First and foremost, recognize that if you have found a floor tile, combination of alternating wooden floorboards or any other such flooring that you genuinely love then you are off to a flying start. For, floors can be masterpieces in their own right. More and more designers are featuring elaborate floors in their magazine articles and television programs. In some cases, they are so beautiful it is hard to look anywhere other than the intricate pattern, or intriguing use of an unexpected material.

So, with that being said, where do they go once they’ve set their minds on a bold flooring choice? Well, that’s just what they want you to know, as do I. For, while interior decorators do make their living by designing spaces for clients, they also recognize their role in assisting those who aspire to decorate their own homes in a similar fashion. You might imagine they would feel conflicted in sharing their secrets, or hard earned knowledge, but that’s not how many of them view it. Instead, they acknowledge the fact that if others want to recreate what they have made, that is flattering. It is symbolic of praise, an acknowledgement of a job well done. Plus, it helps to cultivate their popularity with actual future clients, and ratings for their programs. Perhaps they are not being entirely altruistic, but helpful nonetheless.

The key to working with a strong floor is to keep the other details in a room more streamlined. They should not detract, but should either mimic or simply support the pattern or colour scheme. This is not to say everything else needs to be bland. If you are interested in something with more of an upbeat feel, skip going with all neutrals, and pull the boldest colour from the flooring. Use that colour, and shades of it as the prominent colour for furnishings, walls, or appliances. Once you have established this room, it is also highly recommended that you repeat the same combinations of colours throughout the entire abode. His fluidity is what takes a home’s décor from pleasing, to exceptional.

Let’s take a look at the bathroom for an example. Fling open the door to this room and it might lack that something special, it needs a shot of adrenaline, or sophistication.  So what’s that first step going to be to move the space towards change? The easiest, and most dramatic way I know of is a new shower curtain. The shower itself may be drab, but a graphic patterned or trendy block coloured curtain can rejuvenate the room.

These can be obtained for so little expense, you can switch them out frequently. Throw in some coordinating towels for good measure, and you can create a totally improved area. Make it one you like to go to, not one you want to keep the door closed on.

When my grandmother used to tell me about her childhood she had fond memories to share, and lots of valuable lessons. Surprisingly, she had gained some real decorating insight living in a household filled to the brim with people both big and small. One of the wisest things she told me when I was preparing to decorate my first home was this. Don’t fill a small room with small scale furniture. It won’t make it feel roomier, it will do just the opposite in fact. The bed will be the focal point, and as such needs to be big not punny. The key is to decorate with normal sized pieces that have height to them. So position a tall headboard with a high bed, and all will appear just right.

However, that does not mean there is nothing new to say on the subject, because there is. What do tell could it be, why natural silver polish my dearies. Just because you don’t have clean or polish the silver on your weekly, or even monthly list of chores, you will eventually have to do it if you own any and want to keep it in good shape.

Guess what, this doesn’t involve schlepping to the store to buy a new specialized product either. Instead, fill either an aluminium pot, or another pot that you have lined with aluminium foil with hot water. Make a mixture of salt and baking soda and then dissolve into the hot water. Then once you place the silver into the concoction the tarnish gets whisked away in a chemical reaction. Sounds like good old fashioned magic to me.

Ever since seeing her wrap aluminium foil around a television antenna, and line a bathroom window with it I have secretly been on the look out for interesting ways to make use of this product.  For me it is a way to keep Gran’s creative spirit with the unlikely material alive.

Most recently, I used it while painting my daughter’s playroom.  I wrapped it around door handles grates and light switch covers. Yes it worked pretty well, but funniest thing was that my daughter did not want to take it off, she thought it was cool. I bet this love for the foil will carry on through another generation.

First off, apparently self-cleaning ovens are infamous for breaking during  the self-cleaning cycle. Seems there is a good window of opportunity for an owner to make use of this cycle, and that is sandwiched between two bad times. If you use the cycle too frequently, something called a glowbar will get used up. However, if you go to long between cleanings there will be so much buildup from cooking that the machine will not be able to handle the cleanup. All of this information has led me to go directly back to the instruction manual that came with my oven to see if I can make heads or tails of this. As it is though, it sounds as if I am already using it in a way that lowers the risk level of breaking. More on this later I assure you.

For example, if the room you are working with is already completely furnished, you will want to take those key pieces into consideration. If you have highback chairs, then a low mantelpiece, and all that decorates it may well get lost visually. If you have a vast collection of art hung on the walls, then perhaps it would be best for the fireplace to be of a more subdued version, instead of a scene stealer.

It is so important to get a fireplace just right, otherwise, not only will it look out of place, but can bring down all the hard work you did to decorate and design the remainder of the room. So remember, spend time looking through many options, and visualizing what the room really calls for, not just what you have seen elsewhere that looked good. Each and every space needs to be treated as the separate entity that it is, along with those styles that you appreciate.

It’s important to make the best use of such a space, to avoid it looking cluttered. Storage solutions are the way to go, as this will enable you to conceal things easily. Make the most of what small space you might have, whether it’s under your cheap leather beds or in the wardrobe.

If you’re bedroom really is tiny and you have the opportunity to buy some new furniture, then it is well worth considering a divan bed.. These have  drawers  built into the base of the bed. There are also some divan beds that come with ottoman storage, which means you can press a trigger and the mattress and slats will lift up, giving you access to the space underneath your mattress. The absolute perfect place to house extra towels, your bulky winter jumpers, coats and any other large items. The alternative is a traditional bedstead that has space underneath for storage boxes. This can be helpful for items that you need quite often, such as shoes for example, but that you don’t want to be tripping over all the time. Try going for storage boxes with wheels so your items are easily accessible.

Your wardrobe might need some attention too. Not got a chest of drawers? No problem, why not try some hanging canvas shelves which provide space for soft lighter weight stuff like socks and cammies. You can also get hanging shoe racks which are great for tidying up all your shoes and boots. You can also use the bottom of your wardrobe to store boxes but remember to keep it organised, they are of no use really if you throw everything in there.

She always said the best way to get through chores is to have a routine that you stick to as often as possible. As she did, I start my cleaning in the kitchen, as I consider it the biggest task.  I start with things on top, and work to the bottom. So, I wipe down the fridge, outside and inside then the appliances and countertops, along with a good deep clean of the sink with scrub and boiling water.

Every other week, I do a quick wipe of the cabinets, and then move on to the sweeping and mopping of the floors. By the time this is done, I already feel like I have accomplished so much, it is not hard to push on to get the rest out of the way. One more habit to thank grandma for, even after all these years.

First, do not call them chores, or jobs, or work. Be inventive with the title of these tasks so that they seem less burdensome when they are discussed, or mentioned. Make a joke of it if you can, or inject some fun into the classification you give them. Even if all you do is co-mingle two words to create a new one, you are off on the right foot. For example: jobs and chores will give you jores, or work and tasks can become tasorks. Anyway you get the idea.

And for the second thing, be aware of the jores you assign to different members of your family. You know each persons likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. Keep those in mind before you choose who gets what to do.