5 Solutions For Your Decorating Mistakes

It’s a known fact that not everyone is perfect. On the flip side, to an extent, most things can be fixed. This is especially true when it comes to your home’s decor. You may have struggled because of a lack of time to decorate, or even because you couldn’t afford what you really wanted, but you still have a second chance! To help you out, we’ve put together a list of solutions for five common decorating mistake.

Problem - Too Many Photos

Solution - Whether it’s you or a friend you know, some people just seem to have too many photos. The problem only worsens for parents with an only child, as some seem to think that they need to display a photo from every year of their life. To fix this problem, keep your photos to one certain area. Confine your photos to a gallery wall, or end table that holds all the memories.  

Problem - Small Rug

Solution - This problem comes from one major flaw - not measuring the size of your room. A rug that doesn’t fit the room will make everything feel disproportionate. To fix this problem you’re going to need to get a new rug. But before you head out, measure the area of where the rug will lie. One good way of knowing if your rug fits the room is if it reaches underneath all the furniture.

Problem - Cluttered Room

Solution - Do you have so many knick knacks you could open up a store? Getting rid of things may seem hard, but a clean, organized room will make you feel much better in the end. And if you’re not ready to give up on everything, consider a better storage option. And the easiest way to avoid clutter is keep your items in season, and not bringing any new items out until the previous season’s are properly stored away.

Problem - Bad Lighting

Solution - There are three types of lighting, ambient, task, and accent, and each have their own specific purpose. One of the most common is ambient, or overhead lighting. Some consider this the most important lighting, but for a living room, you’ll want to avoid this style. Consider an accent light instead, as it brings a mood to the room, rather than making it feel like you’re under the light of the dentist.

Problem - Outdated Accessories

Solution - If your decor is starting to feel more like your grandparents’, then it might be time to do some upgrading. You don’t have to spend money to do so though. You can update dressers and wooden chairs instantly with a fresh coat of paint. Also, look into a new upholstery for your couch rather than purchasing a brand new one. Lastly, if you can afford it, purchase smaller, colorful accessories that will bring a new accent to the room.    

Do you have any decorating advice that you’d like to pass along? Let us know in the comments section! If you’re looking to update your decor today, visit us online or find a store nearest you!

The Benefits of Layaway

For some, large investments on furniture are just not possible in their month to month budget. This causes those who can’t afford to pay everything at once to lose out on the opportunity to own things that they would be able to. To combat these difficulties during The Great Depression in the 1930’s layaway was invented. It made it so that normal people could pay a little bit at a time, while the company held their items until the full price was paid.

Updated System

When layaway was first invented many customers had to pay a down payment, along with an additional fee for the holding or storage of the item. This was to ensure that customers wouldn’t be trying to save items they might not really be able to afford. But that’s where our policy differs. At Home Decor Outlets there is no fee associated with opening a layaway account. In fact, there is also no minimum amount that you must pay with each payment you make.

Payments

Our layaway is designed to be a price hold, rather than the traditional service. We have a variety of options, including 30, 60, and 90 day options for payments. As mentioned before, there is no minimum for payments made and they can be paid at your local Home Decor Outlets location, or you can mail your payment to our corporate office in the form of a check or money order. Our corporate office is located at: 9875 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Suite 200, Johns Creek, GA 30022.

We do not hold the merchandise at the store location. This is to ensure that you get a brand new item when your layaway payments have been made. To help make sure you get your items in a timely manner, we suggest you give at least a two week notice before your final layaway payment is made. We will then set up a pickup or delivery date for your purchase.

Our layaway system is designed to work with you, and requires no credit check or interest to be paid on merchandise. Should you have any other questions you can visit us online or stop in at a location nearest to you.

5 Ways To Redecorate Without Buying New Furniture

Eventually we all get to that point where we are bored with something, whether it be the latest trending video game, song, or even the way a room looks. Unlike buying a new game or album, redecorating can cost a lot of money. But, there are ways of getting around buying all new furniture. To help you save some of your hard earned cash, we’ve put together a list of creative ways to change up your living space, and make it look brand new.

1. Paint - Whether it be the walls or your furniture, this is a great way to look brand new. Sure it costs money, but there is a dramatic difference between a 5 gallon can of paint and brand new wooden furniture. Also consider sanding and refinishing wooden furniture if solid colors are not your thing. From handles on drawers, to full wooden chairs and coffee tables, this will make any guest think you just picked up a brand new piece.
   
