Cost Effective Tips For Apartment Decorating

People have a tendency to decorate an apartment much differently than they would decorate a home. After all, who wants to spend a lot of time and money designing a place they don�t own? Fortunately, there are numerous upgrades and decorating ideas that can make an apartment more like a permanent home without spending too much money on upgrades that will be left behind.

Floating hardwood floors are ultimately not that expensive. An entire floor can be laid for an average apartment sized room for less than $200 is you get your flooring from discount places. Add to that some unique wall hangings instead of pictures, and between $300 and $400 gives you an entirely new room that can be disassembled when you�re through. Floors are difficult to disassemble and take with you, but they can be disassembled to reveal the original flooring which is important to some landlords. Of course, using wall hangings throughout the room is something that can go with you wherever you end up.Ceiling fans can add character and also lower bills. Ceiling fans can also be installed so that when the lease is up or the termination of your time has come, you can disassemble it and take it with you. Ceiling fans come in such a wide variety of styles, that they can go a long way in making an apartment unique and more personalized. Choose one that you think you�ll love forever and you�ve got yourself a ceiling fan for your next place.Most apartments come with a generic white paint job, unless you�re lucky enough to have landed in a historical district. Repainting an apartment is usually expensive, and doing it yourself is time consuming. However, accent painting is about 1/8 of the work for a fraction of the cost of painting the entire place. This is assuming of course that painting of the walls is permitted in the lease. Most apartment leases allow painting provided it is either completed in normal apartment colors or is painted back to the original color upon termination of the lease. Accent painting can involve just molding, or it can even include the texture of a textured wall. Adding borders give the walls a more personal look, and can be done either with pain or with wallpaper borders.Wall hangings add a lot to nearly any room, and they don�t have to cost a fortune. Accenting wall hangings with live indoor trees, candle arrangements, or solid color area rugs can pull a room together that will make you want to stay forever. Scones, and high mounted candle holders can bring the walls to life while leaving little evidence that they were ever there when you take them down. Be cautious with high mounted candle holders, as the landlord would appreciate it if you hung it straight so it doesn�t become a fire hazard.

Simple techniques can be utilized to draw attention to the finer details of the apartment, such as using diagonal wall hangings which head downward toward the details that are most charming. Wall hangings don�t have to cost a fortune and can really add a lot of personality to an apartment. Making an apartment your very own unique kingdom takes a little time and a budget, but it�s well worth it when your unit doesn�t look like anyone else�s.

Author: Jessica Ackerman

What You Don't Need to Organize When You Are Expecting

As soon as that cute little baby bump makes its appearance, the unsolicited advice rears its ugly head. From your best friend to your mother-in-law to a complete stranger in the check-out line, everyone seems to have an opinion when it comes to your growing belly and how you'll deal with it all. Whether it's "are you planning to breastfeed" or "what color have you picked for the nursery," all of the questions are enough to make an already hormone-overloaded woman scream. And forget walking in to one of the baby superstores. It's all enough to spike your blood pressure, so take a deep breath, put your feet up, and remember that women have been giving birth for centuries without the benefits of a baby registry. Most importantly, "no," you don't really need all that stuff.

