There are plenty of do's and don'ts in home decorating, but some matter more than others. Use these tips to help you create a room that won't give you a headache when you're through.

When you're decorating your home, especially when you're on a budget, you may be tempted to do things the way your mother did them or the way your grandmother did them. After all, we're all programmed to pretty much do everything the way Mom did it. But nowadays, it's okay to step outside the family line and be the black sheep (so to speak). Especially, if it means creating a better looking home.

• The Don'ts Of Curtains And Shades - You may be tempted to do what your mother did in your home when you were a child. Meaning you'll probably want to use a second set of bed sheets to make your curtains and your valance so you get the matched look at a lower price. Do yourself a favor and skip that idea. Not only do bed sheets not provide the privacy you want and need from your neighbors and whoever else might be looking; but they also fade quickly in the sunlight and don't keep out the heat or the cold like proper curtains and draperies do. Not to mention, you can tell a bed sheet curtain from a mile away and it does actually look tacky.

• The Don'ts Of Your Paint Job - Painting one wall in a room a bright color and leaving the other three walls white will only serve to pull all of the attention in the room to that one wall. No one wants all of the attention in the room going to a wall. You want the attention going to a single piece of furniture or a grouping of art. So be careful when you work on your paint job. Make the paint accentuate the room or the piece you want to become the focal point of your room instead of making a wall the focal point.

• The Do's For Choosing Your Décor Wisely  - Choosing your décor wisely absolutely does not mean that you have to choose it all to match perfectly or look like a picture in a magazine. It means that you should choose items that show your personality, yet complement each other in one way or another. For instance, maybe all of the items in your room share a common color or theme. To bring coherence to the room, you could buy area rugs that feature the same colors or theme, but in a more provocative manner. This way it will get attention and bring your eye to the rug and the décor. A rug is an excellent way to highlight the room or create a focal point. Plus, modern area rugs don't cost a lot of money and you won't have to change everything about your style and room to make it work.

Remember, decorating your home should be a fun thing, not a forced task. Just remember to keep some do's and don'ts in mind so you don't end up hating what you've done.