Fall is just around the corner, and this means it’s time to redecorate the exterior of your home in preparation for the incoming change of mood. If you’ve been mulling it and put off decorating the exterior of your home, now is the perfect time to get moving and create an autumn inspired look. The return of cooler temperatures brings along with it the colors of brown, yellow, orange, burgundy, reds and dark greens. Festive yet, not as pastel as the colors of summer and spring, you could use the tones to make your home look imposing yet warm at the same time. It isn’t all about looking good, the practical elements of redecorating your home, will give it usability during the next months when the rain, sleet, hail, wind and snow become a part of normal life once again. Contrary to popular belief, just because you’re going to be heading into a design that’s using bolder tones and functioning style, it doesn’t mean you have fewer options that counterpart seasons with warmer weather.

[Photo courtesy of Wonderlane/flickr.com]

Paint it bold

When the season changes, the exterior of your home goes through a lot. The hail and rain weathers and erodes the wood and brick little by little. You can see this happening if little paint flicks have started to come off to expose the wall underneath. This will only increase the longer you let it linger, but there is a way to make your home bolder and newer. You could paint your home in a strong, autumn wood color, of dark brown. First, clean the area, with a good soaking of hot water. Take a piece of rough leather and in circular motions, take the grime and dirt off. Seal and prime the walls ready for the paint. Make sure you put on at least two layers of paint, but as it’s the exterior, preferably three.

A place to relax outside

If you’ve ever thought that clearing, cleaning the garden and mowing the lawn was a task in your life you could do without, it’s time to seriously think about decking. The front or back gardens can be landscaped to replace the grass with a stable, flat surface that you can practically use. With a seating arrangement outside you can buy a couple of rocking chairs, sit outside with a blanket and watch the stars, come either rain or snow. To brave the cold, a good hardwood decking company should be contacted to come and survey the land. With their skills, they can work out, how much of your land is feasibly ready to be altered in favor or laying down the foundation and then decking.

[Photo courtesy of Tony Alter/flickr.com]

Welcoming guests in style

When guests come to knock on your door, welcome them with simple adornments of pine cones, radiant orange, yellow and red leaves. On the front door, you can hang a fall-style wreath of dark green pine tree branches, formed into a circle or heart. Perhaps the wreath could be decorated with some fruit such as red apples, cherries and some blackberries to add in a little more color to balance out the green. Consider smaller wreaths to hang above your windows on the ground level floor. Hang some winterberry holly over the corner of your home to add in a little bit of passionate red to the mix.

If you have ever been fortunate enough to stay in a fine hotel or upscale resort then you know that hotel style home decor is different than what you have at home – the luxury pillows and bedding enhance the experience and you leave feeling relaxed, refreshed and invigorated. With some savvy shopping it is actually possible to experience many of the best hotel amenities at home in your bedroom and bathroom for less than even the cost of one night in a luxury hotel.

Start with bedding – look for fine quality Egyptian cotton sheets with a high thread count and invest in the very best set you can afford. When you think about it you spend almost a third of your life in bed and the sheets are in direct contact with your skin; this is not the place to cut corners. If you spend money on nothing else than top-quality sheets you will still have invested wisely and will enjoy a more restful and comfortable night’s sleep.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

A mattress pad can help to improve the sleep surface, especially if your mattress has some age to it. There are mattress pads designed to address a variety of issues so if you seek a less firm or more firm sleeping surface you can achieve it. Look for memory foam mattress pads along with mattress pads and toppers designed to reduce motion transfer and relieve pressure points. Much like sheets, mattress pads are available in a variety of sizes ranging from twin and twin extra-long to queen, king and California king.

Pile on the pillows – hotels use lots of pillows to make the bed the focal point of the room plus they are comfortable to lean against while relaxing, reading or watching televise while in bed.

Want your home to look beautiful, but don’t have the funds to hire professional decorators? No need to fear, there’s plenty you can do yourself without breaking the bank! Here are a few points to bear in mind if you’re new to decorating and want to have a go.

