Whats an item that can help you organize every room in your home, helps create the appearance that youre a tidy housekeeper even if youre not, and perks up your decorating scheme

Need another hint

It comes in all shapes, sizes, colors and materials and can be found in many local retail stores, including craft stores and discount retailers, and at flea markets and craft shows and well basically its a universal item found all over the world. You probably have one right now in your home.

Its a basket!

So the next time someone gives you one filled with anything from sweets to colognes, dont discard it once youve used whats in it. Once the items are gone, the baskets job has only just begun. Read onward to find out how to use this wonderful item in every room in your house.

For instance, in the kitchen, you can use hanging wall pocket baskets, which have flat backs, to store dry sponges and scrubbers as well as pot holders, oven mitts, dry dish rags and spare kitchen hand towels.

And in your family room or den, you might use a deep, round or cylindrical shaped basket on the coffee table to hold television or other electronic remotes. A basket made of rags will slide without scratching or put a doily underneath. Imagine never losing the television remote again because you have an assigned place to put it in full view--that blends in with your home decor.

And in the bedroom, a wicker hamper with a lid in the closet can store extra pillows and keep them dust-free. If you see openings in the wicker slats or dont like your linens snagging on the inside of the basket, line the hamper with a sheet or large gallon trash bag.

The ideas for using these globally designed and sold products that have been around for decades are infinite. And probably no product is so practical and useful as well as beautiful. And modestly priced too! Baskets are handmade works of art that are functional. Imagine serving drinks on that glorious one-of-a-kind painting you have hanging on the wall. Not! But with baskets you can literally put your most unique artwork into daily usage and daily view.

Baskets come in many sizes, shapes and materials such as willow, rattan, bamboo, rope, palm leaf, wire and rags. And many are adorned with metal garnishes, dried coco flowers, gugo vine handles and more.

Its that variety of qualities that make baskets so easy to organize AND decorate with simultaneously.

And you dont have to take a basket as it comes. Dress up any of your baskets by gluing on your own garnishments. For example, craft stores sell all types of trinkets you can glue on your baskets. Be creative. Try personalizing your baskets with anything from buttons to plastic candy canes to miniature toy figures or mini cloth stockings. You could also buy miniature toys and figurines from typical large discount retailers or smaller dollar stores. What fun to do by yourself or with your children. And when youre done, you can still put that basket to work in an organizational function in your home---only it will have twice the value to you the purchase price plus the priceless sentimental value.

c 2004 Karen Fritscher-Porter

About The Author

Excerpted from the book entitled How to Organize and Decorate with Baskets by Karen Fritscher-Porter. Learn how to get your own copy at http://www.OrganizeWithBaskets.com.

Are you ready to redecorate but have a limited budget Do you have some great furniture but nothing matches Do you love antiques but not stiff formal decor Then think Shabby Chic, a fun decorating style that solves all these dilemmas and more.

Shabby Chic is one of the hottest trends in decorating, and for good reason. It is versatile, easy, and inexpensive. Shabby Chic is based on simplicity -- simple color themes combined with your favorite furniture and art.

Shabby Chic can be anything you want it to be, and is a great way to bring your personal style to any room. Most Shabby Chic decor is based on a white-on-white or beige-on-beige theme. Soft pastels are often used as accent colors, but with a little creativity, you can add just about any color you want. A classic example of Shabby Chic would be to cover couches and overstuffed chairs with white slipcovers, whitewash your wood furniture and hang white airy curtains. Then hang your favorite painting or artwork in the most prominent place in the room. Choose one or two colors in the painting as accent colors, and repeat the colors in throw pillows, flowers, soft throw blankets, and candles. Another great feature of Shabby Chic is the worn and well-loved look. That side table that has an interesting shape but has seen better days is perfect for Shabby Chic. Simply whitewash it and put a vase with flowers on top. Better yet, use an old china teapot or your grandmothers favorite vase for the flowers. Its the little details like this that make Shabby Chic work so well.

If youre on a tight budget, Shabby Chic is a great choice. Make your own slipcovers with any durable white or beige fabric, and cover couches and chairs to match. Pick up interesting accessories at yard sales and flea markets, and paint them all the same shade of white. Pull out your favorite pictures and put them in frames painted white or coordinated accent colors. Throw in a few candles, flowers, and pillows, and you

FIVE EASY STEPS TO DECORATING ETHNIC

NEW YORK, NY - With all that is happening in the world today - the threat of war, falling stock prices, a recession in spite of what economists say - more and more of us are nesting. That is, we are spending more time at home.

While it is hard to control what happens in the outside world, home is where you decide the who, what, where, when and why. Ethnic decor is filled with endless options to spice up your living space. However, you may wonder, what is ethnic decor.

"Ethnic decor is more a feeling than a science," says Marcelo Velez of the interior design firm Velez Hayes in New York City. "When you say modern, country, French, et cetera, an instant picture comes to mind. Ethnic decor is different. Many cannot define it, but know it when they see it."

This open-ended approach is what makes ethnic decorating fun. Its eclectic, inclusive, colorful and most of all, unique. It allows you to fill in blanks for yourself, using an internal palette to satisfy decorating needs.

Here are five handy ideas to get you started:

Pick a room to start: Thinking in terms of one room narrows your scope so the project doesnt seem overwhelming, while also limiting cost as you feel your way into the project.

Decide which ethnicityies you will focus on: African style is different from Middle Eastern is different from American Indian, et cetera. However, dont be afraid to blend elements from several cultures. Again, thats the fun of ethnic decor - the possibilities are endless.

Start with an object as the focal point and decorate around it: This can be an ethnic painting, a sculpture, a piece of furniture, et cetera. The bigger the better. Be careful, though, not to overwhelm your space.

