Wall Sconces, Wall Painting Ideas and Decor

Nautical Nursery Wall Decor

2011-11-26T07:52:00.000-08:00

When we think of nautical nursery wall decor, images of sailboats and lighthouses come to mind. Painting elaborate scenes of Nantucket Bay on the walls would be difficult to manage but as this picture of a baby boy's sailboat nursery proves; sometimes it's just better to keep things simple. These stenciled designs certainly get the job done.

See more nautical nursery wall decor created with sailboat stencils and a quote created with homemade vinyl wall letters here.

The mother that submitted these pictures did a super job of decorating his sailboat themed room using a combination of painting techniques and decals that she made herself. She even managed the vinyl letters for the beautiful quote that we see on the walls which was, I'm sure, no small feat since the saying from a favorite childhood song that her grandmother sang to her was pretty lengthy!

Other types of nautical nursery wall decor that are less subtle would be flags, life rings painting to reflect the nursery's color scheme and antique brass fittings. One of my favorite ways to decorate the walls of a nautical themed bedroom is to take a trip to my favorite beach or harbor and take my own black and white pictures and have them printed and framed. There is no substitute for art that has memories of a fine day forever attached.

Peter Rabbit Nursery Wall Ideas

2011-11-20T10:32:00.000-08:00

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All Peter Rabbit nursery wall ideas are not vintage in the water color style of scenes from the pages of classic Beatrix Potter books. A
bunny rabbit baby nursery, like the Beatrix Potter nursery, is still an all-time favorite and are likely to remain in the Top 10 most popular themes but those powdery pastels that have been associated with babies' rooms for decades are being joined by bright colors like the bold orange carrots raining down on this poor, frightened bunny's ears.

And the new colors that we see in these Peter Rabbit nursery wall ideas also apply to painted wall borders.

I think this cute, carrot-y painting that was used to dress up an old dresser would look amazing as a chair rail. If the thought of painting all those veggies leaves you cold; make a stencil pattern so that you can easily repeat the design around the room without spending a lot of time or money!

Robot Wall Art

2011-11-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

Robot wall art might seem a bit "geeky" to some but for fans of movies like Star Wars and the television series, Star Trek, robots are all the rage and the decor we see here is enough to make any Trekky drool! In fact, if you look closely at the wall decorations in this room, you will also see the Jetson's, a kids' cartoon from the 60s is represented.

The uber educated cast of "Big Bang" have made nerdy very cool. Their interest in super heros, space travel and all things mechanical and robotic are bringing robot wall art into its own.

If this trend continues, we can expect to see wall decorating ideas using famous robots, R2D2, C3PO and even the villain Darth Vader in kids' rooms in the very near future. What this means is that the prices of select authentic Star Wars posters and super hero comic books are sky-rocketing and that collectors are either scrambling to build their collections before all of the posters and prints wind up smudged with sticky fingerprints after their time as robot wall art in nurseries has expired or those already having a large inventory of movie posters are cashing in, taking huge profits and laughing all the way to the bank.

Painting Wall Stripes

2011-10-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

There are many different ways of painting wall stripes including painting walls in uneven stripes vs. uniform stripes or in combinations of wall paint colors.

In baby girl nurseries, painting walls in pink stripes is very popular and of course the same is true for baby blue on a boy's nursery walls. But just so you know, painting wall stripes is NOT just for a baby's room as this home office decorating project where the walls have been painting in a soft, neutral gray and white color scheme clearly proves.

My opinion of the reason that striped wall painting is so popular would be that it's an easy technique that even a beginner who has never held a paint brush can master, stripes have a big visual impact and those crisp, clean lines give a space such an organized, orderly atmosphere even when the kids have done everything in their power completely destroy my efforts to make the room neat and tidy.

How to Paint Circles on the Wall

2011-10-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

Why anyone would want to know how to paint circles on the wall when there are so many ways to get those circles in place using decals and stickers is difficult for me to understand.

Knowing that these are viable options and yet you are still looking for instructions for
how to paint circles on the wall, I have to assume that your reasons might have something to do with getting an exact paint color match or just having some leftover paint in buckets that's just sitting around and needs to be used up to keep it out of the local landfill.

If the latter is your reason, I applaud you for doing your part to save the environment and hope that you will send in some pictures of your
wall decorating ideas when you're done!

Another way of decorating the walls with circles in addition to painting or stenciling would be to make circles out of leftover fabric and Styrofoam discs. The instructions for how to make this circular shaped wall art seem very easy to follow and from the pictures, the artwork is not only lightweight but you get to use up all that leftover fabric from your sewing projects (not as green as keeping paint out of the landfill but good for organizing your home) and it looks amazing!

Decorating Ideas for Silver and Gold Metallic Wall Paint

2011-08-17T13:10:00.000-07:00

This baby prince nursery theme is full of decorating ideas for silver and gold metallic wall paint. The DIY decorators used Martha Stewart gold metallic paint in the restoration of an old piece of wooden furniture that they up cycled for use as a changing table as well as the baby's nursery ceiling.

In keeping with the baby prince theme of the room, they decided to use silver metallic paint in the nursery wall painting portion of their decorating project and gold in other areas. What I wouldn't give to view this room in person and see for myself how the iron of the knight's armor and the gold and silver metallic paint complement each other.

I'm loving the idea of a gold ceiling and can imagine how elegant it must look. However, I believe that I would prefer to tone down the finish by burnishing the gold and antique-ing the silver in a bedroom to give the space a more lived-in and cozy look.

If you have any decorating ideas for silver and gold metallic wall paint, as well as copper or bronze, that you would like to share; we would love to see pictures of rooms that you decorated and how you used metallic paint in your project.

DIY Wall Decal Made From Contact Paper

2011-08-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

The baby owl tree mural in the above picture is a multi-media decoration, part painted, part DIY wall decal made from contact paper. The artist simply found contact paper with varying patterns in her color scheme and cut them out using a leaf template and then repeated the process to create her adorable baby owls.

If you have stacks upon stacks of quilt scraps lying around, you might used your fabric scraps to make your leaves, applying them to the walls using the starch method rather than investing money in contact paper. The benefits of a DIY wall decal made from contact paper rather than fabric is that the adhesive backing is already in place and ready to peel and stick without having to mix and manage a starch mixture saving lots of time on cleanup. The advantages of using leftover quilting fabric is obvious, using materials already in your fabric stash makes for an inexpensive wall decorating idea and it puts you on your way to making room for the next fat quarter that strikes your fancy.

Alligator Wall

2011-08-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

This alligator wall painting cleverly camouflages a large wall shelf in a baby boy's nursery.

This is just one of the many wall painting techniques that are featured in the jungle themed room. The is a painted tree mural decorated with monkeys and butterflies as well as other jungle creatures hidden almost out of sight in corners and peeking from behind the furnishings in the room. The alligator was painted using a bright, green paint color with the details outlined in black acrylic.

Those of you who are less artistically inclined might consider buying a large alligator wall decal and centering a floating wall shelf on top. Using a sticker rather than painting the wall decorating yourself would save lots of time and (if you're like me) possibly produce more professional looking results.

Here's another example of a room where alligators play a big role in mom and dad's ideas for a baby boy nursery.

Which brings up the fact that if you want to decorate your baby's nursery walls with alligators, you don't have to paint or use wall decals; you can stencil your gator on the wall using any paint color you like!

Where can you put these wall painting ideas to work?

You could use them in kids' jungle theme bedroom or nursery or your alligator could hang out by your painted golf course's water trap like the one in the picture above!

ROCKET SHIP THEME NURSERY WALL IDEAS

2011-02-21T06:25:00.000-08:00

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This picture has more than a few amazing rocket ship theme nursery wall ideas. In fact, they would work for a rocket ship themed room for an older boy as well as an infant astronaut.

The outer space wall mural was inspired by one of the ever popular Curious George storybooks. The parents of the lucky little boy who occupies the space painted the artwork themselves using an overhead projector to perfect the layout of the characters only after they had the dark midnight blue background color in place. I love how they used a bright yellow paint color in the rest of the nursery to contrast with the dark blue color of outer space as well as to pick up the color of the moon and stars.

After they painted the background color and had all of the drawings of the spaceship, Curious George the Astronaut and the moon and stars in place they filled in the colors using the outlines that they had traced.

The spaceship wall mural is just one of the rocket ship theme that are shared in the instructions. There are several pictures of outer space themed wall decorating ideas and decorations including a nifty spaceship storage unit and shelves decorated with lamps and other items in keeping with the "intergalactic" atmosphere of the room.

INSPIRATIONAL WALL DECALS

2011-02-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

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We are accustomed to seeing inspirational wall decals with one single word, like "PEACE" or a short group of words like "HANG IN THERE", but isn't this group of amazing custom wall stickers much more inspiring not to mention decorative? I'm sorry that I don't have a better picture of the wall so that you can see the letters more clearly but the battery in my digital camera was in its final death throes and this is the best I could do. If you really focus and maybe squint your eyes a tiny bit you can see the letters well enough to get the message

The impact of the arrangement using vinyl word decals in so many different fonts and sizes has a much more inspiring, not to mention decorative, impact! I love wall decorating ideas that make you stop and take a second, and possibly a third look. I found this creative arrangement of decorations so riveting that it made me want to pull up a seat and pause for a few quiet moments of meditation and reflection of the meaning of each and every one of the the inspirational wall decals. Now that, my friend, is wall decor with a purpose far beyond making your home attractive and stylish.

