Home sweet home

HOME DECORATING GUIDE

EASY AND LUXURIOUS STYLE FOR ALL THINGS HOME

By CHASTAIN HOWARD

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Give me some room

Living room style no matter the size

Ah yes, the living room, what better place to kick your feet up, grab a cold or hot beverage, put on the Netflix, or in my home Disney+, eat a snack or have a meal. Whatever you use your living room for you want to make it as welcoming as possible, not to mention stylishly fabulous. There is something to be said about the color blue blended with soft grey tones, this mixture creates a simple yet calming effect for any living room. The furniture should complement the size of the room, my best advice is to start with simplistic furniture, a nice sized sofa with a loveseat, and a couple of accent pillows. If you live in a singles or bachelor (not your relationship status, LOL) apartment that doubles as a bedroom, opt for a sleeper sofa with an accent chair. Here are some tips to open up your living room space, and add stylish accent furniture:

Tip photo 1: When you have a large living area in your home always remember that there is no need to overload furniture into the space. A simple sofa or sectional, basic love seat, end tables, a flat-screen wall mount or t.v. table, and an ottoman or center table. This type of furniture will keep the space open and comfortable. 

Tip photo 2: For a soft and subdued contemporary living room try adding splashes of blue, pewter, or grey. These tundra colors offer a relaxed and calming effect to the living room.

Tip photo 3: If you find yourself with a living room that doubles as a bedroom, try adding soft colors this gives the illusion of open space and a sectional sleeper sofa with an ottoman, or a two-seat sofa and chair with an end table and a simple floor lamp.

Tip photo 4: Have your flat screen television mounted to your wall, or if you live in a rental apartment have it mounted on an extended television stand in an entertainment stand. I like creating a floating effect for my television, so consider installing a wall-mounted stand it’s great little touch to a living room no matter the size.

BEDROOMS DON'T HAVE TO BE A SNOOZE

Now, what bedroom would be complete without comfy pillows? I am in love and obsessed with GhostPillow by Ghostbed®. My bestie bought me this pillow due to my complaining about my pillows feeling hot, and having to turn them constantly to keep them cool. This pillow can adjust to your body heat in real-time keeping your pillow cool and has an ergonomic design that helps keep your spine aligned, and supports your head without overextending your neck (they have a patent pending for this technology). I bought another one for the other side of my bed, and now I sleep peacefully.

If you're like me your bedroom is a sanctuary that is a welcomed retreat from the chaos outside. Bedrooms have long since been synonymous with a modern style which if taken too literally can translate into boring and drab. A bedroom should represent comfort, style, and lounge luxury, so here are a few of my favorite styles. Ever find yourself fighting over who gets the side of the bed? A bed that adds a bit of humor with a headboard that can be written on, and yet keeps the room from turning into a child’s playroom. So, no more fussing about who gets what side, let this cute bed play referee.

To transform your bedroom into a luxury lounge try adding a couple of contemporary style chairs with an end table. Invest in a good size dresser, and utilize your walls by adding shelves. It’s important to remember the square footage of your room when decorating this key to achieving a lounge room. I was one of those women who thought getting a big, four-post bed would make my bedroom look amazing, but all it did was take up way too much space, and I would always end up bumping into the foot posts leaving me angry and my thighs bruised. So, please don't get a bed that takes up too much space and crowds the rest of your furniture.

Next up is the mattress, for a great night’s sleep, I recommend purchasing a memory foam mattress that doesn’t require a box spring unless your bedframe calls for one. As I cautioned earlier in the previous paragraph, steer clear of grand-style beds with long four-post heads and footboards, beds that require stair-step, and beds that are too big for what you need. Don't buy a king when your room size comfortably fits a queen.

Lastly, decorate with lots of neutral tone colors such as cream, beiges, and soft green, these are neutral colors and can be balanced with splashes of dark colors like brown, red, black, or grey. If you live in a high-rise then you definitely want to decorate your bedroom with simple colors, a basic flatbed, or if you have high ceilings then try a bed with a bit of lift, modern style end tables, and lamps. Keep wall decorations to a minimum by adding some framed paintings or pictures of happy moments (family, friends, events, etc.) For lighting, I always recommend track lighting with a light adjustment turn dial to your bedroom this illuminates without oversaturating the room with light.

Interior design has evolved over the years from the simplistic style of the 50s and 60s to the futuristic styles of the 80s. Here we are in the year 2022 and interior design has reverted back to some of the simplistic charms of yesteryear with updated elements relevant to today. This is your one-stop blog where you will receive home styling advice; great tips on everything from the latest furniture trends to luxury on a budget for every room of your house. I give you the scoop on some of my favorite interior styles for little places to big spaces.

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Hungry for a Kitchen with Modern Style

Kitchens are the centerpiece of any home they play host to family gatherings, dinner parties, or even romantic dinners. Over time kitchens have gone from the 1950s, practicality fused with a more modern-contemporary style for millennials, all the while keeping a practical look and feel. Move your kitchen forward by adding a storage cabinet for those extra pots and pans, for durability and a modern feel invest in stainless steel appliances, and simple track lighting for the ceiling this will create more space if your kitchen is too crowded. In addition, add a circular table that’s just big enough to hold just the right number of people, no sense in having a table that holds five when you only need two or three chairs, unless you are prone to having people over for visits. My final giveaway is to always decorate the kitchen in soft colors this will create balance and makes the space feel a bit more inviting. 

SPA STYLE BATHROOMS

A nice relaxing bath or shower does a body good is my motto, and bathrooms have become more and more spa-like over the years from the décor to the sink, yes even toilets have become a bit more stylish. You see, it's not just a simple bathtub or shower anymore; bathrooms have become what I like to call “body-friendly” meaning it doesn’t have to feel cold and lifeless. I always love to decorate a bathroom in vivid teal and blue tones, these colors are reminiscent of the ocean and are very calming and tranquil. Here are some tips to help you create a body-friendly bathroom:

1. Have a small bathroom and need to free up some space add a tower or wall shelves for easy accessibility of towels and toiletries.

2. Always pad your bathroom floor with a washable memory foam carpet. Think of it as a pillow for your feet, and keeps you from slipping on the bare floor. *Try to avoid carpets, when wet they take a while to dry out and can smell bad after a while. 

3. To give your bath a spa-like design, I recommend instead of a straight bar for your shower curtain, get a wide-angle bar this creates the illusion of space. If you have a glass sliding shower door get a straight bar, and add a stylish dark color shower curtain for privacy just in case the bathroom needs to be shared.

4. Install a spa shower head with different dials that control water spray for a luxurious spa-like experience. Invest in a spa shower head that will give you a high-pressure spray that acts as a massager to relax your tired muscles but will soothe your skin all over. 

5. Lastly, put in place a dial light switch so you can control the right amount of lighting, lamp sconces, or my favorite electric votive candles, these types of lighting styles help set a relaxed mood.

   Treat yourself to soft music, a glass of white wine, and some Godiva chocolate, and you are all set for a home spa day or night. 

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