The Home Decor Genie!

Home Decor Genie Holiday Home Decorating Tips! Want to get your home decorated in record time?  Here are some tips you can use to speed it up:

Pick our your absolute favorite decorations and put only those up!

Use lights to brighten up rooms! They aren’t just for the outdoors.  I use them on my mantel, around a picture window and sometimes above a curtain!  It’s amazing what a few well-placed lights can do to brighten you room and lift your spirits!

Instead of lots of decorations, use candles.  There are so many different types, sizes and containers now that you can decorate your home with warmth and light.  And if you’re worried about the little members of your family, try the flameless candles.  Much safer and you won’t have to worry!

Do you dread getting out the tree and all the decorations?  Get someone to help you and make an afternoon or evening of it.  Spread a little cheer with egg nog, wine spritzers or something fun and get it done together.  Maybe you can trade and help friends do their decorating and then they can help with yours!

Whatever you choose to do, put on some great music, make a little food and enjoy the anticipation this season brings.  It’s really not all about the decorations, the gifts and the parties.  It’s about Jesus, his birth and the greatest gift ever given!  Let your mind dwell on that and ask God what that means for you!  It could change your entire perspective!

Happy Holidays from The Home Decor Genie!

Decor Genie Home Decorating Tip: Use Accessories to Express Your Style!  Decorate a room with your special collections.  What do you love to collect?  Do you pick up souvenirs when you travel?  Or do friends and family give you collectibles just because you love them?

Whatever your “thing” is, you can display it in your home tastefully.  The trick in decorating your home is to not overdo it!  If you have collections, you probably feel that it should all be out on display.  But it might be better if you didn’t.  Why? Because when there is too much of a good thing, it becomes mundane.  If you want to really showcase your stuff, give it a special place!

How do you show off your treasured possessions without over-cluttering your rooms?  Here are few suggestions to help you get started!

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  Ceramic Cat

  Spread it out!  No, I don’t mean all over the counter, or the entertainment center, or wherever it is now.  I mean, if it really expresses “you” then take down other stuff you don’t love and bring your collections into other rooms.  By putting less in each room, it becomes a showpiece and more noticed.   Got lots of little stuff?  Maybe you need to pack some of it away and rotate it out from time to time.  Kind of like packing up some the kids toys and leaving less out.  Then, bring new pieces out each season and pack up the old ones.  They’ll seem fresh and new.

• Pare it down!  Go through your collections and decide what you really love!  If you aren’t so crazy about it anymore, consider getting rid of it.  If it has a lot of monetary value, pack it away or have it appraised and make a decision about keeping or selling it.
• Give some away!  Got some stuff that grandkids really like?  Gift it to them as a treasure.  They’ll appreciate it and you’ll know it’s going to someone you love.  Give it to friends if they like it.  (Don’t obligate them to display it if they don’t want to).
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  Blue Vases

  Choose wisely when buying new items.  One friend of mine absolutely loves blue!  Anything blue!  So, she had lots of little trinkets, large vases, pretty items, but way too much.  A friend showed her how placing a special vase in the middle of a shelf gave it much more importance than having all her “blue” displayed.  Now, she has a beautifully coordinated display in her living room of her most treasured vases. 

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  Table lamp with violets

  Make little scenes or vigniettes to display.  I really love nature artifacts.  I have different displays with one or two well-choosen items on a shelf that make interesting little scenes.  Group a lamp with some bird’s nests.  Place a couple of carved wooden animals on a shelf with some palm tree candle holders.  You get the idea.

Home decorating is all about balance.  Just remember, “less is more” and you’ll do fine.  There are ways to bring your personality into your rooms but not to overpower them.  If you’d like help with decorating your rooms, set up a Virtual Consultation for a “Designer’s Eye Guided Home Decorating Session.”  I’ll take a look at your room and give you suggestions and ideas that will help you transform your space into something you love!

Home Decor Genie Decorating Tip: Accessories Are Key In Designing Your Rooms. Want your rooms to have that polished, well-decorated look?  Then pay attention to the accessories that you choose for that room.

Once you have the furniture in place; you’ve decided on hard flooring or carpet; and you have the perfect wall color; it’s time to accessorize your room!  Just like you add jewelry, belts, scarves and more to your perfectly choosen outfit, room accessories add the finishing touch to your home decorating!

What accessories should you consider adding?  Of course it depends on what room you are decorating, but some things work in most rooms.  (Maybe not in the laundry room or store room…but other rooms)

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  A more exotic or global decorating style

  Rugs!  With the vast array of rugs, you can change the look of your room by changing this one piece.  Go from contempory and bold to traditional, Victorian, or any style that suits you!  They should be large enough to place the furniture on and not look like they are “floating” in the room.

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  Dining area with plants

  Plants!  You can add life and zest to a room if you decorate with plants.  Be careful not to overdo it with large, sprawling, scraggly plants.  You want well-maintained, healthy plants that fill a space and draw the eye to it.  Consider large tree-like plants for empty corners and entryways.  Feature a plant on a lovely stand between pieces of furniture.  And use smaller plants to add life and interest to shelves, tables and obscure corners. 