2. Upholster or Cover - If your couches or chairs have seen better days, this is the perfect solution for you. As humans we tend to cling on to things, and this is the perfect way to revive your old belongings. upholstering can get expensive, but there are plenty of DIY videos and articles that you can use as a guide.
   
3. New Rug - Area rugs are a great way to change the mood of any room. You can go all out with bold colors, or just keep it simple solid colored one. The best part about area rugs is that if you’re not really feeling it, you can just move it to a different room.

4. Rearrange Furniture - This is one of the best ways to change up a living space without any purchases at all. Flipping a room around will trick your mind into thinking that you’re in a different place. You can also try exchanging furniture from room to room to give the room a new vibe.
   
5. Repurpose - Old books can normally cause clutter, but what if you used them as decoration? There are a lot of modern ways to incorporate books or old records into your decor. One growing popular trend is filling an old fireplace with all of your books. Your old fireplace can also be turned into a space to hold other things, such as art or a place for your pet.   

Have you ever decorated a room in your house without buying anything? If so, let us know in the comments section how you did it! And if you these tips just weren’t enough and you need new furniture, visit us online or find a store near you.

Kanye West: Dorm Room Decor Designer

From College Dropout to college designer? If you follow pop culture, then you’ve probably heard that rapper Kanye West wants take his design skills from the feet of America’s young people to the dorm rooms they sleep in. It was rumored he wanted to work with Ikea, and all it took was one post from the Swedish furniture maker to take the internet by storm. Although a spokesperson for the company said that at this time they have no interest in the Chicago rapper’s designs, we wondered what a Yeezy dorm room would look like. Based on past releases, his music, and lifestyle we’ve come up with what we thought it may look like.

Yeezy Season

One of his biggest influences for his furniture design would definetly come from his prior clothing releases. If you’re not familiar, a lot of his designs come pre-tarnished and torn. To incorporate this into a dorm room, we think he’d design couches that had holes in them to look very old and worn. But since it needs to be durable for college students, he’d somehow have it designed so that the holes would never get bigger, just always looking fly. This style could also be incorporated in other decor throughout the room, like curtains, pillows or bedding.

Dressers  

One thing that Kanye would address that’s missing in college dorm rooms across the country is the amount of space for shoes. Coming off his experience designing shoes for Nike, and now Adidas, we would expect a shoe rack to be pre-built into an armoire. Also included in the dresser would need to be a place for jewelry, and most importantly, sunglasses.

Lights

Whether it’s “All of the Lights” or “Flashing Lights,” a Kanye-designed room wouldn’t be complete without an exorbitant amount of multicolored lights. We can only imagine that the lighting would also be synchronized with the room’s speaker system. A Yeezy room wouldn’t be complete without an in-bed speaker system that it is coordinated with the flashing lights, making any time a good time to listen to Yeezus, 808s & Heartbreaks or My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.


These ideas might sound outrageous, but you must also consider this is a man who recently made a song about himself loving himself. Do you have any other ideas on what would be included in an Kanye West designed dorm room? Let us know in the comments section!

5 Summer Cleaning Essentials

Summer may be one of the best times to kick back and relax, but it’s the perfect time for germs to start working overtime. We’re not talking about airborne germs, as they thrive the most in the winter during flu season. These are the ones that produce mold and awful smells that you can’t seem to tell where they’re coming from. To help avoid cleaning even more than you have to, or worse having to throw items away, we’ve put together an essentials list for some of the most popular summer cleaning needs.

1. Water Rings - Hot days call for cold drinks, but cold drinks on hot days mean bad things for wood. There is one trick to removing them though, and it involves something you store in the fridge. Weirdly, that item is mayonnaise, and if you spread it on and leave it for 15 minutes to an hour you’ll be mark free! Don’t leave it too long though, as the mayonnaise will spoil and become a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
   
2. Washer - The summer heat brings the mold out. One place that is prone to mold is your washer, and it might seem weird but you need to wash it. Run your washer with detergent on the hottest temperature it can be set at. After, let it air dry by leaving the door open before using again.
   
