mels's Profile

A similar service that operates in more locations is Homejoy [www.homejoy.com]. They charge $20/hr with a minimum 2.5hr appointment.

I recently painted a bathroom black and I love it! It's very dramatic, especially in a small space. I think the key is to have plenty of balance with light - light colors and/or light sources. I have a white vanity, floors, and ceiling, and kept the walls white around the shower. And then a great lighting fixture makes up for a lack of natural light. I don't see any issue with makeup, shaving, etc. but we had to play around with wattage & types of light bulbs for the most natural look (a little yellow)
http://whoisamelia.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-bathroom-facelift-part-4.html

Also re: #2, I can comment on applying the art principle to rugs. In my parents' previous home, they selected the wall paint colors for the entire house from a single, oversized rug in the living room. This method was suggested by a family friend who is an accomplished interior decorator and it worked very well - the colors were extremely varied but coordinated and it was not obvious at all how they tied together. To reiterate the point a few others have made, I think it's more about pulling inspiration from something you love or know you will have in your home to ensure your art, walls, floor, etc. complement one another; not so much about being matchy-matchy or force-fitting anything.

Re: dark walls in a small bathroom, I'm in the process of posting photos of my black bathroom to my blog if anyone is interested! The before (white) and after (black) can be seen here http://whoisamelia.blogspot.com/2012/06/bathroom-facelift-part-1.html

#4 is a great point! We followed this rule in a small bathroom with no windows - now painted nearly black! (but balanced with plenty of white) It's very dramatic, clean, and modern looking vs. being so blah in its previous life as light blue.

yes! I bought my first home (a small condo) almost 2 years ago and followed many of these guidelines to deal with being housepoor. I'd also add as pointers:
1) Practice patience! It can take a long time to find the right items at the right price, so it can be months or even years before your home starts to take shape and feel like "you". Doing some research can help inform what you can get cheaply or for free and where it's worth making an investment.
2) Remember you aren't married to anything you get - half the fun of decorating is the process and seeing how a space can evolve as you add and replace things. You can always craigslist something you don't love! (I did this with a $30 coffee table purchase, resold for $100)