The Home Decor Genie!

Stage Your Home With My “Going Green” Tips!  Want to help our environment and give your home an edge when you stage to sell?

Here are some of my “Going Green Tips” as featured in my ebook,

“Stage Your Home Yourself-Insiders Secrets That Will Get It SOLD!

 

• If you’ve put in native plants, or landscaped to take advantage of your areas natural features, let your realtor know and make it a selling point!
• Use low VOC paints, available from many manufacturers, to cut down on toxins added to the environment.
• Recycle your unwanted furniture: you give others a chance to use it and help us all.
• Replace old flooring with renewable flooring such as bamboo.  It’s also beautiful!
• Plants are the epitome of going green.  Use them well, and they enhance your rooms.  But, used to excess or not taken care of, they actually detract.
• Replace bulbs with energy-saving ones and let your buyers know that you care about the environment. Use long-lasting fluorescents wherever you can to cut down on the usage.
• If it’s time to replace appliances, buy energy saving ones. It will save you $$ and it’s good for the environment!
• Replace old bedding with renewable fabrics like bamboo – they are luxurious and feel wonderful!
• Use less paper and keep more on the computer.  Don’t print it out if you can help it. 

 

These are just a few ideas.  You can probably come up with more.  If we all do our part, we can make a difference!  Go Green!!

Home Decor Genie Great Home Decorating Ideas at the Vision of Home Tour You’ll get some new home decorating ideas if you visit some of the apartments on the Vision of Home Tour in Denver.

Get the info here: Vision of Home Tour and go see some (or all) of the places! Each one features a “vision” written by a fairly well-known person in Denver (like Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver Broncos Cheerleader, A Denver Firefighter, etc.) They write their vision of an ideal apartment. Then someone, like me, gets to bring it to life by decorating it to fit the theme. It’s home decorating at it’s best! I had so much fun doing the apartment at Parliament Apartment Homes in the Denver Tech Center (4363 S. Quebec St., Denver)

If you love the outdoors, you’ll love the fountain, aspen log furniture, and large wall murals! Then, I really encourage you to VOTE! If you think Parliament fit the theme and is well-done then cast your vote for your favorite home decorator. Check out a couple of photos below.

Let me know what you think! More later!

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.

Have you tried the Kindle? Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Home Decor Genie – First Before & After Vision of Home Photos! The Vision of Home Tour has finally kicked off and I have my home decor photos! I had the pleasure and honor of doing the home decorating in the Parliament Apartment The vision statement was written by a Denver Firefighter, Steve and was titled: Bring the Outdoors, In! His love of the outdoors, camping, fishing and hunting was an easy one for me to implement. I love decorating homes with the natural, and rustic!

Take a look at these photos and then cast your vote for Parliament apts! As a home decorator, this would be such an honor for me! I had lots of help from a great team: Lindy Paintbrush www.Home-Remodeling-How-To.com who did some fantastic painting on the walls!

Beautiful aspen log furniture added to the decor from Western Woodworkers. These photos don’t show the window treatments by Dale Jaworski of D’Zines, but I’ll get some more photos with these custom woven woods and drapery panels.

Help the Home Decor Genie out and vote for Parliament online: Vision of Home website

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Home Decor Genie – 3 Decorating Problems and Simple Solutions What’s your home decorating challenge? I’ll explore a few each day and give you some ideas that you can use right now. Leave me a comment if you’d like your questions answered. I’ll do my best to answer you!

1. How do I update a very dated kitchen if I can’t afford to replace the cabinets. What are some inexpensive fixes?
• Try painting your cabinets! A fresh coat of paint can really freshen up a room in a hurry. White or off-white give it a nice, clean look. Or paint the upper ones a light color and the lower ones a dark neutral.
• Adding new hardware will also upgrade your kitchen. Try brushed nickel, or pewter.
2. What can I do with my white walls if I’m a renter and not allowed to paint?
• Wall art is a great way to add color when decorating your rooms! What do you want to see everyday? I love to wake up to a beautiful framed photo of a remote Canadian island! Or, when I walk into my living room, I see a picture of a two polar bears in a “dance”. It makes me smile. So, find colors, photos or paintings that make you happy.
• Another way to break up white walls is to add plants. Whether hanging, standing on the floor or placed on a stand, they add color, life and texture to your rooms. If you don’t like taking care of them, buy the best silks you can afford.
3. How do I turn my old, plain bathroom into a home “spa”?
• Warm up the space with wood! Use touches of teak or go Scandinavian with beautiful birch. Place a bench to sit on if you have room or stack towels on it.
• Woven wood blinds add a spa-like feel and give privacy while letting light through.
• Replace a plain, un-framed mirror with one framed in wood.
• Paint the walls a warm, dark color and stack fluffy, white or light towels on a shelf.
• Use candles or install a dimmer switch to lower the light and create a mood while you soak in the tub.

