The Ultimate Guide To Decorate Your Entire Home

1. Know your size limits: The very first thing we do when identifying what accessories to buy for a specific space is to measure the space’s limits. If it’s a shelf, we see how tall the accessory can be and identify an approximate width size too. We then usually write down these measurements on a little piece of paper and always carry that sheet around with us when we’re out. That way, we don’t make the mistake of buying something too tall or too wide, something that can’t even fit onto the shelf.

2. Keep in mind a rough idea of what you want: After identifying the sizes, we then note very loose guidelines on what we’re looking for. These notes usually include if we’re looking for a few tall items, maybe if we’re looking for number of short/wide/colorful/neutral items, maybe a few colors that we hope to include, etc. These loose guidelines make the hunt a little less overwhelming, but we do want to stress that we never make a list of exact items we’re looking for because that makes the hunt a lot more challenging and way more frustrating. Plus, if we know one exact item we want, we usually search online and buy it rather than searching for it at stores.

3. Search for affordable items: We rarely ever splurge on an expensive home decor accessories because we’re usually confident we can find things we love that are affordable. We usually shop at affordable places but we have a lot of luck at local thrift stores and garage sales.

4. Choose items that tell a story: We love a perfectly styled shelf but we really love a perfectly styled shelf that tells a story about the homeowner. Try to incorporate items into your home decor that are important to your story, your travels, the important people in your life, etc.

5. Look for items in your home: Before you shop, look around your house and try to use items you already have. So many times we re-work items from around our house into new places in our home and instantly have a newfound love for these old pieces. Try to use what you have before buying new.

6. Include different types of sizes: This tip is more for after you buy your items and start styling, but we thought it may be helpful to know this info when you’re out shopping/searching for those new things. One of the most important styling tips we use is incorporating pieces with a variety of heights to add visual interest and depth. While you’re out shopping keep this in mind. Layering tall things with medium sized things with short things is important… so try to buy items of all sizes and shapes <– frames included! The more diverse in height/shape/texture/even color the better.

7. Add books: As far as we’re concerned, books are always an important component to a styled space. If you’re a big reader and have a library of books, shop your home and you’re already set! If you don’t collect books that often, check out your local Library for affordable, hard-covered books. When you’re picking your books out, look for titles that may help “tell your story” or for spine colors that work with your room.

Bonus Points

Smart Decorating Tricks 

Theme: Choose a single item that makes you feel homey, and base the rest of the design around that

Mirrors: When you’re hanging mirrors, always consider what you want to see in the mirror as you walk by it, and whether you want it to reflect light from a window.

Curtains: Always hang your curtains wide + high: it’ll make a small window look twice as big.

Coffee Table: As with artwork, the optimal coffee-table size is determined by the sofa. Go for one that’s two-thirds as wide as the sofa and a couple of inches lower than the seats (typically 14 to 16 inches high). Leave 18 inches between the table and seats so that people can walk by but still reach their drinks. Side tables should be the same height or a few inches shorter than sofa arms.

Lamps: For table lamps near sofas and chairs, make sure that the bottom of each shade is at eye level when you’re sitting. Otherwise you and your guests will end up staring at bare bulbs. The middle of the shade should be 36 to 42 inches from the ground.

Dining Table: Elbow room is essential. The table should be large enough for each guest to claim a 24-inch-wide expanse. Center the table, but if the room is very large, you might want to position it closer to one wall, for coziness.

Chairs: Allow for at least a two-foot passageway between the wall and the backs of pulled-out chairs. But don’t fret if that’s about all the space you have, You want the room to be warm and intimate. Think of how people always gather in the kitchen.

Chandelier: A chandelier’s lowest point should be 36 inches above the center of the table to avoid blocking anyone’s view. Don’t be afraid to go big: You have to remember to fill the vertical void as well as the horizontal.

“Teach your daughters to worry less about fitting into glass slippers and more about shattering glass ceilings”- Unknown

“Girls should not wear provocative clothes.”

“Good Indian girls cover up.”