TOP WALL DECORATING IDEAS for 2011

2011-01-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

The big surprise in the top wall decorating ideas for 2011 is that there are no big surprises. Several of the top trends mentioned in the lists that I've seen are not what you might call NEW at all. In fact, some esteemed members of the decorating community are scratching their heads and have been heard to say that the list of 2011 decorating trends was more a collection of wall decorating techniques that were old-fashioned or "out of style" than a collection of trendy colors, decorations and designs!

Take wallpaper as an example, for several years now home decorators have been avoiding rolls of wallpaper like the plague! In the 1980s and early 1990s perfecting proper wall-prepping and suffering through the trials of dipping pre-pasted wallpaper into those irritating little troughs of water was THE way to get the ultimate in wall decor. We finally said "ENOUGH" and began to explore wall painting techniques and the versatility of wall decals and stickers.

Well, it was good while it lasted but it seems that wallpaper, especially plaid and floral patterns and wallpapers with whimsical themes designated for baby's nursery walls and kids' bedroom walls, is making a big comeback. Big, full-size wallpaper murals are also one of the top wall decorating ideas for 2011 that are mentioned as being a growing trend along with with my personal favorite, peel and stick wall decals.

PAINT

Talk about old-school; plain, old-timey wall paint was mentioned as another item on the list of top wall decorating ideas for 2011! The only thing new here is that traditional shades of pink and blue have trendy new names like honeysuckle and sky. I gather that whoever comes up with these wall paint color names never heard of yellow honeysuckle? In fact, where I live yellow is the most common color, but I digress.

GREEN and WHITE NURSERY DECOR

2011-01-19T16:29:00.000-08:00

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As you can see, the main feature of the green and white nursery decor that you see in the pictures are the painted lime green and white stripes on the nursery walls. In addition to the stripes on the walls, there is a very unique tree with a rope defining the outline of its branches that reach across the top of the walls and over the window, an original painting of a princess (a likeness of the baby girl's mom) kissing a frog and a painting of a large castle.

The green wall paint color and wall painting ideas all work together to create a unique frog prince nursery theme. The green and white nursery decor and painted stripes on the wall give the room a crisp, tailored style that is softened by the whimsical art created by two loving parents.

JUNGLE WALL MURALS

2011-01-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

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Is this one of the most adorable jungle wall murals you have ever seen or what? I can't decide which of the jungle animals that I love the best, the purple hippo, the big blue elephant or the cute lion, giraffe or tiger. All of the animals in the mural are painted with such sweet expressions on their faces and such charming features that they tug at your heartstrings.

Unlike jungle murals where the animals blend into the jungle scenery, this mural artist chose to paint the animals and colors that would virtually guarantee that they were the standouts of the painting with the lush, leaves, palm trees and undergrowth taking a back seat.

We just have one picture of the wall but the artist that was nice enough to share her wall painting ideas with us tells us that the ceiling as well as the nursery walls are also painted! This artistic lady drew all of the details of the artwork directly on the walls herself without using a projector or stencil. With the help of her husband she took charge of outlining the animals in the wall mural and mixing the paint colors while her husband 'filled-in' the images with the bright and cheerful colors that we see. We love this jungle mural believe that any child would enjoy having such a great mural in his or her room!

PARISIAN WALL DECOR

2011-01-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

The Parisian wall decor that you see in the pictures consists of two elegant black chandelier decals and the pictures taken from the children's book "Eloise in Paris" that was published in the late 1950s. The two are a perfect blend of New York chic and French style which is especially fitting since the story takes place in New York and hotel rooms in Paris.
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The framed wall art are pages that were salvaged from a book but you can find plenty of art prints without getting all dusty and dirty on a scavenger hunt in second hand stores or by spending the best part of your weekend haunting flea markets. Posters featuring fabulous views of the City of Lights and pictures of the Eiffel Tower from every vantage point you ever dreamed of can be found for less than $10! Figure in the cost of a pair of chandelier wall decals and you will still have bragging rights on your remarkable but cheap Parisian wall decor. If you have some Paris apartment style wall decorating ideas that you would like to share, just leave them in the comments section!

PINK STRIPED WALLS

2011-01-15T12:45:00.000-08:00

SEE MORE IDEAS FOR PAINTING STRIPES HERE!

Painting pink striped walls in the nursery and in girls' rooms of all ages is a great way to give walls more personality and pizzazz! You can alternate stripes in wide stripes, narrow stripes, vertical stripes or horizontal stripes. It really makes little difference whether you paint them up and down or sideways they will make the entire bedroom look more tailored and stylish.

VERTICAL STRIPES or HORIZONTAL?

Make your pink stripes work for you! Bring the ceiling height down to make the room cozy by painting horizontal lines. Paint vertical stripes to make those traditional eight foot tall ceilings seem taller making a tight space seem airy.

HOW WIDE SHOULD I MAKE THE STRIPES ON MY WALL?

The width of the stripes that you create on your pink striped walls is determined by the size of the room. As an example, no matter how much you love stripes it would be a mistake to paint bold pink stripes in a small room. For a small bedroom, less contrast in your pink paint colors is best. The idea is to create a backdrop for the furnishings of the room not a design that will overpower and compete for attention. Another tip for making a small bedroom seem larger is to paint WIDE pink stripes, since wider stripes make a room seem bigger.

HOW TO CHOOSE 2 PINK PAINT COLORS

As always, I recommend choosing your wall paint color according to an inspiration piece. Take your inspiration piece or fabric swatches to the paint store. The best way to insure that your shades of pink are perfect for each is to take a dark pink and then a lighter shade of pink from the same paint sample card. And if you have never experimented with paint glazes, this may be the best time ever to do some research because nothing is more lovely than a combination of salmon pink and pale shrimp pink glazes to create alternating light and dark pink striped walls.

If you are having trouble choosing color or style, there are many pictures of pink striped walls to help you make a decision.

TWIN NURSERY WALL IDEAS

2011-01-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

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The twin nursery wall ideas that you see in the above picture are pretty amazing. So much so that they took 1st place in a baby nursery photo contest. At first glance, you might see a nursery for twins and think, "That's cute, but there's nothing that I couldn't do myself". And you would be absolutely correct; no fancy wall painting techniques to learn, no wallpaper to hang. There's not even a wallpaper border, a chair rail or painted woodwork! But the color scheme and overall nursery design works so well that it won first place in a nursery decorating contest!

This twin nursery is painted in a soft, sage green paint color with some framed artwork over the baby crib and a simple black and white window valance, nothing fancy. I decided to take a look at the twin nursery pictures and imagine a complex pattern painted on the nursery walls. When I tried it, I just didn't like how the wall dominated those adorable twin boy and girl art prints. I even pulled my portfolio of twin nursery wall ideas to see if I could find a color or wall painting technique that I might prefer over the solid green paint and failed.

I took this as a reminder that the design of stunning wall decor does NOT have to be complicated. There are times when simplicity is the best route to take.

FARM WALL DECALS

2011-01-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

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Farm wall decals with horses, cows, pigs, chickens and maybe a John Deere tractor rolling into the barn have found their way not only onto the nursery walls and into kids' bedrooms but I've noticed a "farm fresh" wall mural or two in some of the finest cooks' country kitchens.

By farm fresh, I mean decals and stickers featuring farm animals and chickens with freshly laid eggs and cute yellow ducks marching to pond shaped stickers followed by a straight line of baby ducklings. Does this indicate a resurgence of country home decor that was so very popular a decade or so ago? Are decorators searching for farm wall decals and artwork that will take urban dwellers back to their roots?

I don't see modern decor being replaced by rural scenes just yet, but I'm digging out my portfolio of farm wall painting ideas to refresh my memory just in case I'm hit with a run of requests for farm wall murals.

NOAHS ARK NURSERY WALL

2011-01-09T09:17:00.000-08:00

Buy Posters at AllPosters.com Noahs Ark nursery wall decor isn't limited to Noahs Ark wallpaper. In fact, it would be a shame to use wall border and overlook the adorable decals and stickers that you can use to make your own custom wall mural.

Rather than focus on one single style of artwork or wall decorations, since the selection of possibilities is so vast (and so cute!) it would be so much more interesting to use a variety of wall hangings. Start with the best wall color or wallpaper, (rustic grass cloth wallpaper would be nice) as a background, decide on a border, art prints and a collection of Noah's Ark wall decals and hang the big items first, always taking care to pick pieces that will complement the color and style of the Noahs Ark baby bedding that you chose for the baby's bed. After the large pieces are in position surround them with arrangements of small posters and/or art prints.

Here's an example of how to decorate a Noahs nursery wall that will serve as a focal point in your baby's room. Start by hanging one large, framed poster over the head of the crib and then hang smaller framed art prints evenly spaced, either on its sides or at its top or bottom.

If your wall decorating ideas trend towards a free-form style; an eclectic mix of decals, stickers AND art prints might be more pleasing to your taste.

GOTHIC FAIRY WALL ART

2011-01-06T11:09:00.000-08:00

This fine example of gothic fairy wall art is, as you can see, a wall mural that was painted in a baby's room. There's nothing evil or menacing about the fairy princess reclining on the grass surrounded by woodland creatures.

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In fact, the raven haired fairy is rather enchanting with her gossamer wings and sassy black boots. The pink flowers contrast very nicely with the bright, green grass and gives the painting an ethereal, peaceful feeling while the psychedelic (?) mushroom positioned to the side and the blackbirds flying overhead are what give the gothic fairy wall art a unique personality filled with fantasy.

I can imagine a new mother rocking her infant beneath the multi-colored mushroom painting that defines this unusual fairy nursery theme. We aren't able to see the cap of the mushroom, but if we could I wouldn't be surprised to see Absolem the hookah smoking caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland as a companion to the fairy princess in the painting, would you?

PAINTING WAVES ON WALLS

2011-01-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

As you can see from this example, you don't need much artistic abililty to start painting waves on walls. A simple one-piece stencil pattern is all you need to paint the walls of your baby's nursery or your kids' bedroom in an ocean theme theme rather than wrestling with wallpaper border or (YIKES) trying to paint the design free handed!
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If it's realistic looking waves of the type that send surfers running for the beach, wall size murals might be best for your decor than the above wave mural which is better suited for kids' rooms or a baby's nursery wall.The wave wall mural featuring the ocean and the whitecapped waves beneath an azure blue sky is the perfect complement for a modern style of decor and will provide a beautifully colorful background for your contemporary living room sofa.

Face it,painting waves on walls such as these would require hiring a mural artist with considerable skills (read: expensive!) and many hours with the artist in your home not to mention the drop cloths and paint fumes. Why put yourself through it when you can have one of these wall size murals hung in a matter of minutes?

DECORATING WITH CHALKBOARD PAINT

2011-01-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

The beauty of decorating with chalkboard paint is that for just a few dollars you can have a fully functional chalkboard on the walls of your baby's nursery or in any room of your home. You can make chalkboard paint the focal point of any room with no more effort than it would take to paint the wall in colors.

And unlike your average, run of the mill wall paint chalkboard paint is made to write on! The only problem that I've had with my chalkboard walls is having to explain to my girls why they could write on some walls and not others.

HOW TO PREP THE WALLS FOR CHALKBOARD PAINT

Step 1 - You must prepare the walls that you have chosen to decorate with chalkboard paint in much the same way that you would if you were using any other paint. It's necessary to clean and smooth the wall as well as putty any existing nail holes.

Step 2 - Use painter's tape to isolate the area of your chalkboard. Applying a coat of dark tinted primer on the area of the wall where you want the chalkboard is recommended if you are using a dark color paint.

The last step - After you are SURE that the paint is dry take a large stick of chalk (I used sidewalk chalk) and "color" your chalkboard and then wipe the chalk off. This process is a sealer insuring that whatever is written and drawn in the future can be erased, leaving no "shadows".

That's all there is to the application process; it's not very exciting, is it? It's decorating with chalkboard paint that's a blast! Some people prefer using Krylon spray paint rather than applying the paint to the walls using a paint brush or roller but I haven't tried it.

MAGNETIC WALL PAINT

MAGNETIC CHALKBOARD PAINT takes the concept a step further. Not only can your children write on the walls, they can take advantage of its magnetic properties to create 3D masterpieces by attaching their artwork to the surface.

COLOR

The most popular CHALKBOARD PAINT COLORS are black (if you consider black a color), blue and green. I prefer using black when decorating with chalkboard paint because it is both versatile and neutral.

However, you can actually make chalkboard paint in ANY COLOR that you need for your room and the instructions for this wall painting technique are easy to follow.

JUNGLE WALL MURALS

2010-12-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

SEE MORE JUNGLE WALL MURALS HERE!

There are as many ways to get jungle art on your walls as therer are species of jungle animals to use as subjects. Most of us will use wall stickers to create our jungle safari for the simple reason that the vinyl decals are easy to use and since they are removable; if you make a mistake and need to reposition them...no problem!

The only issue that many have with using stickers and decals is a lack of color control. They are very flexible as far as location is concerned but there is the remote chance that the colors of the lions, monkeys, tigers, tropical birds and giraffes won't match your wall paint color or the fabrics in the baby's jungle theme nursery, your kids' room or your master bedroom.

When an exact color match is crucial, I recommend jungle wall stencil kits. They are not as forgiving as removable, vinyl stickers but you have the luxury of choosing your color scheme. We love pictures of jungle wall murals, so please share addresses for your favorite jungle wall painting ideas in the comments section.

BEATRIX POTTER PRINT

2010-12-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

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The Beatrix Potter Alphabet is the perfect Beatrix Potter print for a nursery designed around a set of Beatrix Potter baby bedding or a child's bedroom with a reading nook. On the alphabet poster, you will find charming pictures of all the characters from Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck to Jeremy Fisher and Squirrel Nutkin or if you prefer, you can buy individual art prints featuring each of the characters individually.

The illustrations have the same vintage look and feel as the ones in the classic books that have been favorites of children for years and will be for many, many more yet to come.

Teach your kids to recognize the letters of the alphabet, an appreciation for books and demonstrate how books displayed on shelves are excellent, inexpensive wall decorating ideas!

SESAME STREET WALL DECOR

2010-12-29T08:05:00.000-08:00

The type of Sesame Street wall decor that you choose for your decorating project is just as important to your kids bedroom theme as the Sesame Street bedding that you just found (hopefully) on sale at a huge discount. Will you take the quick and easy route for decorating the walls by using large, removable vinyl wall decals
or stickers? Or will you jump in and spend the time (or lots of money if you hire an artist) to paint a wall mural like the one in the above picture that includes all of the Sesame Street Characters from Big Bird and Elmo to Cookie Monster and the Count?

All of the characters are colorful, cute and make for a delightfully cheerful bedroom or nursery design so the choice is yours as to which is your favorite! Maybe your decision doesn't have as much to do with a favorite character as it does with successfully completing a balanced color scheme,

If a red and yellow color scheme works for you, feature Elmo and Big Bird in your wall art. If blue and yellow is your taste, Big Bird and Cookie Monster should be the stars in your Sesame Street wall decor. Some of the best wall painting ideas in this theme include the neighborhood in the background with the characters peeping out of garbage cans or just hanging out on the stoop. Another tip would be to frame some posters and a Sesame Street sign to add another dimension and give your wall art depth.

How to Paint Black and White Stripes

2010-12-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

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!
Ever since I saw this picture I have wanted to learn how to paint black and white stripes on the walls of my music room. While painting vertical and uneven stripes on the walls has been done so much that it's almost commonplace, the painted horizontal stripes on this wall really knocked me out; they are so contemporary and sharp looking.

I noticed that in the pictures, the DIY painter broke up the pattern with strategically positioning wall quotes as focal points in the room and by bouncing polka dot wall decals throughout the design. Since the stripes in the pictures were in a baby's nursery these decorative touches in addition to the artwork were appropriate and softened the impact of the painting technique while leaving the very desirable high contrast that is known to be visible to newborns very early.

Adults who go to the trouble to learn how to paint black and white stripes for a master bedroom will probably leave them unadorned for an uncluttered, modern look.

NURSERY PAINTING IDEAS PICTURES and TIPS

2010-11-26T08:29:00.000-08:00

NURSERY MURAL IDEAS!

New parents looking for nursery painting ideas, pictures and tips can find a wealth of information by visiting what, in the past, may have been adult oriented home decorating websites. Sites that had previously focused on the living areas, kitchens, bathrooms and master bedrooms realized that there was a bigger need for design advice for the walls of the nursery than any other.

Often the decor of the baby's room is much more complex than bedrooms for the older occupants of the home. Elaborate nursery themes played out in nursery wall murals, the display of sentimental items on multiple shelves and framed artwork requires more talent to pull all of the decorative elements together tastefully in what may be a less than spacious area.

And when it comes to nursery painting ideas pictures and tips from those who have "been there and done that" are invaluable. The only saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words" is certainly applicable when a father or mother-to-be is searching for directions on how to paint a tree, a Dr. Seuss mural or other images that might be used to decorate the nursery walls.

Written instructions on how to use a projector to paint a mural are helpful but it would be impossible to beat the combination of detailed nursery pictures that are accompanied with a supply list AND instructions. For a beginner, this is the best way to proceed since most of the parents are more than happy to tell how many hours it took to paint the graphics and whether or not the wall painting ideas seen in the photos would be a project that is suitable for a beginner or one that requires advanced and equipment like projectors, etc.

FRENCH BABY NURSERY WALL DECOR

2010-11-23T07:25:00.000-08:00

French baby nursery wall decor can be something as simple as some removable peel and stick wall decals, framed pictures of French poodles OR you can take out all the stops like one mom who entered her artwork in a contest that I have bookmarked just to see how walls in modern nurseries are being decorated.

Wall stickers and decals are without a doubt the quick and easy way to decorate with images that reflect the nursery's theme, the baby's monogram or an inspirational saying or quote sharing wisdom from a favorite Bible verse or a motivational text taken from a popular children's book. It doesn't even have to be a very serious text. For instance, quotes from Dr. Seuss books have had a very good run.

And then, there are elaborate hand-painted works of art like the French baby nursery wall decor that take (according to the artist's description of how she painted the mural) about a month or so to complete. If you want a real treat, drop by and take a look at this devoted mother's wall decorating ideas.

Her artistic interpretation of life in Paris includes paintings of quaint Parisian bistros shaded with three-dimensional (3D) awnings, bakeries and sidewalk cafés as one might enjoyed while scrolling along the Champs Élysées and are an inspiration to jump in and start painting those walls with scenes of gay Paris'!

BAMBOO WALL STENCILS

2010-09-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

Bamboo wall stencils are the perfect way to customize any room with an oriental atmosphere or perhaps a room dedicated to the use of bamboo as a sustainable building material. Bamboo is a perfect complement to graceful Asian floral and animal designs like panda bears or even butterflies.

14 piece Bamboo Kit	Rainforest Bamboo
Bamboo Stencil	Mini Bamboo
Bamboo Wall and Floor Stencils	Bamboo Paradise Wall and Floor Stencil

Use repeatable bamboo stencils to decorate an entire accent wall and then carry the theme by stenciling small snips of the design on everything from the face of throw pillows to various pieces of furniture or decorative objects. You can easily paint and decorate the walls as well as accent pillows and even clothing using bamboo stencils. They are a cheap way to get a free form wallpaper look using perfectly matched custom colors or the designs can be stenciled in a vertical stripe pattern to create columns of bamboo much in the same way as wallpapers. The key to pulling this off is to choose bamboo wall stencils in the right size.

Reusable wall stencils offer great value for a very cheap price since you can build a library of stencils and use them over and over for your do-it-yourself wall decorating projects. Free use of color will make each project look fresh and new each and every time which is one of the primary benefits over using vinyl wall decals as wall decorations.

NURSERY WALL DECOR

2010-07-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

The many choices in modern nursery wall decor can be very confusing to new parents who are so enthusiastic until they get bogged down in details. So many times, they can't decide whether they should use nursery wall decals, just hang some nursery wall letters over the baby's bed or go all out with nursery wall murals that reach from corner to corner and floor to ceiling. And then...do nothing because it was just too much.

So, here are the basics of how to choose the best nursery wall decor to decorate the walls of your baby's room in style listed in order of cost.

WALL PAINT

Not as cheap as it once might have been, a gallon of paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to brighten any room. Match your colors to the crib set and if solid color walls are boring to you, consider painting the top two thirds of the wall with one color and the bottom third with another. If you want to get fancy, you might consider one of the more advanced painting techniques like painting stripes, sponging or using textured paint. Whatever style you choose, remember to start with smooth, clean walls and to use ONLY non-toxic paint that will be safe for your baby.

WALL STENCILS

Stenciling is cheaper than stickers and decals, but more permanent and messier. The benefit of using stencils over decals is color selection and a cheap price. The drawbacks are that there is cleanup involved and once you paint a design on the wall....it's there.

NURSERY WALL DECALS

These are ideal for apartment dwellers that would lose their deposit if they damaged the existing wall paint or if the wall of the nursery is a good color but boring. Buy reusable vinyl decals and have fun!

WALLPAPER AND WALLPAPER BORDER

More skill is required for hanging both wallpaper and wallpaper border. The wall should be properly prepped (which is no small thing but CRUCIAL) AND everything has to be straight with seams matched, pattern matched and lumps and bumps smoothed out.

Hanging wallpaper is not for sissies. It requires skill, patience and when the corners of your room are not square...vile language control. Don't jump into papering an entire room until you take a class, read some books and get some practice preferably on somebody else's dime. Wallpaper is expensive and easy to tear which can get you in trouble and deplete your nursery wall decor budget in a hurry.

NURSERY WALL MURALS

There's no real need for a mural on all four walls of the baby's room. For one thing, busy scenes of this magnitude will completely overwhelm the rest of your decorations. And you want the baby to be the standout, not rolling jungle scenes or what have you.

A mural on one wall is plenty. An easy one for beginners is to paint a wall (or the ceiling) baby blue and sponge paint or rag paint your clouds.

Advanced and artistic painters (with boatloads of free time) among us can paint detailed murals freehand. The rest of us can apply our rain forest wall mural the quick and easy way using wallpaper murals that you can apply to the walls and remove them whenever you are ready. Please read the paragraph above with references to wallpaper hanging before choosing this style of nursery wall decor.

NURSERY ARTWORK

Even in the modern nursery of today there is room for framed art. If you use one or all of the above methods to decorate the walls of your baby's room, the finishing touch and final layer should be framed pictures, prints or posters that reflect the nursery's colors and theme.

I hope that this information helps you to choose the nursery wall decor that is best for you and your circumstances. Of course, there are far too many wall decorating ideas to cover them in one "HOW TO" tutorial so please come back to see how you can combine wall sconces, wallpaper, wall art and other stuff to personalize your DIY project to perfection.

OWL DECALS

2009-11-20T11:24:00.000-08:00

Buy Posters at AllPosters.com

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Owl decals and owl wallpaper haven't seen such popularity since the Owl and the Pussycat was on the best seller list. That may be a bit of an exaggeration but certainly owl wall decorations haven't been used to the extent that they are today since the late 70s and early 80s.

Owl theme home decor may have been dormant for a decade or so but they are making a huge comeback not only in the kitchen or den, but in the baby's room and right on into the bathroom. The range of colors, sizes and style of owl decals is as varied as the age groups that are flocking (if you'll pardon the pun) to them.

Nature lovers have never abandoned owl decals, wall decorations and art but these days they find themselves members of a club with many more members than they have seen in quite some time.

BIRD WALL DECALS

2009-10-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

Buy Posters at AllPosters.com

Enjoy the beauty of birds in your home without the mess with bird wall decals that are so incredibly realistic that you can almost hear them singing! And if you decide that the initial spot that you handpicked as the best place in your house for them to roost, all that will be needed is for you to peel them off and stick them in their new location.

That is just how convenient it is to decorate the walls of your bedroom, bathroom or family living space with our feathered friends.

TIP
:
Paint a tree mural and use the branches as a spot where your bird wall decals can be perched. If painting a tree is beyond your level of artistic skill, buy tree wall decals taking care that the size is right for the space that you are decorating and arrange your bird wall stickers after it is in place. You will appreciate the fact that you can easily relocate the entire wall arrangement whenever you please and enjoy the reusable, vinyl tree and bird wall decals over and over.

NURSERY WALL DECOR

2009-09-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

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Choosing your baby nursery wall decor and paint color will be one of the first decisions made in the process of decorating your little one’s first room. Most professional decorators who are experts on the subject of nursery design recommend choosing an inspiration piece which in most cases would be the crib set.

The reason for this is undoubtedly due to the fact that the quilt or comforter’s fabric offers a guide to color matching and accent colors. Once you have made your selection, it’s advisable to then move along to the next color choice, the paint color for the walls.
If your space is small, pull a lighter shade from your inspiration fabric. To make a large room feel cozy, consider a darker paint color to bring the walls and ceiling closer to you visually and remember that you will get a lot more mileage out of neutrals than bright primary colors that will need to be changed every time a new set of bedding is introduced.

When you are satisfied that the walls are ready, it’s time to add the next layer of nursery wall decor. This is the step that gives amateur decorators and in this case, new parents, the jitters. It’s pretty intimidating to think that you could damage the perfect paint job that you just finished with a poorly placed nail hole. The great thing about modern nursery wall decor is that there are many decorative items that do not require nails to hang them.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wall Papers, Clocks and Decor to see decorations for the nursery wall that can be hung without the use of nails that will damage your fresh paint.

OWL WALL DECALS, WALLIES and DECORATIONS

2009-06-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

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Back in the late 70s and early 80s, owls were all the rage. Today there are owl wall decals in the craft and home decorating stores produced to match trendy teenage girls owl bedding are decorating the walls of bedrooms. Some fall in line with a warm retro look. Other owl wall stickers are seen in softer pastel colors to coordinate with baby owl bedding sets and nursery decor.

HOW TO DECORATE WITH OWL WALLIES

Decorating with owl wall decals can be very interesting in that you might line up a row of these cute creatures over a bedroom door in sizes graduating from large to small or you might use them as part of a rustic or woodsy wall mural along with a variety of other forest creatures. Perhaps a more modern approach would be to position a tree mural on the wall and perch your owl stickers on the branches along with the leaves.

COLORS

Orange and brown earth tones have been very popular perhaps in keeping with some species natural coloring. But don't let tradition keep you from experimenting with pastels or any color that matches the layout of your bedroom. Have fun, be fanciful and see how many creative ways that these birds can be used to decorate the walls of your home.

Return to Wall Sconces, Owl Wall Decals, Wallpapers and Decorations for more tips on choosing unique decorative items to decorate the rooms of your home.

