Floating wall shelves are the solution to both dilemmas. These shelves are hung neatly and cleanly with no ugly hardware or unsightly metal strips or brackets to ruin your display and you can easily change up the featured display whenever you wish. Floating wall shelves come in many different sizes, colors and finishes so it’s very easy to find shelves that work perfectly with your decor and they offer maximum flexibility in design options since they can be hung in a horizontal line, a vertical stack or staggered on the wall. They are usually made of wood or composite materials and have a bracket system that mounts them to the wall; the bracket is designed to be totally hidden so the shelves virtually ‘float’ on the wall. When choosing floating shelves, be sure to check their load capacity and keep in mind that shelves that will hold heavy items like books or dishware should be attached to wall studs. If you have any reservations about the sturdiness of a shelf, hire a competent woodworker to add extra support.

Here are some ideas for decorating with floating wall shelves.

A Blissful Bedroom

Try floating wall shelves in lieu of a headboard, but instead of envisioning one or two long shelves spanning the distance above the bed, try two stacks of shorter shelves with an empty space in the center. The shelves can hold framed photos and art, candles, small baskets filled with practical items, trinkets, collectibles and accessories. Be sure to hang the shelves high enough so they won’t pose a danger when getting in and out of bed. The center space can be used to display anything from a great framed artwork to a decorative metal wall cross. You can add and subtract elements at any time to change up your style, explore a new look or experiment with different colors and themes.

A Handsome Man-Cave

All guys love kicking back in their own space and floating wall shelves give them the opportunity to keep the space looking neat and handsome and also capable of style changes at a moment’s notice. For example, if your guy wants a cabin style man-cave, rustic wood shelves are ideal. Stagger them on a focal wall along with a wolf metal wall art, and a series of photos from favorite camping or fishing expeditions with his buddies. When football season rolls around, it’s easy to change up the look just by switching the metal art with a framed football poster and related memorabilia on the shelves.

A Fresh Contemporary Living Room

It’s easy to create a great look above a low profile couch. Hang a shelf high enough to be safe and arrange a trio of photos on the shelf; frame and mat them identically, but if their sizes and orientations vary somewhat, this will just make the arrangement more interesting. Add another element on the shelf to pick up an accent color in the room, such as a large initial or glass vase. The key here is proportion and scale, so play around with the elements until you get the look you love – and with the flexibility offered by floating shelves, if you change your mind, it’s no big deal!

If you spend any time at all shopping in consignment stores or browsing tag sales, you know that it’s pretty easy to find vintage dressers at great prices. While you may not need another dresser in your bedroom, a low profile dresser with drawers has lots of potential to add style and function to your home.

The great thing about these dressers, in addition to their low price, is their versatility. Since they are made of wood, they are easy to sand and paint, whether your style sensibilities cry out for the purity of shabby chic white or a glossy shade of jade green to go with Asian fusion style. So rather than pass by yet another ubiquitous vintage dresser, consider these fun and practical ideas.

A Sideboard or Home Bar for the Dining Room

A low profile vintage dresser is the perfect vehicle for adding much needed storage as well as function and style to the dining room. Paint it as desired or leave it in a natural wood finish. Add a mirrored tray on top and you have a place to mix and serve drinks at your next dinner party. Should you happen upon a dresser with doors instead of drawers, you now have a great place to store liquor bottles and mixers. A regular dresser with drawers could also be used as a sideboard in the dining room. Keep hot pads handy in a top drawer and serve up dinner buffet style or use it as a staging area to hold coffee cups and your famous fruit torte atop a footed cake stand so that everyone can look forward to dessert. The drawers are perfect for holding extra linen, napkin rings, flatware, table pads, serving utensils and trays. The space above the dresser is ideal for a beautiful wall mirror or wooden plate rack.

A More Functional Foyer

A foyer often becomes a cluttered mess, especially in winter when outwear, gloves, scarves and hats can take over your space. A low profile dresser with three drawers is a perfect alternative to a console table and it offers loads of storage space in the drawers for everything you need as you come and go. An old fashioned haberdasher’s hat stand is a fun touch on top of the dresser, turning your hats into a style statement. Anything is fair game to hang above the dresser: It just depends on your personal style and desired look. From abstract art, to a Spanish metal wall cross, wrought iron wall grille and candle sconces, or retro sun metal wall sculptures and a lava lamp, paint the dresser in a color that works with your style makes you smile when you come home every evening.

