Sure e-readers and tablets provide a nice, organized way to keep track of all your books, but when it comes to home decor, nothing beats the real thing. Of course, actually reading the books is optional.

“It’s nice to have books around. They add so much ambiance. I hope we never live to see the day when books are eliminated from the home,” said Minneapolis interior designer, Jim Noble (Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Decor by the books“).

Books add warmth, dimension and visual interest to a space. There’s just something about having books around that make a room feel more important.

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We’ve all heard that Pantone has selected Tangerine Tango as the color of the year for 2012. This energetic color has already made a splash amongst fashion designers and the cosmetics industry. Nanette Lepore, Tommy Hilfiger, and Elie Tahari have incorporated the vibrant hue into their spring 2012 collections, and Essie and OPI have released several Tangerine-esque nail polishes.

Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection

OPI

But how can you incorporate this color into your home? A bright color such as Tangerine Tango can be intimidating to work with, unless you know the tricks of the trade. Maryland-based interior designer Samantha Friedman shares her insight into decorating with this fresh and fun color, without going overboard.

Friedman recommends starting small. Pillows, throws, and accessories are the quickest way to update a room. But tread lightly, because one too many additions can have your home resembling a radioactive pumpkin. “The color has a lot of energy, so it needs to be toned down with neutrals and patterns,” she says. “It’s also important to spread it evenly throughout the space. You don’t want to oversaturate one area with the color.”

For a touch of glamour, Friedman suggests pairing Tangerine Tango with hints of gold, like shimmery picture frames, hardware, or trims.

Samantha Friedman

From How to decorate your home with “Tangerine Tango,” Pantones 2012 Color of the Year – The Washingtonian

An accent wall can define a space, add interest to a room and even highlight an architectural feature of your home. But with endless paint color options to choose from, how do you decide which color is the best for an accent wall in your home?

It’s important to first note that not all walls are suitable accent walls. There needs to be a reason for an accent wall and it needs to make sense in the overall design plan. A fireplace wall, a headboard wall or a window wall all make good accent wall candidates.

House Beautiful

Martha Stewart

The great thing about accent walls is that they allow you to incorporate bold colors into your home without committing all four walls. Popular accent wall colors include dark charcoal or a dark chocolate color.

Accent walls don’t always have to be paint, either. Wallpaper works great for accent walls.

Better Homes & Gardens

Isabella & Max

It is hard to pinpoint a single color as a trend for 2012, the purpose and placement of a color make a world of difference. What is right for a bedroom may be all wrong for a bath or an accent color. It might be easier to name what is not in vogue than to identify a specific hue that will dominate the market.

I will concentrate on paint colors to simplify the mystique that surrounds color predictions. Paint should be the last thing that is selected when doing a color scheme for your home. Color Guild’s color system, Color Is comes in more than a thousand paint hues, and any shade, tint or tone of a color can be matched for a project. Pick the high priced, long term items first then choose a paint color to enhance, coordinate or accent those pieces.

All the colors in the 2012 palette are influenced by nature, comfort, calm and harmony. These themes are not new but are shown in a fresh new way. The economy, unrest and fear fuel these trends and offer a balm for our distress and designers are looking for more ways to show colors in a new light.

Every color family has members that are enjoying the limelight. It may have been that color’s brothers or sisters that were famous in the past, but in the coming year the following colors will share the spotlight.

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A new year means a fresh start – and a fresh look at interior design trends!

First, let’s talk color, since color influence just about everything in design. Continue to look for greys to dominate the neutral category, but now it’s all about the accent colors. Mustard, tangerine, plum and deep turquoise all stand out beautifully when paired with a grey neutral.

Color Is Paint; (0115) Sophistication, (0934) Lemon Essence, (0690) Blue Period, (1038) Jack-O-Lantern, (0211) Light Lichen
(*Colors may appear different on computer screen)

Warm metals are also on-trend for 2012. Instead of bright, shiny metal, look for warm tones of gold and bronze. These metals have a softer look and play well with the color palette for 2012.

Art takes on a more dimensional look in 2012 with wall sculptures. This trend is a nice break from flat art pieces. But keep in mind that you don’t need to put wall sculptures in every wall in your house. Just a couple pieces here and there will add enough variety and interest.

For more information on color trends for 2012, take a look at the Color Guild Colour Canvas 2012 collection.

Staining wood furniture is a great way to bring out the wood’s natural beauty. But just like with painting, there are some rules and guidelines that should be followed to make sure that your staining project turns out perfect.

when starting a staining project it is important to keep in mind that all woods take stain differently. For example, hard, dense woods like maple and hickory don’t absorb stain well so it’s harder to stain them to a darker tone.

If you need to strip old paint or stain off wood before starting your staining project, equipping yourself with the right equipment is essential. First, you need to pick the right stripper. Your local paint and stain professional can help you find the right stripper for your job. Chemical resistant gloves, good scrapers and protective eye wear will also help you get the job done quickly and safely. And always remember to use the stripping product in a well-ventilated area.

Once you are done stripping, you are ready to start staining! Your local paint and stain professional can also help you pick out the right stain for your project. We already learned that different types of wood take stain differently, but you should also note how much your wood has been sanded down. Wood that has been sanded very smooth has a harder time absorbing stain. Bring all the information you can about the particular piece of wood you will be staining into your local supplier and their staining professionals will help you pick the right stain for your job!

And the Color of the Year is….. Tangerine Tango! Pantone has chosen this spirited reddish orange color to represent 2012 as it continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.
“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

The color has already started showing up in home, fashion and beauty industries. Check out this trend video from Yahoo.com on how you can incorporate Tangerine Tango into your wardrobe.

Pantone

Now that winter has reared its ugly head it is time to prepare for the winter blues. The term winter blues comes from the fact that many people get depressed during the short days of winter. It is also referred to cabin fever since it is assumed that being stuck in your home for months on end causes us to be glum.

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Just like you can’t stop the holidays from coming, you also can’t stop the parties, guests and endless entertaining that always seem along with this time of year! And with all the people coming and going, you want to make sure your house feels warm and inviting. That means those last minute fixer-up projects you’ve been putting off, yeah it’s time to get them done!

Quick fixes to create curb appeal
Your guests’ holiday experience begins at your front door. Set the stage with a beautiful wreath, lights or greenery. Your exterior holiday decor should also reflect your interior decorating style, giving your guests a sample of what they will find inside.

If you prefer traditional holiday decorating, go for a more traditionl green wreath like this one from HGTV.com

If you like a modern, unconventional look use unconventional materials like this peacock wreath also from HGTV.com

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Loft:

• A large, usually unpartitioned floor over a factory, warehouse, or other commercial or industrial space.
• Such a floor converted into an apartment or artist’s studio.

Demi Moore's loft in "Ghost"

The word “Loft” has shifted meaning over the years. It used to adhere to the standard, textbook definition above. But in the 1990s, developers started building “lofts.”

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