It might seem like magic, but creating a welcoming home is as easy as following a formula.

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and been immediately envious that it wasn’t yours? And we aren’t talking about some mansion either, but about those homes that make you want to kick off your shoes, curl up with your legs underneath you on the sofa, and stay forever.

7 Steps to Creating a Welcoming Home

1.Art That Draws You In

Choose colorful, warm, and dynamic art to cover the walls like bold prints or landscape photos. Get playful with your placement as well. Instead of placing art at standing eye level, consider hanging artwork at eye level for when you are sitting down! Just this simple adjustment can change the whole feel of a room.

2. Be True to Yourself

Don’t be too rigid with your decorating style. Allow yourself to step outside the predominant style of your room to add those touches that you love. A room that is too “perfect” can come across can cold and unwelcoming. And one should always decorate with items from their travels, gifts from loved ones, and those things that speak to you.

3. Find the Focal Point

Whether it’s a fireplace, a window, or the layout of the room arrange your furniture around that focal point or highlight it, whatever the case may be. By the same token, color can be used to manage a room. For example, an accent wall can help draw visitors into a long rectangular room.

4. The Right Lighting

Believe it or not, lighting can completely change a room. Don’t think of lamps and lighting fixtures as an afterthought, but create your room around the lighting and your intended use of the room. A dramatic overhead light might be ideal for a room you plan on entertaining in, while recessed lighting would work best for a family room. Another point to consider, according to Ashley Rose Marino of Ashley Rose Marino Designs, “If the space is especially dark, even with additional lighting, you may want to consider lightening your decor with the addition of whites and greys instead of darker beiges to add brightness through your furniture.”

5. Texture

Texture is key to shaping a welcoming home. Rugs, pillows, throws, curtains and other textiles can go a long way to making a space more interesting and inviting. Texture can be a way to introduce visual interest and keep a room from looking flat. You also want to think about texture when considering furniture–some fabrics and finishes are jut way more comfortable and call out for you to sink into them.

6. Create Flow

Use furniture and open space to draw in visitors and to help facilitate conversation and comfort. Too much furniture squashed together does not make for a welcoming room. Mark Cutler from Mark Cutler DESIGN, INC puts it best, “Is it clear how you are supposed to enter the room, try not to have furniture cluttered everywhere, create simple and defined areas for each activity.”

7. Minimalism Can Be Good

Not only can minimalism be good for the planet, but it can also help save you money and create a more welcoming space. As Elaine Thompson, lifestyle specialist at Just Energy, puts it, “Focusing on a few quality pieces to put in a room is far better than cluttering it with a bunch of knick-knacks and things that don’t add value to your space. Think about how you want someone to feel in the room, and then only contribute pieces that support that idea. A great thing about this strategy is that it will make your living space look classy AF and save you money.”

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If you are new to the world of decor and design inspiration, or just need some new outlets to eat up more of your free time, we have a delicious roundup of some of our favorite decorating blogs to get you started. Make certain to clear your schedule for the time being, because you are going to be occupied for a long time catching up with these sites. Pretty soon, these sites will become your regular haunts.

No matter what your living arrangements are–from a tiny house to penthouse–getting inspired to decorate from your favorite decorating blogs is the cornerstone of the decor and DIY design world. Before the Internet, decor and design junkies had to find their inspiration at the hands of the latest issues of the big design and decor magazines, but these days inspiration is more immediate. Thank goodness!

Home decor, design, and DIY inspiration are just a click away no matter your personal style and taste!

Drool-worthy Decorating Blogs

1. A Beautiful Mess – Run by sisters Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, A Beautiful Mess blends a lovely mix of decor, food, fashion, and DIY that will keep you occupied for a long time.

2. Brit + Co – This site features a heady mix of all kinds of lifestyle topics including DIY and decor. The site boasts that it connects readers with makers, designers, chefs, and inventors to build a community of creativity.

3. City Farmhouse – City Farmhouse combines the sensibility of a city home with the practicality of a more suburban location. It’s a charming take on the journey of making a stylish home that doesn’t break the bank.

4. Nesting Place – Nesting proves that renters don’t have to sacrifice style–it’s possible to create a wonderfully decorous space and comfortable space even when you don’t own your own home.

5. SF Girl By Bay – After ten years, Victoria Smith’s blog continues to be one of the best and more inspiring design and decorating blogs around. This is an original tastemaker’s blog.

6. The Makerista – This blog provides a practical approach to how to decorate your space in a thoughtful and stylish way.

7. La Dolce Vita – Looking for someplace to just look at the pretty pictures? Look no further than this site run by a couple of interior decorators. It’s less of a practical how-to for us everyday folks and more of a fantasy of how we would decorate when we win the lottery!

