You probably have more lighting options than you think, depending on the style and layout of your kitchen. When it comes to lighting a kitchen, there are plenty of options, but not every selection will fit with every type of kitchen. Here’s a list of options to consider when choosing your kitchen lighting.

Under-the-Cabinet Lighting Can Enhance the Look
You can definitely enhance the look of your kitchen by installing under-the-cabinet lighting. The key to this kind of lighting is to pick a type of light that best fits your layout, particularly that of your cabinets. There are certain things you’ll need to consider before diving into the project, such as which areas of the kitchen you’re going to want lit. The three different options for under-the-cabinet lighting include incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, and LED lights. You can determine which will work best for you and your kitchen by doing your research on each type of lamp.

Decorative Lighting Can Add Style
You’ll want to consider decorative lighting if your major concern is making sure your new light fits the style of the room. You might choose a light that hangs from the ceiling or one that lies flush with it. Examples of decorative lighting include products such as chandeliers and pendant lights. These types of lighting fixtures not only look attractive but also will provide plenty of light for the room. To make the light look even more appealing, choose a fixture that matches the style or theme of the rest of your kitchen.

Track Lighting Is Great in the Kitchen
If you have seen any pictures of or toured any new homes lately, you’ve probably seen track lighting in the kitchen. More and more people are going with track lighting in the kitchen these days. The reason for its popularity is that track lighting allows you to direct your lights where you need them the most. Thus, you can get your best lighting by the stove or countertops. Track lighting is also now much more attractive than it once was and is available in a variety of styles and designs. You also have more options than the traditional simple straight line. If you want to get creative, you can also get a track that’s curved or that follows an “S” shape.

Recessed Lighting Is Common in Kitchens
Another popular lighting choice is to install recessed lighting in the kitchen. Recessed lighting is actually installed right in the ceiling. Similar to track lighting, most recessed lights are aim-able, so that you can point the light at whatever spot you want in the kitchen. The clean and streamlined look offered by recessed lighting makes it a great choice for contemporary and modern kitchens. Plan on hiring a professional to do the installation in the ceiling, as this will ensure that it’s done properly and safely.

These are only some of the kitchen lighting options available these days. With a little research, you should be able to find a type of light that goes with the décor in the kitchen and emphasizes the beauty of the space.

About the Author…
Leon Tuberman has been part of the home furnishings and interior decorating  business for 40 years. He is the owner and operator of popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They offer a huge assortment of solid mission furniture for your living room, bedroom and dining room that’s built in the Heartland of America. Are you looking for a wood dining table or dining room chairs for your dining room  then they probably have everything you need.

Most families seem to end up spending a great deal of their time in the kitchen, so you might want to make it more interesting and add some color. Maybe you don’t want a drab and dreary kitchen, but you don’t know quite how to add the right touch. Here are some easy ways to add color to your kitchen so you can change your décor from boring to fabulous.

Add Color by Dressing Up Your Table
One of the easiest ways to create a colorful kitchen is to dress up the kitchen table. You might add a colorful tablecloth or placemats, as well as some colorful dishware. Another way to achieve instantaneous color is by adding a centerpiece, such as flowers in a vase or basket on your oak dining table. Try to find colors that will add some interest but also complement your kitchen’s décor.

Add Color with a Backsplash
Don’t let your kitchen backsplash be boring. You can always keep things simple with a neutral-colored tile or laminate, but you also have to option of venturing out a little and making things colorful. You should be able to find tile and laminates for your backsplash in a variety of different colors. Or you might choose to create a totally unique look by arranging broken-up colored glass in a random pattern on the wall. In this way, you can work some color into the décor and end up with a personalized, one-of-a-kind backsplash.

Paint an Accent Wall a Different Color
Is your kitchen painted a neutral color? Paint an accent wall a different color to add some more color to the room. Choose a more open wall, one that’s not completely covered with cabinets or appliances. Be sure to pick an accent color that will work well with the rest of your kitchen’s décor. You can go with a matching color, or if you want the wall to really stand out, pick something that’s complementary.

