What’s your initial reaction to this room? Do you think the space looks stark, or did you conclude that the furniture is too small and dingy for the room? The truth is that neither the space nor the furniture is a problem in itself – it’s the combination that just doesn’t work.

Put this furniture grouping in a small den with soft pink walls and eight-foot ceilings and it would fit right in. However, this space requires a much different look.

There is not enough of a connection to make the furniture and space talk to each other. The sloppy-styled loveseat has a white wicker frame that looks dirty up against pure white walls. The grey cushions carry this problem through, and the hot pink accents just make the loveseat look dreary in comparison. Let’s imagine that wicker in a rich black tone along with cushions in a contemporary print. Add a sofa and relegate the loveseat to second banana, and you’re starting to have a room that works.

Those two tables are intriguing, but a bit low to work as a coffee table replacement in the room. Their interesting designs are also muddled by sitting right next to each other. Break them up and turn them into side tables, and they would work much better. Give that pot on the floor a bit of space to show off also, instead of being squeezed into a corner when there’s so much extra room.

Finally, some art that reaches up toward the ceiling would provide a connecting factor. Let some of it top out at the height of the glass door, to bring that architectural element’s proportion out into the room.

By stepping back and looking not just at a furniture grouping, but how it works in its assigned space, you can ensure that your home has no unsuccessful combinations like this one.

Are you one of those people who plan ahead? If so, you are probably starting to prepare your calendar for 2011. By writing in birthdays for family and friends, anniversaries and any special holidays, you can be prepared for every event.

As you plan for next year, you may want to consider including your home on your calendar. How about scheduling any special requirements such as sealing stone floors or granite countertops? Do you have your carpets cleaned quarterly? Why not choose dates that will work well for your schedule and pre-plan? For example, you may want to schedule one of those carpet cleaning appointments after your son’s 6^th birthday party.

When you make those home maintenance appointments, add in your contact names and phone numbers so that it’s even easier to call and schedule events as they appear in your calendar.

Once you have everything planned, you can relax with the realization that you are ready for the New Year, and don’t have to worry about remembering your home responsibilities. Let your calendar take care of that for you and enjoy 2011!

Take a break from winter in this cozy warm room. Dark colors, plush seating and an inviting fireplace combine to create a room meant to keep the cold out of your bones and your mood. This room makes you want to grab a good book, light the fire, and snuggle up in your favorite chair for the afternoon or evening.

Although wood floors would generally be chosen for a room with this type of traditional design, carpeting is definitely warmer on the feet in freezing weather. Add in radiant floor heating under this light brown plush carpet, and the room’s warmth comes from more than color and design. Radiant heat is one of the most energy efficient heating choices, and the toasty toes experience makes the installation cost well worthwhile.

Soft dark florals complement the mid-range warm-toned blue walls. A square from the quilted wall hanging is echoed on the quilted pillow to the front left. Colors and fabrics connect throughout, allowing the space to feel integrated and comfortable.

This room is more than a simple box, and the full crown molding shows off its unusual architecture. The bow window brings in as much winter light as possible, but don’t depend upon just the ceiling fixture to brighten the room with the short days and long dark evenings of the season. A few lamps add both light and warmth.

To warm up your rooms this time of year, add extra throws or pillows in rich dark colors, or even a rug to contribute to toasty toes at your own home.

Most people are familiar with folk art, but a room done in folk art design is less common. This room takes full advantage of the folk art style.

The foundation of folk art design is the floor. Carpet or tile is too contemporary to work well. Instead, a classic wood floor echoes the frontier days that are reflected in the folk art look. The repairs to this floor mark it as original, but the feel can be reproduced with a heart pine wide plank floor in a honey-toned stain. This – more than anything else – sets the folk art mood.

Color is another important factor. The primary hues in this room come from the soft green paint separating the living and dining areas and the dull red from the old rugs. The colors are echoed in furniture and fabric.

Folk art is simple with a minimum of accessories. This allows every element to shine. Don’t limit your view to the U.S. when thinking folk – every country has characteristic crafts and skills that can be accented in a room like this one. For example, the rugs are clearly from the Middle East, and still work well with the space.

To add folk art elements to your home, discover authentic furniture and accessories by exploring antique shows and stores as well as art and craft shows. Take the time when you travel to explore and buy real indigenous art and crafts rather than tourist souvenirs. Above all, find what you love, and then give it room to breathe in your home, just like these people did in this room.

Do you think about the environmental impact of your purchasing decisions? Many people today have modified their approach to buying a product by exploring the company’s approach to sustainability.