  • What about faux plants? If you just don’t have a green thumb, or you travel and are busy, or you just don’t want to mess with them, I recommend decorating your rooms with silk and high-quality plants that look real and full.  Buy the best you can afford.  Keep them dusted and change them when they get old!
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  Table lamp with violets

  Lighting!  There is so much to choose from when it comes to lighting.  You can really give a room class with just the right lamp or chandelier, not to mention making the whole room come to life.  Decide on your decorating style and find lamps that fit that vision.  Mix overhead lighting with lamps to vary the amount of light and to provide task lighting for special projects. 

Plant on a wrought iron stand and fishing accessories

There are lots more accessories that give your room the finishing touch.  Join me again as we explore other elements that perk up your rooms and learn how to best use them!

Debbie Fiskum, The Home Decor Genie!

Home Decor Genie Suggestions for Creative Wall Art!  Want to jazz up your walls with some different and unique art?  Decorate your home with what you love!

Frames can be very inexpensive if you watch for sales.  I pick up a few whenever they go on sale at my favorite stores.  Like right now, Target has 11×14 black or bronze wall frames on sale for $9!

Anyway…what to put IN the frames?!!  Well, let’s see…you could frame:

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  Framed Colorado Poster

A favorite poster – I know, it’s been done, but put it in a really NICE frame and give it a place of prominence on your wall.

Your kids newest artwork or something you especially like.  They’ll love you for it and some of it can be quite a conversation-starter!

How about a really unusual magazine cover?  Maybe not the latest “Women’s Day” or something like that, but something fun or odd, or thought-provoking!

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  The Home Decor Genie's NatureArt

  I like to arrange pressed fall leaves in a frame.  I usually use a black background with a fall-color matt to make them really stand out.  I call it The Home Decor Genie’s NatureArt! (Coming soon, you can special order yours!)

Now, what do you do with all this art once you have it? 

• Line up similar pieces on a wall or going up a stairway wall.
• Make a collage out of several pieces.  You can get a collage-template at art supply stores that help you figure out where to place your art so it looks good.  (Michael’s and Hobby Lobby carry these)
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  Large, framed picture as focal point in home staged living room

  If you have one spectacular picture, give it a place of prominence and make it your focal point in the room. 

• Take your color cues from this art and scatter the color around the room in furniture, pillows, rugs, accessories, etc.

So, whether you’re staging your home to sell in this real estate market or just want to decorate your home so you love it, try sprucing it up with these wall art ideas.  It’s  a great alternative to just puttin’ up lots of family or vacation photos. (nothing wrong with that, but if you’re ready to move on to a different home decorating style…you may like these suggestions!)

Stuck With Paneling On Your Walls? Try This Easy Update!  Taking paneling down can be messy, tough and will most likely leave glue on the wall underneath.  So, what can you do to update your room?

When decorating your room with paneling, don’t take it down.  Save yourself time and effort and leave it up.  You can cover it up with a little effort and elbow grease. 

Try these quick fixes:

• Cover the paneling with a thin coating of sheetrock mud.  Smooth it out, filling in the grooves in the paneling
• Use two coats of paint to give it a good finish.
• Choose Historic Colors in blue, green, gray or blue-green.
• Finish off the look with white trim that will give your room an instant face-lift!

For more help picking paint colors, go to: Your Room Color Schemes  Learn how to find your room’s best color scheme and how to coordinate your furnishings.

Try my Virtual Home Decorating Services!  Get help decorating your home from anywhere.

Spice up your home decorating with color and aroma! Yum! 

It’s fall and time to bring some of the colors of fall and scents of the season into your home.  Mums are abundant and come in many colors and varieties. 

Debbie Fiskum, The Home Decor Genie!

Don’t you just love fall?!!  Well, I certainly do!   It’s a great time to decorate your home. The weather is cooler and here in Colorado, the leaves burst into color seemingly overnight!  You can enjoy leisurely walks, taking in the sights.  Although winter is just around the corner, it’s so nice to take time to enjoy this season.

So, how do you decorate your home with the colors of fall?  Here are some suggestions that I use, but I’d love to hear some of your ideas!  Tell me what you do or some of your traditions!

Bring in the colors:

• Flowers! Mums are the stars here. They come in so many colors and last a long time if potted.  Put them in a nice basket or wrap them with foil paper and a bow.
  

  Rust folieage in a gold and black vase

• Colorful leaves and stems.  I like to find branches that still have leaves attached and plop them into a large urn or vase.  Spread them out a little and add some small cattails or other dried material.  You can make this a table-top size or go large and stand it on the floor in an entryway.
• Gourds, pumpkins and squash!  Need I say more?  Well, I will…fill a large basket with this colorful garden bounty.  It looks festive on your front porch or in the entryway.  Or put one on the hearth by the fireplace.  Decorate your table with a smaller basket or bowl of gourds.  The possibilities are endless.
• And if you love Halloween, add a little fun with seasonal decorations.  Have fun carving a pumkin or two and then put it on display.
• If Halloween isn’t your thing (it’s not mine), then dress your home for fall with a “harvest” and thanks-giving theme.  There’s so much you can do here.  
• Candles look warm and inviting in hurricane vases with rich-looking glass pieces.  Choose candles with the scents that you like and bring a delicious aroma into your rooms.
• This a good time to set out potpourie and fill the room with scents.  Or go for the scented oils in scenter bottles.  There’s a nice variety of containers to choose from.

