Decorator's Inventory Clearance

Creative Home Expressions will be clearing out some inventory including fabric remnants, trims, window treatments, pictures, and home decor accessories. Watch for our eBay auctions in January. A post with a link to the items will be provided at that time.

Top Ten Decorating Mistakes~Sherwin Williams, Port Jefferson Station

Creative Home Expressions and Sherwin Williams of Port Jefferson Station, New York, present The Top Ten Decorating Mistakes.

This presentation will take place on Thursday, December 11, 2008, from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m., at the Sherwin Williams in the HomeGoods shopping center, Nesconset Highway (Route 347), Port Jefferson Station, New York.

Registration is required. Seating is limited. Admission is free.

Contact Brian Meyer at Sherwin Williams at (631) 331-3330 to register.

Personal Shopping For The Holidays

As part of our shopping services for the holidays, we are offering Personal Shopping for your holiday gifts. Don't have the time? Need some ideas? We charge a flat hourly fee for our "Personal Shopper For The Holidays" Program. Let us also buy your gift wrap and bows, and we will even wrap the gifts for you at no additional charge! All you have to do is sign the gift tag!




Our gift certificates also make great holiday gifts!

Kathy Passarette and Creative Home Expressions are located on Long Island, New York, and offer interior decorating, home staging, interior redesign, shopping services and much more. Please visit our website at www.creativehomeexpressions.com for further information on our services, fees and to contact us.

copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Ava Living Featured Designer ~ November 2008

I am honored and pleased to announce that Ava Living (www.avaliving.com) has listed me as a Featured Designer for the second time this year.

Kathy Passarette and Creative Home Expressions are based on Long Island, and offer interior decorating, interior redesign, home staging and much more. Visit our website at www.creativehomeexpressions.com for more information on our services.

Pillow Talk: The Artful Placement of Pillows Vol. I ~ Beyond the Fringe

The following post was written by a colleague, Kimo Stowell of Honolulu, Hawaii, who has graciously given his permission for me to repost it here.


Pillow Talk: the artful placement of pillows...

Pillows, like people, come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Some are firm and supportive, others just want to be seen and fawned upon; affirming that even the outrageous and impractical have a place in the world of design.

Pillows not only provide comfort, support, and a soft place to rest ones weary head, but these ubiquitous creatures give company to us in our most private spaces; laying about most exotically while expounding punches of color about the room. Sometimes these beasts are beaded and bear sequins, impossible fringe and tassels, that can strike fear in the hearts of men and passion in the minds of women.

When selecting pillows for a room, choose colors from the present interior to give depth and draw the eye through the space. Use a variety of materials, colors, textures, and sizes. I like to use at least five colors in my designs however, if you want a more subdued tranquil environment go with five shades of the same color. Pillows are relatively easy to make and offer and endless array of color combinations.




Baubles, bangles, and black shiny beads...


When placing pillows, place larger ones in the back and graduate the sizes forward and save your detailed and beaded pillows for the front. As a personal guide line, I like to cover no more then 25% of anything with pillows. When arranging pillows on a sofa or bed, asymmetry is preferred by most designers and often times an odd number is used. Personally, I find symmetrical patterning to work fine as long as it's not predictable. I like to use an odd number of high detail pieces that rest upon textural and complementary colored pillows.

Don't be too forward with your fashion...

Remember to stick to the design style of the decor. If it's modern use geometric pattern, solid color, materials that reflect the modern movement. Fringe is not a modern device, however, it all depends on the dynamics of the design. Traditional and transitional styles feature brocade, embroidery, fringe, and an endless variety of tassels and adornments. Natural fibers such as silk, flax, sea grass, and bamboo are known for their texture and are popular in Asian, Pac Rim, and Eco Friendly design.




Remember whose head will be resting...

Some designers say you can never have too many pillows and I say sure, if your decorating a harem. Too much of anything can be problematic not only when it comes to taste level, but practically and aesthetically speaking, as well.

Taking off and putting pillows back on a bed should be easy and simple; having to disassemble a mosaic before bed does not encourage peaceful sleep at night nor consistent bed making in the morning. If you have an occupied stage, nothing annoys sellers more than making them recreate your pillow palladium every morning before work. Keep it simple. Fringe, to many men is a golf term and for the most part they would like to keep it that way so go easy on the tassels, bells, and whistles when staging.




