Author: Kari Apted

What Color to Paint a Black and White Tile Bathroom?

Black and white have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, partly due to how frequently these colors appear in farmhouse design. However, black and white is a classic combination that truly merges well with any style of home decor.

In the bathroom, black and white tile introduces contrast and style to your bathroom design. Since both colors are neutrals, just about any paint color will coordinate with this type of tile. There are certain colors of bathroom paint that look exceptionally great beside black and white tile. Here are nine of our favorites.

Read also: 77 Black and White Bathroom Design Ideas

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Black

Black isn’t often recommended as a wall paint color, but when it’s paired with white and black subway tile, it’s a logical choice. Black wall paint is a dramatic selection, especially above beautifully swirled black and white encaustic floor tile.

Black bathroom paint is also lovely with ceramic tile in a checkerboard style, or next to mosaic tile that combines black, white, and grey hues. If black paint on all four walls seems too heavy, paint your biggest wall black and use white or grey for your other wall color. Be sure to use a dark color of grout when your walls are dark—otherwise the grout lines will become an unwanted focal point.

Blue

Blue is the world’s favorite color, and it’s easy to see why. In all of its cool varieties, it’s a soothing color that brings a touch of the outdoors inside. Sky blue, baby blue, cobalt, or turquoise are equally great wall colors in a black and white tile bathroom.

You can use tile paint to add touches of blue to your existing white and black tile. If you have tiny mosaic or penny tiles, create a random blue tile pattern to bring the whole color palette together. Look for other ways to incorporate blue into the room design, such as placing a fluffy blue rug on the bathroom floor.

Another way to make your blue wall color pop is to replace your ordinary silver bathroom faucet and cabinet hardware with gold or copper fixtures. These warmer metals are complementary colors beside blue and can be the finishing touch that takes the bathroom from “nice” to “wow!”

See more blue bathroom ideas here.

Green

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Depending on which shade you choose, green can be a bright accent or an almost neutral color. Fortunately, any shade of green that’s your favorite can work as a bathroom paint color in a black and white bathroom.

If you prefer brighter design ideas, look for a shamrock green, lime green, or chartreuse paint color. If you’re more into the earthy, neutral greens, test bathroom paint samples in soothing sage, soft seafoam or pale pea green.

Darker shades of jade or hunter green are also look great next to black and white tile. These darker hues are great for creating drama, but can also make a large bathroom feel smaller and cozier.

If you’re refinishing your bathroom black and white tiles, incorporate small touches of green tile if you can. Small accent tiles in your chosen shade of green will help pull the design together.

Greige

Greige is a relatively new word to most people, but it’s simply what happens when you blend grey and beige together. Greige adds a soft, casual tone to a black and white tile bathroom, much like a subtle taupe or khaki. It’s warmer than grey and a good way to bridge the gap between the deeply contrasting neutrals of black and white.

A pearl shell glass mosaic tile in shades of grey, greige, beige, black, and white is a great backsplash or accent tile choice if you decide to use greige paint. The little greige and beige tile accents will help visually balance your neutral color palette.

Read also: What Colors Go With Beige Bathroom Tiles?

Grey

If you have a grey tile bathroom, grey paint could make the whole room feel depressing. But if you’re looking for a good color paint for a black and white tile bathroom, grey—a mixture of both colors—is ideal.

Any shade of grey will work, too. Everything from light grey to deep charcoal looks excellent on a wall beside black and white tile. Patterned grey tile that incorporates black and white into its design is a good option if you are renovating and want to equally represent each wall and tile color. Use grey grout instead of white grout for a more polished appearance.

See more grey bathroom ideas here.

Pink

Pink—especially an earthy shade of blush or dusty rose—is an elegant, sophisticated color beside black and white tile. These pink hues are known to be soothing, relaxing colors, making them an excellent bathroom wall color to look at while enjoying a long soak in the tub.

Of course, pink comes in many shades, and hot pink is a fun, dramatic pairing with black and bright white. Try to incorporate all three colors in your rugs, towels, and accessories.

Because pink and green are complementary colors, finish your pink/black/white bathroom design with a few green plants. It will add a natural vibe that both softens and highlights the shade of pink you chose.

Red

If “exciting” is the mood you’re going for, paint the walls bright red when you have black and white floor and wall tile. Choose a glossy, candy apple red or cherry red for a 1950s diner vibe. Install shiny chrome faucets and drawer pulls to further capture that retro ambience.

A muted brick red or an orangey, dark vermillion will also look good with black and white tile. Subway tile provides clean lines that help balance a bold color like red, even in its milder forms like antique rose or red ochre.

White

If you’re wondering what color to paint a black and white tile bathroom, white is an obvious choice. White bathroom ideas are best for making a bathroom feel crisp and clean.

Note that white paint comes with dozens of different undertone options, so it’s vital to take home paint swatches before choosing a paint color. Usually, cool white works best with a black tile/white tile combination. However, if your white marble or white subway tile has a warm undertone, you’ll need to match it accurately or your pure white wall will look almost blue beside it.

Yellow

There’s a reason that you frequently see bumblebees in paintings and home decor: black and yellow look simply wonderful together—especially with a splash of white.

Yellow is known as a happy, cheerful, mood-elevating color and is particularly great for brightening up a small bathroom. You can choose virtually any shade of yellow and it will look good with your white and black tiles. Pale butter yellow, bright sunflower yellow, or a deep, dramatic gold are all great bathroom paint color choices.

June 1, 2022
What Color Paint Goes with Brown Granite?

Walk into most new homes today and you’ll see a granite countertop in various shades of grey. But not long ago, most kitchen countertop materials were in different shades of brown. Because granite is such an expensive natural stone, it’s easier to work with the brown granite than to replace it.

While a brown granite countertop might not be the first choice of builders today, brown granite is still a beautiful, neutral countertop material. Few types of brown granite are pure brown; most have accents of other colors that you can use as your cabinet color and wall color. Here are our top ten colors to use in a room with brown granite countertops.

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Beige

Whether you call it beige, buff, tan, or sand, this lightest shade of brown is a natural pairing with brown granite counters. White cabinets and trim are a classic look beside beige paint and a similar value of brown granite. This overall pale, neutral background allows darker accents to become the room’s focal point.

A coffee brown countertop and similar color kitchen cabinets go well with creamy caramel beige walls. Add plenty of green plants and metal accents to brighten up your darker neutral colored kitchen.

Black

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Black isn’t a common wall color in the kitchen, but it is a popular kitchen cabinet color. This is especially true when the kitchen has upper and lower cabinets in different colors. You can also paint a kitchen island black to make it stand out from the other kitchen cabinetry.

For extra variety, top your black island with a white granite countertop—something that looks really good with white-flecked brown countertops in the rest of the room.

Baltic brown granite is a mixture of brown and black granite, with smaller flecks of light tan and grey. It has a speckled or spotty pattern that’s reminiscent of cheetah fur. Oak cabinets and a dark brown tile backsplash look great with Baltic brown granite and a black or charcoal wall color.

Read also: What Color Cabinets Go With Black Stainless Steel Appliances?

Blue

Deep navy blue adds masculine elegance to a kitchen with brown granite countertops. Midnight blue or even cobalt blue can also work with a granite color along the brown spectrum. If you prefer blue as a wall color, a tan brown cabinet color will look good with blue walls and a brown countertop.

Touches of gold always look classy beside darker shades of blue. So consider replacing your cabinetry hardware with gold or bronze knobs and drawer pulls.