Choose a color scheme: Ethnic decor is very festive, so think outside the box in terms of colors, patterns, surfaces. Soon, you will find yourself drawn to a few colors that work well together.

Listen to your likes and dislikes; your instincts: Many times, an object or color will "speak" to you. And, if everyone insists that this painting doesnt go with that rug, but you like it, go with it. The final product should make you the happiest.

Now, relax and enjoy!

About The Author

Yuwanda & Cassandra Black are co-owners of EthnicHomeDecor.com. Ethnic Home Decor offers soft home furnishings with ethnic themes at affordable prices. For more information or to schedule an interview, send email to media@EthnicHomeDecor.com.

yuwanda@ethnichomedecor.com

Noted English clergyman Sydney Smith 1771-1845 is quoted as saying, "Economy in the estimation of common minds means the absence of all taste and comfort." But finding thrifty ways to decorate your outdoor living space doesn

Clocks can be of any type - they could be wall clocks that not only decorates the walls, but also tells time or a mantel piece resting on ones table etc.. Wall Clocks can be of one of two types. Analog and Digital. While digital clocks are precise, the analog clock serve the same purpose. With the increasing need to be accurate, and every microsecond accounted for Digital clocks are the way to go.
Wall Clocks are a central time telling pieces. Be it a work place, home or a visiting place, its always nice to look up and know what time it is. After all time is money. They can also help other ways - for example a family can set a family alarm while a school can have a clock with a really loud alarm and a microphone attached to it. Apart from serving a functional requirement, of telling the time, the Wall clocks can be used extensively as decorative pieces, collectors items and even investments.
You should see some on the large wall clocks tucked away in a mansion somewhere or an extensively decorated cuckoo clock. Wall Clocks are about more than telling time. They are about style.

About The Author
Mike Yeager
Publisher

http://www.a1-clocks-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

If a room in your house lacks character, by simply placing some fine art prints on the walls can actually make quite an impact. Wall pictures are a necessary accessory in your home and are great to tie in with the rooms style and color accent. Before you go off to buy some new pictures for your walls there are a few things you need to plan and decide upon. Here is a quick guide on how to decorate your space with wall art.
Shop for Wall Art by Room
The kind of home you have and the mood, ambience and style of decor you create, should be perfectly designed to suit your lifestyle. Deciding on a style for your room should be determined by the lifestyle you choose and not by whats the latest interior design trend. Whichever room you are wanting to decorate, whether it be your bedroom, living area, kitchen or office space, you need to decide what you want to get out of that space. For example,

do you want to hold dinner parties or entertain
do you want a quiet retreat to get away from the hustle and bustle
Is this an area for the kids to play in
Is this a room for your hobby

Once you have decided what you want to use the room for, you can now choose a color theme to suit the function of the room. For example, mellow greens and neutrals for your quiet retreat room, lively yellow for the kids room, or pale tranquil blue for your office space.
So far we have established the function and color of the room in question, this then gives us the basis on choosing the right art prints for the area.
For example:

bright colorful cartoon pictures for the kids room
mellow pastel floral pictures for your quiet retreat area, or
tranquil landscape and scenic pictures for your office space

Choose your Style
Like paint color, artwork can immediately establish or change a rooms mood. Not only can it pull the room together, but you can use it to create a style uniquely your own.

traditional & classic
modern
contemporary
fun & entertaining
casual
romantic

The style of the room is totally dependent on your own personal taste and this is the time when you can inject your own personality into the room through artwork and textured accessories.
Suggested art picture styles:
Fun & Entertaining: Pictures can include bright colors both in the print and on the frame. Fun and entertaining pictures can include kittens and puppies, or comedian actors such as the Three Stooges or Laurel & Hardy.
Modern: With the strong black accents in the framed iron-work and the tapestries, striking black and white photos are a natural choice for a modern and sophisticated look.
Calm Retreat: To reinforce the mood of a nestled, cozy retreat, use artwork with neutral, earthy colors and a horizontal landscape subject.
You can even mix and match different styles to create a unique style of your own. For example, frame traditional black and white photo prints in a modern black iron frame.
Arranging and Hanging your Pictures
In order to get the maximum effect of your wall pictures in terms of adding character and a focal point to the room, you need to decide where and how you want to hang them.
Here are some suggestions to help you decide how to get the best effects from your pictures:-
Modern Gallery Look: To create a modern art gallery feel, particularly nice in hallways, lobbies and stairwells, give each piece ample breathing room. Stand at the center of the first piece and take one swift, or two small steps along the wall. This is a good center for the next piece.
Above a Sofa: When placing art above furniture such as a sofa, you need to hang the picture about six to nine inches above the sofa, or at eye level.
Cluster Arrangements: Tightly group an even number of pictures together to give a statement or a focal point. This works on either large or small wall spaces, depending on the look you want.
In a row: By placing an odd number of pictures in a horizontal line to each other gives balance and the sense of space. This works well in hallways or stairwells.
By deciding where and how to hang your pictures, whether it be a tight cluster or a single print above a sofa, you can then determine the size and shape of the pictures you need to buy.
When you have decided on the rooms function, color and style, you are in a much better position to go shopping for wall pictures that fit in with the overall theme.
Summary
Wall pictures are an underestimated interior design accessory. This is probably because most people do not know what to do with their pictures in order to get the maximum effect in a room. Before you go hanging up your pictures make sure you plan ahead what you want to get out of that room. Decide on the function, style and color of the room first before you buy your artwork. By doing this you are in a much better position to buy the right type of art picture to fit in with the theme and color accent of your room.

About The Author

Claire Bowes is a freelance writer and the owner of Flower-Pictures-N-Posters.com and Landscape-Pictures-N-Posters.com. In addition to fine-art prints, these two sites offer landscape photography prints and flower posters.