(This will sound odd). I need decorating ideas. Also remodeling/upgrading tips.

[68 Stepside]

Hey all,

As some of you are probably aware, I purchased a home late last year. I moved in on 24 Sep 2009, and have not touched the decor at all. I bought the house from an eccentric gal who's in her mid 90s. Everything is white and gold, and every wall is papered, excepting the addition, which is paneled. Almost forgot to mention the wall-to-wall white carpet too. My house borders on mid-modern design, lots of glass, large windows. I'd like to go somewhat modern as I upgrade, which leads into my question.

Where should I start for decorating ideas? Ikea? Are there any decent sites out there that might be able to help get me started? There's a lot of house here and I guess I just don't know where to start .
I've been considering pulling the wallpaper off for starters, any tips and tricks on that?

Thanks for any links or other info.

[nuke1]

that is a nice house you have there. I guess my tip would be to put some water in a spray bottle and wet the wall paper, then once wet, not soaked, scrape it off with a larger putty knife. That is how i have done it in the past ans seems to work good. Gotta love those houses that have not been touched in decades. Go from there and do not curse too much.

[Sillyoldman]

Nice looking place. If you are considering painting go buy software and see the colors on your house, on your computer. I used to have software that I messed with to figure out color combos. I have also gone the route of different iterior colors based on room themes. Be sure to mark what rooms you used the paint can in. I also would write the paint code on the back sides of closet doors. I got burnt out on multi colors pretty fast. I'm kind of a fan of white throughout the house now. As far as thw walpaper use a sponge and get it as damp as possible. Cool house.

[Frizzle Fry]

check out the pottery barn catalogs or website for ideas. Say what you will about them, but they do have some good taste and ideas (and occasionally some not-so-good).

For the wallpaper, there's a steamer you can rent that makes the job a whole lot easier and faster.

[cdowns]

when i've gotten new houses one of the first things planned was a real lage door in back like french doors so i can roll in some disply projects into the living room// things i've had in this living room incleded a modet t phaeton body, model a 2door, simplex servicycle restored,a few antique quarter midgets balloon tire bikes ,at the present time i have the rolling resored frame for the 48chief and the harley heritage springer

[67ChevyRedneck]

Watch HGTV, or DIY if you have it.

[butternut1972]

I always tell my customers to go to home depot or lowes they have some pretty good books for ideas. And you can just stroll through looking at the displays in the stores to get the ideas flowing. Most importantly just do what you like, what ever fits your personality. If you plan on selling it try and keep things like color neautral.

[chris71]

i have come across different types of wallpaper, some require different techniques. steamer might be the fastest, i used a product called Diff, which reacts with the glue and loosens it up so you can scrap it off, pick up a few scrapers too, 3", 6", some wallpaper you can tear off the top layer by hand and fingernail, then the bottom layer is pretty easy with the Diff. watching the DIY or home decorating chanels was a good tip. i would pick up a landscaping book at HD or lowes and plant some bushes and flower beds, I would reccomend perenials and slow growing/ dwarf bushes as they are low maintenance.