Lighter shades of blue paint, including turquoise and sky blue, are excellent wall color choices in a coastal cabin. Pair your brighter blue walls with a sandy brown granite or quartz countertop and pure white cabinets.

Brown

Brown might not be the first color that comes to mind when you’re wondering what color paint goes with brown granite. But monochromatic color schemes are wonderful when they’re well designed. A variety of brown shades can be simply beautiful in a kitchen or bathroom.

Fantasy brown granite looks more like marble than granite, with its wavy lines and curvy patterns. In fact, it isn’t granite at all but a metamorphic rock that isn’t as durable as real granite. It’s still hugely popular because its veining is so beautiful.

While marble tends to be in the black and grey spectrum, fantasy brown granite includes cream, brown, and sandy hues. Any of the shades of brown in your fantasy brown countertops is a good option for your interior paint color.

To keep a room with wood cabinets, brown walls, and fantasy brown countertops from being too monochromatic, add decor that adds another color, such as gold or blue. Baltic brown granite is another good selection for this color scheme.

Green

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Earthy green is one of those paint color choices that’s not quite a neutral, but works like one. It adds a natural warmth to the kitchen and pairs well with brown cabinets and countertops. Try pairing maple cabinets with sage green walls and a lighter brown countertop.

Because red and green are complementary colors, cherry cabinets look particularly great with a brown granite countertop and a green wall color. If your home has honey oak cabinets, you can strip them and stain them with a cherry cabinet stain to get this dark cabinet effect.

Uba tuba granite is such a dark green that it almost appears black. However, it includes flecks of other colors, including gold, brown, black, green, blue, and/or white. Though not as popular as it used to be, it’s still a great granite counter choice in a kitchen with green walls.

Grey

Grey and brown can be a surprisingly cool pairing, particularly when a brown, grey, and white granite countertop ties your colors and wood finishes together. Black granite countertops with flecks of grey and brown are another good match for grey kitchen walls or cabinets.

If you love grey but don’t want to replace your brown granite counters, shop for a mosaic backsplash that includes both grey and brown glass tile. Choose a warm grey such as Sherwin Williams’ Repose Grey for your kitchen cabinet color, and your kitchen will look like you planned it that way all along.

Read also: 37 Grey Kitchen Ideas

Red

Red and brown are a natural color pairing when you want to create a warm, welcoming kitchen. Barn red, brick red, and wine are all great color choices for kitchen cabinets or walls. If you go with this color scheme, choose a warm brown tile that looks like wood to further enhance the homey feeling.

Lighter colors on the red spectrum, such as salmon or coral, can also look amazing with dark brown granite. Perhaps limit this cabinet color to an island or an accent wall and use it in other decorative touches.

Taupe

Taupe is a mixture of grey and beige, much like the popular color greige. Both of these colors are great neutrals for pairing with grey or brown granite countertops. They add a casual, comfortable feeling to the space—much like your favorite pair of relaxed khaki pants.

White

Cool white is a little harsh next to warm brown granite, but warmer shades of white or ivory give your kitchen or bathroom a timeless look. Because outdoor lighting and the lighting inside your home can make a paint color look different than it does in the store, always take home samples before choosing a color.

Santa Cecilia granite is a beautiful lighter colored granite to install with white or cream cabinets. Depending on the type you choose, you can end up with grey, beige, yellow, burgundy or brown veins that will stand out if you include those colors elsewhere in the room.

Whether in the kitchen or on a bathroom vanity, distress your ivory or white cabinets to add a touch of brown to your cabinetry surfaces. Rubbed bronze light fixtures and cabinet hardware will draw attention to the distressed surface.

Read also: 49 Must-See White Kitchen Ideas

Yellow

Pale, buttery yellow kitchen cabinets look amazing next to light brown granite countertops. Pair this with a wallpaper that incorporates both hues. If you use dark bronze cabinet hardware, it will add contrast and tie in a darker brown kitchen floor.

Gold granite is another good match for yellow cabinetry or walls, but you have to carefully choose your paint color to make sure they’re compatible. Many brown or black granite kitchen countertops include flecks of gold or yellow stone. Choosing a yellow shade of paint helps those flecks of color stand out.

June 1, 2022
How to Create a Foyer in an Open Living Room
What is a foyer and why would you want one in an open floor plan? A foyer is the area just inside a building’s main door. Older homes with separate spaces almost always included a foyer. Even if it was just a small entryway, foyer space was considered a necessary part of the floor plan.

A foyer traditionally includes a coat closet and tile or vinyl flooring instead of carpet. It’s an easy-to-clean transition zone between indoor and outdoor spaces. Modern open floor plans often eliminate this useful zone, but it’s fairly easy to create a functional foyer space anyway. Keep reading to learn how to create a foyer in an open living room.

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Easy Foyer Design Ideas

Open concept homes provide great space for entertaining, but their lack of a clearly defined entry space can be a problem. Never fear, though–there are so many simple ways to delineate your entryway from the rest of your living space.

Rugs

A large area rug is perfect for visually defining your entryway from the rest of the living room. If your home gets a lot of foot traffic, choose a washable rug. Sisal or jute rugs are good design ideas in the foyer, especially if your home has a casual atmosphere.

Furniture

There are many ways to arrange your living room furniture so that it feels like the room has a separate foyer. For instance, you can place your sofa so that its back faces the front door. Put a console table against the sofa back to make it feel like a foyer entrance.

You can also place the console table on a wall, perhaps beside the front door. Wherever you place the console table, add a table lamp and tuck some baskets underneath shoe storage space. A narrow dresser can be used instead of a classic console table.

A bench is helpful in any entryway because it provides a place for people to sit while putting on their shoes. Add a coat tree and umbrella stand in the corner so your guests have a place to put their outerwear and gear.

If you don’t have room for a console table or bench, a regular chair and small table will fulfill the same purpose of providing a place to sit and a spot to hold your mail and keys. A small tabletop basket can help keep those items neatly organized.

Wall Hooks

Wall hooks are useful and stylish decorating ideas in an open living room foyer zone. Use them for the family’s coats and hats, and encourage your guests to hang their outerwear on the wall hooks, too.

Either hang hooks directly on the wall, or buy a shelf that has hooks beneath it. The shelf will add additional space to place your keys or add decorative touches like framed photos.

Storage Space

An entryway could always use a bit of storage room. Always look for furniture that has integrated storage space, such as a console table with drawers or a bench with cubbies and baskets beneath. Hang wall baskets or shelf cubes for a home decor touch that also provides room to stash things.

Lighting

Center a special ceiling light fixture a few feet away from the door. A special chandelier or pendant light will provide a focal point that automatically makes it look like a proper living room foyer. It will also provide valuable light when coming and going at night. Tuck a lamp in the corner for a more subtle entryway light feature.

Privacy Screen

A foldable privacy screen is a good way to create a foyer in an open floor plan home or apartment. Depending on the room’s layout and how much floor space you have, you can use the screen as a “wall” people see when they enter your home. Or you can place it to one side if that better suits your floor plan.

Entryway Renovation Ideas

If you’re up for a more complicated project, you can make permanent changes that create a foyer where there was none. If you’re great at DIYing, you may be able to do the work yourself. If not—or when in doubt—it’s best to hire a contractor for professional results.

Tile

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Usually, an open floor plan has the same type of flooring throughout the space. Laying a different—but complementary—type of flooring by the entryway creates a real foyer feeling.

Because it’s a small area, you might be able to afford a nicer type of tile than you would in a larger area. Hand-painted Mediterranean tiles, marble tile, or black-and-white encaustic tiles are all stylish choices for an open floor plan foyer. You could also simply match the type of tile used on the kitchen floor.

