Maybe you have an idea in your head of how you want your decor to look - clean, and crisp with interesting lines, or maybe you want something a little more traditional. Whatever your dream decor is, you can create it without spending your life savings. Here, we’ll talk about how you can get started on your dream decor. Take a look:

1. Keep What You Can

You don’t need to start from a completely blank canvas. Doing so can help, but it’ll cost you more to replace all of the furniture and pieces that you have gotten rid of. Try to keep what you can. If you have to get rid of something, consider thrifting before anything else. Thrifting is so much more affordable and you can find some real gems.

2. Swap Out Accessories

By simply swapping out your accessories you could create a brand new look in your home. All you need to do is choose accessories in the style you have chosen and you can give your home a brand new look. Cushions, throws, and similar accessories can be used to create the style you love. This could be enough, and when you get bored of the look, all you have to do is swap them out again.

3. Consider Lighting

Lighting is one of the most important parts of your decor. Do you want it to feel atmospheric, or bright and happy? Maybe you want it to be both, depending on the time of day. Make sure you invest in appropriate window dressings, and consider a new lamp or two if your lighting is lacking. The bulbs you use can make a huge difference, too. String lights are a great way to create a magical atmosphere in the evening, if that’s what you’re going for.

4. The Smallest Additions Make A Big Difference

Even the smallest additions to your decor can make a huge difference to the finished look. Flowers and plants for instance, they aren't too expensive but they can really brighten up your home and add life.

5. Use An App To Get the Lay-Out Right

Have you considered using an app to rejig your lay-out? You could create a lay-out that makes more sense this way. It’s much cheaper than hiring a real interior designer! If you do need to hire an interior designer for a little help, there’s the option of Buddy Loans - although you’ll need to consider how this will affect you and your plans to redecorate in the long run. Try the app first to see how you get on.

6. Get Crafty

Get crafty with your decor and you will create a truly original space that you can be proud of. You don’t need to commision original artwork - you can simply frame pictures from magazines. How about painting a mural, or using stencils to create some clean and crisp lines on the wall? There are so many things you can do if you just use your imagination. Try checking out pinterest to see what you can do if you’re stuck on ideas.

7. Don’t Forget To Excite All Of The Senses

You want your entire decor to look amazing, so you need to excite all of the senses - not just sight! Bring in touch, using plenty of texture. You even want to get some amazing scents involved, so try aromatherapy or a room spray to freshen up your furniture, throws, and cushions. All of these things make a huge difference to how your decor feels in its entirety.

8. Buy A New Mirror

A new mirror can help to make any room look bigger. If you buy a stylish mirror, it’ll really add to the new feel of your decor, reflecting light around the room and helping to create the vibe you desire. It doesn’t have to be too expensive, and you could even find something secondhand for a good price.

9. Show Off Your Favourite Memories

One of the things people forget to do is personalize their decor. Why not show off your favourite memories with the people you love? It shouldn’t look like a showhome or something straight out of Pinterest! Put up your favourite pictures so that you smile whenever you see them. You could even create a gallery wall!

Hopefully you now have some ideas to perk up your decor and make it look closer to the style you like, even if you can’t afford to replace all of your furniture. Do you have any tricks you’d like to share? Leave a comment.

When you’re on your travels, one of the best things is staying in places that are nicer than your own home. Plus, what is it about when you stay in a luxurious hotel that helps to give you one of the best night’s sleep? The clutter-free environment, with clean and crisp sheets, as well as stylish decor can all help to create the luxury feel that helps you to sleep well. But the good news is that you can quite easily create this kind of thing at home, so that your own bedroom can be a luxurious retreat just like you’d get if you were away on vacation. Here are some of the things that you can do and the changes that you can make to create this kind of luxury environment at home.

Fresh Bed Linen

One of the best things about a luxurious and cozy hotel room is going to be the big comfortable bed. So if you want to have your own bedroom that is just like that, then the bed is the first place to start. The chances are that you are not likely to be able to change the bed itself, but the bedding is something that you can easily change up. You could look for some hotel quality bed linen from Richard Haworth, with a top-quality crisp cotton. Making a linen spray to use when you’re making the bed can be such a good idea. This can be something as simple as a spray bottle of water, with some drops of your essential oil. The best ingredients for a good night’s sleep.

Show the Beauty

A complete bedroom makeover is likely to be off the cards, but refreshing the bedroom can be enough; you just need to accentuate the beautiful things that you already have in the room, much like they would in a hotel room. Look for the things that are beautiful, and then accentuate the features. It could be a feature wall, a high window, and so on. For the latter, for example, then you could create a window seat area or step up to the window. Look for some unique details and then learn how to accentuate them and make the most of them.

Peaceful Colors

The right color in a room is important for the tone and mood of the room. Plus, certain colors can be really luxurious over others, and some color palettes can be really calming. A neutral palette can be calming and give off a serene sense of mind, and naturally, this can look good in a bedroom. So think along the lines of pale blues, beiges, cream, and white, and you’ll be following on from what many hotels choose. Avoid bold colors like red and green, and choose calmer blues and purples, as they can be the best tones for a look of luxury. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to redecorating your room, but as you can see, small changes can make a big difference to the look and feel of the room.

THE LOCATION

THE ROOM & INTERIOR

If you are a fan of winter sports and looking for a valuable alternative for your winter break on the mountains, check what Romania has to offer. With many places for you to ski or snowboard, Romania can be your next winter alternative destination. Beyond the famous Transylvania road, Dracula stories and number of beautiful castles cand fostresses, Romania has many slopes for locals and visitors to enjoy. Even though it may be known as a ski destination, the country still has many picturesque surroundings and a number of slopes to suit all abilities. Definitely a great alternative to the expensive Alps.



WHERE TO SKI

Just a few hours drive from Bucharest, the country's capital, you will get to the range of ski slopes stretching from Brasov, Sibiu to Sinaia. The famous location for skiing in Romania is Poiana Brasov.  It is the leading ski resort in the country and is set in the beautiful Carpathian Mountains. Apart from numerous slopes, you may also find a ski school or ski hire shop around in case you haven't brought your equipment for you.



The area has many other ski areas where you can enjoy different slopes. Definitely worth to go to Sinaia as well for skiing. The ski resort Sinaia is located in Prahova County (Romania). Offering 18 km of slopes and terrain, Sinaia is among the 3 largest Ski Resorts in Romania. Sinaia is known for its pretty Peles castle which is beautiful during the winter and summer times as well.

Smaller ski areas in between these counties are for example Predeal, which is the highest town in Romania, Busteni or Azuga. Azuga is a new resort in the Prahova Valley of the Baiului Mountains. These ski towns may be smaller compared to Sinaia or Poiana Brasov, in terms of a town size as well as number of slopes. However, a great place to change the atmosphere or for some practice run. They are also definitely less busy and cheaper compared to others. If you have a car, it is easy to travel in between cities as they are about 1-2 hours apart from each other.

A bit further from this area is Sibiu, where you can find more ski resorts. There are two options for skiers close to Sibiu, both in the small resort of Paltinis, 17km from the city center. The first is what is now known as the Old Slope, or Partia Oncesti. served by a chair-lift located at the entrance of the older part of Paltinis, while the second is the newer Arena Platos complex five kilometers back down the road to Sibiu.


WHERE TO STAY

There is number of larger or small towns where you can stay. Depending on your travel opportunities, time and purpose of travel, you can find a place suitable for your needs. If you are looking to do more then just going skiing or snowboarding, definitely check hotels in Brasov, Poiana Brasov, Sibiu or Sinaia. Larger cities will give you more options for sightseeing, dining or shopping. However, if you are looking to enjoy the mountains, seek for hotels and resorts close to the ski slopes. You will save time traveling to the ski slope and you'll enjoy some fresh air and views. Definitely book in advance, as it can get busy during the peak season. Check for hotels as well as Airbnb options. PS: Make sure to book via my links to get discounts!

Booking.com



HOW TO GET THERE

The closest airport to Poiana Brasov and it's surrounding ski resorts area is Bucharest, which is around 2 hours and 30 minutes away. The best way to get there is either by hiring a car, which will give you the flexibility to travel at your own time, carry your equipment and also to go to different ski places nearby. Alternatively, there is a train from Bucharest to Brasov, which is the nearest larger city, from where you will have to change to a local bus to get to your ski resorts.


WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

A couple of notes on what you should know before you travel:

1. Check skiing updates and weather on official websites before you decide where to go. It may be partially closed or totally closed due to not enough snow or too bad weather. So always check before in case you want to change a skiing town.

2. Carry cash with you, because you'll need it for ski hire, buying ski passes or food and drink at the ski resort.

3. Hire a car if possible. It will give you the flexibility to travel to different ski towns in between in case some of them may be closed or you want to simply try different slopes. In addition, you may be also able to go sight-seeing in between and visit some beautiful castles and fortresses around the area.

4. Prices of ski hire, ski schools or getting on slopes depend on locations. Some may be cheaper than others. In addition, you may be paying either by a full day pass, half a days pass or buying pay as you go pass.

5. If you are in the mountain areas, definitely try out "papanasi".  Traditional Romanian fried doughnuts made with cottage cheese and topped with smetana and jam. This desert may be available in any restaurant in Romania, but famous to eat in the mountains!

The sheer trend is something that is always around already, and at any season. In winter you can layer up and in the summertime to show your skin. However, wearing sheer may not be comfortable for everyone, and knowing how to wear it is also tricky, because you may end up not really fashionable at all. Below is a round-up of 5 ways how you can wear sheet looks outside.

1. Sheer statement sleeves

Wear some romantic and chic blouses with sheer sleeves for some edge. It's a splashier alternative to your everyday button-down and can instantly snazz up a pair of blue jeans.
I absolutely love sheer details and sleeves of tops and blouses. I think they add edge and sophistication to the look without too much effort. I am wearing Femme Luxe Finery top with dotted sheer sleeves.






2. Bright and bold

If you dare, wear the sheer top with a nice lace bra or a tank top underneath. Choose classic sheer tops, coloured ones or with some lace or embroidery details.



3. Swim cover-up

Use sheer dresses for your summer vacations to slip into it with your swimwear. You may also use the dress to layer up for a city. Slip into tank top and jeans and pair it up with the sheer dress. Try out embroidery, lace or black satin dresses to highlight the whole look.


4. Sheer pencil skirt

Update your party wardrobe with a sheer-paneled skirt. The detail looks especially fête-ready and styles nicely with a bejeweled bag and statement heels — all that's left to add is a cute top.



5. High neck sheer blouses

Cute sheer blouses and preferably with high neck are always a good choice when wanting to look semi-formal. You can pair it casually with a denim jeans too for an everyday city look.


Shop your next sheer look here:

Are you planning a trip to Cambodia? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’re going to take a look at all of the places you should stop off and visit on your next trip to this jewel of a country in Southeast Asia.

Banlung

People who travel to Cambodia want to experience the local culture and get a sense of how local people live their lives. While the capital is a great starting point, it is only when you get out into the countryside that you see how regular Cambodians really live.

Banlung is a popular stop-off on Cambodia tours and one of the most laid-back places in the whole of southeast Asia. Here, people aren’t so bothered about getting ahead or trying to make their next million. Instead, they continue to live in much the same way that they have always done. There’s a real sense of community and family here, and a welcoming atmosphere for tourists that you don’t usually find in the big cities.

Battambang

Battambang, like Banlung, is a little bit off the beaten track as far as Cambodian tourist destinations go, but it has a lot to offer.

Its most famous attraction is its bamboo train experience where visitors travel in bamboo carriages out of the town to the countryside beyond and then back again. The settlement is also the location of some of the darkest moments of the country's history, with local burial sites for victims of the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge.

Pub Street In Siam Reap

Siam Reap is one of the most beautiful areas in the whole of Cambodia, brimming with local people going about their business. If you’re in Siam Reap, don’t feel pressured into visiting Angkor Wat immediately. Instead, spend some time taking in the local ambiance and exploring the culture.

Meeting new people is always one of the most fun things to do on your travels. If you have the urge to get to know fellow tourists and locals, then head on over to Pub Street - a part of the town brimming with neon lights and signs. You can’t miss it. Pub Street is one of the most affordable drinking locations on Earth. Low wages and taxes mean that you can pick up a beer here for less than 50p, which is incredible when you think about how much the same drink would cost in London.

Kampot

Most people imagine that they will just travel through Kampot or stay for a couple of hours before moving on. The town, however, has a habit of making people fall in love with it, encouraging them to spends days, not hours, soaking up its atmosphere.

Kampot has considerable French overtones thanks to its colonial history. The food here, therefore, has significant Francophone influence. Top of the list of things to try is the local pepper crab covered in the town’s trademark pepper sauce.



So there you have it: four destinations that need to be a part of your Cambodia trip itinerary.