Part 2: Excerpts from 201 ShortcutsLove to decorate? Then you'll enjoy browsing these excerpts from Glenna's new book,
The Impatient Decorator: 201 Shortcuts to a Beautiful Home
, ©2003 Rockport Publishers, Inc., Gloucester, Massacusetts.
TIP #10
Offset Deep Color with Lighter Tones
"Balance rich color by using lighter hues in other areas of the room. The terra-cotta walls in the picture on this page are important, yet not overpowering, because the furniture and trims are pale. The bonus of using colors on the walls is that updating the look is fairly simple, whereas reupholstering furniture to update a color is neither simple nor inexpensive."
TIP #18
Make Decorating Elements Reversible
"An easy way to change the look of a room is to design reversible soft goods. Pillows, comforters, table toppers, and even simple slipcovers can be made with one fabric on one side and a coordinating pattern on the opposite side, allowing simple seasonal transitions..."
TIP #28
Choose Your Own "Neutrals" for Upholstery
"Plain, neutral fabric is a terrific, long-lasting choice for upholstered items. Beige and tan are suitable options, if that's your style. If not, then create your own neutrals -- that is, the colors that show up as basics in your decorating scheme. whether you choose pale gold, sage green, chocolate brown, or navy blue, using plain textured fabrics in your colors ensures that upholstered pieces will have a long and useful life."
TIP #59
Stamp It
"Imitate wallpaper by applying repeating patterns to painted walls with stamps or stencils. Try taupe diamonds on an ivory wall or silver metallic scrolls on a deep gray wall. Random repeats offer a casual look. Alternatively, mark even gridlines..."
TIP #83
Do Something Different for a Coffee Table
"Ramp up a living room's style by reinventing the coffee table. Place it 12 to 16 inches in front of the couch -- any closer will be too cramped and any farther away will be unusuable. Here are some options:
- A set of four square ottomans
- A tall tea table
- An antique trunk
- A pair of tray tables
- A stack of wood boxes or vintage suitcases
- A tiled tabletop on metal legs
- Three wooden cubes covered with grasscloth
- A vintage wood padded bench
- An old dining table with its legs cut down
- A sturdy concrete garden ornament topped with glass"
TIP #103
Add Height with Headboards
"A headboard should be tall enough to be seen above the pillow shams. Upholstered headboards can be custom made, yet it's fairly simple and quite inexpensive to make your own. Cover a shaped wood backing with a layer of foam, batting, and white sheeting. Once you have secured all this with staples on the back of the board, stretch designer fabric over it as the final layer."
TIP #144
Paint it Out
"When a child's room is very small, consider painting the furniture the same color as the walls. This helps the furniture to visually recede a bit, making the room feel just a little larger. Pale colors such as buttercream, rosy pink, white, or icy blue, can also add to the illusion of more space. Apply this color technique to window treatments, flooring, and rugs as well."
See more on Page 3: Book Images
Browse these images from the book
The Impatient Decorator
Cover
Excerpt 1
Excerpt 2
Excerpt 3
Excerpt 4
Excerpt 5
Excerpt 6
Excerpt 7
From the book:
The Impatient Decorator: 201 Shortcuts to a Beautiful Home
by Glenna Morton, ©2003 Rockport Publishers, Inc., Gloucester, Massacusetts.
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