Chances are you have already read the part about where you are supposed to interview pediatricians. While it can certainly be a way to learn more about a practice and its doctors, it can also be a bit of a dog and pony show. Nobody tells it to you straighter than a fellow mom who has called that doctor at 3am with a wailing child. She has already been through it all, so she'll know where to find formula at 1am or which stores have the cleanest baby changing areas.1. Stuff (Most of) the Stuff.By all means, if someone wants to throw you a baby shower and gift you and yours, don't say no, but remember that you don't need (and won't use) most of it right away. Babies need surprisingly little when they are first born. They'll survive just fine without a portable play yard. They don't need toys and six months worth of clothes yet. They do need a car seat, somewhere to sleep (bassinet, crib), diapers in different sizes, bottles (just in case), and easy-to-wash clothes (onesies are perfect)."I'll admit it. I wanted the perfect nursery when I was pregnant with my first child. Something about those adorable bumpers and those cute gingham-lined baskets soothed my soul. When I got home from the hospital with my son and realized that I had three tote bags embroidered with his name but no diapers that fit (he was early and the Size 1's were too big) and no ointment for his little bottom, I realized I spent all my energy focusing on the wrong things."Like most expectant mothers, I oogled over onesies and fretted over mobiles, but when my daughter made an appearance several months early and way before my due date, it turned my detail-minded world upside down. Now, instead of worrying about wallpaper borders for her nursery, I was busy mapping out an almost constant feeding schedule for my tiny 3-pound preemie. I quickly realized that prepping for baby is not about the strollers and high chairs, but about figuring out how you are going to do it all. Spend your pregnancy months shoring up the team to help you weather the storm that is a new baby." Fret not, since we have a few more ideas for do's and don'ts.Alicia on "the best-laid plans..."Sarah on "changing the focus from pretty to practical"2. Find a neighbor, friend, or family member who is most like you and ask for her advice.It's easy to get caught up and think it's just about the baby when they are so downright adorable, but remember that it's about you too. Instead of stocking up on books that you'll read when the baby turns 6, prepare yourself and your home in ways that will help you feel more human during those sleep-deprived weeks. Stock up on your favorite coffee, splurge on sweet-smelling shower gel, treat yourself to a subscription to US Weekly, and figure out the distribution of labor. From cooking dinner to grocery shoppingRemember the lady in the check-out line? She's at the bookstore too, though you'll find her "whispering" babies to sleep and potty training in one day. There could be an entire college course dedicated to reading all of the expert advice thrown at you. Spend the precious little alone time you do have reading something worthwhile and entertaining, like "Today's Moms: Essentials for Surviving Baby's First Year," by Mary Ann Zoellner and Alicia Ybarbo. These two Today Show producers bring a lighthearted, yet still informative, approach to baby rearing.3. Don't forget about you.

Remember the lady in the check-out line? She's at the bookstore too, though you'll find her "whispering" babies to sleep and potty training in one day. There could be an entire college course dedicated to reading all of the expert advice thrown at you. Spend the precious little alone time you do have reading something worthwhile and entertaining, like "Today's Moms: Essentials for Surviving Baby's First Year," by Mary Ann Zoellner and Alicia Ybarbo. These two Today Show producers bring a lighthearted, yet still informative, approach to baby rearing.

Author: Alicia Rockmore & Sarah Welch

Creating Comfort Under Ceilings That Soar (Decorating With Wallpaper)

(ARA) - It's not surprising that vaulted ceilings are a growing trend in today's new homes. Ceilings that rise two or more stories in one continuous expanse certainly give rooms a feeling of spaciousness. They also add a sense of drama, even grandeur. But they also present decorating dilemmas. What do you do with those long, tall walls? How do you make life under the "cathedral" cozy?

In addition to helping consumers locate the right product, the Web site provides information on the latest trends in decorating colors and designs on an Online News section. Images of decorator room sets provide consumers with ideas and links to practical "How to" information, such as "Decorating with Borders" and "How to Hang Wallpaper."* WINNER: Chris Cassidy, left, with Painting and Decorating Association president Nigel Deamer, right, and Nathan Clay, front (S)In this case, the plaid also masks irregularities in the shape of the room itself. The four walls don't join at perfect right angles, but the addition of plaid makes them look like they do.Whether you are looking for wallpaper borders with trailing green ivy for a kitchen corner or ideas for your new home office, head to your computer. For more information, visit www.wallpaperguide.com.A novelty palm-tree print, also from the Winnetka collection, carries a soothing, tropical breeze to this master bath. Above the palm trees, at ordinary ceiling height -- approximately eight feet from the floor -- we've placed a border that combines a larger-scale version of the palm tree with luscious pomegranates. The border creates a continuous level plane to surround the room.Tall expanses of uninterrupted wall diminish both the size and importance of artwork. While the walls can be filled with a patchwork of framed art, many of the prints and paintings are above eye-level at distances and angles that inhibit a clear view. In addition, vertical walls that rise 14, 15 or 16 feet from the floor tend to dwarf furniture at ground level. Without a unifying element to tie the walls and ceiling together, these rooms become cavernous and cold.To locate a retailer that carries the Winnetka collection featured here and other wallpaper collections from S.A. Maxwell Co., call (847) 932-3700 or visit www.samaxwell.com on the Internet.Without any break or border, the floral walls of the bedroom switch to a complementary plaid that provides contrast on the two walls that angle upward toward the center of the room. At the center of the ceiling, these two patterns almost join in a rectangular frame. Slim strips of plaid along the edge of the floral walls complete the frame, in which a sponge-textured wallpaper seems to create a window of sky.

To locate a retailer that carries the Winnetka collection featured here and other wallpaper collections from S.A. Maxwell Co., call (847) 932-3700 or visit www.samaxwell.com on the Internet.