A Kitchen Helper

A dresser is a great helper in the kitchen and can stand in as a work island. Top it with tile or a piece of butcher block, marble or granite, and you have a perfect place to roll out dough or chop veggies. Best of all, you get to customize it however you like by choosing whatever paint color and top you like. And those drawers give much needed storage space. Who doesn’t love that?

Sometimes you look around a room and you know it’s time for a change. What once worked is no longer working and the room now looks tired and boring. But in the current economic climate, who has money for new furniture or the time and energy to install expensive upgrades like new hardwood flooring?  If the answer to these questions is, “Not me,” take heart because you can get a great new look in any room without breaking your back or bank account. Explore the exciting and affordable world of accessorizing, a.k.a. the lazy and inexpensive way to room renovation. Here are three examples:

A Warm and Welcoming Entry Space

If your entry or foyer is less than welcoming, try adding a console table with a stylish lamp, a tray for outgoing and incoming mail and a tasteful grouping of family photos. A wall mirror or sun metal wall decor above the table and a pair of wall candle sconces makes the entry more inviting than ever. If your foyer is not big enough for a table, a wall shelf can give you a similar look in a smaller footprint.

Getting Kitschy in the Kitchen

A dated kitchen can get a quick and easy makeover by focusing on the counter. First, banish the clutter, pitching what you don’t need and storing the rest, making it accessible according to your needs. Give the counters a good disinfecting cleaning and then start shopping! Cute canisters that match the style of your retro kitchen are a great way to add color and style: For example, vintage inspired tin canisters in aquamarine can add a fun, kitschy flavor. Follow through with white window curtains featuring polka dots in the same shade of blue. A throw rug, cookware, placemats and dishtowels in the same color palette can tie everything together. Then add a few vintage items from the same era in wall art, on countertops or on a window sill: napkin holders, salt and pepper shakers, planters and figurines are inexpensive, fun and easy to find at local flea markets and antique malls.

Family Room Fun

Family rooms often project the feeling of having been outgrown from a decorative point of view. Maybe the room was once a play area for tots who are now teens and the photos in the room are dated and don’t match your current family unit. While ‘theme decorating’ is often overdone, a theme in a family room can really bring the focus back to what makes your family unique and it can be done with style and good taste. For example, if your now teenage children are into horseback riding and horse shows, use that as inspiration for the room. Go with a palette of burgundy, cream, khaki and forest green. If your furniture is neutral, use this quartet of colors in throw pillows, area rugs, lampshades and accessories. Or buy slipcovers to refresh existing upholstery. Paint a focal wall in a deeper tone of your wall color and hang framed photos of the kids riding or in competitions and use a handsome horse metal wall art to add focus and pull the details of the room together. A wall shelf can hold trophies, ribbons and fun horse theme accessories.

Modern Country: Comfort Meets Modern Aesthetic

It used to be the country decor was all about geese wearing blue bonnets and lots of cutesy clutter. But country has become more streamlined and modern country decors seem to be borrowing design principles from modern interior design portfolios. Modern country style now has a lot in common with contemporary design and the blending of the two styles creates a stylish but homey look. Here’s what’s fresh, new, exciting and modern about today’s country.

Focal Points are Strong

It used to be that country decors had so much going on in a room that it was difficult to determine what the focal point was or if one even existed. In today’s more streamlined country style, focal points are unmistakable. For example, a pair of tall antique iron candle stands may frame a landscape painting above a velvet chaise; to maintain strong visual presence, other decorations in the room are pared down so they don’t compete with the focal point. Walls are painted in clean, neutral colors like travertine brown or foggy gray. These don’t compete with furnishings, wall art, collections or accessories.

Spaciousness is Celebrated

Furniture is arranged in comfortable seating clusters with an eye toward creating open spaces. And much like modern decor, space is celebrated with contrast: Dark wood beams may show off ceiling space above that is painted in simple, clean white, for instance. Or woodwork is painted white to contrast with darker walls, bringing strong architectural clarity, along with drama and sophistication, to a space.