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Home Decor Genie says Light Up Your Home Decorating! Lighting not only sets the mood for your home decor but provides task lighting and more!

How is your home’s lighting?

When doing specialized tasks you need good lighting so you can see without straining your eyes. You can add better lighting with floor lamps, table lamps or install good lights in the ceiling. There are full spectrum lights that simulate natural sunlight and are the best for doing detail work. When decorating your rooms, think about the lighting based on what you’ll be doing in the room!

You need task lighting for these areas:

• Reading, doing crafts and close, detail work
• Cooking and food preparation

But, on the other hand, what if you want to set a mood? Are you looking for softer light? Dimmer switches are easy to install and give you a lot of control over the amount of light in a room. These are great over dining room tables and in your bedroom.

In your bathroom, be sure to include good light over the mirror for applying make-up and doing your grooming. The shower and tub should also have good light, but consider adding some indirect light for a softer effect. And no bathroom decorating scheme is complete without candles to provide a relaxing and romantic setting. Even if you just enjoy relaxing in the tub, candles add ambiance, aroma and make the area feel warmer and more inviting.

And don’t forget natural sunlight in the room during the day. When you decorate your rooms, consider the window treatments. If you need to block a less desirable view, use drapes and shades. But you may be able to let light in with light-filtering treatments. If you don’t need to block a view, throw open the drapes and let the sun or natural light in! Have drapes or shades that close for nighttime privacy and open for daytime.

Lighting is such an important part of home decorating, but it is often the most overlooked. Take a good look at your room’s lighting and make some changes if needed. If you need help, consult a professional in your area. Or, if you’re in the Denver, CO area, give me a call to help with alll your home decorating, home staging and room re-design needs! Click Here to check out my website.

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Home Decor Genie – Decorate Your Home With Green Add a little luck o’ the Irish with green – green plants that is!

Plants not only make your home more green, but they add oxygen to the air. They take in the carbon dioxide that we exhale and produce life-giving oxygen so they’re the ultimate re-cylers!

Here’s a few ways to add plants to your home decor:

• Display them on multi-level stands and beautiful pedestals. Check out some nice ones here.
• Fill a corner with tall plants and watch that corner come to life!
• Place a grouping on a table or shelf to fill a space, add texture, green and a sophisticated home decorating touch.
• Hang them in a corner or over a window. Ferns, ivys, hoyas and wandering jew work well here.
• Add a burst of color anywhere with flowering plants! I love miniature roses, azaleas, cyclamen and violets. If you can keep them going, they’ll add punch to your home’s decor.
• And my absolute favorite – bulb gardens! Spring is the best time because you can get those bulb gardens with crocus, hyacinth, daffodils and tulips! What a treat!

Go crazy! Put plants everywhere! They’ll cheer you up and you can talk to them. They won’t talk back much, but they can be good company!

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Some books to use with your new Kindle to get your plants, GROWING!

HOW 2 Decorate Your Apartment – Bring the Outdoors In!

Turn your apartment into a comfortable haven by decorating with natural elements from outdoors. How do you do that?

• Decorate your home with plants – lots of them! Real ones are best, but use silk if you just don’t have a green thumb or if you’re gone a lot
• Use natural wood pieces in your home decor. Simple lines work best in your wood furniture.
• Continue the outdoor theme with cushions in earthy colors of rust, dark green, gold or tan. Tweeds, or leaf prints work well with the look as well.
• Nothing bring the outdoors in for your home decorating like a fountain. Whether it’s a small tabletop fountain or a whole water wall, you’ll relax to the sound of bubbling water!

These are just few of the ideas that you’ll find at the Vision of Home Tour in Denver. Follow as I decorate 2 apartments for the tour. I’ll post photos of each apartment as they are done. Visit any or all of the 10 apartments on the Vision of Home Tour weekends from Mar. 27 – June 7th. Admission is free, so there’s no reason to miss it! Each one has a vision that sets the theme for it’s home decor. You can vote for your favorite too! Stay tuned for info and locations of the apartments.