Take the Doors Off the Cabinets
When you take the doors off your kitchen cabinets, you can display all your colorful dishes and other tableware. The inside of the cabinets can also be painted a contrasting color if your dishes are neutral. This doesn’t necessarily entail removing every cabinet door, but you can pick a few cabinets to be colorful, preferably those more prominent cabinets above the countertops.

Use Window Treatments to Add Interest
Chances are, your kitchen has at least one window. Why not utilize that window area to add color? Whether you go with a valance or drapes, choose a window treatment in a color that will stand out. Red or purple window treatments would be a great way to add color to the room if you have, for example, a black-and-white or otherwise neutral kitchen.

Adding color to your kitchen doesn’t mean you have to change the entire décor. Rather, build upon what you already have to add your own colorful touches here and there.

About the Writer….
Leon Tuberman has been part of the furniture and interior decorating  business for 40 years. He owns and operates his family owned furniture store. They carry a large selection of American made solid oak furniture for your living room, bedroom and dining room furniture. Whether you’re looking for a oak dining table for your formal dining room or a tv stand for your family room  then they have everything you need.

By adding a mural to a room, you can really create some interest and style. You can put a mural in all different types of rooms, anywhere from the kitchen to the bedroom. If you’re looking to add some design to a large area, this is a great approach. Here are some tips to help you use murals to decorate your home.

What Is a Mural?
When you paint or draw any type of design or picture directly on the wall, that is called a mural. Murals can be composed of anything, from a beach or ocean scene to a pattern of dots or stripes on the wall. In terms of application, murals can be painted on, drawn on, or even stuck on the wall.

Tips for Painting or Drawing a Mural on the Wall
Be sure to properly research your supplies first if you are going to attempt to paint or draw your own mural on the wall. You need to be sure you are using paint that’s suitable for murals. Also be sure it will go over whatever surface you’re painting on. If you really want to do your own mural but you’re not sure about your artistic abilities, there are a variety of stencils and kits that offer pictures you can blow up and trace on the wall available at most home décor and arts and crafts stores. Most people are not going to be able to freehand a large mural, so a stencil can really be a good decision.

Sticking Your Mural on the Wall
If painting and drawing really aren’t your thing, you always have to option of using wall decals or wallpaper murals. You pretty much just have to hang these murals on the wall, but they look just like real painted-on murals. For wallpaper murals, all you need is glue and water, as they are hung just like regular wallpaper. Decals, on the other hand, come with an adhesive already on the back of them and tend to be more like stickers.

Hire a Professional to Make Your Mural
If you’re not working off a tight budget, you might want to consider hiring a professional artist to create your mural. This is a great option, particularly if you have a very large mural you want done or if you’re not artistic at all. Just be aware that this approach can quickly get expensive, particularly if the mural ends up being large and intricate. Some murals can take a few days. It all depends on just how detailed they are and how large the space is. Thus, be sure that you budget accordingly.

Where to Add Murals in Your Home
Just about any room in your home will benefit from the addition of a mural. Consider, for instance, adding a great nursery mural for a new little one. Or if you can’t decide what to do with that big empty wall in your dining room, consider adding a mural that will fit the style of the room. Bathrooms and kitchens are also great places to put murals. A wall mural doesn’t necessarily need to be huge, nor does it need to be the only thing on the wall, but you do want to be sure it’s highlighted in the room.

Happily, you don’t have to be artistic in order to add a mural to your home’s décor. You can always go the wallpaper or decal route or even hire a professional artist instead. Not only do murals add some design style to a room, but they are a great way to let your personality shine through your home’s décor.

About the Writer
For over forty years Leon Tuberman has helped people with their furniture and interior design needs. He owns and manages a popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They have a large inventory of handcrafted solid amish furniture for your bedroom, home office and living room. Are you looking for wood bookcases for your family room or a oak dining table for your dining room then they probably have everything you need.

