Get A Goode Start Decorating

Whether you're getting your home ready for the holidays or ready for sale, I'm hoping the 10 tips and tricks below will help make preparation quicker and easier. In addition, all of these tips are green, so they are much healthier for your family than using the alternative, chemical-based products. 1. Clean your glass windows, doors and mirrors with a mixture of white vinegar and water and wipe with newspaper for a beautiful, streak-free shine. 2. Freshen your garbage disposal by putting a lemon wedge in and running the disposal. This will neutralize odors and create a fresh, lemony scent. Fresh lemon can also be used to scrub kitchen counters and salt can be added as an abrasive for stubborn stains. 3. Remove crayon from walls with toothpaste (not the gel type). Simply put a small amount of toothpaste on a damp sponge and wipe gently, then wipe away any remaining residue with a clean sponge. 4. Refresh watermarks on wood surfaces by rubbing in a little mayonnaise and t...

One of my friends asked me to write an article about mixing patterns and prints in decorating. So... if decorating with many different prints appeals to you, here's my advice on mixing prints in a room. Go ahead and be adventurous! But, in my opinion -- as a decorator for the past 20 years -- I would keep these things in mind: stick to the color scheme in the room; limit the types of prints or patterns to three or five at the most (in decorating “three” is a magic number); and keep proportion and scale in mind. So here are some tips to remember for the "novice": 1. First, visual your room as a large picture on canvas. Key colors in the room should be repeated throughout the room, in your upholstery, your throw pillows, your window treatments, in your artwork, on the walls and on the floor. Select a dominant color, a secondary color and up to two accent colors to anchor the palette. 2. Choose one multicolored pattern as your primary print and pull diff...