Room Divider

A sofa or bookcase can serve as a divider between a foyer and an open space great room. Tall, medium, and short bookshelves work equally well. You can also have a room divider custom made to fit your color scheme, entryway and wall configuration.

Wall

A new wall—or half-wall—will clearly set a boundary between the foyer and living room. If you’re going to the trouble of hiring a contractor to build a wall, consider whether you need an additional room at the same time. It might be a good opportunity to break up your open space and create a new home office or designated dining area.

Mudroom

While you might not want to stick a mudroom in a corner of your living room, a DIY mudroom is great when the main door you use is located in a laundry room or off the kitchen. A wall shelf, bench, lighting, and perhaps a chalkboard wall or dry erase board are all you need for a DIY mudroom.

Foyer Styling Tips

Use these tips to make the most of your new designated entryway.
- Measure the living room and foyer space before buying anything that goes there. This holds true whether you’re making permanent or temporary changes to your foyer zone.
- Maintain interior design continuity. Color is a good way to create cohesiveness between the kitchen, dining area, and family room of an open layout home. Use the same color choices, fabrics, textures, and style that’s represented in the adjacent living area and dining room.
- Remember to accessorize your foyer furniture and walls. Hang wall art, toss a throw pillow on the bench, and place a tall potted plant in the corner.
- Hang a mirror in the foyer space. Not only is it great for last minute appearance checks before heading out, it reflects light and makes a small space feel larger. Round mirrors add a modern vibe to an open living room foyer.
June 1, 2022
What Color Furniture Goes With Grey Walls?

Grey is a hugely popular neutral color. It’s a color that comes in a huge range of shades, from dramatic charcoal to barely-there dove grey. Each grey color also has an undertone, which may be subtle or obvious. Warm greys have a red or yellow undertone while cool greys have a bluish tint.

So, what color furniture goes with grey walls? You really can’t go wrong with any color of furniture when grey is the background. However, some pairings seem to work a bit better than others. Choose from the following furniture colors to create an agreeable grey based room.

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Beige

You might think beige or taupe is a bad pairing with another neutral like grey. However, depending on your interior designer skills, it’s possible for two neutrals to cohabitate nicely in one space.

Beige color furniture looks best against a warm grey wall color like Sherwin Williams’ Repose Grey. This color is a perfect “greige” or combination of grey and beige paint. To emphasize the grey in your color scheme, include a darker shade of charcoal grey in your area rug, throw pillows, and curtains.

Black

Black furniture always looks elegant next to grey walls. Black is a sophisticated color that, like grey, goes with virtually anything. Black color furniture is equally good with light grey or dark grey walls, depending on the look you’re going for. You can also mix and match black and grey furniture pieces.

Using black color furniture with grey walls creates a monochromatic color scheme, especially when grey is represented in several different shade options. Find an area rug that includes multiple shades of grey, black, and touches of white. A big area rug that includes these hues will bring together your monochromatic color scheme.

Blue

Blue is a peaceful color in its lighter shades, but can be dramatic when it’s dark or bright. Brilliant cobalt blue or sealike turquoise are two colors that really stand out, and either works well against dark grey or light grey walls.

For the best blue pairing, choose slate grey for its cool background tint. Slate grey comes in pale and dark grey versions. Light grey slate walls and soft powder blue are a soothing combination in a bedroom or living room.

Green

Earthy shades of green are a great choice when you’re wondering what color furniture goes with grey walls. Sage and other soft, soothing greens carry a calming vibe next to grey. Olive green furniture is excellent against grey walls, and you can add to that natural ambience with brown woods and other warm neutrals.

Brighter green furniture colors can also be used with grey walls. Think jade, emerald, or grass green against a neutral grey wall. Because red is on the opposite side of green on the color wheel, red is a good accent color for a green and grey living room. An earthy brick red or dark terra cotta accents will make the green stand out from the grey walls.

Grey

Grey might not immediately come to mind when you’re wondering what color furniture goes with grey walls. After all, as a neutral, grey furniture against a grey wall sounds dull. But the truth is that varied shades of grey make an elegant color scheme, especially in a formal living room or primary bedroom.

If you’re going for a grey monochromatic color scheme in the living room, choose at least one piece of grey furniture that has a highly textured or printed pattern. Pair a grey sofa with printed side chairs and hang shimmery grey color curtains on the windows. These features are what keeps a grey room from being boring, and are a fun way to add detail when you’d prefer not to introduce a whole new color.

Red

Choose red furniture if you want a bright, exciting look in your grey living room or bedroom. Red is also ideal if your grey wall room has an Asian flair, especially if you add gold accents.

Furniture upholstered with dark reds, like burgundy and maroon, have long been popular living room ideas. If a large red sofa seems a bit much, use smaller touches of red, such as a red bookcase or accent chair.

White

White will always be a top furniture or wall color choice when you’re going after a fresh, clean vibe. White walls with grey trim or grey walls with white trim are both good when you want to include white furniture in the living room. White furniture is a flexible design choice as it looks great against a light grey wall or a dark grey wall.

Warm grey color paint looks better with a warmer shade of white furniture, such as cream or ecru. Keep your warmer color palette consistent with an ivory curtain color instead of a bright white curtain.

Read also: 42 White Living Room Ideas

Yellow

Yellow is a bright color that adds a cheerful, whimsical ambience to a living room with grey walls. Pure butter yellow, bright primary yellow, or deep sunflower gold are all great upholstery living room ideas to pair with grey.

If you feel that yellow is a too bright color to use on a large piece of furniture, use it as an accent color. Perhaps paint one accent wall your chosen yellow color and include it in your curtains, throw pillows, and other home decor accents.

May 31, 2022
16 Bedroom Decor Ideas and Styles For Women

Creating the perfect women’s bedroom is far from being a cookie-cutter solution where you simply fill the space with lots of pink and lace. Because each woman is unique, each woman’s bedroom decorating ideas will also be highly distinctive.

Bedroom ideas for women can be dark, dramatic, modern, or Scandinavian. They can also be frilly, floral, delicate tributes to classic femininity. Whichever interior design style you prefer, here are some of our best bedroom ideas for women to get you started.

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1. Creating an Aesthetic Woman’s Bedroom

A woman’s bedroom decor should reflect the most genuine aspects of her personality. An aesthetic woman bedroom is one where her personality plays a major role in her home decor choices.

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Modern aesthetic woman bedroom ideas include muted neutral colors and pinks, fairy lights and other fun light fixtures, and touches of greenery—real or faux. Wall decor may include photo collages, art prints, and simple motivational piece of word art. Moon phase garlands are popular in aesthetic bedrooms, often hung over the headboard.

See more aesthetic bedroom ideas here.

2. Designing an Attic Bedroom with Unique Architectural Features

An attic bedroom may be a small room or quite spacious. Regardless of its size, an attic bedroom space often has unusual architectural features to work around, such as deeply angled ceilings, half walls, and irregularly shaped rooms. While this may be challenging, these features also help elevate your bedroom design.

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Sharply angled ceilings offer some creative bedroom decor options. For example, hang strings of white fairy lights behind a dark blue sheet tacked to the slanted ceilings. At night time, you will feel like you’ve been magically transported to a cozy valley, to sleep beneath a starry sky.

See more attic bedroom ideas here.

3. Creating a Vibrant Boho Bedroom with Natural Textures and Accents

A boho bedroom features bright colors on a neutral background, international decoration accents, and plenty of natural textures and materials. Shag carpeting and macrame wall hangings bring forth that 1970s boho vibe, further accentuated with vintage wicker headboard and rattan fans used as bedroom wall art.

