If there’s one truth in decorating, it’s that the most inviting homes are ones that express the owner’s unique sense of style. Here are some tips and projects that will help give your home a special, personal touch.
Personalize a lampshade
All it takes to turn a plain lampshade into a distinctive one is a bit of rope cord, fringe or ribbon. Apply fabric glue to the back of the chosen trim and secure it to the top or bottom of the shade, smoothing it as you go. If necessary, fold the edge over to create a hem, and secure with glue.
Bring outdoor furniture in
Old-fashioned metal garden furniture is just as appealing and functional inside the home as it is outside. Try planting a garden chair in front of a vanity to use as a charming seat, or bring a plant stand into a powder room to hold bath accoutrements.
Enliven small spaces
Vintage wallpaper is a decorator’s secret tool for enhancing overlooked household nooks, such as closets, alcoves and shelves. The lively patterns are usually available only in limited quantities, but you need just a modest amount to make a big impact.
Make an arrangement
When it comes to displaying lush blooms, such as dahlias, garden roses, gardenias, camellias or peonies, less is often more. Try floating a few big blossoms in a large bowl, or single flowers in smaller vessels. Just before displaying, cut the stems at a slant, about an inch below the bloom, and rest them in tepid water.
Hang it with ribbon
Using ribbon to suspend a mirror, a frame, or a platter brings a sense of both grandeur and whimsy to a room. Ribbon also offers a subtle way to introduce color to a space. Choose one that suits the setting; for example, satin for a formal location, or grosgrain for a casual spot.
Add a detail
Twill tape may typically serve a functional purpose reinforcing seams, but the colorful bands can also be used as ornamentation on almost any fabric. Try adding a decorative detail to a canvas headboard slipcover: Using a ruler and a disappearing-ink pen or tailor’s pencil, sketch patterns onto the fabric. Working one section at a time, iron twill tape on top of self-adhesive fusible tape, folding twill at a 45-degree angle at corners, and cutting fusible tape to match.
Paint it white or black
White or black paint applied to all of the furniture in one room can reinvent a space. Both shades take the focus away from furnishings’ surface imperfections and draw attention to their forms. Use the colors to unite mismatched pieces that otherwise can’t live together harmoniously. (A helpful hint: White cleans up worn pieces and lightens a room, whereas black lends a polished look).
Beautify a bulletin board
You can transform an ordinary bulletin board into a bright spot for your room.
Cut fabric 2 inches larger than board on all sides. Center board facedown on fabric. Fold edge of one side of fabric over board; starting at middle, secure with a staple gun. Repeat on opposite edge, and then on remaining sides. Place board in frame; secure with angle brackets at corners.
Decorate with nature
Surround yourself with the beauty of objects found in nature. It’s easy to make a beachy bookend from a large shell, such as a conch, a tun or a whelk.
1. Clean shell with warm water and mild soap. Nestle shell, with opening facing upward, in a container filled halfway with sand. Mix casting plaster in a small cup, according to package directions. Fill shell with plaster; let dry.
2. Trace opening onto the back of a piece of velvet; cut out and affix to plaster with spray adhesive. Attach surface protectors to bottom of shell.
Make a centerpiece
An elegant table can be fashioned with one (or several) of the most basic items: a cake stand. The pretty pedestals raise decorations and sweets high, elevating the offerings in every sense. Stack small stands atop larger ones, and display everything from cookies to flowers.
Learn pillow talk
The shape, fabric and adornment of a pillow can speak volumes. Rich fabrics, such as velvet and silk, and fancy tassel trims say “elegant” and “refined,” while solid colors or stripes, as well as streamlined shapes, say “sophisticated” and “modern.” To evoke a feeling of old-fashioned charm, pile a sofa or a bed with pillows decked out with delicate patterns or ruffles. You can simply swap the covers and cases for a new style.
Questions should be addressed to Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 11 W. 42nd St., New York, NY 10036. E-mail to mslletters@marthastewart.com.
&Copy; 2007 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.
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