3. Bathroom - Like your washer, this is a great place for mold to grow. When you shower, the humidity from the steam can leave water in lots of places that don’t easily dry out after getting damp. To prevent this from happening, run the bathroom’s fan while in the shower and for at least 15-30 minutes after. Also remember to leave the shower door or curtain open after exiting as it will allow the inside to dry faster and eliminate potential mold.
   
4. Garbage Cans - No matter what time of the year, leftover food can make any garbage can smell rancid. But when the heat is increased, it seems to make it a hundred times worse. For outdoor cans, clean them at least once a month in the hotter months, as the stronger the smell the more it will attract unwanted animals.
   
5. Grill - By now hopefully you’ve heard how dangerous those wire brushes are for your health. If not, it’s time to throw them out and use another tool. To give your grill a really good cleaning though you’ll need to remove the whole grid and clean with an oven cleaning solution. If removable, you should also clean the heating plates as it will allow for a better flow from your propane.

Summer cleaning may not be the most fun activity, but if you avoid it, things tend to get smelly. Do you have any other essential summer cleaning activities you do? Let us know in the comments section what’s on the top of your cleaning list.

4 Often Forgotten Living Room Essentials

One of the most common gathering places for any family or group of friends is the living room. From game night to watching the big game, many memories are made here. Decorating this space can be hard though, as you don’t want it to be too cluttered, but you also want to show off your style. Often times though, essential things can be left out if you’re a new apartment or homeowner. To help you make your living room a little more homey we’ve put together a list of essential, but often overlooked, items you should have in your living room.

Chair - Often times if you are a new home or apartment owner your first purchase is a sofa. But as soon as you start to invite guests over, it’s important to have separate seating for them. Although you might think your large couch is big enough for three people, there’s nothing worse than being a third wheel in that situation.

End Tables - Another first essential on your list will most likely be a coffee table to fill up the space between your TV and sofa. If it’s within budget, also consider getting a side table. End tables are great for setting down drinks without disturbing others in the room, and are a great place to hold lamps.

Area Rug - If your living room is already carpeted, then you’re free to move on from this paragraph. Area rugs add extra style and comfort to a room. They are essential for cold winters as they will keep your feet from the shock of an ice cold floor after watching a movie cuddled up under a blanket. You can also use them to show off your style, or add another color to the room for better matching elsewhere.

Proper Lighting - As we’ve said before, essential lighting in a room comes from three different light sources. If the only source of light in your living room is an overhead light, then your next purchase needs to be a table lamp. As we said before, end tables are essential for holding lamps, but stand alone lights also will bring great accent lighting to your space to make it feel more homey.

Did we miss anything that you think is essential to every living room, but is often forgotten? In the comments section, let us know your favorite forgotten piece. If you like any of the featured items in the post, you can find them online or at a store near you!

Futon: The Greatest Piece of Furniture

The word ‘great’ has many definitions, ranging from quality to quantity. Don’t get it twisted though, we’re talking about the quality. Whether you're living on your own for your first time, have kids, or even grandchildren, futons come in handy for all walks of life. The futon’s history can be traced back to Japan, as their original form was a quilted mattress that was placed directly on the floor. It wasn’t until 1982 when a Cambridge woodmaker saw an opportunity for the flexible bed.

Space Saver

One of the best parts about futons is the small amount of space they take up. They are perfect for any game room, living room, or studio apartment. By day they can be utilized as a normal couch for sitting and entertaining on, then at night when all the guests have left, or are staying for the night, it instantly transforms to a bed.

Low Price

You can find expensive futons, but for the most part they usually cost a lot less than the typical bed or sofa. This makes it great for the struggling college student or recent graduate. Also, they are great for grandparents who may not be able to afford a new bed for when their family comes over to stay the night.

Style

Futons are great for anyone who has an ever-changing style. Because they are removable from their frame, you can easily cover your futon with any design that you choose. The removable mattress can also be easily replaced if the one you originally purchased becomes worn or uncomfortable. They also come in a variation of frame styles, from wood to metal. And if you don’t like how they look in one room, they’re light enough to move from room to room until you find the perfect place.

The versatility of futons are undeniable, they seamlessly switch between couch and bed. They also bring support that those old pull out couches could never compete with. When you sleep on a futon, it feels like your normal bed. In the comments section below, let us know what you think the greatest piece of furniture is! To purchase any of the futons pictured above, visit us online and at a store near you!