As consumers pay more attention, suppliers do too. One good example of this is a research project started recently by PE International, a consulting firm specializing in environmental consulting. They are investigating the environmental impact of American hardwoods, from the initial extraction to the final delivery at wood import firms. This analysis will eventually help you make more informed decisions when you purchase wood floors and furniture.

Choosing a hardwood floor involves many choices: style, budget, wood tone, type of wood, manufacturer and installer. Today, many consumers also want to know about a product’s carbon footprint. As a result, many suppliers and distributors are working hard to get that information for you. When you make important purchasing decisions, it’s worth your time to ask about any environmental information available.

Ever had a bad hair day? If you allow yourself to be creative, there are small fixes that can make it look normal again. Decorating can be fixed in the same creative ways. If you find yourself in a bind, there are a few simple, quick fix-its that can help.

Paint your decorating woes away. That’s right! Paint is the cheapest and easiest solution to most decorating woes. Give your room a new look with a fresh coat of paint. Paint can be used to alter the feel and décor of practically any room. Make a small room feel larger, by painting it a light color. To make a large room more intimate, paint it a darker color.

Are your upholstered pieces looking worn and ragged? Spruce up your upholstered pieces with form fitting slipcovers. Good slipcovers cost a couple hundred dollars because they fit furniture well. The sloppy look can be endearing; however slipcovers that are baggy and slide look too sloppy. If you decide to take the slipcover route, do it right and look for the right fitted cover for your piece.

If you want to update your upholstery without recovering it in some way, consider brand new pillows and throws. New pillows can breath new life into upholstery. Accent pillows can become smashed and flat. New pillows can really give your sofa a face-lift!

If you have flooring or other permanent design elements in your home that you feel clash with traditional holiday colors, you can still create an inviting holiday look.

In this photo, the very modern pink and purple tones on the table work beautifully with the standard red and green. One reason for that is that every color is bright, which helps the colors to connect on one level. The white lights on the tree and neutral furniture let the colors stand out. Today’s holiday decorations come in all colors, giving you flexibility in your decorating approach.

Any color can be incorporated into a holiday look. For example, blue works well with silver and white decorations. Consider gold and white if you have orange tones in your home. Be sure to incorporate some holiday elements in the same colors as your home’s décor, to connect the holiday items to the rest of your room’s design.

You may want to put some accessories in storage for the length of the holidays to give you more choices in styling your holiday space. Above all, don’t be afraid of adding color – it will just make your home more festive and exciting.

Would you like your home to feel designed as well as decorated during the holidays? Making the shift is easier if you make a few decisions that help the process.

When you decorate for the holidays, don’t simply place your decorations on top of what’s already there. Instead, remove some or all of your everyday accessories. Even if you don’t have enough holiday items to fill all the tables, decorations tend to be shiny and visually strong, so a few bare spaces will look inviting in contrast.

If you are adding a tree to your space, subtract some other piece of furniture to compensate. Don’t let the tree crowd the room. You may also need to rearrange the furniture that’s left to make an effective layout for the holidays.

Is your space small or open? If so, you may want to consider carrying a theme throughout your home to create a sense of coherence. For example in the photo, rustic elements combine with more sophisticated ornaments and candles to develop a clearly defined holiday tableau. The color choices – white and gold – along with wooden wreaths and ivy – provides flexibility that can carry over to other areas. Picture a tree highlighted with white birds and gold ribbon linking the room together.

You know how inviting a store window can look over the holidays. Well, think of your home as one holiday space, and use your design sense to create a special mood for friends and family.

After a professional carpet cleaning, a successful end result depends on you managing the drying process. Particularly in the winter, it can be challenging to get your carpet dry quickly, but delays can lead to problems with mold. A few simple steps will keep your drying process straightforward.

Turn your heating system fan from auto to on. Your goal is to ventilate the house and get the humidity out. You may also want to turn on any bathroom or kitchen fans that vent to the outside. Turning the heat up a few degrees will also speed the drying process. If it’s warm enough, open some windows – not energy efficient, but your goal is to get the carpet dry.

Turn on all ceiling fans, and position any portable fans you have on areas not reached by your ceiling blowers. If you rented a professional fan, start it on a broad area, and move it around over the rest of the day. Press your hand hard on the carpeting to see if an area is dry.

If you have pets that like the furniture, cover any upholstery with towels to avoid wet paw prints on your sofa.

Any transition from carpeting to a hard surface can be slippery, because the water migrates to those areas. Wet shoes can also make you slip when you move to tile or other hard surfaces from the damp carpet. Make sure to dry those areas off and place a towel or rug at thresholds to keep you and family members safe.

Your carpet should be pretty dry by the evening, or the next day at the latest. Then you are free to enjoy your new-looking flooring!