CUTE BEE WALL STICKERS

2009-06-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the cute bee wall stickers, the bee theme wall painting technique that you see in the above picture is easier to execute than you might imagine. Using cute bee vinyl stickers or a sheet or two of cheap honey bee decals will save you a lot of time, aggravation and flatten the earning curve of learning to paint bumble bees to such a level that even kids could arrange these graphics on the wall with no problem.

There are several different styles of honey bee decals that you can experiment with. The ones that were used in between the stenciled words in the photo were part of a bedding set by Wendy Bellissimo. I believe that the use of the single bee wall stickers look best for this particular display. But not every decorator has the time or the skills to effectively stencil bees or the words directing visitors to the kids’ bedroom to "Bee Kind", "Bee Loving", "Bee Happy" and "Bee True" without damaging the cheerful, yellow paint on the walls.

If you wanted to skip painting the inspirational words on your bee theme wall, perhaps the best honey bee decals for your purpose would be those that come in a collection that include beehives, butterflies, flowers and other insects that might be found in a cottage garden setting to fill out your decorative wall display.

Return to Bee Wall Stickers, Sconces, Wallpapers and Decor for more creative decorating ideas for the walls of your home.

PINK AND BLACK WALL DECOR

2009-06-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

Imagine a wall covered in pink French poodles and Eiffel Towers or some other pink and black wall decor that matches your daughter’s or your own taste in bedroom design. Chances are that if you have a picture in your mind of a particular wall covering, decal or sticker there is a vendor out there that not only has the design of your dreams ready and waiting to be arranged on the walls of your home but that is willing to personalize the pink and black wall decals with whatever name or saying that you would care for.

GIRLS PINK and BLACK BEDDING and WALL DECOR

As I mentioned earlier, pink French poodles are all the rage at the moment for use in a tiny toddler girl’s room as well as ladies of any age with a penchant for all things Parisian. But the fun with does not stop with the use of a single style in vinyl wall decorations as there are so many other fun shapes to experiment with like polka dots and stripes.

HEARTS and FLOWERS

To take a less funky and more romantic approach you might mix things up with some sassy pink and black wall stickers with hearts and flowers in sizes that vary from very large, to medium and very small to keep the arrangement unique and interesting.

PINK AND BLACK SKULL WALL DECORATIONS

Pink and black wall decor to complement gothic rooms, believe it or not, can be very cute. Pretty pink skulls and crossbones have never looked better than these modern stickers.

If your idea of the perfect accessory for your decorating project is pink and black wall decor, have no fear, we’ve got you and your walls covered.

WHALE WALL DECALS, STICKERS and DECOR

2009-05-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

Applications for whale wall decals and stickers are as vast as the ocean that these magnificent creatures call home. I can recall seeing pictures of plaster whales decorating the walls of bathrooms as early as the 1950s. As I call to mind the image of these cute whales with bubbly personalities and of all things, big beautiful eyes and long curling eyelashes, I can easily understand why these vintage pieces are so highly sought after today.

Some decorators would settle for nothing less than one of these early examples of whale wall art to gussy up their bedroom or bath. But for the person with a limited budget or a large expanse of wall to fill, whale wall stickers might be the best choice.

Whale wall stickers and wallpaper borders to match the whale baby bedding and decor in a nursery are no more in keeping with reality than they were in their molded form of several decades past. For kids’ rooms, pink, lavender or even lime green whales are just as common as killer or blue whale stickers.

To please the decorative taste of scuba divers who have been up close and personal with the original article, there are large whale wall decals that will please the most critical eye. These are wonderful additions to deep sea murals where a realistic appearance is preferred. Plus, you can peel the removable, vinyl whale wall decals off the wall and rearrange them any time you change apartments or just to give your whale wall mural a fresh new look.

As far as price is concerned, all versions are cheap compared to having a mural painted, much less time consuming that painting one yourself or hanging a large wallpaper mural that would be nearly impossible to relocate should you have the need.

Return to Whale Wall Decals, Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor to find more fish decorations to decorate the walls of your home.

GIANT CAMO WALL DECALS

2009-03-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

These giant camo wall decals are the perfect wall art for your kids camo bedroom walls. Military tanks, jeeps and hummers bursting through the walls will trump traditional, framed camo wall art any day of the week!

Hanging rolls of wall covering can be more than the average do it yourself decorating buff wants to tackle. It’s a battle to get the wallpaper smooth and straight and those of us who have done it a few times know it requires a lot of trips up and down a ladder. Even with the best assistant on hand to help, installing a complete camo wall mural is a big job that’s not for sissies.

In comparison, even giant camo wall decals are a piece of cake. Vinyl camouflage stickers offer quick and easy camouflage wall decor with a fraction of the effort or the cost. The large military tank or jeep wall decal will probably take care of one bedroom wall with no other decorations necessary. To decorate the remainder of the kids’ bedroom walls or the baby’s camo nursery, you could make an arrangement of small camo wall appliques that have been cut in shapes of helicopters, fighter jets or jeeps. To personalize your project, spell your child’s name or initials out in pink, blue or olive green, mossy oak camo wooden wall letters.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor for more tips on how to decorate your walls with camo wall decals and appliques.

VINTAGE WALL CLOCKS - TIMEPIECES WITH CHARACTER

2009-03-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

Whenever I come across unique
vintage wall clocks I not only have to resist the urge to take each and every one home with me; I have to use self control to will myself to get on with my day and not drift into dreams of what monumental occurrences had transpired surrounding the item. The pendulums and the resonance of the tick tock engages me in thought and fanciful imaginings of the happenings in the seconds, minutes and hours that the hands of these timepieces have marked along the way.

Each one has its own style unlike the plastic, mass produced clocks in today’s stores. What modern electronic timekeeping devices offer in accuracy, they lack in personality and presence in the home. Standing beside vintage clocks, they come across as so sterile, one dimensional and boring. Digital clocks are easy to read, efficient and compact but they simply don’t speak to me.

The movements of an elegant piece designed to not only mark the time but to decorate may seem old fashioned to some. But I find it very comforting to hear the steady ticking of my great-grandmother’s clock echoing in the halls when I open the door to my otherwise empty house.

I was fortunate enough that my ancestors were the kind that resisted most advances in technology. While others were downsizing and upgrading, mine believed that it was always better to maintain and fix items they owned including those massive antique clocks that were at times a challenge to fit into homes with standard height ceilings and limited wall space.

Vintage clocks and furnishings that were a part of your forebears daily lives are priceless. However, if you did not inherit a grandfather clock in every sense of the word should that prevent you from owning an antique or vintage wall clock? Certainly not! Start a tradition of your own and pass it forward.

If you believe that a large wooden, floor or wall clock won’t fit in your modern apartment or blend with your decor I would encourage you to look further and become acquainted with the various options that are available to you. There are retro, vintage clocks that are small, colorful and lots of fun. Vintage clocks don’t have to be formal. Some collectors enjoy vintage, advertising clocks in their kitchens and game rooms. Model airplane enthusiasts might enjoy an aircraft clock that you lucked up and found on ebay. Little girls with a kitty cat bedroom might appreciate a kit cat clock.

If your budget won’t allow the purchase of an authentic antique clock, don’t be a snob and deprive yourself of the pleasure of owning a clock with character; find a store that specializes in reproductions until you can afford the real deal.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wall Papers, Clocks and Decor to find more tips on how to shop for and find the best vintage wall clocks that reflect your style and personality.

CANDY WALL DECORATIONS - CANDY STICKERS and DECALS

2009-03-20T19:24:00.001-07:00

For colorful, sweet flavor without the sticky faces, it would be hard to compete with vinyl candy wall decorations. Stickers for the baby’s nursery are relatively common and have given solid wallpaper and borders some stiff competition due to the fact that decals are so easy to apply. A rank amateur can get the job done with professional results in a few minutes. Plus, candy wall decor, unlike rolls of wallpaper border are removable as well as reusable.

These candy wall decorations will mask the minor flaws on your walls that might otherwise require at the least detailed preparation before the application process could take place. At the worst, a light touch up including sanding and filling holes and sanding them smooth again might be required for the best results.

I can imagine a unique room based on one of my favorite kid’s games, Candyland. What a wonderful opportunity to surround your kids with candy and sweets without the worry of damage to their dental work! The only problem might be convincing your toddler that although the wall stickers might look good enough to eat they are for decorative purposes alone!

What an excellent way to bring your child’s favorite characters, Uncle Wrigley and all the colorful locations of the board game to life. Not to mention that the space will be a delightful display of color and fun until your little ones outgrow their candy wall decorations at which time you can simply peel your candy wall décor off the walls and replace them with decals that reflect their current interests and color choices.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor to see more decorating ideas and creative uses for various styles of stickers, appliques and decals in your DIY projects.

GO FRENCH! with PARISIAN WALL DECALS

2009-03-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

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For those seeking to recreate the atmosphere of the Champs de Elysees, Parisian wall decals of the Eiffel Tower and other scenes from gay Paris will come in ever so handy. Barring having a starving artist pitch a tent in the bedroom or den of your home in order to get a mural of the Parisian countryside painted on your walls for a hefty price, French wall decals are the best alternative.

I do not mean to suggest that you should go pasting pastoral scenes or images associated with impressionist prints on the walls. What I would suggest in the way of stickers would be something of a more sophisticated and slightly less complex design.

When it comes to Parisian wall decals, Eiffel tower stickers are impossible to beat. They are a decorator's dream as there are stickers as large or as small as your space may require. If a French wall decal that spans the floor to the ceiling is required to decorate your wall according to your taste, no problem. Believe it or not, even color matching will not be an issue. I have recently noted that manufacturers have taken liberty with the traditional black design of this Parisian landmark by turning out French wall decals in pink, purple and even red.

One can only assume that there are fabrics and styles of decor that would clash with the architectural wonder in its original form. Although I must admit that I prefer my French wall decals in a more authentic style and design; basic black cutouts are preferred whenever possible. But I do try to keep an open mind so I never say never.

All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor

DECORATIVE, VINYL WALL DECALS

2009-02-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

SEE MORE HERE!

BLOSSOM TREE WALL DECALS

Whether you know them as decorative, vinyl wall decals,
wall stickers or appliques, you have to admit they have really come into their own as fashionable decor for bedrooms, kitchens or even family rooms. Stickers made from cheap, plastic materials from the past have been replaced with much improved, vinyl that is so resilient that the applications for their use have virtually exploded onto the home decorating scene.

I don’t know about you, but a few years back I considered the best place for vinyl stickers was in the bottom of the bathtub to add some traction to an otherwise slippery surface. There were little fish, seashells and other cutouts that one might associate with water. Although what the inhabitants of the ocean and shower baths had in common other than water escapes me even now.

Today, decorative vinyl wall decals for the home have moved beyond the limits of the bathroom door. And while sea creatures are still popular subjects for wall appliques, their latest version might glow in the dark or feature a 3D design. Actually I’ve only seen glow in the dark solar system wall appliqués but who says that a starfish won’t be next?

MODERN APPLICATIONS

The beauty of using removable baby nursery wall decals to decorate your little one's room or that hard to fill spot behind your favorite chair in the den is that you can experiment to your heart’s content. If you aren’t happy with the effect on one area of your home’s decor, peel it off and stick it on the wall in another room. I’m sure that you will agree that sheer mobility may give wall stickers an advantage over stenciling in many situations.

You may be having difficulties in wrapping your head around stickers in living areas of your home. But take it from me that not only are they stylish but the right wall stickers can do wonders for solving decorating problems.

As an example, I recently used a chandelier wall appliqué in a formal dining room that was too small for a large ceiling fixture. The results were dramatic. The large sticker on the walls gave the illusion of a chandelier over the table without actually taking up space which made the room look bigger and might I say, very trendy and stylish.

SHAPES and STYLES

Flowers and tropical fish wall stickers are still out there, only now there are coral reef stickers and many more ocean creatures that will add layer upon layer of color and interest to your designs. Animals are another big hit with decorators. Life size jungle stick ons of zebra, giraffes and big cats do a lot to punch up the activity in painted murals. And teeny boppers can rejoice in the knowledge that many of their favorite pop idols have a selection of wall decals in their promotional product lines.

SAYINGS, WORDS and QUOTES

Here's where wall decals move boldly where no other sticker has dared to go. Word stickers for walls are primarily custom made according to your specifications. And it shouldn't surprise you to know that special orders for wall phrase decals have gone through the roof. Everything from funny sayings to your favorite Bible verses can be printed and made ready to decorate your walls in beautiful script. Use them in place of wallpaper borders at chair rail height or to span the room directly under the crown molding. It's entirely up to you and that's just another aspect that makes them so appealing.

Here’s a little decorating secret; wall stickers are wonderful to camouflage flaws in a room’s wall paint. Nicks and nail holes disappear without having to spring for painting the entire area. And those are just a few of the pros of inexpensive, reusable vinyl wall decals. Stay tuned to find more unique and interesting wall decorating ideas and tips on how to use stickers to make your home more beautiful for very cheap price.

TWIG WREATHS - INSTRUCTIONS and DECORATING IDEAS

2009-02-25T09:37:00.000-08:00

You know that spring is just around the corner when you see twig wreaths decorated with tulips, lily of the valley and bright, satin ribbons. When the snow is just beginning to melt, the sight of the first brave crocus peeking its pretty face out to meet the sun makes me want to color the world in pastels.

My first step in the process is to give the wreaths on the doors and walls a makeover. The berries and pinecones that were so appropriate last fall will be removed and stored until I’m ready to cocoon in late autumn. Right now, nothing will do but flowers for the door wreath and Easter bunnies and baby chicks for the primitive twig wreath for the wreath on the door leading to my rustic, bear, moose theme baby nursery room where I’ve been so careful to keep things primitive in design.

I’m conflicted over whether it’s best to make a trip to the woods and gather materials to make a brand new wreath and store the less colorful one in its original form. It’s so easy to make twig or grapevine wreaths that it might be simpler to start from scratch than to remove, store only to decorate the twig wreath again next fall.

What I love about twig wreaths is that they are an empty palette, are easy to personalize and make lovely, affordable gifts for kids, babies or adults on your Christmas or baby shower list.

Here are some easy instructions for how to make your own wreath from twigs.

Your supply list should give a hint at why I love these cheap gifts:

A straightened wire coat hanger
Florist wire (22 gauge will work)
Decorations (more suggestions on that later)

Step 1.) Gather your twigs. Don’t overlook twigs from shrubs and bushes around your house that need trimming anyway.

Step 2.) Trim your twigs into a uniform length of about 5 – 6 inches

Step 3.) Prepare your base (the straight portion of the heavy clothes hanger wire) into whatever shape and size you need. My suggestions are an elongated oval or round. Take care that it’s not so big that the twig wreath will be floppy or be pulled out shape by the weight of your twigs and decorative items.
Once the end of your clothes hanger wire has been secured around the base of the hanger’s hooked end; take your wire pliers and slowly bend the hook to make more of an “eye” or a circle positioned closer to the big wire circle you just made making sure that it will be covered by your twigs.

Step 4.) Cut about a dozen pieces of florist wire about six inches long.

Step 5.) Pick up a handful of twigs and use one piece of your florist wire to make a tight bunch. Repeat this step until you have enough bunches to cover your wire base.

Step 6.) Taking one bunch at a time, using a continuous strand of florist wire start to secure each bunch to your base form carefully overlapping one over the other. The last bunch in the process should be fastened so that it completely hides the wire form. Clip the wire and weave it in so that the sharp end is not a danger.

Step 7.) Unadorned twig wreaths are beautiful in their natural state, but it’s fun to decorate them for the seasons or for special occasions like a housewarming party or to include as a baby shower gift.

For instance:

A primitive Easter Bunny and carrot made from cutter quilt scraps or some homemade Easter eggs will dress your creation up as a wonderful Easter wreath.
A few vintage baby rattles or toys transform a plain grapevine or twig wreath into a lovely baby shower gift for a nature minded mom.
Sprays of red pepper berries, holly berries or dried ornamental pepper pods make a festive Christmas wreath.
Colorful autumn leaves will carry your twig wreath from fall right up to the Christmas holidays.

A homemade wreath is such a creative and inexpensive gift, not to mention they are so easy and fun to make, that you will want to build an inventory of these beauties to keep on hand.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor to pick up more tips on how to make your own twig wreaths to decorate the walls and doors of your home.

GRINCH WALLPAPER - FREE GRINCH DESKTOP WALLPAPER and THEME SONG

2008-12-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

Oh he’s a mean one, that Mr. Grinch. But, his bad attitude hasn’t slowed Grinch wallpaper demand a single bit! He’s mean, he’s green and we don’t know how but the evil creature has commandeered Santa’s sleigh, his red and white suit and hat and stolen Christmas from the good citizens of Whoville.

Never in a million years would I have dreamed when my parents read this Dr. Seuss Christmas book to me when I was a kid that there would come a day when
free Grinch desktop wallpaper, screensavers
and the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" theme song would be available.

Nor could I have realized that Grinch wallpaper for the computer and other Dr. Seuss graphics such as the Cat in the Hat design would be readily available. After all, it was just a cute, little book that was marginally about the goodness and faith of mankind, right? Who decides which children’s books get turned into a line of decorations for the home?

Of all the Grinch characters, you might think that little Cindy Lou Who would be the most popular during the holidays. Remember how angelic she seemed in her little girl’s nightgown? Her big blue eyes and blonde hair would make her the obvious choice for a story about Christmas. If you were of this mind, you most likely were in the minority because the villain is the winner in this popularity contest by a country mile.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor to see more of the latest desktop wallpapers and graphics.

DECORATIVE WALL MIRRORS

2008-11-16T15:16:00.000-08:00

Wall mirrors are so much more than a convenient way to do those last minute touchups to makeup and hair before we leave our homes or receive guests. Where once upon a time they were used for that purpose and that purpose alone, they are now recognized for their decorative and esthetic value.

Any style of decor is capable of opening its arms to receive this versatile decoration. The benefit of decorating with mirrors is that the have the power to reflect available sunlight to the point that it is multiplied many times over and has a positive brightening effect on any room. A poorly lit room with northern exposure can be transformed into a cheerful space where little artificial lighting is necessary except during the darkest hours of night.

MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL

Mirrors were once limited to the homes of the wealthy. Before ones made of glass were available, large rectangles or circles of polished metal were used to get a general idea of the viewer’s reflection.

SHAPES AND SIZES

Square, rectangle and round wall mirrors of all sizes both large and small are cheap and readily available in home improvement and discount stores. For spots in your decorative arrangements where no standard sizes will work, specialty shops will custom cut mirrors in unusual shapes to fit any space.

DECORATIVE WALL MIRRORS

Bathroom and 3 way wall mounted magnifying mirrors are helpful to reflect light and are often decorative. But their primary purpose in these particular locations is for their magnifying powers and to give us views of our faces from multiple angles. Convex mirrors are less than useful for facial reflection as they would produce, because of their unique shapes, rather odd reflection. This style of mirror is by tradition hung high on the wall over a fireplace or other area that is higher than eye level. They are also useful in automobiles to eliminate blind spots, but that is information that is best used for another article.

UNFRAMED WALL MIRRORS

It’s rare to see any style of unframed wall decoration. Mirrors of this type are the exception to this rule. The wire hangers are cleverly attached with silver clamps that are cleverly camouflaged around the edges leaving the reflective glass to almost float on the surface that it is used to decorate.

LARGE WALL MIRRORS

There are many applications for big mirrors other than behind the sofa or on the back of the dressing room door. Dance and exercise studios often have walls covered in mirrors from side to side and floor to ceiling. Dancers and fitness buffs can see themselves and perfect their form by studying their body’s in motion. Another unique use for large mirrors is as a headboard of a bed.

So long as there is proper support for the weight of the glass, there is no bad place in the home for decorative mirrors.

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BIRD WALL STENCILS, SCONCES and DECOR

2008-11-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

It may not have a big wing span, may not flutter or fly, but bird wall decor can still lift your spirits and brighten a room by bringing the mood of outdoors into our living spaces. And you don't have to be an avid bird watching ornithology buff to appreciate the beauty of these delicate creatures.

We may never be able to enjoy the feeling of freedom that flying without benefit of mechanical assistance but that should not stop you from enjoyment of birds. Here are some bird oriented home decorating ideas that are quick, easy and inexpensive. And best of all, you can do it yourself.

BIRD WALL STENCILS

With some sheets of stiff plastic, a brush and some paint you can not only skip buying rolls of wallpaper border that's expensive and messy to hang on the walls. There is the issue of preparing the surfaces in such a way that the pre-pasted paper will stick properly. Plus, we are all not natural paper hangers. Some of us have to pay a professional to come in and do the work which adds even more to the expense of creating our decorative bird wall. Bird stencils are cheap in comparison and you can pick and choose the best colors that work with your furnishing and accessories already in your home. There are no rules that say that you have to stick to the natural colors of your favorite species. If you need lavender flamingoes, go for it.

BIRD DECALS

Bird wall decals may be the least expensive and most amusing way of all to get a flock of pretty birds on your walls. To display them to full advantage, you may want to take the time to have a tree mural made of wall stickers in place where they can rest as well as a blue sky where they can sail on the imaginary breezes.

BIRD WALL CLOCKS

The classic bird clock would, of course, be the traditional cuckoo clock. However, modern wall clocks with bird designs include everything from singing bird clocks to Tweety Bird cuckoo clocks. So, long as you stay in keeping with the feel of the rest of the room, take your pick.

BIRD WALL SCONCES

Bird wall sconces may be the most attractive of all styles of bird wall decor. Bird candle holder sconces or electrical fixtures with lamp shades edged in feathers are very fashionable in formal areas and the bedroom.

HOW TO BUY THE BEST WALL CLOCKS

2008-11-05T13:13:00.000-08:00

Wall clocks have come along way from their original purpose of telling us the time of any given day. In fact there are more than a few of these classic timepieces that remain in place in homes that have long since lost this ability. We have come to appreciate the fact that they are not only useful, but pretty to look at as well.

The inner workings of the clock are masterpieces in themselves with their gears and very few can say they find the sound of the tick tock anything but calming. And I, for one, am hypnotized when in the presence of a large pendulum wall clock or grandfather clock.

LARGE or SMALL?

That depends on how much space you have and where you want to hang it on the wall. You may want to take a small and a large clock home with you so that you can experiment. There is a very fine line between a perfect fit and looking out of kilter. The clock shouldn’t seem crowded and oversized, nor should it be floating about lost with too much room on the top, sides and bottom.

WHAT STYLE IS BEST FOR MY ROOM?

The same rules applies to this situation as with any other decorating decision. For instance, it might look odd to hang a contemporary
wall clock
in a room with early Victorian furnishings. On the other hand, I have seen good results with novelty or retro clocks in an eclectic room that had more than its fair share of vintage memorabilia displays. When in doubt, ask the opinion of the decorative consultant in the furniture store where you trade.

METAL OR WOOD?

Modern wall clocks are made of most any material you can name from rustic wood to polished steel. Wooden clocks of one style or another are appropriate in all but the most modern of rooms. A clock with a stained wooden case should blend well with the rest of the wood finishes in the area of your home where it is located. Some wood finishes mix and match betters, so you will have to be the judge whether or not oak or cherry is best.

Brass, stainless steel or even copper clocks look wonderful on wood walls. They brighten the area and add interest.

NURSERY CLOCKS

I have seen an increase in the number of decorative clocks in children’s bedrooms in recent years. The idea of putting a clock in the kids’ bedrooms before they can actually tell time is sheer genius! What better way to teach a little one their numbers and how to read the position of the hands of the clock than to hang it where they will see it and become familiar with it? And it doesn’t hurt a single bit that there are so many unique wall clocks to pick from.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wallpapers, Clocks and Decor for more information and guidance on buying the best wall clocks for your home.

FUNNY ANIMATED THANKSGIVING WALLPAPER

2008-11-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

NEW THANKSGIVING WALLPAPER! It's November the first and not only is it the day you get to empty your pumpkin till your tummy is ready to explode and you are in a sugar induced fog. Nor is it simply the last part of the season when we can enjoy that extra hour of late afternoon sunshine that daylight savings time gives us.

In my world, the first day of November is the official kickoff off the holiday season that holds the three heavy hitters of the entire year; Thanksgiving, Christmas and then New Year's Eve. Not to skip lightly over Halloween and New Year's Day but I'm forced to hit the high spots sometimes due to lack of time or space.

I can't wait to see the latest animated, funny free Thanksgiving wallpaper for the desktop computer. Here's hoping that there is an update on last year's Pilgrim chasing a turkey with a hatchet. That one was so funny that it did a lot to diminish the sadness experienced at the passing of the fun we had Trick or Treat as well as having to remove my spooky ringtones and Jack o' Lantern screensavers and wallpapers.

Free Thanksgiving wallpaper
is perhaps the only reason I forego the pristine fall scenery with perfect temperatures in the 70s to stay indoors and update my desktop, laptop and cell phone. How can beautiful fall leaves compare to 3d wallpaper with a cute wallpaper featuring a turkey holding a poster that says "Eat Pork" or an animated offering with a dancing turkey?

Vegetarians might prefer a screensaver of an unblemished pumpkin that somehow managed to escape being carved in honor of Halloween wearing a black Pilgrim hat decorated with the traditional square pewter buckle. Perhaps this one should come with the disclaimer that no animals were harmed in the filming of this free Thanksgiving wallpaper.

My friends and I wait with baited breath for the first
cool wallpaper for computers
this season while knowing that there is little that can be done to improve our traditional favorites. Could it be possible that they have found something exciting and new to do with turkeys, Pilgrims, corn stalks and pumpkins? After all, it will be difficult to top an animated turkey doing the foxtrot.

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CANDLE WALL SCONCES - ROMANTIC LOW WATT LIGHT FIXTURES

2008-10-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

Candle sconces are an excellent way to cast a romantic, subdued light over any area. The use of dimmer switches to diminish the harsh effects of the chandelier over the dining table or the center of the ceiling may leave the outer edges of the room looking dark and abandoned.

Proper placement of
candle wall sconces
will leave the cozy atmosphere in place while eliminating dark spots. Rather than pulling the walls inward and reducing the visuals of a space, attractive sconces, electric or non-electric, expand the size of the room by illuminating and exposing square footage that would otherwise be unusable cloaked in darkness.

WHAT KIND OF CANDLE SCONCES SHOULD I USE?

All of the
light fixtures
in a room should blend in the same fashion as all the other decorations. As an example, the occasion would be rare when it would be advisable to combine rustic, wrought iron candle sconces with pieces decorated with lead crystal beads and teardrop shaped pendants.

PLACEMENT OF CANDLE WALL SCONCES

As we mentioned earlier in this article, anywhere in your home that the dimmed ceiling or lamp light doesn’t reach is an excellent place for these low wattage light fixtures. Walls in your hallways as well as the far end of your living area are all appropriate spots.

