Home Improvement

The two launched Rail Yard Studios in 2010. Using century-old railroad steel and hardwood timber, they make one-of-a-kind chairs, desks, tables and beds. Some of the rails date back as far as 1898.

When decorating our homes, we tend to consider things like beauty and comfort, the durability of pieces we might buy or the image they project. But how many of us stop to consider our energy bills?

But for many folks, who are more self-critical than self-confident, the journey to the ideal wall color or room style is fraught with angst. What if you choose wrong and visitors to your home snicker? What if you spend all that money and don’t get it right?

What if you’re a fan of vivid orange, lime green or a luscious shade of lavender? These colors can be tricky to use successfully in decor. But you don’t need to avoid them.

Spring cleaning can feel overwhelming. But where to begin? Never fear: Three professional organizers are here to offer three projects you can do in an afternoon each.

Aimee Beatty, in-house stylist at Pier 1, said lively outdoor pieces give people a way to make a statement: “Incorporating pops of color with furniture and accessories adds personality and flare.”

Clutter, distractions, poor workflow — sometimes a kitchen’s layout can hinder the cooking process more than it helps. Decorating can create similar pitfalls. “We get too caught up in color palettes and soft fabrics, and we over-think it,” said Genevieve Gorder, co-host and judge of HGTV’s Design Star.

Replacing the doors and covering the cabinets’ remaining exposed parts with a matching veneer can be done for about half the cost of buying new, said Kit Selzer, senior remodeling and projects editor at Better Homes and Gardens. The process is called refacing.

Think ballet- and watercolor-inspired pastels; soft fabrics and sheer window treatments; and curvy furniture, often in traditional shapes but updated with modern fabrics and pattern.

The sun-drenched colors and inviting textures of summer provide plenty of decorating ideas. The trick is doing it right.