Decorating with Quilts - Room by Room

You know cuddling up with a quilt is one of life's small pleasures. A good book, a cup of hot chocolate, a roaring fire - the picture just isn't complete without a comfy quilt to wrap yourself in.

But quilts can be so much more. Including custom quilts as part of the decor is one of the easiest ways to add warmth to your home's design. In addition to the obvious benefits of color and pattern, quilted fabric accessories add genuine physical, and even emotional, comfort to the rooms in which we live.

Quilts in the Living Room

Today's homes often have cathedral ceilings in the living or great room. Such high ceilings can make the home feel spacious, but sometimes leave it feeling a little cold, too. Plus, it can be hard to find art work large enough to balance the grand walls and make the space feel welcoming.

An oversized quilt can be the answer. Its considerable size can fill in a blank wall while it color and design complements your decor. (As an added bonus, the cost of quilt will often be less than the cost of a painting of equal size.)

Quilts in the Family Room

The family room got its name because it's the room your family comes together in - it's where you gather to relax, talk about your day and shut out the world. But what if your family room windows open right into the neighbors' family room windows? Just close your quilted curtains - insulated panels and roman shades are two types of window coverings tailor-made for quilts.

Think about what else you do in the family room. You watch TV, maybe even play games. Now, imagine a cute, colorful quilt covering the table that you all collect around for Scrabble. It'll make banging your head after losing - again - so much more comfortable.

Quilts in the Dining Room

Whether you are sitting down for a quick bite, a romantic meal or a Thanksgiving feast, consider dressing your dining room table with a table runner to match the spirit of the moment. It's not only one of the best ways to add a little color and cheer, but a quilted table runner or table cloth can protect your table from hot dishes and accidental spills, too.

Quilts in the Bedroom

Nothing can be better than getting ready for a good night's sleep than by slipping under a quilted bed cover made just for you. Having brightened your room all day, it now offers comfort and warmth for the cold night ahead.

And don't forget the fun, new trend in bedroom decorating today - bed toppers. These smaller quilts, designed to coordinate with your existing comforter, can be made in various colors or themes (for example, a holiday topper). It's an easy way to update or freshen a bedroom without replacing your expensive current bedding or buying lots of comforters that you then need to find a place to store.

Quilts in the Nursery

From the minute you bring baby home, you want your precious new family member to know he or she is wrapped in love. Of course, a soft, warm quilted blankie is a given. But you can show your love with a quilted crib set designed especially for the nursery, too.

Add quilted toys to complete the picture. Fabric blocks, dolls, stuffed animals, even cloth books are safe for baby to play with and easy to clean - just toss them in the wash.

Quilts in the Bathroom

The master bath is probably the last place you'd expect a quilt, but why not? Just remember to use a plastic liner and a quilt can make one of the most sophisticated, and unique, shower curtains you've ever seen.

The ways that quilts can be incorporated in interior design don't have to end here. No matter the number or size of the rooms in your house, you can consider custom quilts as the perfect choice practically anywhere fabric is called for!

Author and quilt creator Deidre McLeod invites you to decorate - room by room - with custom quilts from Whimzie Quiltz and More. Have a quilt created just for you or your loved one at http://www.whimziequiltz.com. FREE initial designs; no obligation.

Whimzie Quiltz and More - Creating the Quilt You?ve Always Wanted

Tips For Decorating Bedrooms For Babies Through to Teenagers

When you plan a room for a newborn, bear in mind that decorating a nursery can be as much about creating a comfortable space for you as your child. With babies rarely spending time alone in their room, a peaceful nook for you to nurse your little one is essential. As they grow, energetic toddlers will need a place for supervised play, as well as a secure and cosy bed to encourage them to snuggle down alone at night. The more independent tweenies will hanker after their own den for games and sleepovers with friends, while for self-sufficient teenagers, privacy and somewhere to do their homework is all-important - what was once your domain will very definitely be their own.

But it's also important not to lose sight of your own aesthetic. 'It's easy to abandon your sense of style when it comes to decorating kids' rooms,' says Esther Wise, founder of cool bed-linen and accessories company Renegade Kids. 'Instead of going all out with pink or puppies, adapt the same procedure as you would when decorating the rest of your home. Don't compromise your own taste.'

So, with the ideas on the following pages you'll be inspired to create a room which will adapt to your children's ever-changing needs, without breaking the bank or compromising your personal style.

Babies

Calm and comfort are all-important for newborns, so choose delicate shades and tactile fabrics for cosiness. Rather than furniture specifically designed with babies in mind, choose well-made items that can adapt with your child. For example, a chest of drawers can be topped with a mat to make a changing table, and wardrobes with adjustable rails can be raised as your child grows up. For a really trendy tot, white lacquer furniture has a timeless Scandi look and works well with colourful accessories and textiles.

'New babies need shapes and movement to stimulate them,' says Laura Slack of Places and Spaces. 'Mobiles are great for this but make sure they are hung high enough to be out of reach when your child is old enough to stand.'

A two-in-one cot bed will last until your baby is ready for a grown-up bed. For a beautiful Scandi design check out the designs by Stokke.

Blackout blinds are a good choice for babies' rooms. They make it much easier to settle small children during the day or on light evenings and should help stop them waking up at dawn in the summer months. Roller blinds also allow you to let in as much natural light as possible at other times.

To avoid your baby becoming too hot or cold, don't position their cot right next to a window or by a radiator. It may also be a good idea to invest in a room thermometer. Babies are far more sensitive to temperature than adults and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) has been linked to overheating, so it's important to try to keep the room at around 18°C

Toddlers

Children grow out of the latest fads as quickly as their first pair of shoes, so rather than succumbing to an entire room of Dora the Explorer, choose a neutral backdrop and introduce colour with textiles, graphic wall stickers (which are quick and easy to change) and fun accessories. 'Mount pictures of characters in inexpensive frames,' suggests Anita Kaushal, author of HomeFamilyLifestyle, 'or encourage your kids to draw their own pictures and frame those instead.'

Teach toddlers to be tidy as early as possible by hanging pegs low and keeping storage within easy reach.

'Little children spend a lot of time on the floor, so treat them to a huge rug to keep small bottoms warm,' says Laura Slack. The Speed rug from Habitat has a fun racetrack design.

Boxes and baskets are ideal for storing toys and games, and can be easily transported around the house if need be. Label the fronts for easy identification and keep one basket at the foot of the bed for stray toys that are still kicking around at bedtime.

Dimmer switches are a boon for checking on a sleeping toddler and can be left on low for an infant who's afraid of the dark.

Cover electrical sockets and keep trailing cords out of reach

Tweenies

Older children will relish having some input in the way their bedroom looks. 'Ask kids what they like about their favourite toys,' suggests Laura Slack. 'Use these colours, textures and motifs and base the scheme around them.' If bubblegum pink and electric blue go against all your interior style principles, compromise with powder pink or dove grey. 'Instead of dousing whole walls in vivid colours, buy cheap or second-hand furniture and paint that instead,' suggests Anita Kaushal.'Then your kids can have what they want, but it's completely disposable.'

Bunk beds make the most of every inch, and they're great for sleepovers and as dens. Alternatively, choose a single bed with a pull-out truckle that houses another mattress for when friends come to stay. The White Company has stylish designs.

Adjustable shelves can accommodate big picture books for small kids, then be adapted for paperbacks as well as CDs and DVDs.

Fairy lights are an easy way to add a magical touch - string twinkling lights round a mirror for a little girl, or pin up a net of lights to create a personal cosmos for a budding spaceman.

Murals can create a focal point in a kid's room. 'A modern, minimalist room that appeals to grown-ups can be completely updated with a stylish, graphic mural', says Mandy Colliss of Funky Little Darlings, who can create a bespoke mural with all your child's favourite things. 'Pick contemporary furniture and soft furnishings in the colours of the mural to create a coherent look.'

Don't position furniture near a window, and fit catches on windows as an additional safety measure.

Teenagers

When kids hit the teenage years, a whole new challenge in designing their rooms awaits,' says Judith Wilson, author of Teen Zone. 'The layout may require radical readjustments as fresh issues arise, from controlling noise to allowing privacy.' Let teenagers personalise the space so they can create a place where they will enjoy spending time.

'A montage of pictures, photos and memorabilia is a great way for teens to express themselves,' says Anita Kaushal. Cover one wall in cork tiles to save the wall from Blu Tack marks and insulate the rest of the house from the sound of the latest Sugababes CD.

Some sort of study area is essential in every teenager's room. A work station with closing doors or a desk hidden in a cupboard is a good idea, or sectioned off with shelving, a curtain or a panel.

As with all students, teenagers need good task lighting for reading and homework. Anglepoise lamps are design classics.

Conquer mountains of clothes, shoes and CDs with ample storage. Try toy baskets for shoe storage, underbed drawers for private items and a second-hand filing cabinet for homework.

You can find more information on interior design and interior design ideas at house to home, helping you create a look you'll love.

Decorating Your Home With Vinyl Wall Stickers

If you want to create a wonderful home filled with your personal style and interior design flair, you can create amazing vinyl wall art to compliment your decorating skills. Even if you don't feel that your decorating skills are particularly wonderful, the vinyl wall stickers you can get will really make your home look fantastic. The designer graphics that are used to make the stickers combined with the easy application makes this one of the best ways to add color, flair, style and warmth to any room in the home. Vinyl wall stickers can be used for any room in the home and are best suited to large white walls where the bespoke graphics can be easily shown off. These are also self-adhesive wall stickers and will go up without hassle. They can also be taken down quickly and easily and will not leave any marks on the walls. Making your home stylish and beautiful is all about giving your home character. These wall stickers will give an arty edge to your home and can even be considered as designer wall art. For a child's bedroom, wall decals are very popular and you can find any kinds of wonderful animated scenes and cute pictures that will suit their rooms perfectly. The great thing about these wall stickers is that they are affordable and are the best option for a growing child who will probably change his or her mind as to what theme they want in their room. Instead of spending a lot of money re painting and buying artwork, rather just get some of the vinyl wall art that will last you a long time and come off whenever you want it to. To spice up you home and give it a cozier atmosphere, the vinyl wall decals can be used for any room in the home such as the bedroom, bathroom, office, kitchen and even lounge and will fit in any theme or color arrangement that you have. You can place the wall stickers on just one wall, or you can create a border all around the room. The great thing for baby's nursery is to use a border of vinyl wall stickers around the bottom part of the room using fun designs like animals, baby goodies, butterflies, bows, cars, or anything else. It is very easy to get the perfect look for your home using the designer graphics created with a digital vinyl cutting machine to make interesting, fun, and lovely vinyl wall decals that are self adhesive and easy to peel off again if you want to change your decorating and style or if you are moving house. The best thing about the wall stickers is the great price and the quality of the stickers. You get tons of designs to choose from to make your home a wonderfully warm and inviting place to live in and for your guests to admire. Get your vinyl wall art today and easily start your interior decorating projects. Lucy Heart is author of this article on floral wall stickers [http://www.stickhet.com/floral-wall-stickers] Find more information about vinyl wall stickers [http://www.stickhet.com/nature-wall-stickers] here.