Articles from About on Home Decor Basics
Top 10 Furnishings for First-Time Buyers
Are you setting up your first home? If you don't know what you'll really need, read our list of Top Picks for first-time furniture buyers.
20 Decorating No-Nos
Decorating your home isn't brain surgery. But there are some rules about what not to do when you're making decorating decisions. Read about them here.
Decorating Your Own Home- Do You Have What It Takes?
Find some great articles on decorating, including quizzes, style guides, and resources for online help. With our guidance, anyone can succeed!
Why Redecorate? We've Got Some Ideas
If you think you need a reason to decorate your home, we've got 10. One of them might work for you.
Create a Room You'll Love
If you surround yourself with colors, sounds, and images you love, you'll feel comfortable and safe in your home.
Learn Basic Home Decorating with Resources on the Internet
Not everyone has the time to go to school to learn the basics of decorating their own home. With these great online sources, anyone can be the basics of decorating principles.
Top Decorating Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
By combining personal taste, unlimited resources, and individual style, you can achieve an interesting look for almost any room. But there are some things you should just never do. Are you guilty?
How to Make a Small Room Look Bigger
There are things you can do to make a small room feel more spacious, less cramped. Read some of the tricks professionals use here.
Where to Start a Home Decorating Project
You begin a decorating project with great anticipation and expectations of success. Find out where to start for a successful result to your work.
Green Decor- Choosing Eco-Friendly Interior Design
Learn about decorating "green" with tips from this video from About.com.
Add "Wow" to Your Boring Room
If your room is boring and blah, add some special touches to make it "brilliant."
Finishing Touches Perk Up a Room
If you've been decorating a room but just don't think it's done, you probably need to add some finishing touches. Our tips on adding finishing touches to your decorating project might just be the answer to "What have I forgotten?"
8 Simple Fashion Rules for Decorating
You probably already know some of these basic fashion rules, but did you know you could apply these same rules to decorating your home? Find out more with these 8 simple fashion rules for home interiors.
Fast Fixes for Your Home
Does your home have hideous outdated features like bad lighting, horrid carpet, or garish window treatments? Then it’s time to banish any throwbacks from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s and brush up on some cost-conscious solutions that overcome some of the worst features of outdated rooms.
So You Think You Want to Redecorate!
Whether you've moved into a new home or an old apartment, you'll undoubtedly feel you want to change some things. It may be small changes or major remodeling. You'll find ideas on where to start and what to look for in this article from About's Guide to Interior Decorating.
Ideas for Decorating--Where to Find Them
It’s time to think about changing the look of your home. Where do you start? Here are some ideas to jump start your home decorating project.
How to Freshen the Look of a Room
Get simple tips for updating a room for a fresh look in this video from About.com.
What To Do First When Decorating
Designers discuss their ideas on what you should do first in a decorating project.
Balanced Decorating
Lauri Ward, author of "Use What You Have® Decorating," "Trade Secrets from Use What You Have® Decorating," and her newest book, "Home Therapy: Fast, Easy, Affordable Makeovers," offers the following help on achieving a balance in your home.
Get Organized With a Decorating File
You'll get lots of help on getting organized for your decorating projects. Learn how to put together a Decorating File, what to carry it in, and why you need one.
Don't Sabotage Your Decorating Project Before You Start
There's really no one way to start a decorating project. You can get the bug by looking at a magazine or seeing a beautiful fabric in a store. But don't move ahead without a plan. If you avoid the things noted here, you're bound to have a satisfying time and end up with a coordinated new space.
Decorating Inspiration: Where to Find It
You'll get some inspiration to spark your decorating creativity. Learn where to get ideas for your decorating project.
Top Ways to Enliven Your Senses at Home
You don't have to do a major renovation to really enliven your senses at home. With a few simple, inexpensive changes, you'll feel you have a new room and a fresh outlook on life!
Decorating Dos and Don'ts
Get some focus for your decorating with tips for your decorating projects.
What is Your Decorating Style?
You learn so many things through the years in school. But you seldom get education on styles of decorating. This short guide from About will steer you to quizzes and resources to help you determine your specific decorating style.
