Home decor advice that will take your room from drab to fab
I can’t believe 2018 is almost over! As the year comes to a close, I thought I would do a round up of my favorite hardwood, painting and home decor articles so you can check them all out in one convenient spot.
And, now that we are chiming in a new year, perhaps it’s a chance to give your home (or just a room) a makeover. New year, new home decor.
You won’t believe how much a room makeover can bring your spirits up and give you a new outlook on life. It’s kind of like getting a new hair cut! It does wonders for your mood.
I’ve divided these articles into the following sections:
My favorite home decor articles- Painting
- Hardwood flooring
- Carpet, area rugs and runners
- Kitchen and bathroom decor
- Farmhouse Style Decorating
- Flooring
- General Home Decor
- Organization
- Stains, Polyurethanes and Sanding
- Cleaning and Maintenance
- Holiday Decor
My favorite home decor articles
1. My favorite home decor articles
These are my best decorating articles. They cover hardwood floors, painting as well as a new and stylish alternative to hardwood floors. This is where you can read the best of the best.
- Hardwood flooring trends for 2019 and beyond
- 9 Warm grays and greige paint shades
- Best paint colors for selling your home
- Hardwood flooring stain trends
- What is luxury vinyl plan flooring
- Dark floors vs light floors – pros and cons
- 15 Stylish neutral paint colors that look great in virtually every room
10 Clever Home Hacks Video
Oh, and before I go any further, I recently stumbled across this awesome video from a designer named Rebecca Robeson. She’s amazing and apparently the most viewed interior designer on YouTube. And, if you watch this, you’ll understand why. Check out her clever home hacks. These decorating ideas can be done on a budget. Check it out.
2. Paint colors
I’m amazed at how much of a difference changing your paint colors can make. It’s an instant makeover that will almost make you feel like you moved to a new home…but without all the hassle or moving.
- Most popular shades of gray paint
- Best paint shades for dark hardwood floors
- 11 awesome cool gray paint shades from Sherwin Williams
- 7 Stylish paint colors for north facing rooms
- How to paint cabinets…the right way
- Best paint colors for kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities
- Best white paint shades for trim and base molding
- Is it better to do the flooring first or painting first?
- How to paint wood paneling and shiplap
- The 5 best paint colors for bedrooms
Oh, and if you’re planning to paint yourself, here are some great tips and tools for do-it-yourselfers.
Sherwin Williams and Pottery Barn Painting tips for DIY homeowners
3. Hardwood flooring
Hardwood floors are of course my specialty. In this section, I share several helpful hardwood articles. If you’re looking for more info related to sanding and refinishing, stain colors or poly, check out the section I have below.
- Hardwood flooring vs tile planks that look like hardwood – pros and cons
- Do hardwood floors increase a home’s value?
- Can you change the color of your hardwood floors?
- Staining hardwood floors gray
- How long does it take to refinish hardwood floors?
- Solid vs engineered hardwood flooring – which is better?
- Best types of hardwood floors for dogs
- How to prevent scratches in your hardwood floors?
- Hardwood flooring grades: Select grade vs No 1 common. What’s the difference?
- 7 Advantages of white oak flooring?
- Do dark hardwood floors make your room look smaller?
- 5 Best places to buy hardwood floors online
- Can you refinish pine floors?
- 13 Gray hardwood floors you can buy online
- 11 Amazing whitewashed hardwood floors
- Should I refinish my hardwood floors or replace them?
- Most popular hardwood species
- Can you refinish pre-finished hardwood floors?
4. Carpet, area rugs and runners
What goes well with hardwood floors? Well area rugs, of course. They are a wonderful decor element. And, they are soft (perfect for pets and bare feet), reduce noise, add some warmth and also prolong the life of your hardwood floors. If you have steps, carpet runners are perfect for safety and add design flair.
- The 10 best places to buy area rugs online
- Carpet, runner and area rug trends
- Best area rug pad for hardwood floors
- The top 8 advantages of carpet tiles
- What types of carpets are good for cats?
5. Kitchen and bathroom decor
Check out these articles for kitchen floors, cabinets and backsplashes. There are also some super helpful bathroom articles.
- Should you install hardwood floors before or after the cabinets
- The top 7 bathroom flooring trends
- Bathroom vanity trends
- Kitchen floors Is hardwood or tile better?
- 20 Neutral backsplash tiles for kitchens
- What is the best floor choice for a kitchen?