Comfort it Big, but so is Style

Country style furniture is still cushy and comfy, but a lot more attractive than in years past. Long gone are ugly plaids and barnyard patterns. Solids, checks, stripes and florals are freely mixed with a shabby chic or cottage aesthetic over layers of white. Traditionally shaped furniture pieces, such as Queen Anne chairs are used to show off their curvaceous shapes and classic lines.  They may be upholstered with fresh, updated fabrics in inviting colors like haystack green or periwinkle blue. Metallic accessories and wall art have heft and are clad in gold or silver that stands out boldly against smoky slate colored walls. Fun, funky fabrics are used on pillows, lamp shades and window treatments, sometimes making it a challenge to determine where country style ends and modern style begins.

Collections are Eclectic

No longer do collections have to be solely about geese and cows. Interesting modern country homes mix paintings and other types of wall art that are not necessarily from the same genre. For example, a vintage sun metal wall art might add color and distinction when hung above an English tea cart or a modern horse metal wall art might complement primitive American antiques used in a keeping room done in shades of charcoal and black with stark cream accents. Similarly, modern country designers mix antiques with contemporary pieces for unexpected shots of personality.  You just might see an abstract contemporary painting propped atop an old fireplace mantle, bringing color and a modern attitude to a room.

Furnishings are Eclectic too

People who love country style tend to love vintage furnishings and they don’t want to part with them in order to modernize their rooms. But there is no need to let them go because mixing contemporary with antique or vintage is very chic. For example, you might arrange sleek, modern brushed metal dining chairs around a curved, ornate antique tiger oak table. Part of the fun in decorating in this mixed style is having an opportunity to create a unique look that is truly all your own.

Simulate a Warmer Climate

Even though you might live in an area of the country that is buried in snow four months out of the year, that doesn’t mean you don’t wish you had more sunshine and warmth. Although there’s not much you can do about the weather outside, there’s actually a lot you can do about your interior climate. If you wish you were spending the winter in the Southwest this winter, why not simulate the look in the comfort of your own home? Warm Southwestern colors such as gold, terra cotta, rust and turquoise blue can add a lot of cheer and joy to the cold winter ahead. In addition to using warmer shades to simulate the Southwest, you can also accentuate your home with authentic-looking art pieces. Metal cross wall decor is a great way to add a touch of warmth to your home, even if you don’t feel like repainting all your walls. With so many styles from which to choose, you’re sure to find just the right piece to warm up your walls.

Add Just a Few Warm Touches

If redoing one or more rooms in your home to simulate a warmer climate is a bit outside your budget or time schedule, don’t despair. Sometimes all it takes is just a few small touches in order to create a warmer and more inviting look. For example, a few pieces of Sun metal wall decor might be all you need to liven up a traditional decorating scheme. Without too much time, effort or expense, you’ll be able to add small visual touches that will seem to warm you up just a bit.

Go Tropical

If your winter vacation fantasies involve tropical destinations instead of the warm Southwest, why not transform one or more rooms of your home into a sunny tropical paradise? It’s easy to find fun and fresh tropical decor. This style of decorating can work especially well for an indoor patio or sunroom that traditionally doesn’t get much use during the winter months. By adding a few touches of warm decor, you might just find that the room will become your family’s favorite place to gather when the weather turns cold. Or, plan a luau party and enjoy the tropics with your friends and family members. Before you know it, the snow will be gone and the sun will be shining in your corner of the world once again. When winter is over, re-purposing your tropical decor as outdoor patio or deck decorations is easy to do.

Choosing the Perfect Location

Selecting the ideal location for your home’s “coffee corner” is a personal decision. After all, the perfect location for one person might be totally wrong for somebody else. It can be helpful to take a look around your home. Give some thought as to what area looks to be the most comfortable and inviting. If you like to sip your coffee while visiting with friends, be sure to choose an area that is large enough to provide adequate seating space. Of course, if you usually drink your coffee solo, almost any little nook or cranny can work. Popular spots that tend to work well include a corner of the kitchen, an out-of-the way area of the living room or family room, or even a spare bedroom or some unused attic space. If you have enough space available, you might even want to transform it into your own personal coffee café.

Decorating Your Coffee Corner

Just as is the case with selecting the location, the kind of decor you choose is also a personal decision. Many people enjoy adding a fun and slightly funky look to their in-home coffee corner by utilizing sunburst metal wall hangings that lend a ‘rise and shine’ look to your space. Available in a wide variety of colors and sizes, these wall hangings can be found in styles ranging from authentic and vintage to fun, modern and sometimes almost abstract.

