OUTDOOR ROOMS ARE THE NEW TREND

America is moving the indoors out. With the state of the economy, every square inch of space in or outside your home has to count. Creating an additional room in your own back yard is the perfect opportunity for entertaining, relaxing, or playing. Outdoor kitchens and dining rooms allow you to comfortably entertain all your guest in style and enmass! Curl up next to a roaring fire in a comfy lounge chair with a good book or for casual conversation in your outdoor family room. The possibilities are endless.

Grab On and Hold Tight

Pretty in Pink

Who says pink in a nursery is not a good idea? Those who simply lack the foresight of knowing how much is too much, that's who. All you pink loving moms can breath a sigh of relief. You can create a fabulous pink palace for your princess without being the object of whispers. The key is to go for a more sophisticated approach. Leave the barn animals and nursery rhymes in the story books, not on the walls.

Choose a deeper shade of pink, stay away from the bubble gum and cotton candy shades. That way, the room can grow up with your daughter. Use it sparingly. There's no need to plaster every possible surface in pink. Remember, less is definitely more! Using the pink as an accent stripe on only three of the walls in this room, allows a little relief for the eye and a chance to introduce a more neutral backdrop to ground all that pink.

Don't be afraid to mix and match. The large floral print pillow on the pink and green paisley glider adds interest and yet another accent color to the room. Contrasting the rich tones of the crib with the chunky light wood picture frame nestled between two petite polished nickel sconces keeps the overall feel of the space light and airy. Under the window, a round glass side table is offset by the deep rich wood tones of the crib and corner side table. By keeping both side tables round, there's a continuity that allows for two different materials and styles of table to fit together quite nicely in the same space. And nothing says princess like a little jewelry. Don't worry, you don't have to break the bank on a 5kt diamond tiara. The hint of such luxury is cleverly suggested by stacking several Tiffany blue boxes in various sizes on the side table. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but a baby is just as dazzled by the pop of color, saving your budget and your sensibilities.

Deck The Halls Long After Christmas

After the sparkle and good cheer of the holiday season, it's back to the same old, same old right? Not this year. Take the opportunity to freshen up your home with low cost decorating solutions. It's a new year, time for a new look. With a little paint and a little furniture re-arranging, your on your way to a fabulous mini make over.

Try a new color on one wall of the room, make it a feature wall. Gather old picture frames from the garage or from around the house. Hang them on the wall in an artful arrangement. No pictures required. Simply hang the frames. For a more modern approach, spray paint all the frames one color or choose one large frame to hang. You can get creative and paint your own picture for the frame. Try interspersing a few beveled mirrors into the arrangement. You can pick them up at your local craft store or home improvement store. If you went for the one large frame approach, then try flanking the frame with mirrored shelves or vertically stacking a couple of beveled mirrors on each side of the frame.

Next move a piece of furniture under the installation, like a couch or console table. Adding the table gives you more opportunity to display and accessorize. Nothing says sparkle like candle light reflected in mirror. So add some chunky candles atop a couple of dazzling candle holders. This gives the space that touch of sparkle reminiscent of holiday decor without being to literal. Fill a large glass apothecary jar with fresh flowers. If you don't happen to have a large glass apothecary jar (which is in every body's closet right?), you can substitute it for several glass vases in various sizes.

If you're dealing with a large wall, then consider investing in a couple of vintage arm chairs or even storage ottomans to flank either side of the console table. This will provide additional seating when entertaining. When going this route, make sure your choice of shelving or mirrors are in scale with your choice of seating.

Just for fun and whimsy, check your local craft stores or big chain stores for the Christmas clearance shelf. You should be able to grab a few deeply discounted sparkly jems left over from the holiday. Look for items that are not too holiday specific like the glass tree center piece. Instead check out the silver leafed candle holder or the golden glitter bird statues. These types of items can be used all year round, so you get your money's worth. This design dazzler works particularly well in hallways and foyers.