That bright summer looking home decor

Summer has been a long time coming this year, and what better excuse to give your home a summer themed makeover? You may be surprised at how simple and affordable it is to revitalize your living space and breathe new life into an existing home.

Most of the suggestions in this article can be done with very little handyman skills, but don't let the man in your life get off that easily. Many hands make like work, so get everyone involved! The kids will love it, and if you don't have kids - your home is probably already spotless, so go and make a ham sandwich.

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To Paint or Not to Paint?

While Shakespeare probably didn't ask this question, it should be at the top of your list of things to consider. Let's be honest here, painting isn't much fun after the first few strokes of the brush. From our experience, it's a job that small humans enjoy - but the cleanup effort outweighs any benefit of getting them involved.

Having said that, a new lick of paint in the main living areas of your home can make a miraculous change to a houses atmosphere. It's also a great way to cover up any faded crayon masterpieces, scrapes, dings and everyday wear and tear.

Regardless of if you are going to repaint or not, take the opportunity to do a really thorough clean of the house. Vacuum under those cushions, clean out the window tracks and do our 3 box cleanup routine. One box is for stuff you MUST keep, the second box stores things that you can give away to charity and the third box is destined for the garbage. Be ruthless! It may be another year before you do another one of these super cleanups.

Don't do this alone. Sell the idea to your family and/or friends. Make it fun! Call it a working bee party.. or something.

Roll Up Those Sleeves

Curtains are often overlooked when revamping home decor, and this is a big mistake. They frame our windows and provide a great source of colour for a room. At the very least, take them down and give them a wash, which will revitalise the colour and remove any musty smells that have built up over the winter months. If your budget allows it, buy new curtains for your main living areas. Choose bright, summery colours to lift the atmosphere in the room and provide some much-needed colour. Try to match the colour with any new cushions, throws or table cloths that you use, which will give the room a sense of unity and harmony.

The key theme for a summer decor revamp should be flowers, bright colours, natural fibres and wood. Go to your local flea market and see what treasures you can find. A piece of driftwood or a raffia rug can transform your room into a beach themed area. Add some sand coloured curtains and a large sea shell full of fresh flowers, and you have a beautiful room fit for summer.

After you update your curtains, cushions, tablecloths and throws with some brighter colours, turn your attention to the wall decorations in the room. A summer themed art print can transform a room instantly, and become a focal point.

You may be surprised how cheap it is to get a favourite summer picture printed on canvas. Check your local print shops or a do an online search to compare the costs. For extra points, get a summer themed picture of the family printed onto canvas, and hang it in the room.

Fresh flowers can be expensive, but a simple outdoor project is to start your own flower bed. This is a sure-fire hit with kids, and they are so excited when the flowers start to appear. Pick fresh flowers and keep them in your home throughout summer. The flowers look wonderful, and the pretty scent is a natural room deodorizer.

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It's easy to revamp your decor for summer, and you may find that it becomes a yearly tradition. With some simple colour changes, and the addition of some key decorative items around the room, you can transform any living area into a summer oasis!

Let Spring be in your home

The winter is finally leaving which can only mean one thing; spring is here. No more waking up in the dark to cold winds and snowy mornings, no more leafless trees or overcast days. Spring is flowers, colours, new life and new growth. Spring is the time when the days are getting longer, the light is getting brighter and colour starts to come back into the world after a long sleep. This is not something only happening in the park, in the woods or in your garden. Open those windows, let in the fresh air, and make use of some home makeover tips to bring spring into your home.

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This is the ideal time to brighten up the walls around your house with a wall or two of colour. Painting the walls can seem like a daunting job at first but with some careful planning, good dust sheets and some patience even more ambitious tasks can be undertaken by most people. Be adventurous and go for the colours you like. Remember if it doesn't work out, you can always paint it back to its original colour.

Bringing lots of colour into the house doesn't necessarily mean it has to be on the walls. Why not get yourself a colourful rug for the floor? This can often bring a refreshing change and new look to any room that is looking tired after the winter. Rugs collection not to be missed. It won't cost as much and isn't as disruptive and time consuming as painting can be and the best part is that when you fancy a change you can put it in another room or store it away for the next year. Pick your colour carefully as that white rug which seemed like a good idea in the shop will soon lose that fresh look once the kids and muddy dogs have been playing on it.

If you would like to get more light into your home try removing those winter curtains and replacing them with blinds. Heavy curtains are great at keeping in the heat during those months when it's needed but they are also very good at blocking the light. Installing a lighter coloured blind will allow your windows to let in the maximum amount of light they can while still giving you the privacy your need.