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Home Decor Genie asks, Is Your Bath A Spa Or A Dud? How do you decorate your bath like a luxury spa?

Think about it. What do you love about your favorite spa? Is it the fluffy towels or the thick, soft, absorbant robe that you slip into after your soak in the tub?

Or maybe it’s the delightful scents that surround you and transport you to another world where you relax and forget the world for awhile.

Whatever it is for you, you can do some things to help re-create that experince in your own bathroom.

• Keep the wall colors neutral and soft. Decorating your bath in these calming colors will set the mood and help you relax. Try soft browns and tans, or sage-y green. If you want a little more pizazz, you can opt for soft shades of blue or plum. Add accents in white for a crisp, clean feeling.
• Ummm…decorating with candles or scenters can fill your room with delightful scents. Try exotic spices or Asian scents if you like or try fruity ones if you prefer softer, less intense aromas. Whatever you choose, pick something that speaks to you!
• Of course, add the fluffy towels! Roll them up and stash in a large basket for easy access.
• Place a basket of soaps, sponges, loofahs and bath salts on the tub along with the cute little scrubbies and massagers you find at your favorite bath store.
• Try a teak bench to sit on and match it to a teak accessory holder in the shower.
• Or pick out a few cool accent pieces to add personality and character to your bathroom decorating!

If you’re ready to really turn your bath into a spa, check out our decorating tools at Decorate-A-Room.com for do it yourself ideas.

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Home Decor Genie Kitchen Decor Ideas Upgrading and decorating your kitchen is a smart move! It adds value to your home, and done right, you’ll absolutely LOVE it! If a complete remodel isn’t in your budget, consider these options for upgrading your kitchen that won’t break the bank!

• Change the look and feel with a new paint color. Nothing freshens up a tired kitchen like new paint!
• Change the hardware. New cabinet hardware is an easy, inexpensive upgrade for your kitchen.
• If you have more in your budget for home decorating, consider replacing the countertops. Granite is beautiful and durable, but there are other choices for counters. If it’s time, this will make a big impact!
• Is it time for new appliances? Again, this is a more expensive home decorating move, but if you need them or yours don’t match, you will love the new look!
• Install new cabinets or reface old ones. You can paint them a solid color, or sand and re-finish them. A smart decorating move if you can afford it!
• One more thing you can do that will make a big difference is to upgrade the flooring to wood, tile or new laminate.

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.

Home Decor Genie Has More Ways to Decorate With Texture! Wonderful textures create a mood and ambiance in your rooms.

You can decorate your rooms and give them an exotic feel with bamboo, and rattan. You’ll find them in imported chests, tables and plant stands.

Or is your home decorating style more upscale? Make it luxurious with sleek, polished wood, fur rugs and pillows.

You can make your rooms feel rich and masculine with leather and suede. Go for a smooth or a textured leather like crocodile, osterich or a tooled leather. Whatever your home decor choices, leather gives your home a classic feel.

Do your tastes in home decorating lean more toward the elegant and refined? Try beautiful silks, satins and linens on your windows.

Can you start to see how different textures change the overall feeling in a room? Define your style so you get the look you want. What look do you want to go for?

• Country – use lots of wood in maple, birch, knotty pine, oak. Add woven fabrics in plaid or floral. Hang a beautiful quilt on the wall.
• Casual – Pick fabrics in linen or smooth micro suede. Toss in nubby-textured afghans and throws. Use stone on walls and the fireplace. Polished granite counters add sophistication and flair.
• Are you Urban Chic? – This home decorating style is charicterized with smooth leather, polished marble on the floors and walls, fur rugs and pillows, glass sculptures, bold wall-art and high contrast colors.
• Are you Exotic or well-traveled? Decorate your rooms with rough wood, bamboo, rattan, and stone. Gauzy curtains on windows and canopies over the bed give you that exotic feel. Display pottery and souvenirs from your actual (or virtual) travels around the world.

So, don’t be afraid to add texture to your rooms. Know your decorating style and use that as a guide what you look for furnishings.

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.

Home Decor Genie also recommends the Kindle Electronic Reading Device! Great for traveling and anywhere. Check out the large selection of books available for Kindle through Amazon.