| The most important thing to consider before you | | | | blunts the impact. It's like the old cliche, "You can't |
| start decorating, or redecorating, your home or | | | | see the forest for the trees" or in this case, you |
| apartment, is what you like. What you want. Do | | | | can't see the trees for the forest! |
| not concern yourself with the current trends, that | | | | Simplicity must extend to the floors as well. |
| many home owners seem to follow like lemmings. | | | | Hardwood floors with their golden gleam add a |
| The most important thing is that you are | | | | warmth to every room, although in winter time |
| comfortable in your own home. | | | | they can be cool on the feet! Throw rugs in bright |
| There are a few factors that you have to | | | | colors can add that necessary "je ne sais quois" |
| consider. Are you a business person, and will you | | | | to any room. If you like wall-to-wall carpeting, |
| be entertaining colleagues and bosses in your | | | | again, choose neutral colors - shades of white, |
| home? Or do you have a lot of friends whom | | | | once again to highlight the furniture that rests |
| you'll be entertaining on a regular basis? Or do you | | | | upon it. |
| prefer to keep yourself to yourself, with only an | | | | Modern furniture is a question of simplicity, of |
| occasional friend stopping by? In each instance, | | | | sleekness. There's no unnecessary ornamentation, |
| you may want to decorate your home in | | | | Chairs and couches with metallic frames are ideal, |
| different ways. | | | | although solid wood will never go out of style and |
| It's not necessary to decorate your entire house | | | | will serve to complement a hardwood floor. Sleek |
| in one single style - you can always use several | | | | occasional tables look nice, but don't clutter every |
| different styles, one per room. It all depends on | | | | room with too much furniture. You want room to |
| what works best for you. | | | | move around. |
| Having said that, the Contemporary style of | | | | What about windows? It's always nice to have |
| home decoration is currently popular, and like all | | | | sunshine pouring into your home, but sunlight does |
| other styles, it will never really go out of fashion. | | | | fade the color out of your furniture, paintings and |
| The joy of the contemporary style is that it is a | | | | carpet. If possible you should get windows with |
| "no muss, no fuss" style. Clutter has given way to | | | | glass that filter out those harmful UV rays. |
| sparseness, in-your-face designs to a more subtle | | | | Shutters or blinds made of wood or metal make |
| decor. Simpleness is the watchword. | | | | a nice touch, and curtains or draperies in a neutral |
| The contemporary style extends to all aspects of | | | | color add the finish. |
| a room: the walls, the floor, furniture, windows, | | | | Going for the contemporary look doesn't have to |
| and accessories. | | | | be expensive. Indeed, since you're going for the |
| The minimalist contemporary style eschews bold | | | | minimalist look, you can cut out quite a bit of |
| floral patterns such as you'd find in wallpaper, and | | | | furniture and save money that way! But the main |
| replaces this with plain colors - shades of white. In | | | | thing is for you to be happy with your design - |
| this way, photos, paintings or other wall hangings | | | | for you to feel that it is "livable." With its emphasis |
| will stand out the more. Also, the walls should not | | | | on simplicity, contemporary home design could be |
| be overloaded with these wall hangings - to do so | | | | just right for you. |