Colours and Theme

Before diving in with your decorating, spend some time beforehand on the planning stages. This helps to keep everything looking cohesive, and you will get the best result at the end. Scour blogs and Pinterest for rooms you like the look of, picking out different colours, design features and other elements that catch your attention. Have an idea of the kind of colours and the overall look you want to achieve at the end, this saves you purchasing things that don’t look right and wasting your money. Opting for all neutral walls is your best bet if you are unsure. They will make the room look light, bright and airy and you can bring in colour with home accessories. Paint ceilings and woodwork such as skirting boards and doors in a brilliant white for a super fresh and clean look.

[Photo courtesy of ATBO/pexels.com]

Painting

It’s always advisable to try out a few paint samples on the walls before investing in a big tin. The colour of the walls underneath and the light in the room will affect how it looks once it’s dry so don’t just take a chance. Once you’ve chosen a colour to get a few samples in different shades and paint them onto the wall so you can see which looks best. Start by ‘cutting in’ which is going around all of the edges of the room neatly with a paintbrush, and do the rest with a roller which is quick, easy and gives a smooth finish. Be sure to cover your flooring with old sheets or painters dust sheets to protect it, take your time and do a second or even a third coat if it needs it. Be sure to let each layer fully dry before moving onto the next.

Wallpaper

Adding some wallpaper to the feature wall in your room is a good way to bring in personality, and is good for those who are new to decorating since it’s a smaller area than a whole room. If you’ve never wallpapered before watch a tutorial online first. Follow the techniques carefully, and ideally have another pair of hands to help you. If you’re unsure, you could use repositionable wallpaper, that way if you make a mistake it’s easy to correct. And if you’re renting it’s easy to remove at the end of your tenancy. If you’ve painted the other walls in a light, neutral colour the wallpaper is where you can be a bit bolder. You could go for a bright or bold colour, a statement design or just keep it subtle if that’s more your style.

Do you do much decorating yourself at home, or do you usually call in the professionals?

Part of the excitement of taking a break is that feeling you get when you step into your hotel room for the first time. Just one night spent in the right hotel can lift your spirits, give you a great night sleep and even bring you closer to your partner.

If you have children at home, you’ll know how important it is to create a zone that is peaceful, tranquil and above all tidy! The bedroom is the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night. So it makes sense to create a place of luxury and class here. It might be worth reviewing Is It Practical To Create A Room Just For Relaxing In after reading this post.

[Photo courtesy of Living Rooms London/flickr.com]

You don’t need a huge budget to make a few changes to a bedroom. One of the most important things about this room is, of course, the statement bed.

Hotel beds are always dressed to impress. Think minimal when it comes to choosing your bedding. White sheets will entice you to crawl in. They look clean and calm. Adding a plethora of cushions may seem pointless when you’re just going to throw them off at bedtime, but every time you step into your room, you’ll feel a sense of pride. You might even start leaving the bedroom door open for your guests to see!

Hotels tend to offer a simple white dressing gown and the fluffiest towels you’ve ever buried your face into, this is probably why people often ‘borrow’ them!

Instead of cluttering up your dressing table with make up and cuff links, leave your surfaces bare placing a couple of neatly folded gems like these bath towels on show, perhaps with your favourite body lotion next to them.

[Photo courtesy of  Thomas Cotton/pexels.com]

A well upholstered chair. There is something wonderful about having a seemingly pointless chair in your room. However a chair placed by a window with a good book laid next to it always entices you to read and even if you don’t get the time, simply knowing it’s there will remind you of the relaxing peace a quiet read can give you. Try reupholstering and painting an old one.

Well hung, contemporary frames with large white mountings and photos of your fondest memories or things you love can have a huge impact on a room. Waking up in the morning to see your kids smiling back at you, kick starts your day the right way. Unlike a miss mash of slightly off centre frames. Be precise.

[Photo credit Abigail Ahern]

Finally, lighting. Lighting can change a room completely. Instead of switching on your ceiling light, invest in a statement lamp like these from Abigail Ahern. If your budget won’t stretch to that, consider something soft which creates an amber warmth. Place in the corner of your room and let it work it’s magic.

It’s time to see your bedroom in a new light. Make small, well considered changes. It’s not about impressing other people. It’s about impressing yourself. Lying in your bed, surrounded by luxury.