Quick Decorating Makeovers You Can Do in a Day
You don’t have to do a whole decorating makeover to see a change in your home. There are a number of things you can do in an hour or a day that can really make a difference.
How to Find a Focal Point in a Room
Whether you have wonderful architectural details in your home or not, you can identify a focal point to decorate around. Learn how to find a focal point in your room and how to make the most of it.
Five Ways to Work With a Decorator on a Budget
Can you afford a decorator even if you are on a budget? There are actually many ways to work with a professional. Find five of them here!
Living Room Basics
Whether you live in a cozy apartment or rambling suburban home, a cottage by the sea, or a lodge in the mountains, your living room creates a lasting impression for all who enter. It sets the mood for the home and should be a reflection of the owner’s personal taste.
Decorating 101: Find Your Decorating Style
Don't know if you like country or traditional? Take these online quizzes to help you define your style so your home will be a reflection of you.
Common Decorating Mistakes
Read this advice from decorators on how to avoid common decorating mistakes.
Put Together a Basic Household Tool Kit
Get organized for household projects by putting together a basic tool kit. Here are the items to include.
Lessons in A Small Room
Designer Charlotte Moss offers some tips and advice for working with small, multi-functional spaces.
You Might Need a Designer If...
Do you need a professional interior designer or decorator for your project? Find out here with these reasons why you might want to hire a pro, or if you're better off doing it yourself.
Advice for New Homeowners
Do you have a new home and tiny budget? Our designers discuss what things you should put first on your decorating list.
Arranging Bookshelves: Tips and Ideas
Designers offer some helpful tips on sizing bookshelves and what to put on them.
Color and Paint
Designers share some ideas on choosing a color palette and offer warnings about color mistakes.
Personal Decorating Style
What is your personal decorating style? Here are some designer tips on how to determine it, plus what their favorite styles are.
Using Trends and Developing Personal Style
Read some very insightful ideas from professional interior designers on trends and personal style.
Change Your Rooms for Summer and Winter
Find designer tips on changing your rooms for the season. Isn't it amazing that when it's May you definitly don't want the heavy velvet drapes that looked so great in December?
A Fun Home Decor Quiz
Do you know a lot about home decor (or just wish you did?) Do you friends ask you for advice? Are you a student or a homeowner with an interest in decorating? Here's a quiz to test your knowledge! Alas, no prizes, but tons of fun!!
Ordering A Decorating Project
So you want to update your living room. Once you've selected the furniture, where do you start? Should you paint or carpet first? Find out here.
28 Tips for Hanging Artwork
Hanging artwork baffles many home decorators. How high should a picture be hung on the wall, what color should the matting be, and how can you decide what goes where? Find answers here, in 14 pages of illustrated quick tips on hanging art.
Decorative Solutions Using Art
See several techniques for using art to solve common decorating dilemmas.
Cool Off with Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are a terrific way to keep cool and save energy in hot summer weather. Learn more here about features and options before you buy a ceiling fan.
Decorating Resolutions for the New Year
Timeless or trendy? Find out what decorating resolutions we want to keep as we enter a new year.
Decorating Style Guides
Would you like to know more about style? Or find out how to use the newest trends in your own home? Start here with the first in our ongoing series of guides on decorating styles and trends.
Designer Showhouse Report
Read about some of our favorite showhouse rooms, then see slide shows of beautiful designer rooms.
How to Read Decorating Magazines
Decorating magazines offer a terrific source for decorating ideas. However, it can be overwhelming to see hundreds of "perfect" rooms and photographs in each issue. Get some helpful tips here on ways to study decorating photos.
Quick Look Photos and Ideas
Want some simple decorating ideas, projects, and tips? Try the first in our ongoing series of Quick Looks at Decorating.... for bedrooms, windows, ottomans, adding height to a room, and more. Quick, easy, and fun!
Windowcovering Basics
Learn more about windowcoverings includings options for window treatments, blinds, curtains, shades, and more. Find out what to consider before you buy, and get tips on choosing the right styles for your home.
How Not to Decorate
To avoid making some of the most common decorating faux pas, check out these rules on how NOT to decorate. Just because most people make these mistakes, there's no reason why you should have to.