Ceramic pumpkin

Just keep it simple.  Too much of any decoration can look cluttered, so pick something you like and make it a focal point.  Most of all, enjoy the season and bring a little of it into your home to prolong this glorious time!

Home Decor Genie! Decorate Your Home With Plants.  Add a little life to your rooms with green plants! They not only look pretty, but they put life-giving oxygen into the air! It’s true – living plants take the carbon dioxide you breathe out and use it. Then, they in turn respire, fillling the air with oxygen.  They’re kind of Ying to our Yang (or something like that)!

Plants on a windowsill

How can you use plants in your home decorating? So many ways!

Let’s see – fill a lonely corner with a tall plant in a basket.

Place a grouping of potted plants on a table or shelf to add texture, greenery and freshness.

Flowering plants add color and are lovely to look at. Some of my favorites are: miniature roses, azaleas, and cylamen. Also, potted violets are beautiful and delicate and surprisingly don’t take that much care.

Blooming flowers add a burst of color!

Find an interesting plant stand to show off your greenery. There are ones to fit any decor. Try multi-plant stands that allow you to display your plants at different heights.

Or…hang them from the ceiling!  There are so many interesting pots and hangers to get your plants up off the ground.

Finally, if you want to decorate with plants but don’t think you have a green thumb, try silk plants!  If you travel a lot or just don’t want to take the time to care for them, these faux plants will do!  Just buy the best you can afford.  Some look very real – and some don’t!  Keep both real AND fake plants dusted!  They can look pretty bad if they aren’t cleaned once in awhile.

Plants in a basket

For more home decorating ideas go to my Home Decor Basics page and see other great ideas.

If you need to sell your home, don’t put it on the market unless it’s well-staged!  Home Staging is a must in today’s market.

Debbie Fiskum, The Home Decor Genie

Debbie Fiskum, The Home Decor Genie

I’m decorating an apartment right now for the Denver “Vision of Home Tour.” It’s like the Parade of Homes, but it features apartment living as an alternative to single family homes. There are 10 communities participating and I have 2 to work on. The first one that I’m decorating is at Parliament in the Denver Tech Center and the “dignitary” has written his vision for his ideal apartment. He’s a firefighter in the Denver area and his passion is the out of doors. So, he’d like to see nature brought into the apartment.

Since I also love the outdoors, this is an easy home for me to decorate! I’m using earthy colors like rusts, browns and deep forest greens. There will be lots of plants, natural wood and simple accessories. But the best part is, I’ve found a company that will loan some furniture for the tour and it’s all made of aspen logs! This furniture is gorgeous and so different. I’m sure it will be a hit and fits the theme to a “T”!

Before, this apartment was decorated as the model and is beautifully done. But, after I’m done with it, it will reflect my firefighter’s vision and will have a real cabin feel!

Beautiful,contempory bedroom

Main Living Room - Watch it change!

Tomorrow, I’ll give you an update on my other apartment and it’s dignitary is the FU Art Gallery. So, it will be completely different and very urban! Don’t miss it!

Follow the excitement and build-up for the Vision of Home Tour. See the apartment section in the Saturday Denver Post and online. The tour is open weekends Mar. 27 – June 7. More info as it gets closer.

Debbie Fiskum is the owner of Perfect Transformations Home Staging and Decorating in Denver. If you live in the Denver area and would like help with decorating or redesign in your home, Debbie would be glad to set up a consultation. If you’re selling your home, we can help you get it ready so it sells quickly and brings the best price! Check the website and see what we can do for you!

Perfect Transformations Home Staging & Decorating

Or go to Decorate-A-Room.com for specific tools and help with your home decorating and staging.

Debbie Fiskum, The Home Decor Genie

Here are some of my favorite ideas for quick decorating tricks.

• Buy a new plant stand and display nice quality silk plants or go for real! Plants always add life to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, there are some good quality “fake” plants.
• Group some great vases, baskets or bowls on a display shelf. Keep the clutter down and make the decorative pieces the real stars.
• Decorate your home with natural elements. I love adding river rock, seashells and candles. Fill a bowl or a tray with any of these and add a trio of candle that match or compliment your color scheme.

A couple of simple vases look beautiful on a shelf

Even though these are simple ideas, they are easy to do and will give your room a fresh new look!
What questions do you have about home decorating? I’d love to hear from you!

Debbie Fiskum is the owner of Perfect Transformations Home Staging and Decorating in Denver. If you live in the Denver area and would like help with decorating or redesign in your home, Debbie would be glad to set up a consultation. If you’re selling your home, we can help you get it ready so it sells quickly and brings the best price! Check the website and see what we can do for you!

Perfect Transformations Home Staging & Decorating

Or go to Decorate-A-Room.com for specific tools and help with your home decorating and staging.