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Whimsical boho touches may include an assorted floor cushion and throw pillow collection with fun embellishments like pompoms and fringe. If you have a small bedroom, make sure your furniture is to scale—not oversized. Scatter colorful rugs in different sizes between your bedroom furniture for a fun bohemian touch.

4. Elevate Your Master Bedroom with Chic Neutral Tones and Natural Textures

Create a chic master bedroom by focusing on a neutral color palette—but fill it with inviting, natural textures and prints. For example, pair a velvet upholstered bed with white faux fur pillows and a leopard print throw. Add affordable texture with a DIY faux brick accent wall and whitewash it, as shown in this video:

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Mirrored furniture or an oversized framed floor mirror propped against the wall are chic ways to help a small bedroom look bigger. Add a designer overhead light fixture and complementary table lamps to round out your chic, feminine bedroom design.

5. Embracing Contemporary Bedroom Trends with a Touch of Vintage

Contemporary bedroom ideas for women embrace today’s trends, with a clean, sophisticated ambience. Contrasting colors are a common contemporary bedroom idea. Pair black and white with a bold shot of orange, or decorate your space with colors opposite each other on the color wheel.

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Even if you love contemporary bedroom decor, it’s not an all-or-nothing situation. Add a few softer, vintage decoration embellishments if it suits your personality. For example, sleek metal lamps with Edison bulbs are a fantastic marriage between contemporary and traditional decor ideas.

6. Exploring Cottage Style Bedroom Ideas: From Rustic Tudor to Beach Chic

If you have an idea for a cottage style bedroom, there are several directions you choose from to style your space. Go rustic English Tudor if you already have vintage touches in your living room and kitchen. Or go beach cottage with a sand and water color scheme atop a white bedroom foundation.

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Shabby chic is another cottage-inspired idea if you love floral fabrics, lace, crystal lamps, and other distinctly feminine touches. Cottage style—no matter which idea you choose—should always feel comfortably worn and welcoming. A crocheted bed cover is a homespun bedroom idea that works great with cottage style.

7. Elevating Femininity with Dark Colors in Bedroom Decor

Dark colors might not initially come to mind when you think of women’s bedroom ideas. But dark hues of grey, brown, green, and burgundy can all be delightfully feminine when used in the right ways. For example, charcoal or black wall paint may be too much if used on all four walls. But a single dark color bedroom wall can add just the right amount of drama to a large or small bedroom.

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Dark furniture is a great accent in an otherwise light color feminine space. Pair dark walnut or even black furniture with pale walls and soft textiles as it will help ground the space. Place a fluffy pink pillow on a deep navy chair and park it next to a delicately designed lamp.

8. Enhancing Your Bedroom with a Stylish Accent Wall and Decorative Elements

An accent wall is a great bedroom decor idea when you want to introduce a new color without it taking over the space. Be sure to include that color in other elements, such as on decorative pillows or wall art. Consider painting one piece of furniture in your chosen accent color, such as a chair or dresser.

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Stacks of books are an excellent bedroom decoration for a bibliophile. Shop antique stores and thrift shops for old books with covers that coordinate with your bedroom design, then stack them on windowsills, shelves, or as a base beneath your nightstand lamp.

9. Adding a Feminine Touch to Your Bedroom with Flowers and Greenery

Flowers are nature’s feminine touch, whether they appear in the living room, home office, bedroom, or garden. It’s almost always a good idea to include flowers in a woman’s bedroom, whether it’s living flowers, faux flowers, or a simple floral idea replicated on furniture upholstery.

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If a vase of real flowers feels over-the-top feminine for you, get the same soft natural aesthetic with potted plants. Line a windowsill with succulents in beautiful pots, or hang a trailing vine in the corner beside your bed.

10. Transforming Your Space with Glamorous Bedroom Decor for Women

Glamorous decor is ideal for women who live life loud. Metallic finishes, elegant details, and luxe fabrics are all part of putting together the perfect glam space. Faux fur, velvet, satin—anything that feels lush and fabulous should be included in a glam bedroom.

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Glam small bedroom ideas can make a tiny bedroom have a huge impact. A tall tufted headboard can be the room’s focal point regardless of its color. While any color is appropriate with glamorous decor, white, silver, and barely-there pink appear often.

11. Creating a Luxurious Women’s Bedroom with Opulent Textures

A luxurious women’s bedroom is all about the textures—which is an interior design element that novice decorators often forget. Silk, velvet, high-thread-count cotton sheets, flokati, and chenille—all of these textile options add so much luxury to the best woman bedroom ideas.

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If you’re drawing a blank on what a luxury bedroom means, think of your favorite high-end hotel’s interior design choices. Whether it’s a suite living room or bedroom, you’ll see fine art, overstuffed throw pillows, heavy drapes, and lots of open space.

12. Elevating Femininity with the Timeless Allure of Pink

Pink is often thought of as a color for little girls, but there are plenty of adults that are drawn to this soothing hue. Whether it’s a pale blush or a deeper dusty rose, pink is perhaps the most feminine color of them all.

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Brighter pinks also work well in feminine bedrooms. Hot pink paired with black and white pops like few other color combinations. Lighter shades of pink also look amazing on a black and white background, especially when accented with touches of gold.

13. Crafting a Cozy and Romantic Bedroom Ambiance

Warm, welcoming, cozy—these are all concepts to incorporate if your goal is to create a romantic bedroom. A neutral color scheme is fine, but there should be darker elements as well.

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A romantic bedroom should look as beautiful by candlelight as it does in daylight. Candles play a huge part in creating a romantic vibe, not only for the warm flickering light they emit, but the fragrances that add to the atmosphere. If you prefer not to have live flames inside your home, choose electronic candles and add an essential oil diffuser to fill the air with lovely scents.

14. Embracing Scandinavian Elegance for Your Feminine Bedroom

Scandinavian style is a great feminine bedroom idea if a clean, light, and airy space best reflects your personality. This style bedroom must be uncluttered and uncomplicated to accurately capture the Scandinavian aesthetic.

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A simple, light colored hardwood bed frame is an example of furniture that looks great with Scandinavian decor. Soften the often austere lines of Scandinavian interior design with woven rattan lamps or baskets.

15. Creating a Youthful and Whimsical Feminine Bedroom

A young woman who wants a feminine bedroom can follow all the advice for older women’s bedroom decor—but perhaps with a more casual touch of whimsy. Fairy light strands are a must, as well as fun touches like a fur-covered lampshade or a daisy-shaped overhead light fixture.

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For a practically free bedroom wall decor idea, tear pages from your favorite magazines and create a wall collage. Feature your favorite fashion models or K-pop stars, or beautiful scenery shots from places you dream of visiting. If you can, keep your collage within your bedroom color scheme for a more refined appearance.

See more bedroom ideas for teens here.

16. Transforming Your Bedroom with the Perfect Wallpaper

The right wallpaper can be just the key to tie your furniture and decor choices together. Look for an abstract floral or botanical design, or a simple geometric print. Echo your wallpaper colors throughout the space, choosing furniture and accessories that coordinate.

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Metallic or pearlescent wallpaper adds shimmer and motion to the wall, as its appearance changes as the bedroom light shifts. It’s a great dramatic idea in a small space, where you may not have room for as many creative accents.

See more bedroom wallpaper ideas here.

May 31, 2022
Patio vs Porch: A Detailed Comparison
What’s better, a patio or a porch? Is there really any difference between the two?

When it comes to architectural definitions, patios and porches share a lot of similarities. But they also have different features. Keep reading to learn the nuances between the two types of outdoor living space and answer the question of patio vs porch.

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Basic Differences Between Patios and Porches

The main difference between a porch and patio is its attachment to the house. A patio is usually detached from the home itself. It’s built at ground level behind the home and often is uncovered. A patio is almost always located behind the house.

A porch is attached to the home. It’s level with the home’s exterior doors and may be built up off the ground. It usually has a roof and railings that also connect to the home’s main structure. A porch is usually along the front of the house, but it can also be located behind it. Some farmhouses have a wraparound porch that goes around the entire home.

Different Types of Patios

Although many patios are uncovered, plenty of people build a covered patio so that at least part of the patio deck has a roof over it. This is a helpful source of shade in the summertime and it also shields your patio furniture from the elements. Others obtain shade with a temporary patio cover, such as a pop up tent, umbrella, or shade sail.

A patio can be made of concrete, bricks, pavers, tile, or even gravel. Because patios must be built at ground level, there may be steps between the patio door and deck surface. A wood deck—even if built at ground level—is not technically a patio, though it might be used as one.

A patio may be built several yards away from the main building, with a path connecting the home and concrete deck. This is often the case with patios that surround a swimming pool.

Different Types of Porches

Like a patio, a porch can be covered or open to the sky above. A covered porch is the most common type, and usually reflects a continuation of the home’s architectural style. The porch roof usually matches the home’s roof, and the porch deck may even have the same style of wood flooring used inside the home. Porches are often thought of as an outdoor living room and used as such.

A screened porch has screen panels over any open sides. These panels extend from the porch roof to the deck and help keep insects and other pests from invading your home. Instead of a screen porch enclosure, some people install windows, turning their backyard porch into a sunroom that can be used year-round.

A patio can be turned into a backyard porch with the addition of a roof and railings. An upstairs balcony may be called a porch if it is covered and blends into the home design.

Patio vs Porch: Factors to Consider

If you’re building a new home, or simply looking for an outdoor home improvement project, building a patio or porch is a good idea. Not only will you gain outdoor living space, this type of home addition will increase your property value. If you like both options, here are a few factors to take into consideration before deciding which outdoor structure to build.

First, consider how much living space you have for a porch or patio. If you have a spacious lot, building a large porch or patio should not be a problem. If you have a small backyard, you’ll need to keep your patio on the smaller side. If you have a small front yard, a front porch may make you feel too close to the street to enjoy relaxing there.

Second, take a realistic look at your budget. A simple concrete patio or one made from pavers costs less per square foot than a porch or veranda. This is largely due to the labor costs involved in building a wood porch, roof, deck, and railings. You will also need to pay someone to paint Many a homeowner has learned how to DIY concrete pavers to build their own simple patio.

Third, consider the type of climate you’re working with. An open patio or veranda will probably get year-round use in a warm climate. However, if you live where winters are long, your patio might not get much use beyond the summer months. In that case, an enclosed porch will be more useful, especially if it is a sun room with windows to close when it’s chilly.

Finally, think about how you plan to use your outdoor space. A front porch offers little privacy, but it’s great if you’re friends with your neighbors and enjoy socializing in your front yard. Since a patio is usually located in the backyard, it provides more privacy for intimate outdoor dinners or big parties. If your plan includes an outdoor kitchen, a concrete slab patio or veranda is an ideal foundation.

Other Names for Outdoor Living Spaces

With so many names for an outdoor living space, how do you know which one to use? Unless you’re writing a real estate listing, feel free to call your outdoor space whatever you like. But if you’re curious about the nuances between different names, here’s a guide.
- Balcony: A platform that is built out from the side of a building, on a second floor or higher. A balcony is enclosed by a railing or half-wall.
- Deck: A deck is a raised horizontal platform supported by beams or columns. It’s usually made of wood or a composite decking material. A deck doesn’t have a roof or walls, but must have a railing if it’s more than two feet above the ground.
- Lanai: The word “lanai” is commonly used in Hawaii, South Florida, and other tropical areas to describe an enclosed porch. A lanai usually has a concrete or tile floor and sits at ground level beside or behind the home. It may feature screens or windows instead of open sides.
- Portico: This type of covered outdoor area predates the modern porch or veranda. Popular in ancient Greece, a portico is usually positioned directly in front of the home’s entryway. Porticos are often supported by columns.
- Sunroom: A sunroom or sun porch features large glass windows. It’s as visually open as a traditional porch, but it’s an enclosed space that can be used year-round.
- Terrace: A terrace is similar to a patio in that it’s a paved or tiled outdoor area. It may be located on a rooftop instead of ground level.
- Veranda: Also spelled “verandah” this term for an outdoor seating area is most commonly used in the southern United States. Unlike an elevated balcony or deck, a veranda is located at ground level. Sometimes southerners will use the word veranda to describe any type of porch or patio, even if it’s not at ground level. A veranda will usually be bigger than an average porch or patio. Historically in the south, the veranda was used as a gallery room or for entertaining guests.
May 24, 2022
10 Small Backyard Ideas and Designs

A small backyard is still a backyard, and you don’t need a giant garden to make a huge impression. So many landscaping ideas work equally well in small or large backyards.

Even a tiny backyard can be transformed into a charming outdoor living space. Scroll through our best small backyard design ideas and see how simple it is to maximize the space you have.

Read also: 45 Backyard Ideas on a Budget

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1. Transform Your Backyard with a Charming Tiki Bar

A backyard bar makes outdoor entertaining fun. Even a simple bar idea provides extra seating and an inviting place for you and your guests to sip and sit a while.

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Try building a small bar on an existing patio or porch, or attach one to a backyard shed or other outbuilding. Make it feel like a vacation year-round by going for a tiki bar design complete with a thatched grass roof and island decor.

See more outdoor bar ideas here.

2. Elevate Your Small Backyard with a Cozy Fire Pit or Chiminea

Nothing adds nighttime ambience to an outdoor space quite like a fire pit. If there’s room to add one to your list of small backyard ideas, try to make it happen. Firepits don’t have to be big or expensive. In fact, anyone can build a simple fire pit out of concrete blocks, as shown in this video:

If you’d rather not build a fire pit from scratch, a chiminea is a good alternative. It occupies a smaller footprint than a traditional fire pit and adds rustic, western charm to your yard or patio.

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Another affordable backyard fire idea is to purchase a small metal firepit. You can find basic models for under $50, and some double as a charcoal grill. Others include a cooler insert that’s great for holding beverages when it’s too hot for a fire.

See more fire pit ideas and designs here.

3. Furnish Smart for Your Small Outdoor Space – Measure, Choose Wisely

Anytime you’re trying to furnish a small space, it’s vital to keep scale in mind. Oversized outdoor furniture will make a small backyard space feel cramped and crowded. To avoid this, be sure to measure before ordering any type of patio furniture, including sofas, tables, and chairs.

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When you’re measuring for furniture, leave enough open space to walk around comfortably. A bar and barstools are ideal for a small patio because they occupy less space than an ordinary dining set.

Take your local weather into consideration when buying furniture for an outdoor living space. If it’s particularly windy in your neighborhood, choose weightier pieces. If sun beats down on your patio all day, choose lighter-colored furniture that’s not prone to fading.

4. Create a Beautiful Garden in a Limited Space

It’s easy to get carried away when you see all the lovely plant and greenery options at your garden center. And it’s really easy to overestimate your planting space when planning small yard landscaping ideas.

