How to achieve a great decorating style for your coastal home—or even if you live inland!
Life’s a beach—or it can be, if you want to decorate that way. Coastal living is both a lifestyle and a decorating style. You can even create a coastal décor if you live inland.
Currently about 45 percent of the U.S. population lives in a coastal community. The appeal of the sun, the sand and the surf is just too strong to be denied. Since Americans are “going coastal,” it makes sense to decorate that way. And if you don’t live near the coast, but long to, you can bring a little bit of a coastal feel to your home décor even if an actual beach is more than a short drive away.
Bathrooms are not what they used to be! They’re now one of the most luxurious rooms in the home.
What is the most luxurious room in your home? If you named your bathroom, then you’re perfectly on-trend. Bathrooms increasingly are more spa-like—dreamy places of Zen where homeowners can decompress, relax and rejuvenate.
This spa trend is so important that it has driven bathrooms into the No. 2 spot in real estate. After the kitchen, well-designed bathrooms are at the top of home shoppers’ wish list, where they hope to see luxurious finishes, fixtures and features that speak to their sense of comfort.
Home exteriors are trending toward sophisticated and sometimes surprising color schemes.
If you’re planning to paint the exterior of your home this summer and are struggling in your color selection, take heart. There are so many beautiful exterior color schemes at present—trending from East to West—that you’re sure to find one that suits your tastes and the style of your home.
In general, simple monochromatic color schemes are giving way to sophisticated multi-color schemes, with complex colors being used with neutrals in pleasing-to-the-eye ways. Slate grays, stone, wheat, sable brown, blue-greens and olive are among the top siding colors this year. These often are paired with soft neutrals for the trim, such as white, cream or gray, as opposed to the more colorful trim hues of the past.
Tap into your creativity to create the desired effect.
One of the most elegant faux finishes that a do-it-yourselfer can create is a color wash. This basic faux technique can add vibrancy, depth and visual interest to an otherwise plain wall. To create the technique, you simply apply a thin layer of glazing over your base coat of paint to give the surface a subtle layered effect. While it may seem easy, taking the time to perfect your technique can allow you to create gorgeous, one-of-a-kind effects for a focal wall, a ceiling or an entire room.
Everyone loves the look of wood—and there is more than one way to achieve it.
Hardwood floors are one of the hottest trends in home decorating, desirable for its good looks, durability, easy cleanup and so many other benefits. However, the cost of real hardwood doesn’t always fit with a homeowner’s budget. And for homeowners with pets or young children, real hardwood can be difficult to protect and maintain.
Fortunately, there is more than one way to achieve a wood look. Laminate, resilient and porcelain tile all have wood-look options that offer many of the benefits of real wood and avoid some of its drawbacks. Here’s a comparison of the products—including the real thing—to help you decide which one is best for you and your home.