It can also be fun to decorate your coffee corner according to a specific theme, such as a retro coffee shop or perhaps a rustic Western café. It’s important to remember that not all your art pieces need to be coffee themed. For example, you can add a touch of Western charm to your rustic Western café area simply by adding one or more pieces of metal cross wall decor with a Western motif.

Choosing the Perfect Coffee Machine

Of course, all the decor in the world can’t transform a corner of your home into a coffee café without the addition of some great coffee making equipment. When choosing a coffee maker, focus on the kinds of coffee drinks that you enjoy most. Today there’s an amazing array of different kinds of coffee makers, some of which are designed to create a single specialty drink while others are more multi-purpose. If you really enjoy a great cup of coffee, make sure you look for a high quality machine that will produce coffee that meets your high standards.

The Southwestern Color Palette

If you mention the Southwest to most people, they immediately think of the colors of the desert and the beauty of a sunset. Southwestern colors consist of primarily warm shades, accentuated by colors such as turquoise blue and purple. Most people find these colors to be relaxing, serene and even inspirational. Traditional colors to use include terra cotta, sand, gold, turquoise, orange, yellow and red shades.

Southwestern Wall Art

In addition to using the traditional Southwestern colors in your home, horse metal wall art can add a decorative and authentic touch. If you’ve been lucky enough to actually visit the Southwest in the past, perhaps you already have a few authentic pieces of decor you can use. Beautifully patterned Indian blankets, handcrafted pottery pieces and hand-tooled metal art can all be used to add decorative accents to a room. If you don’t already own some pieces of Southwestern decor, they are easy to locate in stores and decorating outlets.

Adding a Rustic Touch

Even if you’re not inspired to completely re-create the authentic look of the Southwest in your home, you can simulate some aspects of this style through the use of rustic decor. Metal cross wall art can be used to create a warm and interesting look. Even if the pieces are not truly traditional, they can blend in nicely with the warm and natural color palette of the Southwest. You could even blend in a few Western-style pieces to add variety and visual interest.

Southwestern Decorating Touches

If you don’t have the time or budget to repaint your walls, focus instead on adding a few pieces of Southwestern-inspired decor. A colorful woven blanket could look great in front of or over your fireplace. Instead of using traditional potted plants, try growing a few cactus plants instead. Even though these decorating touches are easy to do and require minimal time and expense, you might be surprised at the amount of visual impact they can create.

When decorating your home in the Southwestern style, try to focus on handmade items instead of those that are commercially produced. By doing so, your decorating style will look more traditional and authentic. Even if you’re not planning a trip to the Southwestern area of the country in the near future, you can still find authentic pieces by searching online. In some cases, the proceeds from the pieces you buy might even go to support native local artists in the Southwest.

Focus on Rustic Designs

If you love the look of nature, focus on rustic designs and decorating accent pieces as opposed to sleek and modern decor. In many cases, you’ll find that handmade pieces will complement your natural decorating style much better than mass produced items. You might even want to look for pieces that were handcrafted in areas of the country where you enjoy spending time outdoors. For example, you might find that you have a preference for Native American art, or perhaps art pieces produced in the Appalachia region. Whatever your preference, look for rustic pieces that have a lot of personality, uniqueness and visual appeal.

Although many people immediately think of woodcarvings and natural hand-woven textiles when they think of nature-based art, metal art can also add a nice visual touch. For example, a piece of sun metal wall art could be the perfect accent piece to hang over your fireplace or as a focal point on a large wall. Metal wall art that depicts scenes from nature such as trees or a landscape view can work especially well.

Focus on Wildlife

If a love of wildlife and animals is at the core of your preferences for natural decorating schemes, wildlife art pieces can be the perfect choice. Whether you prefer hand-carved statues or animal-themed wall art, you’re sure to find a wide variety of styles and subject matter from which to choose. In some cases, you might prefer a more whimsical approach to wildlife, while other times you might decide upon a more majestic and inspirational approach. For example, a sculpture depicting a proud eagle might be the perfect focal point for your office, while horse metal wall art could add a touch of whimsy and fun to your family room walls. Of course, no nature-themed room should be considered complete without a few live plants or a vase filled with freshly picked wildflowers.

