. It is also very important to have your bathroom accessories like mirrors, medicine cabinet and lighting fixtures match your desired accent.

Repaint your bathroom

This idea will provide immediate impact to your bathroom makeover. Bathrooms are often tiled halfway through the walls, so you can have your repainting on the other half. If your bathroom floor is made of wood, this is perfect for repainting. You may choose a transparent latex or enamel to give a glossy yet non-slippery flooring for your bathroom.

Patch up your wallpaper

Wallpapers are not only great in your bedroom or living room. You can have your customized your bathroom wallpaper by taking out some of your favorite graphic pages from your comic book. To protect it from water exposure or moist, brush it with a clear coating. This should be fun and great reading material for your bathroom.

There are so many things that you can do for your bathroom. It’s only a matter of time that you make your move and experience the best of what your bathroom can offer.

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Your kitchen should have the right colors for your personality, mood, and design style. Have ever wondered why the majority of food-related signage has the color red? Color psychologists believe that it makes people think about food. The red color is being associated with food. It shows that colors influence people in a way. This is why it is very important to carefully consider the colors for your home – both interior and exterior.

Let’s focus in your kitchen. Choosing the right colors for your kitchen can help boost your energy to do kitchen chores. It can also enhance the appetite especially if you use your countertops for meals.

Image via: Whit Preston

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With the right colors, your kitchen will definitely standout.  Here are some great ideas on how to choose the right colors for your kitchen:

Give preference to lighter colors

The main reason why you consider lighter colors for your kitchen is for quick and easy touch-ups. You can actually play around lighter shades of blue, red, green, brown and beige. With lighter colors, your artworks and wall decors will be highlighted. The lighter the color, the more spacious your kitchen looks. This makes lighter colors helpful for kitchens that have limited space.

Image via: Encircle Design and Build

Have colors combined

This idea is risky but very attractive if done well. The risk is when the colors you combined don’t complement each other – this will be a messed. However, if you carefully study the color wheel and identify the complementary colors, it will surely result to a masterpiece. You should at least know how to mix up the primary and secondary color to achieve the beauty of this idea.

Image via: McKinney Photography

Choose mood colors

Mood colors are described by experts as the influence of colors to people. For instance, blue make people calm and relax, red stimulates appetite and orange lifts your energy. These are just some of the colors that you can choose. If you decide to try this idea, consider your feelings about the color and choose the color that suits your personality.

Your perception is vital in choosing the right colors for your kitchen. This is simply because you’re the one who frequently use the kitchen area.

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

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