Keep eye an out for Pillow Talk: the artful placement of pillows vol II. pilling practicum

Visit us at www.RealEstateDesignOnLine.com

Photos by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008. Article copyright by Kimo Stowell, 2008.

Kathy Passarette and Creative Home Expressions are based on Long Island, New York, and offer interior decorating, home staging, interior redesign, color consultations and a host of a la carte services. Please visit our website at www.creativehomeexpressions.com for further information.

October Is Window Coverings Safety Month

Make the right choice, Kids – Cords - Caution


Mt. Sinai, NY – October 2008 – According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Counsel (CPSC) since 1990 approximately 200 infants and young children have died from accidentally strangling in window cords. Window Fashions Certified Professional Associate, Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions (a Long Island based interior decorating firm), urges parents to follow the suggestions of the Window Covering Safety Counsel (WCSC) and only use cordless window products in young children’s bedrooms and sleeping areas. Owners and renters should replace all window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today’s safer products.


The WCSC is dedicated to providing consumer information and educational materials on window-cord safety. They also offer consumers free retrofit devices for addressing potential cord hazards on older window treatments, in other rooms throughout the home. You can visit their website at www.windowcoverings.org or toll-free at 1-800-506-4636.




Kathy Passarette and Creative Home Expressions are based on Long Island, New York, and offer interior decorating, interior redesign, home staging, color consultations and a la carte services. For more information and tips, please visit www.creativehomeexpressions.com.

Home Staging In East Moriches, New York

Recently, my assistants and I had the pleasure of staging this beautiful $1.3 million home in East Moriches on Long Island, New York. I have put together this slide show to showcase some of the rooms in this large, family friendly house.

Freshen Up Your Home For Fall

Gas at $4.00 a gallon, food prices rising, pillows costing $7.00 on airlines, is it any wonder that "staycations" and "cocooning" have become buzz words recently. With our current economy, more and more people are choosing to stay at home and making do with what they've got. Decorating your home is more important than ever now. With Fall just around the corner, our thoughts turn back to sprucing up the inside of our homes.

While you may not feel you need a full interior decorating job, many decorators can work with you on an hourly basis for such things as: window treatments; paint color selection; accessory shopping and placement. Interior redesign utilizes furniture and accessories you already own but perhaps placed in a different way so that you see it through fresh eyes.

Some fresh tips to get you started:

• Toss pillows and throws in the dryer on a "fluff" (no heat) setting with a fabric softener sheet.
• Clean your windows, inside and out.
• Have your carpets cleaned.
• Change out your artwork.
• Paint a white room a warmer color using one of this year's new colors, such as a golden yellow or a browned-down orange.
• Purchase a few new throw pillows in Fall's warmer colors to cozy up your seating pieces.

Photo courtesy Pottery Barn

Our homes are truly our sanctuaries from all that is going on in the outside world; why not make it that place you can come into, close the door and go "Ahhh".

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions ~ Kathy Passarette and Creative Home Expressions are located on Long Island, New York and offer interior decorating, home staging, interior redesign and color consultations. Please visit our website at http://www.creativehomeexpressins.com/ for information on our services and fees.

Fall Into Color ~ Trends for 2008

If you’ve started receiving your Fall/Winter clothing catalogs, you are already ahead of the game when it comes to the color trends in interior decorating, says Kathy Passarette, of Creative Home Expressions, a Long Island, New York interior decorating firm. “The colors from the Fall fashion lines transition to the colors we see as trends in home décor. It is not unusual to ask a client what colors they feel good wearing, because you can translate those same colors used in clothing lines into the home.”

Color is an emotional choice and chances are if you are happy wearing certain colors, or think you look good in certain colors, you will surround yourself with those colors in your home.

Some of the color trends we will be seeing in paint, wallpaper, fabric, bedding, accessories and furniture for Fall of 2008, and into 2009 are:

Reds will be split between the strong blue based and yellow based hues.

Orange continues to show up with brown-downed shades, but also include a brighter tangerine and an updated coral.

Yellow will range from bright to antique golds.

Green continues to be widely used, in all hues, taking its influence from nature. Greens create a cool, calming feeling and give you that outdoor connection.

Blues are a constant. While robin's egg blues are declining a bit, there are softer tints of blue along with bold bright blues. The newer versions of navy are considered on the formal side.

Purple as more of a red based raspberry like hue, as opposed to the blue based purples that have been previously popular.

Brown is getting a little bit lighter with sand and tan colors. As with the greens, the nature inspired browns are still being used.

Long term, the trends are forecasting neutrals, the spa-like blues and nature based greens, although they are grayed-down and earthy. So, if you want to be a trendsetter in home décor, just check out the fashion catalogs - the color of that sweater you like so much may wind up being the color on your walls.

For more information and tips, please visit http://www.creativehomeexpressions.com/.

copyright 2008 Kathy Passarette, Creative Home Expressions

Top Ten Decorating Mistakes Adult Ed Class

Join Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions on Thursday, October 16, 2008, from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Mount Sinai High School for the Adult Education Program "Top Ten Decorating Mistakes and How To Fix Them".

The fee is $25.00, free for senior citizens.

Featured Designer on AvaLiving.com

I will be the Featured Designer for the Week of July 20th on AvaLiving.com. You can visit the website at www.avaliving.com. My recently completed living room for a condominium model will be featured.

Bringing The Indoors Out ~ Part 2

Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs

It is important to include layers of height to your outdoor room. Except for the patio umbrella, everything tends to be the same height, giving a "flat" feel to the décor. Don't be afraid to use unconventional items to achieve this. I have an inexpensive metal baker's rack that I use outside. It helps lift plants up to eye level, as well as candles and any outdoor accessories that I want to highlight.

Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs

If you plan on using your outdoor room quite frequently at night, use white plants and flowers,and touches of white in your accessories. This helps to brighten up the area and garden.

Pick up real dishes (not plastic) at the dollar store or an outlet store. The same goes for glasses. Make your table outside as pretty as your table inside.

Pots of plants will bring instant color to your outdoor room. Plus, you can move them around at will depending on your mood or outdoor activity. Be sure to pick up colorful plants that work for the spot they will be in. Don't ignore colorful foliage, like coleus, which comes in many colors and can do better than some annuals. The pot you put them in should suit your outdoor décor as well. Try to be consistent as to style or color.

Coleus photo courtesy of Old House Attic

With some simple sewing skills, you can make your own pillows or "slipcovers" for your outdoor furniture using outdoor fabrics.

Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs

For slipcovers, put the fabric together like a pillowcase, with one end open to slip over an everyday outdoor folding chair. You've dressed up an inexpensive folding chair and coordinated it with the rest of your outside décor.

Just like when you are decorating inside your home, save your accessorizing until last. Look and see where there is an empty spot and fill with either pots of plants or accessories. You don't have to fill every blank spot; just like inside your home, your eye needs a place to rest.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Bringing The Indoors Out

photos courtesy of Restoration Hardware

No matter the size of your yard, deck or patio you can extend your indoor living outdoors. Even if you live in the Northeast, you can make good use of the six months of good weather we get to make the most of your outdoor living spaces. Paying more attention to your outdoor rooms is even more important as people downsize and are looking to make better use of the space they do have.

You can screen out areas of your yard with a wall of evergreens, which is great for the working areas of your yard as it allows separation from your entertaining areas. If you have a compost pile or an area where you let your dog do its business, screening this keeps any mess or smell from areas where you sit and entertain.

While most people set out the standard table, chairs and umbrella, you can take your outdoor décor up a notch just by adding some simple accessories. With the wide array of outdoor materials now available you can dress up your outdoors to reflect your indoors. Color is just as important outside as it is inside. You can get quite a bit of help from the plants in your yard whether they be evergreens to set up your "walls" or splashes of color in pots.

Structures such as gazebos, trellises and pergolas add some architectural interest to your outdoor room, much the same as moldings do inside. Adding an outdoor fabric to these structures softens the wood or metal and adds some color.

Lighting - garden lights, candles or a mix of the two can give your yard a warm glow and extend your daytime enjoyment into the night. With the variety of lighting options from easy to install light kits to solar lighting, you can create ambiance in your own back yard. Candles can be used from floating tea lights to pillar, there are numerous ways to incorporate them into your décor. There are many decorative candle holders that fit in with themed décor or blend in with your landscape.

Outdoor fireplaces - not only extend the hours you can spend outside, but can also extend your season outdoors. There are many different styles to choose from; you can even build your own fire pit.

Fabric - outdoor fabrics have come a long way over the years offering a lot more than the usual awning stripe. You can use these fabrics for pillows, to cover cushions, make tablecloths or even be used as outdoor curtains.

Furniture - your outdoor rooms are a great place to use found furniture pieces. They can easily be freshened up with some spray paint. Metal baker's racks made great vertical storage and also help break up all the horizontal surfaces. Don't be afraid to bring pieces from the inside out for the day - just bring them back in at night.

Pillows - pillows add softness to your chairs and benches. How inviting a cushioned chair looks for reading a book or just sitting quietly.

Outdoor area rugs - Define the seating areas, just like they do inside your home.

Many things that you use indoors can be recreated outdoors. You can use mirrors, lighting, pillows, candles, statuary and plants. If it's not welcoming or comfortable you won't use it, just like the living room with a "hands off" feel.

Finding a table that suits your needs is a good place to start. A round table helps to break up the straight lines of many backyards. In addition to any chairs you get with the set, it is always a good idea to have extra seating. This can be in the form of larger chairs, a bench or lounge chairs, all with cushions. Small side tables suitable for outdoor use make it easy for placing a book or drink on.

Part 2 Coming Soon

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Affordable Decorating Tips

One of the easiest things to do, without spending any money, is to look around your rooms and clean up any clutter. This includes too many knick-knacks on display, too many family pictures, too much of anything. Remember, less is more. Your accessories will make a bigger impact when they can be fully appreciated. If too many things overwhelm your eye those special items will not stand out. If necessary, pack up some items for six months and then rotate them back out.

Move things around. Furniture, accessories, and pictures. Move things to another room to see it in another light.

Make a duvet cover out of two flat sheets. Sew, or use iron-on hem tape on, three sides with right sides together, turn right side out and use buttons or Velcro to close the top.

One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure. I got a cute two-shelved teacart someone grew tired of and put out with their garbage. I knocked on the door and asked for permission to take it. Now painted and stenciled, it sits in my dining room holding some of my many collections.

Utilize online auction sites, such as ebay. I got four old 11x14 floral bookplate prints for around $18.00, and four new 11x14 frames, with glass, for around $25.00. I now have a nice series of pictures that would retail for upwards of $100.00 and only cost me $43.00, plus shipping.

Think outside the box. A lazy-susan for your craft paints, a mug or tumbler to hold pens; just because it’s sold as one thing doesn’t mean you can’t use it as another.

Buy a tall, thin, clear glass bottle carried by many stores (including dollar stores) for just a few dollars. Put your dishwashing soap in it. It’s something you use all the time, it will be handy, and the color of the soap will give you some color by your sink. Top it off with a decorative cork topper.

Buy ready-made drapes, curtains or valances and add your own trim with iron-on hem tape, hot glue or sewing. Get a custom look for a ready-made price. You can do this with your decorative throw pillows, too.

My next project is a corkboard with a decorative frame. The one I like costs $179.00 retail. Find a corkboard the size you like, a little larger even for fitting to the frame and possible cutting. Next, find a decorative frame you like whether it’s from an old picture you already own and don’t care for anymore; flea market; garage sale; or thrift shop. Fit the corkboard to the frame (cutting to fit if necessary) and attach with staples, small wood braces across the corners, or picture divets. Along these same lines, you can do a chalkboard by getting a thin piece of wood, such as luaun, cut to fit your frame, paint with a few coats of blackboard paint, and attach it to the frame. You have a corkboard or chalkboard that retails for a minimum of $120.00, that will cost you, maybe, $25.00 and a Saturday afternoon.

Change out your lampshades instead of replacing the whole lamp. Sometimes that little change is all you need. Just remember to take off the plastic.

Use a stack of hardcover books to elevate your tablescapes or a too small lamp. Your side tables should have items of varying heights on them. Since you most likely have books in your home, take the paper covers off and utilize them in your décor. They will also become a part of the tablescape.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Spring Decorating Tips

Spring is coming, Spring is coming! Thursday, March 20, 2008, to be exact! (Daylight Savings Time starts March 9th, which will certainly help too!)

Is your home still in Winter mode? Use these tips from interior decorator, Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions to freshen up your home for spring.

To freshen up your living areas for spring, and while doing a good spring-cleaning, move some of your collectibles around to give you a fresh perspective and appreciation of your belongings.

Keeping your décor simple adds to the relaxed feeling of the season and readies you for the summer months.

Use colors a couple of shades lighter than the existing colors in your rooms. This way you are not disrupting your color scheme, just giving it a lighter, more airy look.

Remove thick, and dark colored, area rugs. If you must have an area rug, use a natural fiber rug in its place; sisal, sea grass and jute are just a few of the many options available.

Take down heavy drapes, and replace with sheers or unlined curtains. They come in all colors and textures, so there is always something to match your décor.

Clean out your fireplace, but don't leave it bare. Fill it with a display of varying heights of candles, a floral arrangement, or white birch logs stacked neatly. Or you can display a decorative fire screen, one you've made or purchased to fill the space.

Lighten up your mantle by leaving it decorated simply; a vase or pot of spring flowers or flowering stems (like forsythia) will add some color and fragrance to the room. A simple painting or mirror with a couple of votive candles is all you need.

Trade out dark colored throw pillows for light colored florals or stripes. If you want to sew your own pillows, today's outdoor fabrics are being used indoors now for ease of cleaning and durability.

Slipcovers in denim or cotton duck fabrics look clean and crisp; they also wash up easily.

Finally, a fresh coat of paint, whether on your walls or to update some tired furniture is the least expensive thing you can do for the most impact.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Join Kathy Passarette of Creative Home Expressions as she talks about bringing the indoors out in this class on combining the pleasures of nature with comfortable living areas, by transforming your outdoor spaces into living spaces. You can access the brochure, with registration form, here.

Where: Mount Sinai High School - Room HS107
When: Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Fee: $25.00

Feel free to bring pictures of your own outdoor spaces for tips and advice!

Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn

Romantic Decor Extends To The Bathroom

Small or large, master or family, new or old, bathrooms are a part of our homes, and their décor should reflect the care we have put into the rest of the house. Your bathroom can be as romantic as the rest of your home. Take some facets of decorating from your other rooms and transfer them to the bathroom.

A great place to get ideas is from model homes. While these newer bathrooms are generally larger than the norm, you can condense the decorating to fit your own bathroom.

Fabrics are a wonderful way to add some warmth and texture to a bathroom. With all the sleek surfacing of the tile, countertop and fixtures, fabric brings a little softness in to the mix. A soft valance over shades or blinds and a fabric shower curtain, in conjunction with a shower liner, brings beauty to a necessary element. Even if you have shower doors, they can be camouflaged with fabric.

Soft, fluffy towels on your towel bar in a color that coordinates with your bathroom bring fabric over to another area. Bathroom rugs will not only take the chill off your feet but also help break up large expanses of tile.

If you have a tub separate from your shower, place some candles around the perimeter, indulge in some bath salts, a headrest, tub tray and lotions. A bath can be quite relaxing after a stressful day and what better way to do that than when you pamper yourself.

Bring in small frames with your favorite photos for the counter or shelves. A well put together plant or small floral arrangement will bring in some color and help break up long countertops.

A small crystal-type chandelier is the ultimate in romance. While you need good task lighting, a chandelier will give you soft lighting and add to the atmosphere.

If you have a linen closet inside the bathroom, you can dress up the door with a romantic motif by gluing decorative wood elements to the door. This is an inexpensive touch that adds a lot of impact.

So take the time and care that was given to the other rooms in your home, and decorate your bathroom, making it into an area you can retreat to at the end of the day, and a pleasure to wake up to in the morning.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Add Some Romance To Your Valentine's Day Decorating

These tips are simple and easy, requiring almost no time, and items you may already have around your house. Don't worry about red and pink not matching the rest of your home's décor. This holiday is more fleeting than Christmas, so it won't affect your overall decorating scheme.

•· Instead of dining where you always do, choose a new spot. Move a small table in front of the fireplace or into the center of your living room. If the weather permits where you live, go out onto a porch, patio or deck. A beautiful view, whether mountains, city lights, or the stars will add an ambiance that no amount of decorating can top.

•· Create a romantic atmosphere with music wafting through the room. Dim the lights or turn them off, use the glow of candles to not only enhance the romance factor, but to add that attractive glow to your own face.

•· When setting your Valentine table, use your good linens, dishes, silverware and glasses. A small vase of flowers and candles on top of a mirror placed in the center of your table will reflect the candlelight as well as the flowers.

•· No fireplace, no problem. Get the "Ambient Fire: Ultimate Video Fireplace" for 10.99 at Amazon.com, with 9 different fireplace scenes to fit your mood.

•· Scatter rose petals or heart-shaped confetti over the table's surface to add to the décor and romance of your meal.

•· Drape clear, white, or pink bead garlands in your chandelier. The clear beads will reflect the light adding that starlight quality to your surroundings.

•· Visit Omahasteak.com, or visit your local stores, for prepared meals that only need heating up in the oven. Or arrange for a take-out meal for two from your favorite restaurant. Not having to spend hours on preparation will allow you to have a more relaxed evening.

With everyone strapped for time these days, you can offer your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend or significant other a romantic, enjoyable, and relaxing evening. What other way to show someone you love them then to take the time to make an otherwise standard dinner a romantic affair!

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Getting Organized

I recently came across this website called See Jane Work, which has some great items for organizing your home or office (or both!). From agendas and calendars to desktop items to storage and organization, this site has it all and with decorative style.

Beware: You could spend hours looking through all their items! If you start now, you can be on your way to a fashionably organized and clutter-free home or office by the end of the month.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

New Year, New Room

Interior redesign is taking items you already own and reusing them. The best part is that it doesn’t cost you anything if you do it yourself. If you have a room that you feel could use a facelift, but you still like your “things” give an interior redesign a try.

Start by emptying the room of all but the heaviest pieces. This includes most furniture, accessories, plants, pictures, lamps, wall décor and any other items you may have in this room. If the heavier pieces are staying in place, you don’t have to move them around at all.

Put everything into another room and group them together (i.e. pillows, candles, pictures). Clear your mind of how the room used to be and look at the room with fresh eyes. Do you have a focal point in this room, a fireplace or large picture window? Start to bring in your seating pieces and place them so that they are taking in the focal point. Once you have these pieces set in a pleasing arrangement, start to bring your other furniture pieces in – tables, occasional chairs, plant stands. If you could use another side table “shop” through other rooms in your home and see if there is something you can use.

Once the furniture is done look over your current accessories from this room. If you want to change something out, “shop” from your other rooms, the basement and even the attic. You may have something that you had forgotten about that might refresh this room.

Starting with pictures or wall décor, re-hang these items to take into account your new furniture arrangement. Try not to fill every wall with something as the eye needs some place to rest and when it can’t rooms tend to look cluttered.

Now it’s time for the rest of your accessories. Place the lamps you will be using (you may decide to trade out your bedroom end table lamps for your living room lamps) so that each seating area has some lighting. Bring in any throw pillows and place them on your furniture, and so on.

You don’t have to bring everything you took out back into the room. You can pack it up for the time being and bring it out again in six months. Or you may find that you like it better in another room. You will find that you have a new appreciation for these pieces.

copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions

Create A Relaxing Bedroom

Bedrooms wind up becoming a catch-all for everything at the end of the day. Clutter is a big part of the problem. It is really a matter of putting things in their proper place at the end of the night to avoid that. Sometimes it is necessary to employ closet organizers, or if you have the room under your bed, underbed storage containers.

It is also like the other rooms in your home - you don't have to put everything you own out in sight. Pictures and chachtkes should be kept to a minimum. This is a room that should invite relaxation so that you can relax, destress and be able to fall asleep.



To aide in the decluttering, a twice a year sweep through your closets should be done to clear out clothing that doesn't fit, that you haven't worn in two seasons or that is from the 1980's. Throw it out or donate it.

Surfaces (bedside tables, dressers) should be clear of only what you need; a lamp, one or two pictures, some tissues, a book. If your bedside tables have drawers, all the better. Keep your non-necessary items put away.

The bed is the focal point in the majority of bedrooms. It can also look disheveled if you are due for some new bedding. Worn out and faded bed linens can take even the most beautifully decorated bedroom down a notch. Invest in a nice comforter set to reflect the mood you want to set in the room. Make sure you have nice plump pillows, not only for sleeping, but to make your bed look inviting to you.

Finally, paint can make a huge difference in the way you perceive your bedroom. More soothing, relaxing colors such as green and blue can be made to feel warm and cozy with some touches of brown.

Copyright 2008 Creative Home Expressions