Window treatments are one aspect of interior decoration this is both functional and aesthetic. Besides provided needed privacy and insulation, window treatments can be used to make a bold statement or to convey the mood of the room.

Like clothing, window treatments are subject to changing fashion. Window swags and country curtains that were popular in the past now just look old-fashioned. These are some of today’s top window treatments:

1. Natural shades made from bamboo, wood or other natural fibers. Shades are a flexible option that allow you to let different amounts of light into a room.

2. Simple drapes made from luxury fabrics like velvet and damask. Opulent fabrics and trims can be used to add a touch of elegance to a room.

3. Silk curtains over sheers. The soft flow and rich surface of silk is perfect for many rooms. Sheer curtains underneath allow you to let light in while still maintaining some privacy.

See more here: Top 10 Window Treatments.

Hanging framed artwork, photos and mirrors is one of the best ways to personalize your living space and add a touch of originality. Grouping similar frames together to create a mini-gallery is currently a popular look in interior design. Achieving the gallery effect is not always easy, especially if you want the frames to line up symmetrically. This YouTube video provides a valuable tip for hanging a gallery of frames:

Small rooms can give a feeling of being cramped and will make some people feel claustrophobic. Luckily, there are some decorating tricks you can use to make a small room feel more roomy.

    
Visit HGTV.com to see pictures of some beautifully decorated small rooms.

One of the biggest problems with home remodeling projects are budget overruns. Runaway construction costs can cause stress and disrupt family life. Here are some tips to help keep your remodeling budget on track.

The concept of a modular home is not familiar to everyone. Modular homes are partially constructed in a factory and then fully assembled on the building site. For areas where year-round construction is not possible due to weather conditions, the modular home building process allows construction to take place indoors throughout the year.

Modular homes do not always resemble mobile homes. Many are built from wood and when assembled onsite are indistinguishable from traditionally constructed home. To learn more about modular factory-built homes, see this YouTube video:

For many homeowners, the laundry room is one of the most neglected rooms of the house. Yet when home buyers are touring a home, they’ll be looking long and hard at the laundry room to see if it fits their needs. It pays to invest in laundry room updates, and you may find that you enjoy doing laundry in your updated laundry room.

Today there are a variety of furniture options eco-friendly furniture options available. Products made from FSC-certified wood are guaranteed to be produced under environmentally responsible conditions. FSC is the Forest Stewardship Council, a non-profit organization that promotes responsible forestry throughout the world. The FSC label is only given to wood products that follow FSC guidelines.

Another eco-friendly furniture choice is bamboo, which is a sustainable substitute for hardwood. Bamboo grows quickly and can be harvested each year without destroying old-growth forests. Bamboo plants mature in about five years, far less than the decades required by many tree. It has the strength of many hardwoods. Non-toxic adhesives are often used in bamboo furniture construction.

Recycled and repurposed composite materials are also used in eco-friendly furniture. These composites may be made from salvaged or scrap wood or from other recycled materials. An example of a composite is Kerei board, which is made from reclaimed sorghum straw. When shopping from composite furniture, avoid the presence of formaldehyde. Many people are sensitive to formaldehyde emissions and will suffer a variety of health problems. Read more about eco-friendly furniture at the Sierra Club Green Home website.

Mad Men, the award-winning dramatic series on the AMC network, has created a renewed interest in the decorating style of the 1960s. Set in Manhattan and a suburb of New York, the show’s home and office interiors reflect the mid-century modern style. Fashion and home décor were clean, cool and sophisticated. The characters on show have more than their share of problems, but their approach to style is decidedly modern and grownup.

The post-modern style was soon replaced by flower power, orange shag carpets and other excesses of the 1970s. Now you can take a step back in time – tune into Mad Men and get a taste of life in a time when no respectable executive would be caught dead without his fedora.

See adman Don Draper deliver one of his best pitches in this YouTube video from Mad Men.

Architectural Digest has a slideshow of some of the most famous homes from around the world. This palatial estate is Sandringham and is located about 100 miles from London. It’s the private country residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Built by Edward VII in 1870 when he was Prince of Wales, Sandringham has been home to four generations of Britains royals. Visit the Architectural Digest website and a see a dozen more beautiful homes.

One of the top remodeling projects is increasing the size of small kitchen. What if you would rather not spend the money on an expensive kitchen remodel? There are several ways you can maximize your kitchen workspace and decorate it to appear larger.

Here are 5 tricks for making a small kitchen feel larger, courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens: