Decorating decisions for a mobile home are not that much different than for a standard home. Although mobile homes come with many "built-in" features, most people find these are easy to modify or even remove and replace.

One of the challenges people who purchase older mobile homes face is dealing with the wood panel style walls. Some folks simply paint the panels a lighter color, while others wish to get rid of the paneled look altogether. However, removing the panel-textured surface is time consuming and difficult for a do-it-yourselfer. Many people have been delighted with the results of either covering the paneling with wallpaper or painting it. In either case, you need to be sure to prepare the surface properly. You'll need to fill in the grooves between the panels with putty or caulking, and make sure that you use the proper primer before painting or papering. Whichever you choose, giving the walls of your mobile home a new look yields a dramatic result in its overall look.

When choosing colors for your mobile home walls, keep room size in mind. Remember that light colors tend to make rooms look bigger , while dark colors make rooms seem smaller. If you have a "long" room, you can give it a balanced look by painting one of the walls at the "long end" a much darker shade of whatever color you choose for the room. It will bring that one wall closer in, and make the space seem more uniform in shape.

Cabinet faces are easily updated with fresh paint, and even cupboard doors can be transformed to revive the look inside a mobile home. Using one of the popular faux painting techniques, you can give your cabinets and doors an antique or stone finish look. If you want more of a county style look to your kitchen, make some simple fabric "skirts," gathered at each end, and use Velcro to attach them to the cabinet faces. If you take pride in your glassware collection, remove the door from one or more cabinets and let the open shelving serve as a display case.

If you have the money however, you can really give the interior of your mobile home a thorough updating by installing new cabinetry. Most home improvement stores carry a wide range of sizes and styles of cabinets most of which are very affordable. If you need an odd-sized piece, many manufacturers take orders through home improvement stores for custom-sized cabinets.

The challenge - and fun - with decorating a mobile home is in using what exists to its fullest advantage. While you may not be able to add or subtract walls, you can easily create a beautiful, personally pleasing place to call home.

Additional information, resources, and updates for this article can be found at: http://www.diyhomedecorating.com/articles/2005-10/207/decorating-ideas-for-mobile-homes/