Choosing a Natural Color Palette

When decorating a room in a natural theme, colors that reflect the beauty of nature are almost always the best choice. Natural earth tones can be combined with greens, blues, and even subdued shades of red, orange and yellow in order to create a warm and outdoorsy look and feel. Depending on your preferences, you can use darker colors to create a more dramatic look reminiscent of a forest. Or, keep things light, cheerful and breezy by using light taupe, white and sky blue to create a beach-like look and feel. Whichever method you choose, you’ll undoubtedly find that your nature-inspired room just might end up being your favorite room.

Western “Cowboy” Style

Many people immediately think of cowboy-style decor when they hear the words “Western style.” There just seems to be something bold and a bit “larger than life” about this style of decorating. Although the style is definitely down-home in nature, it can also provide plenty of elegant comfort. Oversized furniture pieces, which frequently feature overstuffed cushions and bold details, are right at home in this decorating style. Leather, cowhide, wood and metal are commonplace in furniture pieces, decorating accessories and light fixtures.

When decorating a room with “cowboy” Western style, you can opt for an authentic look or one that is a bit more whimsical and playful. For example, worn cowboy boots, old saddles and other authentic pieces can add to a traditional Western look. Rustic Western wall art can also be used to add an authentic look. However, you could also opt for faux cowhide prints, campy cowboy memorabilia, and other playful decorating items that will add a lot of fun and warmth to the room.

Southwestern Charm

The Western cowboy style of decorating is quite popular, especially in some regions of the United States. However, the Southwestern style of decorating is also equally popular. The Southwestern decorating style can add a lot of warmth, comfort and color to one or more rooms of your home. The style draws most of its inspiration from the Southwestern portion of the United States, as well as Mexico.

Southwestern color schemes are usually reminiscent of the colors you find in the desert. Shades of brown, orange, terra cotta, and yellow can be combined with vivid shades such as turquoise. Patterns include those that have been traditionally used by native populations for centuries. The overall look tends to be restful, peaceful and in tune with nature. Because of these qualities, this style of decorating often lends itself especially well to family rooms, living rooms, patios and other areas where family and friends like to gather.

When decorating a Southwestern-styled room, it often works well to combine authentic Southwestern relics with modern-day art pieces. For example, you could use Southwestern metal wall art alongside a traditionally patterned Indian blanket. Pottery, metal pieces, hand-woven tapestries and desert plants such as cacti can add to the overall look. Sculptures can also be used to add artistic and yet traditional appeal to the Southwestern-styled home. Traditional textiles can work well for upholstered furniture pieces, or to create comfortable pillows and throw blankets. Wall art that depicts the beauty of the Southwestern desert can also add to the overall look and feel of the room.

Choosing a Style that Works for You

If you are like many people, you might initially visualize a trendy modern look when you think about coffee houses. However, there are actually many different styles and techniques you can use to create the perfect look for you and your home. For example, if your home is decorated in an overall country or Western look, you can use this same style of decorating to create a rustic but cozy Western-style area in which to enjoy your morning or afternoon coffee. Simply choose a few pieces of Western metal decor that will blend nicely with your coffee house theme.

If modern and contemporary looks are more your style, look for stylish and sleek metal art pieces to add the perfect decorative touch. It’s also possible to create a nostalgic and slightly retro look, simply by choosing the right art pieces and accessories. Fortunately, it’s easy to find coffee metal wall decor in a wide variety of styles to suit your personal decorating preferences.

Designing for Comfort and Convenience

When designing your own personal “coffee house” area, it’s important to remember that relaxation and enjoyment are a large part of what you are seeking. As such, it can be quite advantageous to look for ways to add plenty of comfortable and convenient touches. Tables and chairs should be comfortable and inviting as well as attractive. Even if you plan to use the area primarily as a place to enjoy your morning coffee alone, you should try to incorporate enough seating area so that you can also entertain a few friends if desired.

If you really love a great cup of coffee, be sure not to scrimp on the quality of your coffee making equipment. Today’s coffee makers come in a wide variety of full-featured styles, including espresso makers, cappuccino makers, and machines that are designed to make a variety of different coffee drinks. Although some of these machines can be a bit on the pricey side, you’ll probably find that you will truly appreciate the quality and convenience that they can provide.

Decorating Touches

Once you’ve decided upon your overall style and have selected some quality coffee-making equipment, you can focus on the smaller decorating details. A great set of designer coffee mugs or a retro-style cream and sugar set could add the perfect finishing touch to your personal coffee house. After all, many times it’s the small design details that can really complete the overall look.