6. Farmhouse style decor
If you’re looking for rustic or shabby chic decor, you’ve come to the right place. In this section I share farmhouse style paints, shiplap, hardwood, vintage tiles apron sinks and even sliding barn doors.
- 8 ways to decorate with shiplap for a modern farmhouse look
- Farmhouse style paint colors
- 11 Affordable sliding barn doors for an authentic farmhouse look
- Best shades of white for shiplap
- 15 Stunning vintage black and white tiles for farmhouse bathrooms
- 12 Fabulous Farmhouse style hardwood floors
- Top Farmhouse sinks for kitchens
- 21 Modern farmhouse style bathrooms with a rustic shabby chic look
7. Flooring
This section covers overall flooring trends, luxury vinyl, laminate. I also provide tips for safer floors (if you’re looking to age in place) and how to save your floors if you have water damage. I cover hardwood flooring alternatives (i..e. items that look like hardwood but they are waterproof and often less expensive.
- Flooring trends
- Review of Coretec Plus luxury vinyl – waterproof planks that look like hardwood
- The best places to buy tile that looks like tile
- Safest types of flooring for aging in place
- Hiring a professional when sanding your floors vs DIY
- Top low cost alternatives to hardwood flooring
- Is laminate flooring waterproof?
- Which types of flooring are best if you have allergies?
- How long does it take to install hardwood floors?
8. General home decor
This section covers a wide array of decorating tips from over home decor trends, to Dollar Store decorating and some inexpensive alternatives for stair risers and removing popcorn ceilings.
- 17 Beautiful dollar store home decor ideas
- Home Decor Trends
- How to get rid of popcorn ceilings the easy way
- Decorating rooms with dark floors and gray walls
- Decorative stair riser decals
9. Home organization
It’s amazing what decluttering and organizing can do for your psyche. When you have a well organized space, it helps you find things faster, and it makes your space look larger. And, of coruse, it reduces stress.
- Brilliant closet organization hacks
- Dollar store organization hacks
- Bedroom organization hacks
- Clever home office organizing and decorating ideas
- 10 Kitchen organization hacks on Amazon under $25
10. Stain colors, polyurethane and sanding
When it comes to refinishing hardwood floors, I have a wealth of information including which stain colors are most popular and the best polyurethanes to use.
- Which are the best polyurethane brands for hardwood?
- Which types of finishes or sheens are most stylish?
- Oil ve water based polyurethane – which is best for refinishing hardwood flooring?
- How long does it take for polyurethane to dry and cure?
- How many costs of water based polyurethane should you use?
- Which is the best water borne polyurethane?
- What is the difference between Bona Traffic and Bona Traffic HD?
- What is a screen and recoat? What does it mean when you buff hardwood floors?
- Bona NordicSeal for a light whitewashed look
- How to whitewash hardwood floors the right way
- 10 Stunning black hardwood floors and black stain colors
- What are the best hardwood stain colors for selling a house
- What is water pop? When does it make sense to do?
- Bona Traffic polyurethane vs Bona Mega – what’s the difference?
- Blonde hardwoods and light flooring – which types are lightest?
- What to expect when you’re standing and refinishing your hardwood floors?
- Dustless sanding vs sandless refinishing
11. Cleaning and maintenance
And, of course I have lots of tips to help make your floors last longer. I have tips on cleaning, how to prevent scratches. I recommend products to help your floors and the tools that are best suited for the job.
- How to clean tile grout
- The importance of sealing your grout and how to do it yourself
- Best steam mop for tile floors
- How to remove cigarette smell and stains on walls before you paint
- Best vacuum for hardwood floors
- The top 5 hardwood floor cleaners and the one I recommend to my customers
- How to save hardwood floors after you have water damage or a flood
- Best air purifier if you have allergies or asthma
- How to keep dark hardwood floors clean
- How to clean hardwood floors the right way
- 5 things you need to stop doing that are ruining your hardwood floors
- Recommended hardwood floor cleaners and supplies
12. Christmas/Holiday Decor
These articles should help you prepare for the holidays – both for the best looks and to reduce the impact that your may take with the extra traffic and tree that you typically see during the holiday season.
- 17 Farmhouse Christmas decor ideas
- 22 Creative mason jar gifts
- How to protect your hardwood floors while you have a Christmas tree
- Top 5 prettiest flocked Christmas trees
- Elegant Christmas decorations for your living room
