By Linda Jennings



I find it fascinating that in reading different articles and listening to different designers how very different each views a room and a home. This can be very confusing for some of us because we don't know who to listen to as we are attempting to decorate our homes.

Some designers say that each room should carry the same color scheme throughout the house and all the walls should have the same or similar wall color. Others say, each room is a unique space with its own purpose and we should paint and decorate accordingly.

We can often feel like ping pong balls being batted about as we read and listen trying to discern which is correct. My opinion is that it's up to you and how you feel about your space. Some of us like a neutral paint color with very small bits of color in our d'cor because of its calming effect and we need that in our lives. Others are much bolder and we like color on our walls and in our accessories because it gives us energy or reflects our personality.

Often times when we move into a new home we are hesitant to paint a wall, or change anything because we are afraid we'll ruin its "newness". We want to hold on to that feeling of freshness that comes with a new home. But over time, we begin to realize the white walls and white ceilings are often stark and unless we have the right home accessories to balance that starkness, our homes can feel bland, boring and sterile. That's why choosing your home d'cor is so important.

From the other perspective, for those of us who like to paint the walls, ceilings and everything else, we can often find ourselves in trouble fast when our color choices don't balance with our home furnishings. We can become overwhelmed by too much color too many accessories, and or our homes feel like we are inside a kaleidoscope with colors colliding out of control.

So what is the solution you may ask? Balance. If you have neutral walls and like them that way then, don't be afraid to add color that is pleasing to you. You can do this in the home furnishings of your furniture, wall art, rugs and home accessories that help define who you are.

On the other side of the coin if you love bright and vivid colors on your walls you may need to tone down in colors the home accessories that you use and choose a more neutral palate. For instance in your furniture you may want a color that doesn't "fight" with the color on the wall or the other accent pieces, but that compliments what you already have going on in the room.

For either scenario, if you are not sure where to look for ideas and options try www.bearlycreative.com for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms and for kitchens and dining rooms check out www.bearlymadeit.com

Also keep in mind, what really pleases you. You may need to edit some of your collections, or you may need to buy some accent pieces that will give your home the inviting appeal you are looking for and haven't been able to achieve. Keep in mind the colors you are choosing, do they compliment each other or do they clash? Are they pleasing to your eyes and give you the feeling you are trying to achieve? If not, look critically at your room, asking the following questions: What's missing? What is out of place? What do I need to change? Experiment, try different combinations of colors, and accent pieces until you have the balance that is both pleasing to the eyes and to how the room makes you feel. It's okay if you don't get it right the first time.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this balance applies to every room, including the bathroom and kitchen. We often spend lots of time and energy on our living/dining rooms and bedrooms but neglect the bathrooms and kitchen. They are just as important if not more so, in making our home appealing to us and to our guests.

For those looking for home accessories and home d'cor ideas and products let me again recommend two websites www.bearlcreative.com and www.bearlymadeit.com These two websites have lots of products to choose from that will help you to achieve that balance you are looking for in all the rooms of your home.