Tired of staring at your stark and empty walls? Expansive, windowless walls are the perfect canvas for a creative mind so you don’t want to waste the space. Artwork isn’t the only way you can add some style to your bland walls. Here are some lively wall decor ideas you can use in any room of the house.

Ceiling Medallions
If you’re searching for a unique way to embellish your walls consider using ceiling medallions as wall art. You can find ceiling medallions at most home improvement stores. Although they are inexpensive they make for expensive looking wall art especially when they have painted a similar shade of the hues that you’re using within the space. Ceiling medallions are lightweight and they can be applied to the wall with temporary adhesive.

Book Covers
What are your favorite titles? Well, you can implement them into your decor with this creative idea. Using a craft knife you can remove the pages and hang them flat against the wall. You can use an upholstery nail to attach them to the wall.

Block Numbers
What dates have a special number for your family? Perhaps it’s a birthday or an anniversary. You can hang block numbers in a variety of sizes and colors on the wall. From metal to plastic blocks, try and mix up the finishes. Anchor the arrangement around a shelf or flat piece of furniture.

Cutting Boards
What about the kitchen? Turn your cutting board and platters into an artwork by hanging them on the wall. They can be attached to the wall with super glue or by hanging them on hooks. Arrange them so that they are mixed and matched. Use a variety of wood stains and finishes to accentuate the look. You can even add plates to the mix.

Fabric Artwork
You can really make it chic by using a fun or pretty pattern as artwork. Play around with textures and colors. You can frame the fabric or have it suspended against the wall. Search for vintage goods or handmade pieces.

Dramatic Artwork
Of course, you can use traditional artwork to dress up your walls. However, for a modern spin opt for super oversized pieces that will immediately capture the eyes of guests.

Decorating with natural elements by bringing a hint of the outdoors into your home can bring nature inside. If you are nature-starved, what are some easy ways you can implement nature into your home’s decor?

1. Faux Fireplace
   Love looking at a campfire? Well, you can get the same look anytime you desire by purchasing a faux fireplace. Faux indoor fireplaces look so realistic and they even sound similar to the sound of a campfire.

2. Decorate with “greenery”
   Of course, the most obvious way to bring nature indoors is to bring in some plants. Plants can brighten any space. When incorporating greenery into your design scheme look for ways to steer clear of the traditional flower in the vase thing. Mix it up by using a variety of pots in your plant area. You can even opt out of using flower pots and instead hang them on the wall using plant hangers.

3. Natural Wood Furnishing
   Decorating with natural wood furnishing is a great way to create a rustic feel. Wood furniture is super durable and with great craftsmanship, it can be formed into all kinds of beautiful designs. You can add wood furniture sparingly. Perhaps a wood finished rocking chair in the living room or a wooden coffee table. A sleek, wood finished headboard adds a bit of outdoors to your bedroom.

4. Buy a grass rug
   You can easily purchase an artificial rug that simulates the look of grass from popular furniture companies. It can serve as a focal point for your living room or the man cave. The grass can withstand foot traffic. It’s available in a variety of sizes.

5. Constellation Projection Lamp
   Enjoy staring up at the stars at night? Well, you can do so right from the comfort of your bed. A constellation projector lamp allows you to easily project the beautiful heavens on your walls and ceilings.

Be imaginative when searching for ways you can make your home reflect your love for nature. Use different colors, textures, and patterns that are inspired by nature to energize a space.

We honor all who served. Thank you for our freedom.

Happy Halloween from all of us here at Dolphin Carpet & Tile! Have a fun and safe night!

Are you tired of your tiny and cramped living room? Decorating a small living room can be challenging especially when you have your eyes set on furniture pieces that would never fit in the space. Don’t fret. By employing these easy design tricks you can create a living room that is larger than life. Here are five ways you can make your living room feel much bigger than it actually is.

