Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

Category: Interior Design

  • 5 Master Bedroom Decorating Tips

    We’ve all seen photos or been through an open house that showcases a luxurious master bedroom. Every inch of the room flows together eloquently with the rest, in a desirably tranquil atmosphere. Did you know that you can recreate the same feeling within your very own home? With these five master bedroom decorating tips, you can rest in a room that feels like a five-star hotel penthouse suite – and for a fraction of the cost.

    5 Master Bedroom Decorating Tips - bhgrelife.com1. Always Focus on Comfort

    It’s important to remember the purpose of the master bedroom, and also how much time you spend in your bed each night. With this in mind, you’ll quickly come to the conclusion that comfort is an absolute must. Be sure to purchase high-quality sheets and fluffy comforters, while focusing less on luxurious furniture for the room. You can snag a stylish bed, dresser, chaise lounge, and whatever else you need at an affordable price, but comfort is something you just can’t skip out on. Opt for higher thread counts, a high-quality mattress, supportive pillows, and a good comforter.

  • Top 10 Decorating Tips for Your Home

    Whether you’re planning on decorating for a little pick-me-up within your interior design, or you just moved into a new home and want to make it match your style, you may need to get your hands on some interior design tricks. Whatever your reason, everything you need is right here. With minimal effort and cost, you just can’t go wrong with these 10 decorating tips for your home:

    Top 10 Decorating Tips for Your Home – bhgrelife.com1. Paint, Paint, Paint

    It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do for the interior of your home – and exterior if you want to expand your project outdoors. There are some simple tricks that can make a huge difference without having to paint your entire house: focus on smaller rooms within your home and paint them in soft, lighter colors to instantly make them appear larger. Or, for a fun and fresh pop of color, paint an accent wall, bookcase or even the front door.

  • How to Select a Backsplash for Your Kitchen

    The kitchen is believed to be the heart of the home, and one one area that the entire family gathers to make delicious and hearty memories regularly. It’s also a huge selling point if you’re looking to put your house on the market in the future. A kitchen’s backsplash is like its jewelry, adding a touch of sparkle and flair. It can also help bring your kitchen décor together while making the room easier to clean, which is always a bonus.

    To determine what backsplash is best for your kitchen, you must first know the options – and there are a lot. Here are some things to consider:

    How to Select a Backsplash for Your Kitchen - bhgrelife.com

    1. Consider the Material

    When selecting a backsplash for your kitchen, the first thing you need to consider is the material. You have an abundance of options to choose from, as tiles can come in cement, mosaic, pattern, laser cut, subway – and the list goes on. A few of our favorites are:

    • Mirror backsplash: Incorporating a mirror backsplash into your kitchen is an excellent and flawless way to lighten up the room, and can even make the smallest of kitchens look significantly larger.
    • Ceramic backsplash: Ceramic tiles are the most commonly used ones for backsplashes and come in a wide range of colors and designs that can be perfect for adding some personality into your interior.
    • Glass backsplash: Glass backsplashes are a new trend that add a bit of sparkle and shine into your kitchen. As a bonus, they’re super easy to clean!
    • Mosaic tile backsplash: Mosaic tiles offer a unique, rich and attractive look.

    These are just a few of the materials available to you when creating your backsplash; there are many more, so explore your options!

  • The Newest Hue: Blue

    One of the coolest colors on the spectrum is now the hottest hue in decorating. Blue is as familiar as the sky and as versatile as a pair of jeans, making it a universal favorite. Using blue in changing shades, varying intensities, and different patterns creates high-impact rooms that please the eye. And while it may be considered a “trend” color now, blue has staying power. In its range of hues—sky, aqua, turquoise, cobalt, indigo, navy—blue offers a livable, everyday palette you can use now and still love later.

    The Newest Hue: Blue - bhgrelife.com

    Blues perfectly play off of white or neutral elements already in your home and the diverse shades mix and match well together. However, as a general rule, pair darker tones with lighter ones for a balanced combination. If there is a blue you particularly love, you might choose to paint the walls that color. But if you’re looking for less of a commitment, even adding in a new decorative accessory like a ceramic lamp in a bright teal gives a room a little lift so it feels more current.

  • 5 Holiday Décor Ideas You Can Enjoy Year-Round

    Preparing for the holidays can be a joyful, fulfilling experience. Decorating the home can be time-consuming, however, and when your efforts are only enjoyed for a temporary period of time, it may feel that that it isn’t worth the reward. There are many ways, though, that you can show your seasonal cheer without reinventing the wheel: below we’ve listed five ways you can decorate your house for the holidays with décor that will last throughout the year’s many celebrations.