When it comes to figuring out the color sc heme of a room, a monochromatic color scheme is one option. A monochromatic color scheme involves using one color in the room for almost all the surfaces. To add some sort of contrast to the room, you use different shades of the color you’ve decided upon, from light to dark. Here are some tips to consider if you are thinking about decorating in a monochromatic color scheme that will help you achieve the best look possible.

Add White or a Neutral Color to the Room
If you don’t want to end up with a room that looks like it’s too matched or boring, try pairing the color with white or another neutral. Rather than having the neutral color be the main focus in the room, you want to use it as an accent. For instance, a blue monochromatic scheme might include a blue and white area rug where the wal ls and furniture are all blue. Another way to add a neutral is to paint the trim in the room white.

Choose the Color of the Room Wisely
When you decorate a room with a monochromatic color scheme, it’s important that you really put some thought into the color choice. After all, if you go with a color you’re not crazy about, you will most likely not end up very happy with the finished look of the room. So be sure to pick a color that you like to look at! For those of you who are new to the monochromatic look, you may want to avoid bold color choices such as red and orange. You need to remember that once you choose a monochromatic look, it’s going to be much harder to change the décor of the room, since everything in the room is going to be in some shade of that same color. Be sure that you think carefully about your color choice and try not to rush into a hasty decision you may later regret.

Mix Up the Shades of the Color
To find different shades of the color you’ve chosen, try visiting a paint store and gathering up some different color swatches. With these swatches, you can see the different shades of the color that you should work with. With a monochromatic color scheme, it’s really important to be sure that you’re not painting the walls the exact same shade as the furniture or that the floor doesn’t end up being the same shade as the walls. By mixing up the shades of color, the room will have more character and interest. Accessories such as pillows, curtains, baskets, and candles can also be used to your advantages. Simply choose items that are completely different shades from the rest of the room.

Pulling off a monochromatic color scheme isn’t always easy. You definitely need to spend some time planning out the décor so that everything flows well and you end up with the perfect balance of color.

About the Writer…
Leon Tuberman has been part of the furniture and interior design business for 40 years. He is the owner and manager of popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They have a large inventory of handcrafted Amish built solid wood oak furniture for your bedroom, dining room and living room. It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping for wood coffee tables for your family room or a wood bed for your bedroom then they have everything you need.

When you have a galley kitchen in your home, you want to decorate it not only in terms of style but so that you’re utilizing all the available space in that small area. There are many decorating techniques you can use to make your galley kitchen, not only appear larger, but also be more functional for you. Read on to discover some great tips for decorating your galley kitchen to make it work best for you.

Maximize Your Vertical Space
When creating a galley kitchen that’s both stylish and functional, you need to be sure that you’re utilizing all the available space—and this includes any vertical space you might have. You may be wasting a lot of space in your galley kitchen if you don’t have kitchen cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling.

If you have cabinets that don’t extend all the way up, then reclaim that space by using those cabinets as a shelf and placing items on top of them. You can use baskets or bins to store kitchen items you might not use very often. If you don’t need all that storage space, then add a plant or display some beautiful dishes there to add some style to the room.

Add Plenty of Light
Most galley kitchens dead-end into a wall and thus tend to be dark. This is why it’s so important to have plenty of light in the kitchen. If there’s a window in the room, you need to be sure that your window treatments are allowing adequate light to filter in. Overhead lighting is also a great idea for a galley kitchen. Even better, go with track lighting. This way you can aim the light where you want it in the kitchen.

Make Kitchen Supplies Work Double Duty

Instead of purchasing décor items to hang on the wall, consider using your kitchen supplies instead. This is a great space-saver. You already need the kitchen supplies, so why not put them on display as well.

You might choose to display your nice dishes on a shelf in the kitchen. By hanging decorative or monogrammed kitchen towels on the stove or even on a peg on the wall, you can have both a towel and a décor item for the room. By getting creative in how you display your kitchen supplies, you’ll be able to save both space and money.

Choose Lighter Colors for the Kitchen’s Décor
You want to stay away from dark colors when painting the walls of your kitchen and choosing the main color scheme, as most galley kitchens tend to be on the small side. An important rule of thumb to remember is that dark colors painted on the walls make a room look much smaller, whereas lighter colors can make the room look bigger.

A neutral color such as cream or white will work well for the walls of your kitchen. It’s also advisable to stay away from dark cabinets and countertops. For instance, a black granite countertop may not look the best in a galley kitchen. Black appliances are also not a great idea. Instead, go with white or even stainless steel.

If you have a small galley kitchen in your home, you may find it challenging to decorate. By keeping these tips in mind and infusing your own personal style into the room, your kitchen will look a whole lot nicer and will be much more functional as well.

About the Author
Leon Tuberman has been in the home furnishings and interior design industry for four decades. He owns and manages his family owned furniture store. They carry a large selection of American made solid oak furniture for your living room, dining room and bedroom. Whether you’re looking for a oak end table for your living room or a wood bookcase for your home office then they have everything you need.

In home decorating circles, feng shui design has become a popular way to style a room. Feng shui involves properly utilizing the space in a room in order to maintain good chi, or energy. There are certain things that a homeowner must or must not do in order to have the right feng shui in the room. The following interior decorating tips will help you maintain good chi in your home.

Include Color in the Room
If you want to promote good energy in a room, there are certain colors that are recommended in feng shui decorating. All of the colors stand for different things. For instance, the color red stands for good luck, which is why red is such a popular color in feng shui design. If you want a fresh and peaceful look, decorate with green. Use yellow if you’re looking for another good luck color.

None of the colors used in feng shui should ever be distracting or unappealing to the homeowner. Instead, use colors that have a comfortable feel to them.

Keep the Room Simple
In feng shui design, you never want an overly crowded space that’s full of stuff. Instead, the room should be kept very simple. You just want to include basic wood furniture and a few accessories. The room should never be cramped, and a crowded space will only offer negative energy to the room.

You can start out with some basics, maybe at first one piece of furniture and then you add another  such as a wood dresser. Then slowly add a few more items as needed. You want to be sure you don’t go overboard on the accessories or décor items.

Use Natural Materials
If you are practicing feng shui, then remember to use natural materials for the room whenever possible. The negative chi that can be found with artificial products can be kept away with natural materials such as bamboo, hemp, and organic fabrics. A great way to incorporate the feng shui practice into a room is with a bamboo wood floor or an organic cotton slipcover over the couch.

Decorate with Plants
Decorating with plants will give you a room with good chi. As living objects that help the environment, plants make a wonderful addition to any feng shui room.

You can use all different types of plants in your home to help you achieve a unique look in each room. In one room, a small potted plant might be just the thing. But in another room might call for a large standing tree in the corner. No matter what kind of plant you choose, it will make a great addition to any feng shui room.

Decorate and Design According to the Bagua
A bagua is the energy map for a particular room. Those who are really serious about decorating with feng shui need to follow this bagua specifically according to the shape and size of the room. After all, a long dining room isn’t going to have the same energy map as, say, a small kitchen. Once you use the bagua to determine the life areas, you can then start decorating your various rooms using feng shui.

Feng shui decorating has seen a rapid increase in popularity in recent years. Thus, these days feng shui is known more as a design style rather than a philosophy. If you want to get some positive chi into your home, then learn more about this practice and embrace the feng shui life in your home.

Most people would love to have a spa bathroom right in their home. A spa bathroom makes a great addition to any home; it can also be quite expensive to install. If you want to completely renovate your bathroom so that it resembles the local spa, it’s probably going to cost you. But there are some affordable tricks that you can easily use to create your very own spa bathroom on a budget.