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Beautiful Terrace Image via Shutterstock

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Home decor ideas to embrace the Greek trend of 2015.  

One of this year’s top decorating trends is the Greek or Mediterranean look. The trend chiefly focuses on two aspects of home decor: color and pattern.

For color the emphasis is on what is often referred to as Greek blue, and whether the inspiration for it is the flag of Greece or the color of the Mediterranean, it’s a strong, vibrant, very pretty, feelgood blue.

As far as pattern, the Greek Key pattern is the dominant trend. The Greek Key pattern is an ancient pattern often seen as an architectural element or a decorative border on textiles.  It’s a repeating pattern of a motif that which resembles a key.

Retailers and DIY-enthusiasts are both getting in on the action, so if you are fan of the trend, here are some home decor ideas to embrace it in your home.

7 Home Decor Ideas to Embrace the Greek Trend

1. Greek Key Overlays – Overlays are lightweight decorative fretwork panels that can be added to stair risers, dressers, corners, mirrors and more to add decorative flourish. The panels work perfectly on the front of stairs!
2. Greek Key Drapes – The Greek Key pattern is ideal for adding a decorative border to curtain and drapes. It adds a very elegant touch to any room, but works really well in a bedroom.
3. Greek Key Curtains – For the same effect, but without the expense, here’s a DIY no-sew version of Greek Key curtains. It really doesn’t get much easier than that.
4. Greek Blue Painted Furniture – Bring an old wooden piece of furniture back to life and on trend by painting it Greek Blue. One favorite is Greek Blue chalk paint from Annie Sloan.
5. Blue Bottles – Repurpose blue bottles as vases to add pops of blue to your home. Cobalt isn’t exactly the same as Greek Blue, but cobalt bottles are available from any winemaking supply store.
6. Painted Ceiling – Add serenity and color to your bedroom by painting the ceiling Greek blue. Painting the ceiling is a simple way to make a big impact on your home decor.
7. Throw Pillows – Finally, adding throw pillows is the super easy way to add any trend to your home without making permanent changes to your decor. You can even make your own covers to place over your existing pillows.

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Image: Wicker Paradise

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Watercolor DIY home decor projects to get on trend with!

One of the more colorful and fun home decor trends for spring 2015 is incorporating the watercolor effect into your home. Think Georgia O’Keeffe or Thomas Moran, but not in a literal way. Instead this trend is all about bringing the texture, color and delicate lightness of being that is watercolor into your living spaces.

This DIY home decor trend is all about joie de vivre and one way to make that happen is to do-it-yourself. Sure, you can just buy watercolor pieces to add to your home, it’s a trend after all so watercolor items are ubiquitous in the home stores, but it is more fun to put your own stamp on things. Plus, it can be way more eco-friendly to repurpose and reuse than to purchase new–especially for a trend of which you may tire.

Watercolor Inspired DIY Home Decor Trend

1. DIY Watercolor Wall Art – Paint your way into this DIY home decor trend with this super easy project for a pretty piece of wall art.
2. Watercolor Desk Calendar – Use this printable calendar template to watercolor your own colorful watercolor calendar.
3. DIY Watercolor Clock – Turn plywood and watercolor paints into a dreamy clock to brighten up your clock watching.
4. Watercolor Pillow Covers – Repurpose old pillowcases into cool watercolor dripped throw pillow covers instead of tossing them or turning them into rags.
5. Watercolor Pixel Painting – This clever project illustrates how to turn a photograph into a watercolor “pixel” painting. This would be very cool to do as a full wall mural!
6. Watercolor Striped Bunting – Decorate your bedroom with this festive DIY watercolor bunting.
7. DIY Watercolor Mugs – Decorate your own watercolor mugs for your next tea party.
8. DIY Watercolor Candle Holders – Create a candlelit table centerpiece from a mess of watercolor votive candle holders.
9. Watercolor Mobile – Create a pretty watercolor hanging mobile from cardstock and watercolor paints. It’s so amazing what you can create with the simplest materials.
10. DIY Watercolor Faux Wallpaper – This tutorial outlines how to create a watercolor effect using regular wall paint.
11. DIY Watercolor Striped Napkins – This simple home decor project shows how to make your own watercolor cloth napkins.

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The post Gorgeous Watercolor DIY Home Decor Ideas appeared first on EcoSalon.

Stunning decor trends you just might fall in love with.

Now that the snow’s finally taking a hike, I’ve never been more excited to spiffy up my apartment… or more overwhelmed with decisions. With the oodles of paint colors, furniture pieces, and wall decor options to choose from, I feel like my head could pop right off. To ensure it stays attached, I’ve decided to start the journey with some good old fashioned Internet-creeping to see what everyone else is up to (natch).