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Even the smaller things can give you a fresh look for the new season. In the kitchen you could get a new fruity tablecloth with matching tea towels or surprise those dinner guests with some bright cotton napkins. In the living room make the sofa look like new with a colourful sheet thrown over it or perhaps bring in the flowers with a floral lampshade. A vibrant painting is also a great way to change a wall without the hassle of painting and decorating. In the bedroom why not get lively or floral bed covers. You could also get some dried flowers such as lavender which will look great and give a beautiful spring aroma for all the season.

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Whether it's a big job like painting your walls or just simply replacing the smaller household furnishings there is always an easy way to brighten up your home. It doesn't have to cost a lot and with some simple advice you can achieve that fresh look. Remember be bold, be brave, because the spring is.

Summer Bedroom Makeovers for Girls

"Hello Readers, Every knows that summer is at our door so I thought it would be nice to share makeover of our little princess bedroom in summer, Hope you all enjoy the post"

Summer is a great time to give a girl's bedroom a makeover. She will be out of school and therefore will have the time and energy to be an active participant in the project. Upgrading her bedroom over the summer may also make her feel more mature when she goes back to school in the fall. A bedroom overhaul is an appropriate reward for major milestones like graduating from elementary or middle school. The new decor will make her feel as if she is truly entering a new grown-up phase in her life.

Colour Scheme:
If the bedroom is already predominantly pink, as so many girls' rooms are, the girl may want to consider living with another colour for a while. Emerald green is an unconventional yet deeply feminine colour, as are ruby red and navy blue. However, the bedroom's furnishings should not all be the same shade of the colour that is chosen. Different complementary shades bounce off each other and give the impression of style without demanding a great deal of effort from the decorator. For example, light yellow tones accent green and blue very well. Small amounts of pink look chic against red, despite the old rule against pairing pink and red together. Placing them next to each other is a bold and modern choice befitting a young girl.

The carpet or rug should be in the darkest tone of the chosen colour. The bed's comforter can be in a slightly lighter shade or have a pattern on it that incorporates that colour somehow. Common choices are plaids and florals. The accent shade will be used for the curtains and for other small accessory items. The walls can be painted in alternating light shades of the dominant colour. A dark shade can be used on the framing around the door and windows. Dark paint should be used sparingly. It becomes overwhelming very quickly.

Furnishings:

It may be tempting to paint wooden furniture to suit the colour scheme of choice, but this would be a mistake. If the furniture may be painted, perhaps to cover old pink accents, the decorator should opt for a plain color like black or white. The bed and dresser should not blend into the rest of the room. These pieces will serve to contrast the rest of the contemporary design scheme with classic sturdiness. If a new bed is being purchased, it should be in an androgynous style that is not too ornate. Overly girly furnishings are immature and contradict the intention of this project. A daybed that rests in a corner changes the proportions of the room and frees up more floor space. This new space can be filled with a small couch or loveseat. A desk is another option, particularly if the room's redecoration is a reward for an academic achievement. An old-fashioned desk with a rolling top would help steer the bedroom's aesthetic direction. An electric piano or small entertainment centers are other possibilities. Some may actually choose to leave the space clean and empty.

The furniture should match as closely as can be managed. New high-quality furniture can be very expensive so it is not necessary to make sure that everything is exactly the same color. Dark woods always look good next to each other, as do items that have been painted the same color. One thing that should be avoided if possible is placing gold- and silver-toned metal pieces in the same room.

Other Concerns:
The girl's interests will dictate the direction of her room's upgrade. In lieu of wall decorations, a girl who is invested in fashion may decide to bring her dresses out of the closet and display them on a garment rack against one wall. Alternately, a large bookshelf or storage unit for a music collection can be placed in that space. If the girl has decided against having a desk in her room she should choose some other small table to hold small miscellaneous items. A miniature dresser provides storage for small clothing items like socks and doubles as a nightstand.
 
Other seemingly insignificant items can make a major decorative impact.

• A fancy bedside lamp with a floral or portrait design can be the lone overly feminine piece in the room. Everyone sees the bed first upon entering a bedroom, and a nearby lamp will influence the way everything else in the room is seen. The room will be identifiable as a girl's room while still being cool enough for a preteen or teenager.
• A black, white or natural wicker clothes hamper can be unobtrusively placed in a corner.
• A shoe rack that hangs on the back of the door is another storage option that doubles as a decorating decision for a fashion-conscious girl.
• Parents should allow their daughters to have the final word.