    ChristmasAllYear_image4

    1. Indoor Foliage

    Plants are a festive and lively addition to your décor for any occasion (and they go with everything). For your year-round touch that’s also low maintenance, keep a jade plant as a focal point or arrange a display of succulents, like cactus or agave, in neutral-toned pots. For a seasonal touch, add poinsettias to your mix this time of year, transfer in African violets for the spring, and add hibiscus for a touch of tropics in the summer.

  • Spruce Up Your Home for Fall

    There’s a snap in the air and a distinct sense of possibility afoot. It’s finally fall—and your creativity is about to bust out in high autumn style. Seasonal decorating can be a fun way to spruce up your home, and the glory of autumn is no exception. Read on for some great tips on how to create gorgeous fall-inspired interiors, just in time for the season.

    Spruce Up Your Home for Fall - bhgrelife.com

    Bring the Outdoors In

    One of the quickest and most inexpensive ways to change the decor in your home in time for fall is to look to the great outdoors. After all, autumn is one of the most gorgeous seasons, full of rich colors and beautiful natural elements. Take advantage of the shifting seasons by bringing the outdoors inside.

    One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is with centerpieces. Centerpieces can be perfect for a holiday dinner or a simple weeknight family meal, as they can be ornate and lavish or toned-down and simple. To construct an eye-catching centerpiece, start with an assortment of decorative gourds and squashes in rich gold, green, and red colors, then display them in a woven basket for casual affairs or a classic silver or brass bowl for a more formal display. It won’t cost much, but your fall centerpiece will become a conversation piece as you’re serving guests.

  • How to Brighten a Small Room

    If you are looking to lighten and brighten your small house or cottage, try following these tips and tricks.

    How to Brighten a Small Room - bhgrelife.com

     

    1. To immediately make a room look lighter, try painting it with a bright, white paint. A simple white can make the room look brighter and bigger.  Don’t stop at the walls − painting dark beams or trim can also help to brighten the room.

     

  • How to Stage Your Home for the Feng Shui Buyer

    One of the most important practices you can follow when selling your home is to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. If you are staging your home for sale you may not have thought to make it feng shui-friendly. However, for many Chinese and Chinese-Americans – who comprise the fastest growing segment of homebuyers in the U.S. today—the principles of feng shui are considered to be the second most important factor in choosing a home after neighborhood safety.

    Feng shui is the spatial arrangement and building design that produces a harmonious qi flow—the word “qi” translates to energy. Feng shui homes allow the energy of the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal and water—to flow freely through the home and encourage balance and calmness. If you want to appeal to feng shui buyers, follow these staging tips to help your home stand out in the market.

    how to stage your home for feng shui 1

    1. Clean the Clutter

    Feng shui depends on the free flow of the elements through your home. Clutter on kitchen countertops is an especially big red flag for any feng shui-minded buyer.

    • It’s ideal for cabinets to reach the ceiling (as seen here). If they don’t, try placing living plants or items of personal value above them. Stagnant energy is a no-no, but so is filling that space with the wrong energy.
    • Countertops and tables should remain free of clutter and appliances. Tuck things like blenders, toasters and spice racks away before you welcome potential buyers for a viewing.

  • How to Choose the Perfect Paint Color

    by Jennifer Adams

    Who hasn’t been overwhelmed by all those swatches in the paint section? You thought you wanted white, but did you know there were so many different whites? And, where does white stop and gray or some other color start?

    Is white the right color anyway? It’s so easy to get overwhelmed looking at those hundreds of paint chips! Here are my tips for helping narrow down the options.

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    The first step to choosing a color for any room is to collect ideas.
    Do you have a piece of furniture, art or an area rug you love in the room? Reduce your choices by looking at color swatches that mostly match those pieces. If your sofa and area rug have lots of colors, too, choose a color that seems to be the background color.

     

     

  • Add Color to Your Living Room for Summer

    Summer is the perfect time to rework your living room. Who wants to look at those dark earthy neutrals or sit on heavy fabrics when it’s hot outside?

    For new living room color ideas for summer, think about a change of pace to represent the changing of the seasons. Even if you’re not repainting every wall or replacing all your furniture, here are our tips to brighten things up for summer.

    by Jennifer Adams

    Add Color to Your Living Room for Summer - bhgrelife.com

     

    Use color throughout — from the floor to the furniture – to move your eye around the room. Keep your walls and carpets neutral or light colored.

    Swap your area rug for a brighter, inexpensive one with a large open pattern and a light background. Summer is a great time to get your rugs cleaned anyway!