It is that time of year! You have taken down the Christmas decorations and now have nothing else to do but think about changes to the interior of your home, now that Winter has set in. It is cold outside, so get busy inside.

Most people play it safe when changing wall covers or decorations. Why not be bold and show what you are really all about? You don’t have to go with the old tried and true staple, of all white, or beige walls. Why not throw a splash of color on one wall and leave others white or beige. This is known as an accent wall. Then you can add drapes or pillows of the accent wall color, to really make a room stand out.

If you are a “cartophile”, which means you love maps, why not get a map wallpaper design for your wall? There are all kinds of map wallpaper that you can get. You can get the whole world, the United States, England, Italy, and more. So if you are from Italy or love it, you can paste it up on one of your walls.

You can even find maps for kids, that show animals, or famous places, such as national parks, or landmarks. They will love picking out their favorite places. It will encourage them to learn more. Don’t be surprised to see them researching on the internet and in books. It is a great way to get them learning without pushing them.

You can let your imagination go wild when decorating. Talking about the wild, why not use some tropical scenery on walls, with added animal print throw rugs, and or pillows. Love the beach? Add a pretty sand color on the bottom half of the wall, then paints a base blue with waves crashing. What a way to really bring the beach into your home. It will be guaranteed to be your favorite room, as well as visiting friends.

No matter what you love, you can incorporate it into your home. It can be a mild effect or a full-blown version of what you love. It does not have to cost a fortune either. You don’t have to create your new look overnight. Some of the best decorating ideas and stories come from finding things. We all know that when we are trying to find a particular item, we can’t.

Write a list of how you may want to change a room.

Choose a general theme. Start looking at paint samples or similar room ideas online. You may come up with a whole new idea while researching. Sometimes the best items for room decor are found at yard sales, thrifts stores, antique stores, and even auctions. Not only do you get a unique item, it usually comes with a story, such as, “I found this while on vacation at the shore in this little “hole in the wall’ store”. Maybe you will find it at a yard sale, where the owner will tell you how they got it, and maybe a funny story about it.

Don’t be afraid to take the time to make your home to be “your home” with all your personality put into it. Maybe you can use repurposed items too. There is nothing better than finding a new way to use something that you were going to throw away. Put your heart and soul into your next decorating project and most of all, have fun, don’t stress!