Bored of boring, straight stripes? Theres a solution to that! The chevron trend is all over fashion, accessories and now the home. Chevron, or parallel zig-zag stripes, can be used in a variety of ways all over the home. How you use it and where can reflect your personal style and show off what you've learned in interior decorating classes here at Ashworth College.

• Accent Wall - Painting one accent wall in chevron is a way to add a bit of the look without going overboard. Instead of simply painting one wall a different color, making it an entirely different pattern is another way to spice things up. To achieve this look, use tape to outline your zig zags and paint accordingly.
• Decorations-  You can add chevron throw pillows, rugs, or frames to add a small touch of the look in your room. This prevents it from being overwhelming and keeps it tasteful.
• Tiles - Chevron can be achieved using more than fabric or paint. For some, making the tiles in the bathroom floor or the backsplash to the kitchen create the pattern is another unexpected twist that makes your home look fun and modern.

Would you ever add this look in your home?

Small-space decorating can be a challenge, maximizing storage and arranging furniture to meet your specific needs is only part of the equation. Use color to visually expand space, by lightening the walls the rooms will feel more spacious.

Don’t be afraid to mix patterns, and customize your small space with wall art. Home accents, and other do-it-yourself projects are perfect for a small home, whether you rent or own. In order to work within the footprint that you already have, get creative with savvy space-saving storage ideas and solutions instead of full-scale remodels or room additions. Increase the usability of a tiny bathroom, up the ante of a small kitchen, and make the most of a small bedroom or a small living room.

The weather is cooling off and the heat is turning up. Not only do wardrobes change from warmer weather to cooler climates, but homes change as well.  When the house turns from the place you used to cool off to a place you seek refuge from the freezing temperatures, often times the decor changes too.  Here are some easy ways to help your home get ready for the fall weather too.

• Add a lot of throw pillows to your chairs and couch.  Because you and your family will be spending a lot more time indoors, it's nice to have something comfrotable to relax with and that adds visual interest to your living room.
• Layering your floor rugs is a great way to add texture and visual interest to your room.  Not only that, but having the multiple rugs is practical because it will keep your feet from walking on the cold ground.
• Prep your fireplace so it's ready to be the focal point of the room.  By decorating the mantle, cleaning the dust off, and moving away the clutter, you're one step closer to having your fireplace be a gathering place.
• Trade your light, summer curtains for thicker ones.  In the summer, the light curtains allow warm air and sunshine to come in, but in the winter, thick curtains are great for keeping the heat in.
• Candles offer more light when it starts to get dark earlier.  They also offer more warmth and they smell great.

As a student in online interior decorating school, what other tips do you have?

I was made to believe that this course is online and the reason I enrolled was so I can do my lessons on the internet wherever i am.  well, that is not to be. I just found out after a lot of running around with customer service.  Now i was told my books are being shipped on the first day i enrolled.  Two days later i called to followup and was told it wasn't shipped bbecause they were missing my email address.  Once that is corrected, I was told it will be shipped express since they didn't ship it on the day of enrollment.  I should be expecting it within 3 days.  Well, 3 days later, I called to followup and was told my phone number was missing from my profile and the reason my books weren't shipped was because it was on backorder.  So today it should be shipped.  I wish someone would just be truthful and say, hey we can enroll you right now but your books are not available yet.  Is honesty so hard to do nowadays?  I was really excited when I first spoke to someone at Ashworth, now I'm beginning to wonder what I've gotten myself into.

With this economy, many people are choosing to renovate older homes instead of purchasing new houses.  In some older residences, there is wood paneling lining the walls.  While this was all the craze in the 1970s, this day in age it can look outdated. Whether you're working in interior design careers or just want to update your own home, HGTV has created a great way to update this classic look and re-paint the wood. 

1. Think carefully if you truly want to re-paint over the wood because once it's been painted, it cannot be undone.
2. Do a test patch in a non-obvious area just to make sure the paint will hold onto the panneling.  Some types of panneling is a type of wood grain that is glued to the front of a composite board and this kind cannot be stained easily.
3. Wash your panneling with a mix of detergent and water to remove any dirt that could cause the paint to bubble.  Once it dries, rub it over with sandpaper to make sure the panneling is smooth.
4. Prime the panels with stain blocking primer.  Let this dry over a 24 hour period. The next day, paint it with the color and make time to do two coats.
5. If you want to fill in grooves, fill them in with spackle and sandpaper smooth.  If you leave the grooves, it will add some character to your wall.

Would you do this?

Oh my goodness!

This one certainly took me a WHILE to finish up..

I can only offer two pieces of advice when it comes to this lesson.

One - Patience!

you will need a lot of this if you're like me and don't like repetitive things.. Measuring and re-measuring was a daunting task that is for sure, but push through and your efforts will not be fruitless

Two - Eye on the Target!

I'm not going to lie, I put off working on my lesson because I was so lost and frustrated in this lesson, but just keep your eye of your goal to become an Interior Decorator and eventually you will get to the end of the lesson and you will feel so good about yourself. To be honest, I treated myself to ice cream last night after I finished the lesson. That's another good thing to remember: Don't forget to treat yourself! This stuff is tough and requires some dedication to the field and its studies so give yourself a GOOD pat on the back. Rewarding yourself is one of the best ways to motivate yourself.. At least it is for me and if I'm having a tough time doing a lesson, finally finish it and want me some peanut butter and chocolate, then imma get me some peanut butter and chocolate!

So anyway, good luck to everyone doing lesson three. It's a tough one, but I believe in you!

If I can do it, all y'alls can do it too

So I have finished the second lesson and that one was TOUGH.

I thought all the measuring was frustrating and trying to find someone to help me with the tape measure was even tougher. I felt seriously rewarded when I finished though and treated myself to a nap. It isn't too difficult to do once you get the hang of figuring out the little lines on the tape measure.

I can't even describe how much fun I am having though with these lessons. The directions are easy to follow and kind of fun to read. I find myself laughing out loud at some of the things our intructor says in the book. Also! The conversion chart on the first page is SERIOUSLY helpful. Refer to that peoples.. It will make your life happy.

Anyway! On to Lesson three and I hope I don't have too rough a time and finish efficiently.

Stay awesome!

When children are around, everything has to change from schedules to language.  One thing that doesn't have to change - the style of the home.  Just because there are small children running around your home does not mean you need to compromise style for function.  Sure kids are messy and are prone to injuries, but there are ways to keep that in mind and have a stylish design as well.  You don't need to work in interior decorating careers to know how to make your home kid friendly: HGTV has created a list of ways to combine practicality and design into one harmonious living space.

• Decorate for how you truly live.  If you expect your room to remain pristine throughout the food fights and art projects, you will end up very disappointed.  Instead, make sure the space has room for wrestling matches and tea parties so you know the room will actually be used and enjoyed.  Also, think about potential stains when choosing a couch.  If your kids love grape juice, a white couch may not be the best idea.

• Go for functional and practical, but still pretty.  Avoid couches and chairs with skirts (too many ways for dust bunnies and shoe prints) and same for cloth covered tables.  Children will inevitably pull it off or stain it so you're better off choosing exposed chair legs and table tops.

• When you have kids, color and texture are your friend.  They will hide spills and spots and also make the room more colorful and fun for the kids. 

• Find fun ways of hiding the clutter that comes with kids.  Have creative storage spots (like inside of an ottoman or a beautiful trunk in the corner of the room) where you can store their toys and the children can have easy access. 

What other tips do you have?