Author: Jaima Brown

Finding the Perfect Wallpaper Pattern May be as Close as Your Computer Screen

(ARA) - Technology can do wonderful things. If you surf the Internet, you can find the right wallpaper pattern for your decorating project -- fast. You may want to browse through floral patterns or you may have a pattern in your imagination and want to know if it exists and if so, where do you get it?

His prize included pounds 300 cash and a new toolkit.Chris, who lives at Marsh, competed against apprentices from across the country when the contest was held at New College, Nottingham.Today, www.WallpaperGuide.com allows you to select a subject or category from a database of more than 43,000 wallpaper designs and quickly find patterns to match your interest.Candidates were asked to match and cut paper correctly, get levels on borders in place and apply paper smoothly with no blisters.Many walls have irregularities that can make it difficult to line up a pattern, especially when ceilings are angled or curved. Instead of trying to match the pattern where the walls meet the ceiling, separate the two adjoining patterns by a border or a strip of molding, available at any home improvement center or lumberyard.

Whether you are looking for wallpaper borders with trailing green ivy for a kitchen corner or ideas for your new home office, head to your computer. For more information, visit www.wallpaperguide.com.

Author: ARA Content

Chris has paperwork covered

A TRAINEE decorator from Huddersfield is Britain's top young wallpaper hanger.

Chris, 19, who works for decorating company Ramsay Clay, based at Bath Street, was named the winner at an awards ceremony held during the PDA national conference.CAPTION(S):Historically, you would have gone to a wallpaper store (or many!), browsed through dealer sample books and, with any luck found a suitable pattern after a time-consuming search.The use of coordinated patterns also adds layers of interest to a high-ceilinged room and allows touches of detail. Place a dominant pattern on the main area of the walls. Choose one that complements the fabric on furniture and, in the case of this girl's room, the bed linens as well. The pattern should also make you feel good. A cheerful floral from Maxwell's new Winnetka collection is the ideal choice for this teenager.Above it, a two-inch-wide awning stripe rises to create a dramatic tent effect in which the vertical stripes curve toward the center of the ceiling. There, they take a horizontal turn, reaching across the space and pulling it together. From the very center hangs a divine detail: the sparkle and luxury of an antique crystal chandelier.After locating the appropriate pattern, The Wallpaper Guide Web site points the way to local retail stores that carry the product you desire. Or, you can place an order online for direct delivery.Coordinated wallpaper and borders are useful and affordable tools for overcoming these challenges. Combinations of wallpaper and border patterns that depict variations on the same theme and contain complementary colors unify the surfaces that surround these rooms. All of the wallpaper and border patterns in collections from S.A. Maxwell Co. are arranged into color families, and each group contains many designs and prints that can be easily mixed and matched. By embracing the whole room, they visually connect the walls and ceiling, enhance the grandeur and spaciousness of the vaulted ceiling, and segment the space into comfortable proportions.Said Chris: "I am really happy to have won. It shows all my hard work has paid off."

* WINNER: Chris Cassidy, left, with Painting and Decorating Association president Nigel Deamer, right, and Nathan Clay, front (S)

How to Create a Garden Theme Bedroom For Preteen Daughters

Has your daughter outgrown cartoon character or Flower Power bedroom theme? If so, then it is time to select a new theme for your pre-teen. Have you considered using a garden theme? Such a theme is ideal for daughters who have grown out of -girly- themes, but are not yet ready for themes that are more mature. A garden theme is light enough for pre-teens, yet not too -serious.- Here are some tips for creating a garden themed bedroom for your pre-teen daughter:

- trash cans- lampMix and match accessories to find the perfect combination.Now you're on a roll. So why not use your border leftovers to decorate a hat box or a group of shoe boxes and make the inside of your guest room closet as appealing -- and unique -- as the room you've created?Consider, for example, placing a decorative border on the ceiling itself, connecting that often-ignored overhead expanse to the walls. Decorators often refer to the ceiling as "the fifth wall," another palette on which to apply their art. By surrounding a room, at the ceiling, with a continuous, unobstructed border, you create a "tray" effect that visually holds the room together.- lampsDouble-bordering more than doubles your creativity. By combining two borders from the Winnetka collection, we created a truly custom border in the living room. The four-inch leopard border, placed along the outside perimeter of the ceiling, is the "anchor." Banana leaves on the die-cut border repeat the theme of the wallpaper pattern, while their sculptured, outlined edges reach into the room.Consider a garden theme bedroom for your pre-teen daughter. Include items such as floral wrought iron wall hangings to bring the lovely, relaxing aura of the outdoors - indoors!Nowhere is this technique more useful than in the kitchen. Kitchens typically contain permanent appliances and cabinets that separate wall space. By installing this elegant leopard print border above the crown molding, the overall space has been unified while also giving the room greater depth and height.2. Chase the blues away, with blue walls, wallpaper and wall artDIY chain B&Q is opening nine new You Can Do It Centres across the UK and Ireland as part of its campaign to get us DIYing. The new centres are in Dundee, Cribbs Causeway (Bristol), Durham, Erdington (Birmingham), Grimsby, Swansea, Sutton (Greater London), Holywood (Northern Ireland) and Liffey Valley (Republic of Ireland) and bring the total number to 15.Wallpaper borders are among the most versatile of decorating tools. Furthermore, they are affordable and easy to install. Nearly any wall takes on a more finished look with the addition of a border. But to achieve real distinction, think beyond merely adding a border along the top of the wall. For new ideas, look up and look down.For more border ideas, locate a retailer near you that carries coordinated wallpaper and border collections from S.A. Maxwell Co. by calling (847) 932-3700 or visiting www.samaxwell.com.Use beddings, throw rugs, and curtains with flowers, flower flowers (and perhaps some butterflies as well). The key is to keep everything light and flowery.- wall hooks- throw rugThe number of items that you can use to accessorize your garden theme bedroom is nearly unlimited. They include:The key to a country cottage theme is flowers. Use wallpaper borders with flowers or outdoor cutouts on the walls. Other options include stencils to create various outdoor scenes. Only include a tree if the room is relatively large. Items to add include butterflies, birds, bunnies, cats, and a picket fence.- chairsDie-cut borders provide sculptured-edge detailing that was once only achieved by tedious hand-trimming around a pattern. To install a double custom border, combine the two patterns on a table, positioning them exactly the way you want them to overlap and join. Measure their combined width. Beginning at the point where the ceiling meets the wall, make a light pencil mark on the ceiling to show how far your custom double border will extend onto the ceiling. Install the straight border first, then overlap it with the sculptured design. This idea works equally well along the bottom of walls, at chair rail height, or wherever else you want to surprise the eye with something special.The border also provides a visual transition between the kitchen and the living room beyond it. Both the leopard border and the banana leaf wallpaper are from the Winnetka collection from S. A. Maxwell Co. Like all Maxwell collections, Winnetka is arranged in groups according to color. This assures easy coordination among patterns within the same room and from one room to another. All design groups in collections by S.A. Maxwell contain several borders in different widths.You can select among many types of fairy theme products, including:To find out more about the classes, go to www.diy.com/youcandoitclasses.>Double borders don't have to be joined together to give a room a lift. In a guest room, we ran two different, sculptured ivy patterns parallel to each other, 20 inches apart. Both are from S.A. Maxwell's Wicker Park collection. The large basket and ivy border runs just beneath the crown molding at the ceiling, and the diminutive die-cut ivy border "underlines" it 20 inches below. Even more layering is possible. You might add a vertical stripe wallpaper between the two borders and even place the coordinating ivy trail wallpaper from the same collection under all these layers.- curtain rods- curtain tiebacks- tables1. Focus on flowers to create a country cottage themeConsider painting the walls sky blue, to represent-well, the sky. You can further embellish the walls with a variety of wall art, such as leaves metal wall hangings. This will help to create the aura of a garden. Such wall art is available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Make sure that the wall art complements other elements in the room, such as the carpeting, furniture, drapes, and beddings.This follows the announcement last week that B&Q is rolling out its You Can Do It DIY classes every weekend to each of its 330 stores, and the success of its six original You Can Do It Centres, which opened last year.- murals (install them as you would wallpaper)

Consider a garden theme bedroom for your pre-teen daughter. Include items such as floral wrought iron wall hangings to bring the lovely, relaxing aura of the outdoors - indoors!

Author: Alyssa Davis

Diy News Bulletin

? Polycell has launched a new range of wallpaper adhesives, including their first one designed to be used with paste-the-wall wallpapers.

- figurinesBefore you start wallpapering, visit www.polycell.co.uk and watch the wall-preparation videos to help you get the perfect base for your wallpaper.3. Catch butterfly items for a butterfly garden theme5. Accessorize, accessorize!- bedding items (i.e. comforters, quilts, sheets)

To find out more about the classes, go to www.diy.com/youcandoitclasses.