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Do a little homework before you hit the garden center. Find out how much planting space you have in the yard, then research the kind of plants that you like—and that will grow well in your area. Design your garden accordingly, remembering to include concrete pavers, garden bed edging, and other landscaping touches.

5. Maximize Your Small Yard with a Lush Green Lawn

A green lawn is a beautiful addition to any yard. However, space for growing grass might be limited in a particularly small backyard. Even if that’s the case, planting grass—even just a small section—is one of the best traditional landscaping ideas. If you have a dog or small children, a little patch of green lawn is practically a must.

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Grass adds valuable open space to your garden design, something that’s vital to keep your backyard ideas from visually crowding a small yard. Fine fescue grass is a good low-maintenance choice for a small backyard.

You may prefer to install rolled turf instead of waiting for grass seed to grow and fill in naturally. If you want a truly no-maintenance grass in your small backyard, shop for artificial turf.

6. Transform Your Small Yard with Strategic Landscaping and Hardscaping

Small backyard landscaping might initially feel challenging, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with yard work. However, limited space is actually a blessing in disguise because it drives you to focus on what you feel is most important to include in your backyard design.

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A layered landscape design mimics nature, with low groundcovers, flowers, shrubs, and trees lining up from short to tall. This is a great design starting point regardless of your yard’s size. Choose greenery, flowers, and other plant options based on how tall they will be when full grown.

Don’t forget to budget for hardscaping when you’re finalizing your small backyard ideas. Path pavers, fences, walls, and borders provide the boundaries for your garden and are an important design element.

7. Elevate Your Small Backyard with Thoughtful Outdoor Lighting

Most people use their patio as an outdoor room, enjoying comfortable seating and dining space day and night. Just as with interior home decor, your outdoor space needs adequate lighting. This means including task lighting and accent lighting sources.

Hard-wired patio light fixtures can provide your main source of task lighting. Place weatherproof lamps on patio end tables, and stake lanterns on posts for other big light sources.

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String lights come in so many creative shapes and styles now and add a magical glow to night gatherings. Hang them over your seating area, along a fence, or string them between trees for a lighted canopy.

Path and step lights are crucial for safe navigation through the yard at night. Install a few spotlights to illuminate your garden focal point, such as a sculpture or arbor.

8. Revamp Your Small Backyard with a Stylish Concrete Paver Patio

If your small backyard lacks a patio, it’s fairly easy and inexpensive to hire a contractor to lay a simple concrete paver patio. Make it a design feature by choosing beautiful pavers and borders, perhaps adding a paver path leading to a water feature or bench.

Look around the patio for creative small garden ideas. Attach window boxes to your railings or windows, and hang potted plants from the rafters. Both are great small backyard ideas for adding pops of color without taking up any square footage on the ground.

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Consider hanging a vertical garden on one or more of your patio walls. It’s a beautiful backyard idea that adds greenery to an otherwise blank vertical space. You can make a vertical garden by hanging up a wooden pallet and arranging small potted plants in the gaps. Succulents are also particularly beautiful in a vertical small garden.

9. Enhance Your Small Yard with a Charming Wooden Pergola

A pergola may seem too large to be included as a small yard idea, but remember: in a small outdoor space, scale is everything. A wood pergola or arbor may be just the focal point your small garden needs.

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A simple square pergola with open rafter roofing is gorgeous over an outdoor dining area. It also provides a frame for hanging light strings. Grow climbing plant varieties around the pergola posts if you want the structure to provide shade in the future.

See more pergola ideas here.

10. Elevate Your Small Backyard with the Tranquil Beauty of Water Features

Water features are fantastic backyard landscaping ideas. A well-designed small pond can add sound, motion, and life to your little outdoor retreat. It also provides a place for different plant varieties to grow, such as cattails and water lilies.

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A small waterfall is relaxing to observe, with its flowing water and gentle splashing sounds. Koi fish are a great addition to a small backyard water feature, but do require a bit more maintenance. Even without fish, a backyard pond will draw water-seeking wildlife to your yard including frogs, dragonflies, and birds.

See more backyard pond ideas here.

May 18, 2022
13 Pool Cabana Ideas and Designs

A cabana or pool house adds a lot to your backyard pool area. Not only is a cabana a welcome source of shade on hot summer days, it can include a changing room and space to store pool equipment.

Before settling on a pool cabana design, it’s important to consider what functions you expect it to fulfill. If you want a full miniature house with a bathroom and kitchen, you’ll need to look at pool house design plans instead of a basic cabana.

Whatever your intent for this poolside structure, check out our favorite cool pool cabana ideas. They will guide you in designing the perfect backyard cabana.

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1. Deck-Friendly Pool Cabana

A pool cabana can be built directly on top of your existing pool deck. Or, you can plan to build it atop its own separate deck located near the swimming pool.

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Whether you have a wooden, stone, tile, or concrete deck, choose a pool cabana style that complements the existing decking material. Unlike a pool house, a cabana’s three-sided construction will leave the deck material visible so make sure it’s something you love. It’s a bonus if it feels good under bare feet.

2. Enclosed Pool Cabana Design

By definition, a cabana has a roof, three walls, and one open side. However, some cabanas could be called a pool house cabana, with a fourth wall instead of a totally open side.

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These enclosed style cabanas usually have large French doors or retractable doors along the front. This makes a particularly stylish pool cabana that’s open when you need it to be, but looks more like a pool house when the doors are closed.

Even classic three-walled cabanas often have a small enclosed area for privacy while changing clothes. Some also include an enclosed storage room for pool supplies.

3. Hut-Style Cabana for Your Poolside Oasis

A hut-style cabana brings a decidedly tropical flair to your backyard. Instead of three walls and one opening, a cabana hut is often styled more like a pergola, with a thatched roof held up by four posts. If there are walls, they’re often made of bamboo or woven mats.

This kind of tiki hut outdoor space is also a great shelter over an outdoor kitchen or poolside bar. A hut cabana with an outdoor bar can make you and your guests feel like you’re visiting a favorite beach retreat.

4. Spacious Backyard Pool Cabana

Because there are no limits on how big a backyard cabana can be, some end up being quite large. If you have a large inground pool and hot tub—and are a frequent pool party host—a large cabana might be exactly what you need. After all, if you have a lot of guests, you’ll need a lot of patio furniture to accommodate everyone, and plenty of covered porch space to provide shade.

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It’s common to build in extra storage into a larger cabana or pool house. You can include open attic space and use it to store all types of backyard toys and garden equipment.

With a large cabana space, consider screening part of it—especially if you live in an area with lots of mosquitos or stinging insects. A screened outdoor living space will allow you to relax in the shade without being bothered by pests.

5. Budget-Friendly: From DIY Pavilions to Pop-Up Tents

It’s possible to have a great poolside cabana even on a tight budget. A simple roofed pavilion or pergola can suffice, whether built by scratch or from a kit.

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One of the cheapest ways to achieve the shade and ambience of a cabana is to purchase a 10’ x 10’ pop up tent. Available for around $100, these temporary structures are easy to put up and take down. Some even come with fabric curtains or sides that give the tent a true pool house cabana vibe.

6. Luxurious Pool Cabana Retreat

Luxury pool cabana ideas are usually big open spaces with multiple outdoor room features. These custom pool house hybrids might include a firepit with vent, a changing room, bathroom, kitchen, and bar.

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A luxury pool cabana is made from high-end materials, such as teak, mahogany, or other imported exotic hardwoods, and surrounded by lavish landscaping. Often, such impressive structures are adjacent to an infinity pool positioned above a breathtaking view.

7. Contemporary Cabana Design for Modern Pools

Like other forms of modern architecture, a contemporary cabana will be designed with clean lines and minimalist materials. It looks best beside a modern pool design that features a similar type of simplicity.

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Open beams are a stylish pool cabana accent for modern architecture. Make part of the roof solid material and part open beams to add character to your minimalist design.

8. Outdoor Furniture Essentials for Your Cabana

Outdoor furniture is a must in any outdoor living space. A backyard cabana should include several patio chairs and perhaps a dining set. If it’s a particularly spacious cabana, a hammock is a welcome place to relax poolside.

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If you have a small pool cabana, you may wish to use pop up camping chairs instead of full size outdoor furniture. That way you have extra seating when guests visit, but can enjoy a more open space when it’s just you and your household in the backyard.

Consider buying lounge chairs that have wheels on the back. This will make it easier to move them beside the swimming pool when you want to bask in the sun, and roll them back into the shade again.

9. Set up an Outdoor Kitchen Bar

Cooking outdoors is a fun change of pace from cooking inside. Although grills and smokers have long been popular ways of preparing food outside, modern outdoor kitchens are stocked as well as their interior versions.

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It’s important to choose weather resistant appliances specifically designed for outdoor kitchen use. You can find outdoor ranges, ovens, refrigerators, and even dishwashers to create a full kitchen on your backyard pool cabana.

If you don’t have electricity in your outdoor pool area, a bar would be a more reasonable choice than a kitchen. Chill beverages in a large cooler or galvanized tub filled with ice. Store liquor and barware in cabinets or shelves surrounding the bar. Add a gas or charcoal grill for outdoor cooking.

10. Pool Pavilions: Versatile and Open-Air Cabana Alternatives

A pool pavilion is essentially just another type of cabana idea, although by definition, a pavilion has four open sides. Like park pavilions, a swimming pool pavilion is used for shelter or entertainment.

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A pavilion can have a hard roof or a more tent-like covering. While a cabana usually has three walls and one open side, a pavilion may have one wall and three open sides. The solid wall is usually along the back of the pavilion and is a great place to mount a big screen TV for watching movies from the swimming pool.

11. Prefab Pool House

Prefab pool house and cabana kits can be more cost effective than building the structure yourself. They can also be customized to match your home’s exterior, available in everything from modern minimalist to barnlike design.

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You could probably use any prefab storage shed as a small pool house, but it would lack certain features most people want in a pool cabana. Look for a prefab building that has an enclosed storage or clothes-changing area and a porch for lounging in the shade. Some prefab cabanas include a bar, bathroom, or outdoor shower.

You can order prefab buildings online or from a local company. The 10’ x 20’ Sanara pool cabana by Summerwood Products is a great example of a modern, stylish prefab pool house.

12. Creating a Rustic Cabana with Natural Flair

A rustic cabana will be made from natural materials, such as a wood frame with a stone base, topped with a vintage tin roof. If rustic cabana has curtains, canvas, linen, or thin burlap are good fabrics to use.

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Decorate the walls with vintage signs and add wrought iron accents wherever you can. For a fun, whimsical touch, hang simple rope swings from the cabana’s open rafters. Rustic lighting options include metal lanterns and strings of Edison light bulbs.

13. Maximizing Your Space with Small Pool Cabana

Even a small pool house is better than no pool house at all. Where else can you lounge in the shade beside the pool, or store all your pool equipment? Additionally, a pool house or cabana adds value to your home because it turns a basic backyard pool into a multi-purpose outdoor living zone.

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If you have a tight budget, it’s a good idea to keep your cabana small—but build one that includes the features you need. Of course, you might need a small cabana due to space restraints. If so, choose a narrow design that provides the most shade possible.

Read also: 41 Small Pool Ideas

May 18, 2022
How to Arrange Pictures on a Wall

A gallery wall—or photo and artwork collection—is a great way to showcase your favorite memories. Although many gallery wall layout ideas include pictures that are all the same size, most have pictures of different sizes. Putting them together in a way that’s pleasing can feel like trying to solve a difficult puzzle.

If you’re wondering how to arrange pictures on a wall when they’re a mishmash of different shapes and sizes, certain techniques will help you out. Here are some of our favorite ways to create the perfect picture arrangement on your gallery wall.

Read also: 29 Wall Covering Ideas

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Choose a Wall

What type of wall is the best to arrange pictures on? Any bare wall is a good candidate for an impressive art display. Factor in the size of your artwork and the number of pieces you want to hang up. You may discover that you don’t need a large wall to display your artwork collection.

In the living room, over the sofa is a logical place to locate a gallery wall. Look for blank wall space over other pieces of furniture, and consider wrapping your picture display around a corner for an interesting effect.

Don’t forget the staircase wall when planning where to hang pictures. It’s a great idea to hang family photos in a timeline that you get to relive as you go up and down the stairs each day.

Remember that you don’t have to hang pictures on every bedroom or living room wall. In fact, it’s a good idea to leave some blank wall space in every room. This keeps the space from looking cluttered and gives your eyes a chance to rest.

Choose a Theme

While there are no hard rules for filling a space with picture groupings, adhering to one central theme per wall is often preferable. For example, a symmetrical grouping of botanical art prints adds traditional elegance to a space. For a more casual theme, choose family photos, perhaps mixing professional portraits with favorite casual shots.

As a rule, black and white family pictures look more formal than the color version of each photo. For landscape photo collections or even drawings, black and white conveys a more modern home decor style.

Keep in mind that virtually every visitor to your home will see the wall art in your living room, so keep the images professional and appropriate. While silly or low-brow artwork may accurately reflect your personality, it’s better to leave those images in your bedroom or another more private space.

Coordinate Frames

Depending on your home decor style, all the frames on a gallery wall don’t necessarily have to match. If you have a casual, bohemian style, each picture frame can be different. However, for a more refined look, go with frames that coordinate.

Matching frames makes it clear that all the images were meant to be displayed together. If you choose a simple frame design, it will be easier to find the same white or black frame in different sizes.

Whether you choose wood, metal, black, or white frames, make sure they look good with both the artwork and the rest of the room’s decor.

Practice Composition

Sketch out picture groupings before you commit to hammering nails into the wall. Creating a rough blueprint of your gallery wall is a good way to get an idea of how many pieces you want to include and exactly where each piece should go.

Focus on big pictures first. A larger picture deserves a prominent place in the gallery wall. Surround it with smaller picture frames and related articles that go with your theme. For example, intersperse metallic starburst wall medallions between photos of the night sky.

Making paper templates is an easy way to see how all your hanging pictures will look on the wall. Lay your pictures on a roll of craft paper and trace around each frame with a pencil. Cut them out and label them so you don’t get confused about which piece is which.

Using a loop of painters tape, attach the paper templates to your gallery wall in the same arrangement you sketched out earlier. If you don’t like the way it looks, it’s easy to reposition them until the arrangement suits you.

You can also have someone hold up each piece to the wall while you stand back and see how it looks. Make sure you cover the picture hook with masking tape first, to keep it from scratching the wall.

Seek Symmetry

Arranging pictures in perfect symmetry can be rather boring, but some degree of symmetry is necessary to keep the room from looking unbalanced. Think of each frame as carrying a weight related to its overall size. Especially with traditional or formal decor, you want to balance weights along each side of the wall.

For example, place a large piece in one of the lower corners of your gallery wall space. Put the second-largest picture in the upper corner diagonal from the biggest piece. Then arrange the remaining multiple pictures in the unoccupied corners to balance the overall space.

