Want to add a little drama to your room?  Have you thought of decorating the 5th wall? (YES… I am talking about the ceiling!)

The very chichi Valley Ho Hotel in Scottsdale, AZ was all over this idea.  I was completely taken by the concrete, industrial style ceilings in our room… just stunning.  But then, taken back by this piece of original art hanging from the ceiling above our little sitting area.  What?  How? Who’d have thunk?  So perfect in this retro/modern structure.

SO… how to do this?

First, choose your art carefully.  Lightweight, with no glass or heavy frame.  Then attach with either industrial grade velcro or 3M VHB (very high bond) tape. Expensive, but perfect for attaching art in unusual or difficult situations.  Give it a try!

My daughter claims to have NO artistic talent whatsoever… at least compared to her boyfriend, who can draw, paint, sculpt and create just about anything. To prove that she too could produce a piece of art worthy of hanging on the wall, he brought a large canvas, along with 5-6 jars of acrylic paint to our back yard one day. Dressed in disposable painter coveralls, they spent the morning throwing paper plates full of paint at the canvas, and then at each other.  Awww… it was very cute…  so very “Princess Diaries!”

Yes… they had a blast, AND look at what they were able to create!  This work of art now follows her from apartment to apartment. It provides a focal point, instant color, and a reminder of the great time she had that day.

Need something big and dramatic for a wall in your home?  For under $100 you too can create your own personal work of art, complete with fun and fond memories.  Pick out your favorite colors and give it a try.  And don’t worry about the mess… it’s washable!

Decorating a room in your home? Don’t forget…. the job isn’t finished until the accessorizing has been done.

One area that is often neglected when accessorizing: the space beneath… beneath coffee tables, side tables, sofa tables, etc etc…  Put together a fun little combination of pieces to go beneath your tables and you’ll have something much more interesting to look at than the blank floor and wall behind it.  Leggy tables are especially perfect for a little extra accessorizing.

Decorating beneath the furniture makes your room look more interesting… at every level.

And from every angle.

And sometimes, these spaces beneath provide the perfect place for storage… for those things we don’t need everyday like books, toys or an extra seat or ottoman.

Remember to finish off those decorating projects.. and fill in those crazy little spaces beneath.