There are ways to use zebra print wallpaper correctly without going overboard or making your room look to busy. For instance, you can use the wallpaper for one wall in the room as an “accent” wall. You can also buy the printed wallpaper and use it for other crafts such as on boxes or the back wall of a book case. Recently I wanted to add some zebra print into a room in our home so I bought wallpaper with a zebra print and cut it so that it would fit into some frames (12″x12″) that I had and hung them on a wall in my office as artwork.

Zebra print wallpaper can also create a great theme for a baby, child or teenager’s room. A zebra theme will work in any room regardless of gender. You can decorate it in a jungle “boys” theme or a more girl friendly way by using zebra with pink or purple for your princess.

Zebra wallpaper can be tricky and hard to incorporate into a room, just make sure that you do not “over-do-it”. You can keep it looking sophisticated like the inspirational pictures below.

Recently, bird cages have been my new “it” thing for a room. I am in love with their old world, whimsical feeling. They make for a wonderful accessory for a room adding lots of interest and uniqueness to your home. Bird cages are great displayed as a collection or even as a single statement piece.

There are also so many ways to display this fun decor. If you have several bird cages, you can group them together on top of an armoire (remember to group in odd numbers like 3,5,7 etc.), use one as a center piece for your dining room table, place them on side tables, coffee tables of even sofa tables. You can also hang them in the corner of a room from a chain or thick twine.

Now you may ask, should I leave the bird cage empty or what should I fill it with? There are many options in this department. You can leave them empty for a more simple statement or you can fill it with almost what ever you would like. I have seen them filled with greenery, fruit, moss balls, other decorative balls, candles and almost anything else your heart desires.

We had a nice family BBQ yesterday for Memorial Day with about 20 people and I set up 3 tables using the bird cages from our house as center pieces. I took out the odd and end things I currently had them filled with and placed a mixture of citronella candles (we have lots of mosquito’s in Houston) and non scented candles all of different heights to add interest to the bird cages. Not only were the beautiful as centerpieces, but they served a great purpose for our BBQ!

I have rounded up some images of bird cages to provide inspiration in how to use them in your home!

With lamps being such an essential part of a rooms design, I decided to scramble up a guide for lamps under $100.

Most people know that lamps are important in a room, but not all know why. So, Why are lamps so important in a rooms design? This is because they offer a much more intimate lighting than an over head light. Over head lighting is very harsh and often inappropriate to use. By placing lamps in the correct places around your home, you create a relaxing scene. Much like having a reading lamp on while laying in bed which offers a softer ray of light, rather than the ceiling light which would be overpowering and stain your eyes.

By placing lamps in your living room, in the evening you can they can provide a soft warm glow to your room. They are also excellent sources of light for functional viewing such as reading, playing a game or watching tv.

Task lamps or table lamps are also functional in a work area such as an office, craft room or garage work station; where close vision is usually needed. You can place the lamp as close as you desire and move it around the room as needed.

These are just some of the many reasons to use table lamps in your rooms design. There millions or lamps to choose from for your home all ranging from cheap to extremely expensive, but that does not mean you need to spend a fortune to have high style.

I have rounded up several different lamps all under $100 that can provide high style to any room. Also, when shopping for lamps you can often get designer look alike lamps for a fraction of the price at stores like Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and home goods.

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One of my favorite color combination’s is yellow and grey. When you pair the two colors together in a room design, the yellow gets toned down. The grey absorbs the brightness and keeps the yellow from overpowering the room.

Of course, there are other colors that you can pair with yellow that will give you a similar affect.

Executing a design with yellow and grey can be tricky so I rounded up some photos where this color combination has been used effectively.

What is your favorite color to pair with yellow? Are you daring enough to introduce it into your home?

We know that most likely not all of these couches in the images below are {real} velvet, but they all have the same affect of velvet, and all look equally beautiful.

What type of couch is your favorite?

Many people often relate floral fabrics to feminine design, but they do not always create an overwhelming sense of feminism in a room.

I thought I would post some images that use floral fabrics in the room. Floral fabrics can be used in all types of design, my favorite use of floral fabrics is in vintage, modern and country designs.

If you really enjoy floral fabric you can use it in a large scale, such as on, upholstered furnishings, rugs, wallpaper or window treatments.

On a smaller scale, you can incorporate floral designs through accent pieces such as, pillows, lampshades, pictures or other room accessories.

Do you use floral fabrics on a large scale, small scale or no scale?

A great way to bring bright fun colors into our home is through our dinnerware. You can find spring inspired table settings everywhere you look this time of year. You have three options that you can do to bring spring into your home through your table settings.

1. You can invest in an expensive table setting that you can use every year for many years to come.

2. If you want to keep up with what is in style for the season, purchase and inexpensive setting that can be used again or kept in the cupboard for another day.

3. Or you can do what I do. I buy what I like when I see it. When spring time comes around, I mix and match everything I have for a one of a kind personal look. Each time you set the table you can change a few things up so it is not exactly the same every time.

Here are a few dinnerware collections I have found that are fun and very “spring like”.

How do you incorporate spring into your table setting every year?

What a wonderful color to pull into your spring decorating. It is such a cool yet inviting color to use. It can be used as a statement on the walls or in very subtle ways such as a vase.

To find inspirational ways to decorate with blue be sure to check out houseofturquoise.com, where blogger Erin discusses decorating with her favorite color; blue.



All photos courtesy of Houseofturquoise.com

Also, don’t forget to check out the March 2010 issue of House Beautiful!

I don’t usually decorate for the holiday, although I do wear green to protect my self from a pinch!

Here are some simple ideas that can bring the St. Patties Day theme to your home.

If our daughter was old enough I would definitely have to liven up her morning with some green milk or juice! Just add a few drops of food coloring to their morning beverage for a lovely St. Patrick’s Day drink. You can also color your morning eggs green too.. like green eggs and ham from Dr. Seuss.

Lunch Box Bunch

Green Prophet

Putting some bells of Ireland into a nice ceramic or glass vases will bring some Irish green to your home. Not to mention it looks beautiful as a simple center piece or on the window seal by the kitchen sink.

This Next

Pull out all your green vases. Leave them empty and group them together or add some simple white or green flowers for some added excitement.

Apartment Therapy

Don’t forget to display all you granny smith apples too! Great punch of green for the kitchen.

BHG

What do you do for St. Patrick’s Day? Do you decorate? Do you wear green? I would love to hear about your shamrock traditions!

Kasey and Jordana’s farm finds range from $3.00 to $305.00, so if you are in the market for some fun accessories for your home (or even gifts for friends) click here to check out their shop!

Also, visit their blog where they talk about their beloved “junk” and their events that they have on their acreage.



Do you shop Etsy? What is your favorite Etsy store?