Another visually pleasing space for hanging pictures is a few inches above a chair rail. It may seem too low initially, but this positioning serves the dual purpose of showing off your artwork while drawing attention to the architectural trim. Use your carpenter’s level to ensure each piece is neatly aligned.

Gather Supplies

In addition to kraft paper, painters tape, and a pencil, you’ll need a measuring tape and a level to professionally hang your wall decor. You’ll need a picture hanger for each frame, screws and a screwdriver, and/or a hammer and nails.

Many interior designers recommend using two picture hangers on each piece—especially large artwork—to keep them from tilting or swinging. Wall plugs and drywall anchors provide extra support, especially in brittle drywall.

A wall anchor is better than an ordinary nail or screw for supporting heavier artwork and decorative wall art pieces. Drywall anchors are a screw that includes a spring-loaded winged nut that spreads open behind the drywall. Its “T-shaped” design keeps the weight of your art piece from pulling the screw out of the wall.

Related read: How to Hang Pictures Without Nails

Measure Carefully

Unless your gallery idea is a freeform, organic layout, you shouldn’t leave measurements to guesswork. Accurate measurements are what makes your display look professionally installed. You must use measurements if you’re creating a grid or even row of frames.

Follow the instructions in the “Formula for Hanging Pictures” section below. Use a tape measure and a carpenter’s level to determine where each nail, screw, or wall anchor should go. Mark each spot lightly with a pencil.

A Formula for Hanging Pictures

Hanging pictures can feel like trying to solve a puzzle—especially if your wall art is in different shapes and sizes. If you bought a hanging art set from Pottery Barn or another retailer, it’s easy enough to just copy the way they had the pieces displayed. But if you’re creating your own photo wall from scratch, this formula can help ensure a balanced composition.

To hang artwork at average eye level, the center of the piece should be between 57 and 60 inches above the floor. Find the center by dividing the height of the frame by two. Then measure the distance from the top of the frame to the hanging hardware and subtract that from the first number.

Add that figure to 57, 58, 59, or 60. This final sum is the height where your nail or wall anchor should go, as measured from the floor.

How to Hang Eclectic Groupings

Although it’s recommended to have a common thread tying your gallery wall picture collection together, it’s not required. In fact, the beauty of your particular grouping might be its whimsical diversity. It’s perfectly acceptable for photos, sketches, paintings, macrame, wall sculptures, and baskets to occupy the same wall space.

It can be a bit more challenging to make an eclectic collection flow together harmoniously. Start by hanging pictures that mean the most to you at eye level—but feel free to move them higher or lower to work around your furniture and architecture. Extend your collection into the rest of the space by hanging a small picture or decoration above a door or window.

Remember that your instinct is the most important factor when it’s time to hang pictures—or do any type of home decorating. You live in the space. If your picture display makes you happy, that’s all that matters.

May 13, 2022
What Color Curtains go With Grey Walls?

Grey might just be the ultimate neutral color. Dark enough for drama, but light enough to convey spaciousness, grey walls are the perfect background for just about any colour curtains.

Grey is a suitable color in everything from a modern condo to a sprawling farmhouse. It might be easier to ask what colors don’t go with grey than to ask, “What color curtains go with grey walls?” Here are a few of our favorite pairings of grey walls and colored curtains.

Read also: Should Curtains Touch the Floor?

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Grey on Grey

There are far more than 50 shades of grey when it comes to paint color choices. Grey is like its own rainbow, with warm brownish grey at one end and cool bluish grey at the other.

Grey also shows up in a wide value spectrum. There are pale shades just a notch above white, and deep charcoals just a few steps below black. So choosing grey curtains is a great option, especially if you’re into chic monochromatic decor.

Choosing a textured or patterned grey fabric is a good way to add sophisticated detail to the room. Look for a floral grey monochromatic window treatment, or a classic pattern like stripes or plaid. Silvery grey sheer curtains are a great choice to hang behind heavier curtain panels.

You can break up the grey a bit by including some white walls in the room. For example, install wainscoting up to chair rail height and paint that part of the room white.

Black

Black curtains are a classic choice when it comes to room decor. Not only is black a sophisticated hue that goes with anything, it is a popular color for blackout curtains and other thermal curtain options. Having black thermal curtains can help you save money on your air conditioning bill in the summertime.

Matching curtains to furniture is a good idea for maintaining a balanced color scheme. Pair black curtains with a black leather sofa and a rug that incorporates all the grey and black hues in the room. If black colored curtains feel too harsh for your decor, go with dark charcoal grey curtains for a similar but less drastic vibe.

White

White curtains always carry a fresh, clean vibe. Hanging white curtains on a grey wall is a classic combination favored by many an interior designer. This particular combination allows the furniture to be the focal point in the room.

With grey walls and white curtains, you have the freedom to choose a couch and accessories in any color you wish. White textured curtains add subtle detail to the room without taking anything away from your other design elements.

Warm grey color paint looks better with a warmer shade of white. Pair it with a soft ivory curtain color instead of a bright white curtain.

Blue

Blue colored curtains are a peaceful, impactful choice in just about any room with grey walls. Blue and grey are a classic color duo, whether you have blue curtain panels on grey walls, or blue walls behind grey curtains.

Navy or light blue curtain panels stand out against grey walls, especially when the room includes other blue accents. Teal curtains also look great against a medium grey wall, as its warm bluish-green looks extra brilliant against a solid neutral.

Light grey walls and pale blue curtains give the room the cooling ambience of a cloudy day. Brushed nickel curtain rods look amazing with this color combo.

Pink

Choose pink curtain fabric to add a soft warmth to a room with grey walls. Grey wall paint looks amazing with all shades of pink, especially blush pink or dusty rose. Hang sheer white curtains behind your pink drapes to soften daylight filtering through the window. This will look especially nice if your room has white furniture.

Light grey wall paint and pale pink decor has long been a favorite in a baby nursery or little girl’s room. However, this color scheme is also soothing in any room and can be quite sophisticated. Pink is one of the colors that will go equally well with warm or cool grey wall paint.

Green

You can probably get away with any green color curtain against your grey wall, but earthy shades of green look particularly good next to grey. Olive green curtain panels merge well with a grey based wall color and adding brown and other warm neutrals completes the look.

Emerald, jade, and other brighter green curtain choices can also work well with grey, provided that the color is included in the room’s accessories, rugs, and wall decor.

Beige

Like grey, beige has its own color spectrum. From pale oatmeal to deep tan, it’s one of the best curtain colors if you want a room that’s neutral but warm. Greige is a new color that combines the best of beige and grey and is a good companion to both.

Warm grey walls and beige curtains are a great background color scheme if you have a lot of brown furniture in the room. Warm grey walls and beige curtains go great with a brown leather sofa and natural wood finishes on tables and bookshelves.

Bright Colored Curtains

Most bright color options look great beside neutral grey walls, so don’t be afraid of this curtain and wall pairing. Purple, orange, hot pink, or red curtains add a cheerful, whimsical vibe to a room. Putting these brilliant hues next to calm grey makes them pop even more.

Yellow is another bright color that looks amazing with grey. While a soft, buttery yellow is a classic color to use with grey, brighter hues can work as well. Mustard yellow curtains or deep golden drapes stand out nicely against charcoal and other darker shades of grey.

Bright floral patterns, colorful plaids, and batik prints are also great in a grey room—especially if they include a bit of grey that goes with the wall color. Just be sure to use the printed fabric’s main color other places in the room, such as on throw pillows, rugs, and wall art.

May 13, 2022