Oversized Mirrors
Using mirrors to visually expand a space is the oldest trick in the book. However, it actually works. Professional interior decorators use oversized mirrors in small rooms because they reflect light which makes the room appear bigger. A unique way to apply this theory is to select architectural mirrors which provide the illusion of a window or door.

Trim and Ceiling
When painting their living room, homeowners tend to leave the ceiling and trim white. Since these architectural features are just as important as the walls you should harmonize them with the rest of the space. You can use a lighter shade of a consistent hue that you’re using throughout a design scheme or the wall color on the ceiling. Apply a slightly darker shade on the trim.

Multifunctional Furniture
When decorating a tiny living room you should take advantage of multifunctional furniture. Consider purchasing a double duty coffee table that serves as both a table and extra seating. An upholstered storage ottoman can double as additional storage and seating.

Mount the Television
Instead of a television stand, mount the television on the wall to save space. You can put a decorative spin on this by surrounding the flat panel t.v with artwork.

Properly Fitted Rug
A custom cut rug that properly covers the living room floors is important for creating a unified look. Store bought ready-made rugs won’t always fit around the corners and dips in your living room’s layout.

Plan the layout
It’s important to plan out the traffic flow in your living room. Section off different areas of the living room according to their function. For instance, set aside zones for working, eating and lounging.

Remember the days when all you had to do was polish the floors and make sure the house was spotless before you put a For Sale sign on your property? Well, times have changed. These days homeowners are seeking out the help of professional home stagers to prepare their homes for sale. Home staging involves preparing your home for the real estate market by making it appealing to potential buyers. While this isn’t an entirely new concept, homeowners are taking advanced steps to ensure that their house looks it’s best before putting it on the market.

If your home has been sitting on the market for some time, or you’re getting way below the asking price that you set then you may want to consider employing some popular home staging techniques.

Importance of Home Staging
Just think of the home tours you’ve been on before you purchased your present home. How many times have you seen a house that probably has potential but you were so distracted by the clutter, tacky furniture and walls that needed to be repainted? No doubt, you were turned off by a house that was visually unappealing. Let’s be honest, potential home buyers are less likely to invest in a property that doesn’t look good.

Home staging is necessary because first impressions are everything. You want potential buyers to be able to visualize living your home. Therefore, you should make sure that they can see the beauty in your property by making sure it’s presented in the right way.

The First Rule of Home Staging
The first rule in home staging is to grab the attention of buyers at the curb. That means the exterior of your home should be in the best condition possible. It’s common to see buyers doing drive bys on properties that have been listed for sale. Making sure the outside of your home looks great is crucial because this is the first thing they’ll see and it also sets the tone for the home tour.

Here are some tips for making sure that the outside looks just as good as the inside:
– Wash down all the windows
– Make sure the lawn is free of bikes, toys and other clutter
– Mow the lawn and weed the garden
– Consider adding some potted plants to make the outside look beautiful

These are just a few ways to ensure that your home is giving the best possible first impression to potential home buyers!

Most of us enjoy the glamorous and luxurious appearance that gold evokes. It’s a color that catches the eye which why it’s no surprise that it has become trendy in home decor. Decorating with this metallic color can be challenging because if it’s not executed correctly it can look gaudy and unflattering. If you’re interested in adding some sparkle to your home, we’re going to show you how to decorate with gold.

Make A Statement
When working with gold materials you have the opportunity to create great interest because gold has such a big impact. So if you’re going to use gold in a room you want to be sure that you create your “wow” moment. Whether it’s gold wallpaper, a side table or a gold covered pillow you should make sure that it perks up the room.

Mix Metallics
To truly bring out the beauty of gold in your home’s decor you should try mixing it with other metallics like bronze, rose and champagne gold. Mixing metallics has become increasingly popular because it adds layers of dimensions to a room. When mixing metallics you should also mix up the finishes. Combine matte, glossy and brushed metallic pieces to create a versatile yet harmonious look.