Install the Right Lighting
In your bathroom décor, lighting plays a major role. When brushing and flossing your teeth and putting on makeup, you’re going to want to have adequate lighting. But you want to take care to not make the lighting too bright, especially if you’re trying to create a spa. To create a lighting compromise, install a dimmer switch for your bathroom lighting. This way, you can have dimmed lighting to set the mood when you are relaxing in the but still have full light for everyday tasks like putting on makeup.

Keep Things Clean and Organized

It’s going to be very difficult to relax in your spa bathroom if the place is a mess and nothing is organized. The first thing you need to do is to create a spot for everything in the bathroom. Keep things organized by adding baskets and bins to the shelves and cabinets. If you’re looking to dress up the place a bit, then add wicker baskets and painted shelves.

Add the Right Accessories

The right accessories can make all the difference in your décor, and they don’t necessarily have to cost a lot.

· By strategically placing candles around the bathtub and the rest of the room, you can significantly add to the ambiance of a spa bathroom.

· You might also consider adding other things such as flower arrangements and air fresheners.

· Fill your bathroom with soothing and relaxing music by installing a radio or CD/MP3 player either in the bathtub or on a shelf nearby.

· A luxurious bath mat near the tub will keep your feet from hitting the cold tile after a bath.

· You can set a relaxing mood in your spa bathroom with a water feature, such as a small fountain.

· Create your very own oasis in the bathroom by surrounding that small fountain with a few small plants.

Choose Peaceful Colors for the Room
Neutrals and pastels are the best color options for a spa bathroom, especially for the main wall colors. There shouldn’t be anything too loud or vibrant in the room, such as red or bright yellow. Instead, go for that peaceful feeling that naturally comes from lighter colors and neutrals.

However, you don’t have to keep the décor boring. Splashes of color can be incorporated in towels, candles, flowers, and other décor items. Not only is paint very inexpensive, but by simply painting over a dark or vibrant color with a neutral or pastel, you will change the whole look and feel of the room.

When creating a spa bathroom in your home, you don’t have to spend as much money as you think. With a little creativity in working with what you already have in the room, you can create your very own spa bathroom without breaking your budget.

About the Writer…
Leon Tuberman has four decades of experience in the home furnishings and interior decorating industry. He is the owner and manager of popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They have a huge inventory of handcrafted American built solid oak furniture for your bedroom, home office and living room. It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping for a oak nightstand for your bedroom or a wood coffee table for your living room then they carry everything you need.

Those of you with a teen at home know that decorating a teenager bedroom is not the easiest thing in the world. Some teens know just what they want—it just may not be possible depending on your budget. For other teenagers, it’s more a matter of caring what their room looks like, as many of them don’t. If you’re having a difficult time finding a theme idea that meets with your teenager’s approval, then here are some great ones to consider.

Theme Ideas for a Teen Girl’s Bedroom
For many teenage girls, the color scheme is the most important thing to consider when it comes to their bedroom. Pink and brown, turquoise and brown, and purple and white are all very popular color schemes for a teen girl’s bedroom. Plenty of accessories and fabrics are available in all of these types of color schemes that will work great in your daughter’s room.

The glamorous style is a popular theme for a teen girl’s bedroom. This theme doesn’t have to be as expensive as it sounds. You should be able to easily find accessories, furniture, and other décor items that fit the theme without breaking your budget. Anything with jeweled or glitter accents will work. Try a fake glass chandelier, or a leopard-print lamp on the nightstand for instant glamour.

If glamour isn’t your daughter’s thing, consider a modern or funky style. You will definitely need some input from your teenager if you decide to go with this style. Bright colors are a hallmark of modern style, along with unusual or contemporary artwork, designs, and patterns on the walls. Do be sure to not get too trendy or out there with the décor, though, as you don’t want your teen tiring of it within a few months.

Here are some other great theme ideas for your teenage girl’s bedroom:

· French theme

· black-and-white theme

· stripes-and-shapes theme

· floral theme

· romantic theme

· cheerleading or dance theme

Theme Ideas for a Teen Boy’s Bedroom
Most teenage boys don’t tend to show much interest in their bedroom theme, throw in a couple of wood nightstands and wooden bookcases and they’re satisfied, unless of course they are truly passionate about an activity or hobby. Chances are that your teenage boy will simply want to choose a color scheme for the room and then leave it at that. If this is the case, then suggest a color scheme that goes beyond black or blue. You can add interest and color to the room by involving other colors such as turquoise, green, red, yellow, brown, and orange.

A sports-related décor is very popular amongst teenage boys. You could either concentrate on just one sport, such as baseball or basketball, or you might go with a more general sports theme. Decorating the room with their favorite professional or collegiate team is another option. Sports themes are generally pretty easy as long as you don’t go overboard and clutter up the room.

A car theme is another popular bedroom idea. There are plenty of different ways to implement this theme, depending on whether your son favors old classic cars or the current hot racing cars. You can frame and hang pictures of cars on the walls, or for a really creative touch, paint a mural of a speedway in the room.

Some other great teen boy ideas for the bedroom include:

· music theme

· skateboarding theme

· technology theme

· surfing theme

· camouflage theme

· wilderness theme

The experience of decorating a teen’s bedroom should be enjoyable for both the parents and the kids. Suggest some of these great theme ideas to your teenage son or daughter; you might just end up scoring some parent points with your teen.

Once you’ve bought your young son some rugged wood bedroom furniture like an wood beds or dressers then you have to decide on decorating them that will keep them happy and entertained. If it’s time to think about redecorating your little boy’s room, rest assured: there are plenty of great unique decorating themes to choose from. Remember when selecting your theme to be sure it’s something that can grow with him through the next several years. The following themes can be adapted to ages ranging from two to ten. Consider these unique decorating ideas to get you started on creating a fun and engaging décor for your boy’s room.

The Firehouse Bedroom

If your little boy is enamored with firefighters, then a firehouse theme would be perfect for his room. You should have no problem finding a firefighter wallpaper border to hang on the walls. For those who have the talent, you might go even further and draw or paint a firefighter scene or fire truck on the wall. You can choose from a wide variety of accessories that will really make the room fun, such as a fireman’s hat, a hose hanging on the wall, a fireman’s pole, and fire truck bedding. For those who dare, you can even give your boy a siren for his room.

The Bedroom from Outer Space

For those little boys interested in the night sky, try an outer space theme. Outer-space and star wallpaper borders can decorate the walls, or you might even be able to find star and planet decals. Again, those artists out there can even look for spaceship or planet templates that you can trace and paint on the walls.

To really make the room look cool, paint the ceiling black and then use glow-in-the-dark paint to add stars and planets to the ceiling. With the addition of a couple of Martian stuffed animals, your little boy’s room will be deep in outer space.

Pirate Themes for Bedrooms
Depending on your little boy’s age, you can get inspiration for a pirate theme from movies such as Peter Pan and Pirates of the Caribbean. Start by painting the walls blue for the ocean. If you’re really ambitious, you might paint a pirate ship on one of the walls or an island, complete with an overflowing treasure chest on the shore. With accessories such as nets, portholes, treasure boxes with booty, and a couple of pirate hats, your boy will be ready to hit the South Seas.

A Favorite Animal Theme

What’s your little boy’s favorite animal? Is it monkeys or lizards? Consider decorating his room with his favorite animals. This is a broad theme that can be customized to fit your little boy’s preferences. For those boys with pets, the theme of the room can be built around that pet, complete with a special place for the pet to live. If your little boy is old enough, consult with him as to which animal theme he’d like best in his room. Don’t just choose an animal theme for him.

Other Decorating Themes

Some other decorating ideas for a little boy’s room that are both unique and fun include:

· cowboys

· dinosaurs

· race cars

· military

· jungle

· sports

· construction

· licensed characters and cartoons

· haunted house

· bugs

· the wild outdoors

The best way to find the perfect decorating theme for your little boy is to involve him in the process. Allow him to help choose what he wants in the room and help set it up.