Looking through decorating magazines can fill you with ideas -- and also leave you discouraged at the price tag that accompanies the look. But there are several ways to create remarkable rooms at a reasonable cost. Check out the following seven tips for budget-friendly decor:
1. Just Add Paint: One of the simplest ways to change a room is to paint the walls. Adding colour provides a nice backdrop for your furnishings and instantly changes the look and feel of your room -- all for the cost of a can of paint. Not ready to paint a whole room? For a very dramatic look, paint or stain your interior doors in a dark colour, keeping the trim white.
2. Affordable Artwork: Don't want to spend a fortune on artwork? Make your own! Simply purchase pre-stretched canvas (I get mine at Walmart for $3 each) and some paint in colours that co-ordinate with your decor (paint testers work perfectly for this!). Then grab a foam brush and a rag, and let your creativity flow. The end result is a unique piece of abstract artwork at next to no cost. This is a really simple project that can be done by absolutely anyone. A neat twist: push three canvases tightly together and paint across all three as though they were one large canvas; when you separate them after painting you have a trendy three-piece painting.
3. What's Old is New Again: Find a new use for something you've salvaged from the attic or garage. An old door becomes the easiest headboard ever with a coat of paint. Just paint it, turn it on its side, and there you have it -- instant headboard! Paint can also turn an old wooden stepladder into a unique shelf for books or accessories.
4. Look to Nature: A simple (and free!) idea -- bring the outdoors in. A vase full of brightly coloured leaves, branches or pussy willows can quickly dress up a mantel or side table. A large bowl of mini pumpkins or pomegranates makes a great fall accent, while shells, rocks and driftwood are perfect for summer. Create an easy centerpiece by placing an odd number of pillar candles on a tray (vary the heights for a more eye-pleasing look) and surrounding them with natural elements like pinecones or stones. In the fall, add a bit of leaf garland to a single large pumpkin for the easiest centerpiece ever.
5. Mission Trim-possible: Inexpensive molding can be a decorator's best friend! Use it to heighten your baseboards (add half-round a couple of inches above existing baseboards, then paint the trim, baseboard and wall in-between the same trim colour) or create a picture gallery (a few rows of crown molding become wonderful little shelves to display your photo collection). You can also get the look of panel molding by simply creating rectangles out of thin molding and applying them to the wall.
6. Sew Easy: Here's an affordable way to get the look of custom-made draperies: simply add fabric borders to the bottom of your existing drapery panels. You can also enhance your throw pillows by adding some fringe, buttons or beadwork. Plain bed linens can be given a new look by sewing a band or 2 of satin ribbon or braiding a little way in from the hems of the pillowcases and sheets.
7. Paper It: Tin ceilings look fabulous, but the cost can be prohibitive. Recreate the look with embossed wallpaper in a tin-panel pattern. Once it's up and painted, it will look just like a real tin ceiling, but at a small fraction of the cost. (Side note: when hanging wallpaper on the ceiling, a third person comes in really handy. So does a heating pad -- working overhead can really do a number on your neck!). A but more expensive but MUCH less work: 12" x 12" tin-style ceiling tiles. The result is the same, but it becomes a one-person job.
Any of these fun projects will improve the look of your rooms easily and inexpensively. You don't have to spend a fortune to make your home look beautiful!
Heather Côté is an interior decorator and owner of Stylish Solutions, a full service decorating service in Timmins, Ontario. She can be reached at http://www.stylishsolutions.biz/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Cote
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