The benefits of a great rug!

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There are so many benefits to a great rug. 

via apartmenttherapy

It adds a layer to your decor. Some of us love layers!

via apartmenttherapy

They reduce the noise in the room. Rugs absorb noise so your room won't echo as much.

via apartmenttherapy

It's a great way to add color to a neutral room!

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It adds comfort to those who prefer carpet instead of hardwood.

via apartmenttherapy

It is personal. There are so many rug options, you can get one that fits your style perfectly.

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It makes you feel at home.

Why do you love rugs?

Bedroom Seating

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Decorating a bedroom doesn't seem that difficult but decorating one with a joined seating area can sometimes get tricky! Finding the right pieces that compliment each other aren't always easy to come by. 

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Picking tones that blend well together and using accent pillows to tie them in is a great start.

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For rooms that don't necessarily have  dedicated seating area, a bench at the end of the bed is a great alternative!

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It's important to decide if you want the seating area to stand out or the bed. Which one do you want your eye to gravitate to more?

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Sticking with comfort and serene is a great idea since this is your bedroom, you do want it to be a place that creates a calm atmosphere.

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A window seat does double duty! You have a great seating area with plenty of storage underneath!

Decorating small spaces doesn't have to be hard!

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Small spaces require a different way of thinking but it doesn't have to be difficult.

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Make items have duel purposes! Storage and seating? Looks like a win win to me!

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Make it cozy. There's something about a comfortable space that makes you love it no matter the size.

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Utilize every nook and cranny! A closet might be better used as an office instead of storage space.

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Your decor can be functional! Just because it's something that you use daily, doesn't mean it can be pretty and on a shelf for all to see.

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Get creative with the square footage you do have. Make items that can be put away, hidden, or stored but easily accessed.

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With small spaces comes less clutter and more function. Don't let it get you down, it's just as much fun to decorate!

Chairs That Make A Statement

FREE IMAGES I appreciate a room that is well thought out. Even a great color scheme can get me excited to see more! Other times, I just want to see something that I'll swoon over, like a statement piece that isn't just for looks, but usable too. Check out these chairs that are definitely doing that:

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Sophistication and elegance come to mind for me with these. They are the perfect pair, yet they look so comfortable at the same time! 

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You may just see vintage style when you look at this, but in it's setting it's a perfect fit that stands out at the same time. This chair becomes a talking piece!

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Struggling with a simple color palette and what something a little bold? Grab a pattern and a bright color and this space becomes desirable!

 

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Wanting something with a little more bang? Be the king and queen of your dining room table. Pick out some bold chairs that make you feel great.

via housebeautiful

This chair makes me want to cuddle up and get cozy. It's great for an afternoon nap but in no way brings down the character and charm in this room. 

What chair style do you love?

Going Modern in the Bathroom

FREE IMAGES Most would assume that going modern in a bathroom would make it look even more cold and sterile than it already does, but they haven't seen all the options yet!

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The right lighting can make any room feel warm and plants get it a fresh look that bring a sense of comfort and color to the room.

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Using neutral colors along with the modern materials can give it that warm feeling you are looking for paired with some great mirrors makes it even brighter. I love that tile!

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Even with the darker tones for a more manly bathroom doesn't have to look cold and miserable. It still looks modern and sleek with a hint of color and I love it! 

There are some great vanity and shower tub options that are on Modern Bath that can help you match these looks.

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You could even mix the modern with the vintage for a completely different look! It's a great mix of new and old that comes to life when it's together.

What are the carpet trends for 2014?

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Flooring was often seen as a secondary element of a home’s interior design. Home owners tended to give more importance to the other elements of a room, such as the furniture and accessories, and used a carpet simply as a floor covering. However, the trend is now to make it more of a focal point for a room rather than hiding it away behind neutral shades.

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Carpets had been losing popularity, as more people opted for wood flooring and other hard coverings. Over the past few years, though, carpeting has started to make a comeback as home owners remember the warmth and luxury feel you can only get with a softer floor covering. The new generation fibers are also much easier to care for these days. Designers are now incorporating much bolder colors and elaborate designs into their carpet patterns, as we move away from cream and beige. This year’s trends are showing a mixture of patterns and textures to give the carpet a different look and feel.

Pastel Tones

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Having a carpet in cooler shades doesn't have to mean choosing from the bland neutral colors. Carpet shops still have a great selection of coverings in softer pastel shades. These can give a room a sophisticated but low-key look, where other elements are allowed to shine. They offer a subtler finish than some of the other designs that are available. This year sees an increased use of chalky colors, in varying shades of greens, yellows, pinks and purples. These more subtle tones allows for modern styling and sophisticated furnishing.