Here are 7 trendy decor ideas that will take your home from blasé to… well, the opposite:

1. It’s all about the base coat

Painting is one of the most inexpensive ways to transform your home—and the most fun! So what’s on palette this spring? According to Puji Sherer, VP of Marketing and Chief Color Nerd at Colorhouse Paint, this year’s go-to neutral is (surprise, surprise) gray. “It’s a cool classic that can evolve from season to season and room to room,” says Sherer. “Gray delivers a lived-in elegance in a dining or living room, and works great as a gender-neutral backdrop for a kid’s room.”

2. Bring the outdoors in

“From chandeliers made of branches to hanging indoor gardens, more people are getting inspired by nature,” says Alex and Catina Voellinger of Conveyance Moving + Storage. Not only is it earth-friendly, but it’s a great way to decorate on a budget. Decorate with flowers from your garden, fill unique glass bottles with seashells, or bunch branches together and place them in a vintage vase.

3. Revamp your rugs

One of the decor ideas interior and furniture designer Bea Pila is loving: Bringing new life to old rugs by repurposing them as seat cushions. If you’re not exactly a savvy seamstress, Pila recommends simply overdying your old rugs to give them a completely new look. The secret? After dying, use a rinse of white vinegar and citric acid to set the vibrancy of the color.

4. Strategically plant trees

“Careful planting and pruning of trees and shrubs can save money in the summer by blocking the sun’s heat, and in the winter by allowing the sun to heat your home,” says award-winning green designer Pablo Solomon.

5. Install reclaimed wood floors

More and more people are using salvaged/reclaimed wood floors. “Natural wood is really hard to beat, and now that it comes prefinished, the DIY person can install a floor with none of the mess that once came with having to sand and finish wood,” says Solomon.

6. Add water elements to your yard

What’s more soothing than the sound of running water? (Sorry bladder.) Not only do birds and butterflies love them, but solar-powered fountain pumps are super reasonable and don’t require any wiring.

7. Go with the flow

“A mindset I’ve promoted for decades is now becoming a trend, which is tying in your interior design with views of your lawn and garden to create a harmonious flow,” says Solomon. “Such elements as floor to ceiling corner windows are really in demand now.”

What decor ideas are you excited to try this spring?

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Bring more fun into your home decor by mixing up your patterns.

Mixing and matching patterns can be a fun, clever and stylish way to show off your sense of style in your home decor. Pattern mixing has its downfall though. Done carefully, pattern mixing creates visual interest, done poorly and your home decor can come off looking like a carnival funhouse, and unless you are professional clown that is probably not what you intended.

Mixing patterns can be fun and allow your creativity to shine through your home decor. It’s a great way to mix styles, like retro polka dots mixed with modern stripes. It’s also a great way to showcase the tastes multiple family members, like nautical for you and florals for your partner.

There is a certain amount of fearlessness and joie de vivre in modern pattern mixing. Gone are the days of Laura Ashley florals and stripes, today’s plan for pattern mixing is to commit. Go big or go home because there is no room for the timid in today’s pattern mixing. The goal is to create a vibrant and inviting space that you love and your guests will love too.

How-to Tips for Home Decor Pattern Mixing

1. Mix Patterns of the Same Color

One of the easiest ways to mix patterns in your home decor is by using  different patterns of the same color. For example, navy stripes on the walls mixed with damask curtains would be very striking.

2. Texture is Your Friend

Mixing and matching both patterns and textures is exactly how the pros do it. Adding a variety of texture to your mixed patterned rooms can be a great visual clue to your visitors that you aren’t going for matchy-matchy.

3. Three is the Magic Number

There’s just something about having three different patterns that somehow works better than just utilizing two different patterns. Odd numbers just are more appealing. Plus, limiting yourself to only patterns feels a little more contrived and less natural.

4. Scale is Important

The size of the patterns you choose is important. Mixing up the scale of your patterns can help keep your home decor from feeling overwhelming.

5. Solids Can Bring It All Together

Finally, it is important to not go overboard. Grounding your home decor by mixing patterns and solids is key. For example, if your rug is patterned, consider a solid colored sofa. Conversely, if your sofa is patterned, then go with a patterned rug. It will be more aesthetically pleasing.

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One of the hottest home decor trends coming in 2014 is glam.

Short for glamorous, glam decor is all about elegance, luxury, mood and drama. It can look and be very luxe (read as expensive), and sure, when the fabulously rich style their homes it is, but it is possible to introduce elements without breaking the bank. In addition, a glamor-styled home can come across as somewhat stuffy, but it can be done in a comfy way as well. After all, your home should be comfortable to live in and approachable to guests.

