| Setting out to decorate a new home or redecorating | | | | decorating schemes, bright colors work well when set |
| your current abode without a plan can be like driving | | | | against light, muted ones, like shades of white or beige. |
| around an unfamiliar city without a map-you may end | | | | Paint your walls these muted colors and then go crazy |
| up somewhere, but it's probably not where you | | | | adorning them with brightly colored artwork and |
| wanted go and you may have no idea how you got | | | | accessories. Same thing goes for furniture. Back away |
| there. And you may just end up somewhere pretty | | | | from the teal couch and the orange upholstered chair. |
| ugly. Formulating a plan, however, can be a difficult | | | | Look for boring colors and then add your personality in |
| task. Thumbing through home and furniture magazines | | | | the form of pillows and throw blankets. If these tips still |
| often just leads to little more than an increased risk of | | | | don't allow you to fully express how wild and crazy |
| paper cuts, and watching the countless home | | | | you are, experiment with your bedroom decor. You'll |
| decorating "reality" shows, while sometimes | | | | offend less people that way. |
| entertaining, rarely results in an epiphanous (no, its not a | | | | On the other side of the coin we have the more |
| word) moment. Actually, according to dictionary.com, it | | | | straight-laced, conservative types. Bright colors give |
| is a word, so take your red squiggly underline and | | | | these people headaches, as do the aforementioned |
| shove it, Microsoft. Anyways…oh yeah, having | | | | people who like bright colors. But what these plodding |
| a plan. This plan I speak of, doesn't have to be a | | | | individuals lack in personality they more than make up |
| 10-page manifesto or even a loose outline, in fact, it | | | | for with grace and sophistication, and this should come |
| doesn't really have to be put in writing. I say, let your | | | | through in their home decor. Whether your style |
| personality be your guide. | | | | preference is contemporary, traditional, or somewhere |
| As hokey and simple as that may sound, it works. Too | | | | in the middle, you can create a look that personifies |
| many people decorate their homes to please or | | | | you and at the same time is decidedly un-boring. |
| impress others. Unless you're a close friend or relative | | | | Furniture and lighting isn't the difference-maker here, it's |
| or Martha Stewart, this is just ridiculous (I've heard she | | | | the accessories and decorations you should focus on. |
| can be a little harsh). Remember, you live in your home, | | | | Artwork and other embellishments such as plants, |
| not them. Let your home be a reflection of yourself by | | | | knick-knacks on shelves, and framed photos can |
| choosing colors, furniture, and accessories that show | | | | breathe life into rooms with less color. And speaking of |
| your personality, as deranged and anti-social as that | | | | color, you can still make a statement without fuchsia |
| may be. | | | | walls or a red leather sofa. The trick is to mix in lights |
| Many people with bright, vivacious personalities like | | | | and darks to create contrasts wherever you can. Use |
| bright, vivacious colors. Go figure. But these gregarious | | | | black and charcoal against whites and light grays or |
| individuals often temper this when it comes to | | | | experiment with the many shades of brown, from light |
| decorating their homes. You don't have to make your | | | | tans to deep, dark chocolate brown. |
| home look like Rainbow Brite (for those not in the | | | | For a HUGE selection of bedroom furniture including |
| know, she's a brightly colored 80's cartoon character) | | | | beautiful platform beds visit the Eco-Furniture website |
| threw up all over the place to inject your personality. | | | | today. |
| Pick a few colors and stick to them. As with most | | | | |