WIRING

Architects are no strangers to the challenges of drawing blueprints with properly spaced wiring that will allow for whatever type of lighting is best for the square footage in bedrooms, dens or dining rooms. However, planning may include a certain number of wall outlets to accommodate floor and table lamps rather than sconces that must be hard wired before the sheetrock is installed. Homeowners who recognize the advantages of light fixtures installed on the walls should consult with their draftsman so that such wiring is included in the layout of their home.

For those who didn’t have the luxury of designing custom electrical wiring diagrams during the planning phases of their home, candle holder sconces or plug in sconces are acceptable alternatives. Check to be sure that covers for the electrical cord come with your electric candle sconces so that the end results will have a polished look.

CANDLE HOLDER SCONCES

Some decorators prefer the use of real candles over artificial lighting in their decor. I have to admit that flickering candlelight has its charm, but there are times when safety issues and practicality outweigh the decorative appeal of the real thing. An open fire of any kind requires constant supervision and there are times when I don’t want to baby sit my appliances.

Drafts have a nasty habit of blowing out the candle’s flame leaving a smoking wick that has the ability to overpower the aroma of food at a dinner party. If you still insist on lighting candles over low watt light bulbs, you should shop for candle wall sconces that have a hurricane shade to guard against the random breeze ruining the otherwise pleasant scent of your home.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wall Papers, Clocks and Decor for more ideas on decorative fixtures to brighten the dull spots on the walls of your house on the outside as well as indoors.

CRYSTAL BATHROOM SCONCES - ALL THE BENEFITS OF CANDLELIGHT and MORE

2008-10-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

The luxury of a
lead crystal bathroom sconce
might have caused your great-grandmother to raise an eyebrow. Such luxury and extravagance was unusual if not unheard of in her day. Bathrooms were a place where you took care of a certain unmentionable business. Entries and exits were managed quickly in a quiet and efficient fashion. Decorating the room that housed bodily functions may have been considered in poor taste if not downright vulgar.

I am happy to report that the days of plain, ugly potties are long gone. In today’s modern bathroom, you may find the same antique French bronze sconces in a smaller size as the ones in the formal dining or living area.

WALL SCONCES OR CANDLES?

Why settle for votive candles when crystal sconces are so much safer and they sparkle ever so nicely. The dazzling lead crystal in electric sconces of brass make you want to take your after dinner wine to the bath and lounge while you enjoy the glow of this unique lighting that creates an atmosphere of sumptuous indulgences from the boudoir into the bath. Of course if you want the best of both worlds, perhaps candle wall sconces would be a viable option.

MODERN CRYSTAL BATHROOM SCONCES

To many the mention of lead crystal bathroom sconces brings to mind a chandelier dripping with faceted teardrop shapes and crystal beads or cut lead crystal decanters. This type of crystal sconce will always be considered stylish in upscale homes with large sunken tubs and gold leaf mirrors with beveled edges. However, homeowners with a taste for the contemporary style of décor wanted a more modern look for their bathroom light fixtures. The answer was hip, rectangular crystal and chrome wall sconces specifically produced to be used as bathroom light fixtures.

The nickel or brushed steel provided the perfect base metal for free form lead crystal electric sconces that are completely unique and one of a kind with shades that seem to be melting rather than the cut crystal that has been around for decades. If the silver color is not rich or warm enough for you, there is always the option for traditional brass and French Bronze.

Balance your crystal sconces with matching pendant light fixtures or chandeliers if the size of your floor space will support something so luxurious, pour a glass of wine and some bath oil and bask in the glow of a job well done.

Return to All Wall Sconces, Wall Papers, Wall Clocks and Decor for more information on how to choose the best wall light fixtures for all rooms in your home.

BATHROOM WALL SCONCES

2008-10-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Bathroom wall sconces are simply an extension of the lighting we have come to enjoy from the strip of lights over the lavatory mirror. Many homes lack adequate square footage in the bedroom for the lady of the house to have a designated dressing area complete with vanity table bathed in flattering light suitable for the application of her makeup and arranging her hair.

In light of this, builders have documented a trend of double sinks in the bathroom; one for the men and one for the women. The idea is that men can shave over one sink while the ladies can use the other for their own purposes. The enlargement of the bathroom has contributed to the need for additional lighting to eliminate shadows leading to cosmetics being used in over abundance that looks too heavy and artificial once the wearer is exposed to natural sunlight. The answer is over the mirror light strips or bars, ceiling fixtures and bathroom sconces in small cubes and longer rectangles installed around the room.

HOW MANY BATHROOM WALL SCONCES WILL I NEED?
There is a fine balance between proper lighting and too much. Nobody wants to feel like flashbulbs are going off in their face every time they flip the switch. In new construction, perhaps it would be best to take the advice offered on the lighting diagrams laid out in the blueprints of your home. Architects are experts in spacing light fixtures for the amount of area that a particular area contains.

WHERE DO I INSTALL BATHROOM SCONCES?
Most modern bathrooms can handle a pair of modern halogen, rectangular shaped bathroom sconces on each side of the mirror. In fact, the overall appearance of most older bathrooms will be greatly improved with the addition of two light sconces on either side of the mirror which creates an odd number of lights which most decorating manuals recommend. If you think that you might like control over angles and positioning of your light, a cube shaped swing arm sconce in nickel or brushed steel with a glass shade would do the trick and then retract back into an out of the way position.

If you have a large area to illuminate, a pair of
bathroom wall sconces
over the tub area would be visually appealing and help to brighten the atmosphere at the same time. However, I would skip the super charged cube halogen sconce in favor of a pair of candle sconces with flickering lights that would be more relaxing.

WHAT STYLE OF BATHROOM WALL SCONCES IS BEST?
If you are updating the light fixtures in an existing bath, stay in keeping with the finish and style of the pieces that are already in place. Match the metal of the bases and the shades very closely if not exactly. This is especially important in a small bathroom as to mix and match your
bathroom light fixtures
, towel racks sink and tub faucets and receptacle covers that are arranged very closely would give your room a disjointed look that is anything but tasteful.

If your fixtures are old and unmatchable, consider replacing the whole lot. I would rather have a blended array of inexpensive fixtures than a hodge podge collection with no decorative appeal. As much as you may love those unique, crystal bathroom wall sconces they should be removed if they don’t fall in line with the look and feel of the rest of the room. Sell them through online auction to raise money to buy the perfect bathroom sconces for your decorating project or save them for another project down the road.

WALL SCONCES - MOOD LIGHTING WITH DEFINITIVE LOOKS

2008-10-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

Wall sconces have a way of setting that certain mood that ceiling fixtures lack. Perhaps it's the harshness or the angle of lighting that comes from overhead that even the use of dimmer switches can't diminish or control. A woman of a certain age knows that to be lit from the floor up or from the sides is much more flattering than the most subdued light from a chandelier or ceiling light. My thoughts on this are that if wall fixtures can make an old lady's skin look good as new, they should make my complexion seem flawless as the day I was born and I'm here to tell you that I'm all for improving the appearance of my face by whatever means.

WHAT IS A SCONCE?

It is a light fixture whose light is directed towards the ceiling and is attached to a wall with no other support. The term can be used in regards to ancient torch lights as well as modern electric and natural gas lights that are installed in pretty much the same way as they have been for centuries only using contemporary materials.

HISTORY OF
WALL SCONCES

If you've ever watched a period film that was filmed in a medieval castle, chances are you noticed that they used candles and torches for lighting their way through the dark passageways. Usually the actors in the film carried a lit torch in their hand, but occasionally, if you were paying attention, there were rustic wall sconces spaced along the dark halls. This ancient practice was the inspiration for the modern wall sconce which is much improved from the smoking fire hazards we see at the movies.

WHERE ARE SCONCES USED?

Traditional uses wall sconces include lighting for halls and passageways. However, it has become stylish to use them in living rooms, dens and bedrooms as part of several layers of light for decorative purposes as well as utility lights. Wall sconces for baby nursery walls are being used as part of the lighting layout as well.

HOW HIGH TO HANG SCONCES ON THE WALL

The generally accepted height that most use to hang wall sconces is approximately three quarters up the wall measuring from the floor to the ceiling.

HOW FAR APART SHOULD WALL SCONCES BE SPACED?

Sconces are often spaced with the distance between them being the same as the measurement of the sconces from the floor of the room or hallway. The exception to this rule is when they are used to decorate each side of a doorway or other opening.

HOW DO I KNOW WHAT SIZE SCONCES TO BUY?

There is no definite rule for picking the best size sconces. The height and width of your
electric light fixtures
should be in correlation to ceiling height as well as the size of the area that they will be lighting. Visuals are important so see if your lighting store will allow you to take several styles and sizes home to see which is best for your space.

Wall sconces are not restricted to dim, damp passages tunneling deep into the earth anymore. Nor are they the light fixture that’s limited to the wall over the buffet table in your formal dining room. Modern styles of decorating indicate that they can be used just as effectively on each side of the door into the powder room as in these classic circumstances. You may also find the use of expensive bathroom wall sconces becoming more common as the size of that room is enlarging with every year that passes.

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