There are different variations on the trend. There’s urban, beach, country, Old Hollywood and modern glamor and they are really all just a combination to create a style, and you can do the same to get one that matches your own. Give these five ways a try.

1. Sparkle

Glamor decor is all about bling, so a high-drama extra sparkly chandelier is a must–in multiple rooms! Think of other creative ways to add bling to your decor and design.

2. Luxe Fabrics

Luxurious fabrics are a must. Velvet, silk, brocade, damask, cashmere, satin, taffeta are all luxury fabrics that can be utilized in upholstering, for curtains, pillows, ottomans, throws, bedding and more.

3. Metallics

Metallic accents are a great way to get the 2014 look. Paint an accent wall in rich silver for some instant sparkle or add some metallic throw pillows to jazz up an otherwise everyday sofa.

4. Color

Use rich, deep colors to add drama. Consider high contrast combinations like black and white. A high-gloss finish can also add a touch of the accent to just about any color.

5. Vintage

When in doubt, go vintage. Art deco styling and accents are a great way to add vintage glamor to your home. Have a bare wall, think about adding a 1930s deco mirror to create drama and elegance.

Here’s Some Great Inspiration

Silver Style

Image: Pier One

This painted silver furniture collection from Pier One is deco-liciously glam!

Velvet Tuft

Image: West Elm

Nothing can add a bit of bling to your living room than a sleek and sexy velvet settee like this one from West Elm. Green with envy yet?

Cafe Love

Image: Terrain

Add these retro zinc cafe chairs inspired by the French bistros inside or outside to add some metallic finish to your decor.

Rococo It

Image: Restoration Hardware

When in doubt add a chandelier like this stunning iron and crystal piece from Restoration Hardware.

Top Image: Gatsby’s list

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“sweet spring is your time, is my time is our time, for springtime is lovetime and viva sweet love.” -e.e. cummings

The passing of the equinox and changing of the clocks can only mean one thing: Spring is on it’s way. No matter how many inches of snow may linger on the ground, the calendar tells us that sunshine and sweet breezes are just around the corner.

The first order of business on an early spring day is to throw open all the windows and allow the soft breeze to scrub winter’s stuffiness from every room. But then what?

If you’re eager to welcome spring indoors, here are five fresh, colorful ideas that will brighten your home (even if the weather outside isn’t cooperating. Yet.)

1. Floors

Heavy rugs and carpeting are great, low-effort ways to keep your home warm during the winter, but all that weight is cumbersome in warmer seasons. If you’ve got hardwood floors, removing rugs can be an easy way to achieve a lighter, fresher look (and you can sweep instead of vacuuming!). For high traffic areas, think about replacing large carpets with smaller areas rugs that feature bright colors and festive patterns, like the handmade, upcycled Serpent Sea rug (pictured above).

2. Walls

Don’t see spring when you look out the window? Well hang it on the wall instead! Photographs of trees and flowers in bloom, paintings with pastel colors, or a come-hither-spring print like this one from Katie Daisy are perfect ways to infuse your living space with a brighter feel.

3. Kitchen

Absolutely nothing will get you in the springtime mood like growing something. Wooly Pockets (pictured above) are lightweight, flexible, breathable, modular gardening containers designed to hang on the wall. Made in the USA using recycled plastic bottles, these planters create an instantly lush vertical garden and allow your family to experience the magical fun of plants in any environment. Fill one with herbs and hang it in your kitchen for a touch of green and yummier meals. And if you’re feeling really creative, try this DIY mason jar wall garden from model Summer Rayne Oakes.

4. Bedroom

Still sleeping under heavy winter quilts and blankets? Think about switching out your dark winter bed clothes for something a bit lighter and brighter. While you’re at it, think about changing lampshades and curtains as well. Look for more delicate colors and textiles, like organic cotton, that disperse light around the room instead of blocking it. For a quick fix, spread a bright table cloth over a dark colored night stand and top off with a vase of spring flowers.

5. Living Room

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have two sets of furniture, one for fall/winter and one for spring/summer? In real life this would be neither sustainable nor practical, but boy wouldn’t it keep us from being bored with our decor! Here’s the next best thing: find or make bright colored accent pillows for couches and armchairs. Want to go bigger? Consider a light-colored slipcover for an especially dark piece of furniture (easy to change and it will help keep the upholstery looking like new). Recycle an old decorating trick by filling interestingly-shaped glass bottles with water and food coloring, and setting them on a windowsill to catch the light. Scour thrift stores for pastel-colored tea cups and saucers, and use them as accent pieces on mantle or bookshelves.

How do you bring spring indoors? Share your ideas in a comment!

Images: promanex| serpent sea | cassia beck | jingdianjiaju2 | theladyJdesigns

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