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How to Personalize your Home Decor The items in your home say a lot about you. Whether your style is modern or traditional, it can be the small pieces with big personality that grab the limelight in any home. In today’s economy, choices can seem limited when it’s time to decorate. Perhaps you can’t afford a new kitchen or dining suite, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t invest in a few, small, luxurious pieces that can still make a statement and reflect your personality. It’s at times like these that you can use your imagination and find innovative ways to create a beautiful home environment. Make sure your home accessories reflect your interests. If you love books, for instance, then your bookshelves should reflect that with a thoughtful display of your collection (hard or soft-covered, it doesn’t matter as long as you love them) mixed with a few curios and photos. Perhaps music or art is a large part of your life. Showcase this by framing some of your favourite sheet music; or invest in an interesting, original painting by an unknown artist rather than hanging the standard Monet poster print. If you like intellectual pursuits, then perhaps a lovely wooden game or chess table could be a focal point, where one could sit in a comfortable chair to play a game on a hand-crafted chess set; or even just quietly work on the weekend crossword. Use what you already have. Raid your closets! Rummage through boxes of old wedding gifts and go through grandma’s dusty heirlooms to unearth one-of-a-kind, possibly antique finds! That ornate mirror, hand-painted pillbox, or tarnished silver tray can all be cleaned up to reveal a refined beauty underneath. You likely have several pretty treasures that are hidden, forgotten, in your home. A crystal vase, a handsome chess set, a small painting - all can be a refreshing addition to your decor when they are used in new arrangements or moved to a different room. How does it all go together? Do you have a Star Trek™ figure collection? A penchant for piggybanks? Don’t hide your quirky stuff, display it and be proud! In moderation, these and other conversation pieces can be added to any decorating style for a fun sense of playfulness in your home. Don’t scoff at the ‘old-fashioned’ items you find. Such mementos of a more civilized era - your great-aunt’s tea service, for example, can look stunning on a modern dining room sideboard with minimal embellishments. The candlesticks that were a wedding gift might make an ideal set of heavy bookends for your Stephen King collection. The elegant marble figures of your custom chess set may really offset the rugged coffee table in your living room in beautiful contrast. You won’t know until you try – and any designer would tell you that mixing and matching pieces you love is far more interesting that solely maintaining one style in a room. Purchase unique, handcrafted items that are beautiful and functional. You don’t have to love antiques and weekend auctions to find lovely, original items. There is no end to the wonderful choices available online. It doesn’t have to be second-hand to be unusual and interesting. Shopping online these days is ridiculously easy and convenient. Try to find pieces that are both useful as well as decorative. A hand-painted teapot will brighten up any kitchen and also make a much better cup of tea than popping a teabag into a mug. A gorgeous wooden game table invites your guests to cozy up for a quick game of checkers or chess as well as giving you the extra table space your living room needs. Pieces that reflect your life and your interests can create drama and personality in your home, both inexpensively and creatively. The author is the owner of Quality-Chess.net, an online site where you can browse for numerous chess related products including wood chess pieces. http://www.quality-chess.net
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