Painting Ideas: Simple ways to add your personal touch on your home

There are many different ways to customize your home to make it adhere to your style. One of the cheapest and easiest ways to do this is by painting! A quick and easy paint job can turn the style of your home from drab to fab in no time.

1.  Add texture to your wall. Transforming your plain walls with a sophisticated finish is a simple way to style to your room. Painting over crinkled tissue paper is a simple way to do this. Add a layer of paint on the wall, apply the crinkled tissue paper, and then finish it off with another layer of paint. 

2. To create a classic, elegant background, paint parchment stripes on your wall. First mark the stripes on your wall with a water color pencil. Then, simply put a small piece of tape on the stripes to keep it all straight. Last, mix your paint with one part water, and one part glaze in separate containers to get two separate colors. Now you’re ready to paint your stripes!

3. Transform a plain accent wall with a distressed paint job. Using simple household items, this is an easy way to create an antique finish on your walls. Paint your walls with a toilet brush to create rough streaks to give your walls a distressed look.

4. Spice up your furniture with an antique look. By adding your favorite stencil to your furniture pieces, you can easily get an antique feel to your room.  First cover your furniture with an oil-based primer. Once it dries, paint your favorite stencil on with a satin finished paint and blot with a towel.

Once your new style is adapted by your painting technique, complete the remodel with furniture to match. Check out all of our different styles of furniture at http://hudsonsfurniture.com/.

Entertaining at home during the holidays

Plan the flow. From the moments your guests arrive to when they sit down at the table, to when they walk out the door. Try to envision the flow of activity at your home. A good example of what a average event consists of is: guests arrive, welcome toast, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, main meal, musical interlude, dessert, presents.

Set up a day in advance. It’s best to know ahead of time if you may need extras of something. It never hurts to see your table set up the day before so you have time to make any changes that may come to mind a few hours before if need be. This can also make a huge difference in your stress level that day because you know all too well that you have enough on your plate already.

Stick to the tried-and-true. Stick to dishes you have made in the past that were big hits. For one, you don’t want to have any mishaps in cooking times, under or overcooked food, or not-so-tasty meals that your all-too-polite friends and family feel obligated to eat. And again, you’ll be more relaxed when you have confidence in what you’ll be serving.

Give a parting gift. Whether it’s something small like pretty cellophane-wrapped cookies or a small holiday tchotchke. Something showing you care that they can look back on and remember the holiday spent at your house is perfect to give out to your guests.

Relax. It’s the holidays and your house probably looks great. Just sit back and enjoy the company, food and drink. Also, an added tip is to light some candles. Somehow, candles always have the ability to set the holiday mood. Humans have had a love affair with fire since its discovery – it’s an archetypal symbol of community, heart, gathering, warmth.

Have a great time. After all, if you’re enjoying yourself it will be that much easier for your guests to have fun.