If you are a girl and you live in ‘Free’ country called ‘India’ you have probably heard these lines before. Do women have a right to wear whatever they want? My answer, and I know this is not the popular one, is qualified, not always, within reason, depending on the situation and location. Does anyone have the right to wear whatever they want all the time? Of course not. Sure, you can blame society for its law and order problems; you can say that life isn’t fair in expecting a woman to take precautions rather than preventing men from “eve teasing” or sexually assaulting a woman. In fact, it’s not just men; a lot of Indian women believe the same too. Many Indian women also think and sometimes say, “Why does she have to wear skimpy clothes?” or “Why did she have to go watch a movie late at night?” This is the mentality of society. We need to convince them that what a woman chooses to wear is her choice and that it’s important for society to protect that choice.Sensitivity to women’s issues will come from educating our broad population about power, individual rights and free will. Meanwhile, she can and she will wear whatever she wants. Not because she is modern or inspired by the West or has corrupted her values. It is simply because she is a free citizen living in a free country called India.

 

“The snow white and the seven dwarfs”(1937)

This is Walt Disney’s first animated feature film and it won him an honorary Academy Award (along with seven smaller Academy Awards). It is a Disney classic and started the frenzy of Disney love. Always a good nostalgic watch. Plus, you always need to sing along to “Heigh Ho.”

“Peter Pan”(1953)

The Boy Who Never Grows Up is a classic bed time story and such a good movie for all of us college students who want to go back to being kids. So the best way to do that is to grab a classic animated film and relive the good old days before loans and exams.

“Dumbo”(1941)

Despite World War II spelling out box office doom for most of Disney’s films in the ’40s, the classic Dumbo, from 1941, which was purposefully designed to be short and bare-bones simple, managed to be the most successful picture for the studio in that decade. At 64 minutes, Dumbo was a pleasant, straight-forward alternative to the ambition of Fantasia from the previous year.

“Frozen”(2013)

At a glance, 2013’s Frozen appears to be standard Disney fare: fairy tale castles, beautiful princesses, family secrets, dashing princes, plucky sidekicks. But it does much to play around with those elements, subvert expectations, and tell a much more modern type of Disney story.

“Mulan”(1998)

Coming on the heels of Disney films like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hercules, 1998’s Mulan took on the tried-and-true Disney coming-of-age story approach with a twist. As a main character, Mulan has more in common with the struggles of Aladdin or Simba than the female Disney heroines who came before her, and as such it’s easy to label her Disney animation’s first action heroine.

“Beauty and the beast”(1991)

There’s a reason Beauty and the Beast became the first full-length animated feature film to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards: It’s a stunning work of art. As part of Disney’s ’90s animation return to glory, the movie takes a “tale as old as time” and spins it into a timely tale of acceptance that transcends its genre. Beauty and the Beast is bolstered by its gorgeous animation, fantastic voice acting and Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s music, which has since become some of Disney’s most iconic.

“The jungle book”(1967)

Walt Disney’s last film that he worked on before he died. That is reason enough to watch it. It is also a classic book turned movie, and one of the few that has turned out successfully. A boy lives in the wild, is raised by wolves, and eventually finds his way to civilization. Classic Disney inspiration story.

“Bambi”(1942)

Even though I cry every time when I see the scene with Bambi’s mom, this movie is still amazing. The animation with the animals, the colors, and just Bambi being adorable is always a good movie to watch and rewatch. Walt had his animators study a live deer in their office to get the animation of Bambi and his mother correct. That is dedication.

“Cinderella”(1950)

Cinderella’s transformation scene was one of Walt’s favorites to animate. This classic movie shows a young woman withstanding an evil step-family and eventually going against them to follow her dream of going to a ball. How could you not watch this? Girl power. Also, aren’t the mice adorable?

“The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”(1977)

This movie started my obsession with Winnie the Pooh. A boy goes on adventures with his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood; it just so happens that all those friends are animals. But they all have life lessons to teach us, Piglet is scared and nervous, Eeyore is sad, Tigger is extremely hungry, Pooh is always hungry, Rabbit is a know-it-all. We can all learn how to find comfort in our friends with our problems from these characters and their stories.

What are insecurities? I can bet every woman have felt insecure about her own body for one time or another. But being really skinny or fat is really the worst thing a human being could be? Is it worse than being jealous, vindictive, evil. Or having a perfect body makes you perfect human, makes you successful? Let me tell you all beautiful women you are more than the way you look. I do not believe that we should judge women based on their appearance, colour, height, weight. We should learn to embrace the imperfections. Making people feel bad or less worthy and discriminating them because their appearance doesn’t suit the standards set by society. Today’s society focuses more on women’s weight. These days people do not find anything wrong in making fun of someone else’s body. People do not think about how their one opinion can hurt someone so badly and can lead to depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders.I just believe it takes only one person to make a difference.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton