 With the Beijing Olympics just around the corner bring a little Asian Zen to your living room. (Courtesy of Cheryll Gillespie) |
I added this article as it's an interesting slant. I know it's not a decor question but would the current issues in Tibet keep you from doing a decor like this?
Article by Cheryll Gillespie
Spring is just around the corner and that means I begin my annual running regimen, like so many of you we all start to get the exercise bug this time of year.
Many folks love to start their day off with a morning jog. I do too but I am a naturally curious person and if I jog or walk at night I can peek into the rooms of the fabulous homes in my neighbourhood.
The one noticeable thing I see when I jog is that some of our rooms could use a little updating and all it would take is an easy and fun weekend project – besides, it will give me something new to look at when I run by! But seriously if your room could use a bit of an update here are a few easy to do’s:
Add some colour. Paint a wall or two; add a set of colouful toss cushions or a new throw in one of spring’s fabulous new shades such as lilac, laser green or lemon mist.
With the Beijing Olympics just around the corner bring a little Asian Zen to a table top. Clear the clutter and leave in its place a wonderful platter or ceramic dish. You can leave the dish empty, planted with grass or fill it with scented candles or potpourri.
Speaking of Zen, less is more and now that we have removed all the clutter we may need to put it somewhere. Store a set of rattan baskets filled with your ‘stuff’ under the coffee table or above the bookshelves. The rattan adds a great spring-ish texture to the room in addition to hiding ‘stuff’. Rattan boxes also work well to store kids’ toys and magazines.
Move your old drapes to the side as side panel or take them down altogether and replace them with a new set of wood or rattan blinds.
Change your lamp shades. Replace outdated lamp shades with new parchment paper or silk shades in a rectangular or square shape.
I love art but sometimes the framing simply needs to go. To give a room a more modern feel consider removing the frame and then re-hanging the painting without a frame or take your old framed art into the art store and have the frames updated.
Add a new plant or fresh flowers to a room for an instant makeover.
Change a light fixture. Light fixtures really date a room, head down to your favourite lighting or do-it-yourself center and invest in a new fixture for a room. Today the cost of a fixture is very reasonable and you’ll have lots of great looks to choose from.
Updating a room is an ongoing project, one that you should invest in at the onset of a new season. Keep updating and keep the drapes open so that you can enjoy the new. | 