Gold and Natural Materials
Pairing gold accessories with natural materials makes for a great balance. You can use organic touches like floral arrangements and wood materials to break up metallics. Mixing these elements will prevent your gold decor scheme from being too overpowering.

Gold and Bold Colors
Gold is also appealing with paired with other bold colors like purple and blue. You can use various tints of colors like yellow, purple and green. Using such variations softens the theme and adds a sense of depth to the overall design. If you want to further tone down the look incorporate more neutral tones.

Use In Moderation
As glitzy as the gold look you should avoid incorporating too many gold pieces in one space. Doing so will have the opposite effect and will be overwhelming. The sparkly specks in gold materials naturally catch the eye. So you don’t need to use several gold accents to make a statement.

You have thought about it for awhile and decided that down-sizing would be the best option for you. Down-sizing comes with a lot of ups and downs. The ups include purging and getting rid of unnecessary things and having a new place to love. The downs probably include everything else. We get it, down-sizing can have a negative connotation in your mind. But down-sizing does not need to be difficult nor a bad thing. To help you, we have made a list of five genius tips for down-sizing your home!

Down-sizing 101:

1. Go One by One. When you are beginning the down-sizing process, your mind may be going every direction. Try to focus on one room at a time to avoid confusion. First, you will want to make a game plan before you begin downsizing. Set a schedule and stick to it. Next, make sure everyone in your family is on the same page before you begin the process.

2. No Exceptions. Getting rid of things can be difficult, we totally understand. A way to ensure that you actually stay focused on downsizing is by only having a “yes” and “no” pile. Eliminate your “maybe” pile.

3. A Second Opinion. It may be a good idea to bring in a friend or family member to help you make challenging decisions. It can difficult to decide on what to keep and what to get rid of during the move; therefore, a second opinion can help.

4. Learn The Layout. Knowing the layout of your new home can be an important step for downsizing. It is a better idea to get rid of things before you move rather than take it all with you. If you know the layout, you can begin planning what furniture will fit and what you cannot take with you.

5. Make a Profit. One of the positives things about downsizing is that you can make some extra money off of the things you decide to sell. Whatever you cannot sell, try to donate to someone in need.

We hope you enjoyed these five easy tips for downsizing and that your new home is filled with amazing memories!

Natural stone is an expensive flooring product that undoubtedly requires special care. Perhaps the biggest challenge that homeowners face is determining whether they should seal their stone floors. According to flooring experts both stone and tile, products can benefit from sealing.

Just think. There are so many different elements that tend to cling to the surface and penetrate the grout on your flooring. From oil, water, dyes, and resins such materials can cause the quality of your flooring to disintegrate over time.

What Does Sealant Do

To best determine whether you should apply a Sealant over your floors it’s important to understand exactly what a sealant does. There are hundreds of products available on the market that have been created to both protect and enhance the beauty of floor products. Such products include waxes, finishes, color enhancers as well as sealers. Sealers work by tight sealing the surface of your floors against chemicals and other contaminants.

When should I apply the sealant to my floors?
A common misconception is that sealing stone flooring is the final step. However, the sealer should be applied before the finish. Most sealants aren’t vapored permeable which means that they are semi permanent.

Water based or solvent based sealant?
Yes, when shopping for an appropriate sealant you’ll find that you can select either a water it solvent based sealant. The type of product you choose is largely dependent on where your natural stone floors are installed. Water based sealers can’t be used in outside environments and aren’t really recommended for areas that attract a lot of moisture. Such sealants have a short protection span and are affected by exposure to the cold. Most solvent sealers allow for deeper penetration which means increased protection. Solvent Sealers are versatile and probably your safe option.

Impregnator Sealers

Impregnator also known as penetrating sealers don’t change the natural look if the stone. This type if sealant maybe maintains the quality of the finishing because scratches and scuffing don’t show up. Depending on the manufacturer and surface location you won’t have to seal your floor for as little as six months to ten years.