Richer Hues

via Pinterest via Travel & Leisure

If you want to create a feeling of luxury and elegance within a room, then you should choose from one of the richer carpet colors that are available. These dark colors, with variants of black, navy, grey and burgundy, will give the room a more dramatic finish as well as a warm and inviting atmosphere. They are the perfect choice for living and dining areas, and dark blues especially work well with metal and wood. By choosing a darker color for your carpet, you’re making it the key element of the room. In order to complete the look, you need to use minimalist furniture and decorations, so as not to take away from the effect of the carpet.

Bold Graphics

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Not everyone wants to use a carpet in just one color, and often a combination of two or more in a distinctive pattern can be the perfect finishing point for a room. This type of carpet is making a true style statement and is only for those who want their flooring to be the talking point for guests. 2014 sees a range of patterned designs come on to the market and often these have been combined with bold colors. This type of carpet works best in contemporary homes, where the furniture is clean and simple. Both large print checks and stripes are popular choices; striped carpets also have the effect of lengthening rooms.

When you’re choosing your next carpet, it’s useful to look through a number of carpet shops to ensure you get the right one for your room. Take away some samples and see what works best with your interior design ideas and existing furniture. 

Comfort Textures

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The under-foot comfort that comes with a thick and luxurious carpet is undoubtedly worth paying the money for a quality carpet with underlay and perfect fitting. A plush carpet for the bedroom floor where there is a low level of traffic will be perfect for that warm and cozy feel. Over-sized loop piles and thick loop twists are at the forefront of luxury textures for a new trend in carpeting giving that quality under-foot feeling.

Unexpected ways to make your dining room chic and gorgeous

FREE IMAGES My dining room is one of those rooms that is visible from most other rooms in my home, so it's really important to me that it's easy on the eyes.  Here are some fabulous dining rooms, big and small that I would be more than happy to have as my own...

via homeremodelnote

Loving this clean and chic dining room.  It is small, just like mine, so how genius is the floor length mirror at one end of the dining table.  I will definitely be trying that trick.

via homedesignlove

I'm a big fan of bench or settee seating at the dining table. You can put a bench on just one side or on both.

via Lonny Mag

Feeling risky? Go all out and get full bench seating! I would still have two simple mix matching chairs to put on each end to maximize the seating in this space but I love the idea.

How cool is this bench?  And those blue velvet chairs?  The chandelier is often the conversation piece in a dining room, making the chairs the focal point is a nice change of pace.

via Pinterest via La Dolce Vita

I LOVE the idea of combining a library and a dining room.  I grew up in a family that often reads and eats at the same time ( I know, I know...not always a healthy environment for books)

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Bright and easy spaces

FREE IMAGES Here are some rooms I am loving these days. A touch of color, great windows, natural light, and a feeling of ease and comfort that makes you want to stay for a while.

via Crate and Barrel

The foliage in this bright office provides the pop of color.
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via House Beautiful

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Living Room Must Haves

FREE IMAGES Our living room is the first thing one sees upon walking through our front door. Since moving in in June, we've made some progress making it ours, but it's slow going since we're still trying to decide exactly what it is we're going for. We have a small sofa now, which I like, but I've been considering a sectional because our current sofa isn't really comfortable for those late nights snuggling on the couch. I used to not like sectionals at all, but more and more you're finding them in smaller sizes with cleaner lines.

 Love that coffee table too!
via Pinterest via Houzz

via SoHaute

Some of my favorite sofas are the ones that look clean and modern but still have a great comfort factor!

I've also been faithfully searching craigslist every day for a worn leather chair.  I think they're so beautiful!

via Pinterest via Keltainen Talo Rannalla 

via One Kings Lane


A coffee table that is both useful and stunning is another must have, though we've been living without one for 3 years, so I guess they're more like a "should have". I've been looking out for one that I like for a while now.  A coffee table is something you don't need to splurge on, and there are so many creative ways to create your own coffee table.  Just search on google or pinterest "DIY Coffee Table" and you'll see hundreds of ideas returned!

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Lighting is also extremely important. A lot of natural light is ideal but unfortunately might not be a reality for you. Since the living room is the main gathering room at most homes, you want it to be the most well lit when occupied, so make sure you have plenty of lamps.

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Overhead lighting makes me sad.  Table lamps are pretty and cast a more relaxed glow so use those on end tables instead, or place a floor lamp behind a couch for the nights you curl up with a book.

via Joss and Main

this post is in partnership with scs.co.uk