Ten Tips For Decorating a Small Studio Apartment

Studio apartments can be difficult to decorate because everything is basically all in one big (or not so big) room. Sometimes this small space has to accommodate several different activities: sleeping, entertaining, cooking and an office area.

Here are ten tips for decorating a small studio apartment:

1. Provide enough storage. Try to find furnishings for your apartment that will do "double duty." You can even find chairs and ottomans that have storage areas inside of them. Just lift up the top and there you will find space for blankets, pillows or other items.

2. Use containers to hide clutter. Buy wicker baskets or old steamer trunks to store out-of-season clothing, linens and towels. They will look great and contain all of those small items that make a room look cluttered.

3. Use mirrors to reflect the light. A large mirror or several small mirrors placed strategically can make a small space feel lighter and larger. If you like a more modern style of decorating, furniture and tables with metal or glass can visually expand the space.

4. Don't block the light. Covering every window with blinds and draperies can make a small room feel dark and crowded. Leave windows bare or only cover with sheer draperies to let the light shine through. Light always makes a space seem larger.

5. Place furniture in "rooms." Try to create specific areas for specific activities. Put a bed and dresser in one area for the bedroom and a sofa and coffee table in another area. Having your apartment furnishings put any-old-way can make it cluttered and uninviting. You might have to leave out the bed and use a sleeper sofa if your apartment is super-small.

6. Create a focus. If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, accentuate it. Even if you don't have a natural focal point, create one. Painting just one wall a different color will draw the attention into the room an make it seem bigger. Put a large credenza or entertainment center on that wall and decorate it with beautiful accessories.

7. Use dividers for larger apartments. You can find beautiful dividers in both thrift shops and high end furniture stores. Use them to enclose various areas of your space. I saw an episode on HGTV where they used four beautiful wooden dividers to make a separate bedroom. It not only provided a private sleeping area, but also created another "wall" on which to place furniture.

8. Keep clutter at bay. When you have a small area, clutter is not an option. Too many knick-knacks and too much furniture crowds everything together too much. Keep your necessary items, such as extra bed linens put away in a dresser or wicker baskets. Kitchen counters should be kept clean with everything in the cupboards...if possible.

9. Another trick for a small space is to buy furniture with legs and that are higher off of the floor. Your eye will look "under" these pieces of furniture and add visual space. Furniture that is blocky and low to the ground makes a room appear more crowded.

10. Paint with lighter colors. You don't have to use white, but using paint colors that are lighter in color expands a space more than dark colors.

Decorating a studio apartment can be a challenging task, but using the above tips can help you get started in the right direction.

Souce : articlesbase.com

Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

You have seen lighted Christmas trees with varieties of Christmas tree ornaments such as toys, candies, baubles and nosegays hanging from its branches. Garlands, ribbons and light strands give it a magical touch. Christmas tree decorating ideas include how to keep your tree fresh till Christmas day and making it look special and unique at the same time.

Here are some tips that you can use:

Keep refilling lukewarm water in the tree stand frequently to keep the real tree fresh for longer period of time. At first, you may have to refill the stand quite frequently and the need tapers down slowly. You will know when to refill from the water level in the stand.

Spray the needles with the wilt resistant spray to keep them fresh for several weeks.

The decorations of the tree include lights, garlands and ribbons, and finally ornaments, holiday nosegays, candies, fruits and other decorations.

Arrange the lights from innermost branches to outside and from top to bottom for safety purposes.

Place garlands and ribbons to provide a finishing touch to your tree.

Mix special and more expensive ornaments with cheaper ones to make a greater impact. These special ornaments can include, bird nests, painted fruits, music notes, toy alphabets, costume jewelry pieces and other such things that can be used with candies, cookies, baubles, berries, glittery boughs and pinecones.

Filler and special ornaments can be placed on tips of boughs. Put some inside the branches too, to add depth to Christmas tree decorations.

Tips on Decorating Your Christmas Tree

You've chosen your perfect Christmas tree, but now what?

Our tips on the next pages will give you ideas for setting up your tree, lighting it, keeping it fresh, and decorating it to be beautiful.

Keep Your Tree Fresh and Green
Cut the stump of the tree with a fresh cut and set it in water immediately. A fresh-cut tree will absorb several quarts of water right from the start. So it's important to check and refill the water level several times a day for the first week. You can cut down on frequency later. Be sure to place you Christmas tree in a stand that has a large water reservoir and keep it filled.

Christmas Tree Preservative
You can prolong the life of your Christmas tree by mixing up a concoction of 1 quart water, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon liquid bleach. You can also read information on caring for Christmas trees.

Putting Lights and Decorations on the Tree
When decorating your Christmas tree, put lights on first, then garlands, then the ornaments.

Work From the Inside Out
Start arranging Christmas tree lights on the branches near the base of the tree. Weave strings of lights along the branches "inside," then move to the outer edges of the branches.

Placement of Ornaments
Don't hang all your ornament on the tips of the branches. Place ornaments and other decorations 'inside' your tree to add depth and interest.

Basic Ornaments for Fill
Start by arranging the "filler ornaments" evenly spaced around the tree. This would include basic solid color balls that are easily found at discount stores in a wide range of colors to coordinate and enhance your decorating scheme. You'll need about 20 "filler ornaments" for every 2 feet of Christmas tree.

Special Themed, Collectible Ornaments
Mix one-of-a-kind special ornaments between the basic ornaments. Plan to use at least 10 special themed ornaments for every 2 feet of tree. As your collection grows, put the special ornaments closer together.