Redecorating on a Budget

Your home is your castle. And regardless of your financial status, everyone wants a beautiful, comfortable home. It’s easier than you think to create a professionally decorated environment without the price of a professional decorator. Here are some great tips to creating that perfect sanctuary without breaking the bank.

Color is your friend

The easiest and most inexpensive way to update the look of your home is with paint. Changing the color of a room can totally alter the mood and ambiance and create a fresh, vibrant difference for just a few dollars and a weekend of work. Check your local do-it-yourself stores. Anyone that carries paint will typically have a discount area of mis-mixed paints.

These cans of paints were mixed for a previous client and it may have turned out a shade or two darker or lighter than they expected. For you, it may be just the perfect color. And the price is significantly lower than having a can mixed especially for you. Another place to find inexpensive stains and paints is at a yard sale. Although it may only be a small amount, paint one wall to liven up a room or use it to paint a piece of furniture.

The best thing about painting is that it is reversible, if you tire of the new color, simply paint over it. Be sure to prepare the room before beginning the painting process. Seal cracks and gaps with caulk, fill nail holes, tape off windows and trim with masking tape so that your color doesn’t “bleed” and cover your furniture and flooring with drop cloths.

Frugal Flooring

Do you hate the flooring in your home? If you have worn, dirty or outdated carpet, rip it out. Watch for sales on tiles, laminate and even large carpet remnants. A number of resources are available to teach you how to install new flooring yourself. Large stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s offer weekly classes in tile and laminate installation. Many of these products are so well designed, you can resurface a room in a weekend and it looks like it was done by a professional. If you have concrete floors under that old carpeting, one very modern and inexpensive option is to stain the concrete in a color complimentary to the room and simply add a few area rugs for warmth. When you are ready to sell your home, clean and modern flooring will significantly add to the resale value.

Accessorizing

In a room that is frequently used, less is generally more. In other words, refrain from adding too many decorations to a room that is utilized by the whole family as it will look cluttered and become unmanageable. Choose a theme in which to decorate. One interesting painting or even a unique souvenir acquired on a vacation could become the theme for the entire room. Look around and see what you have hiding in the closet or attic. You may find a hidden treasure just waiting to become the focal point of your den. If not, check the church rummage sale or local yard sales for an interesting piece of art, mask or piece of Americana. Then build on that idea by utilizing coordinating colors and fabrics. Use what you have on hand to create a new look, and rotate accessories and furniture frequently to change the look. You’d be surprised by how much you can do with the items you already have. Stain it, paint it or add to it and you have a whole new look. Kirkland’s offers some terrific accessories at very attractive prices.

Window treatments

Gone are the days of expensive custom window treatments. Blinds, shutters, custom draperies and valances can drain your decorating budget quickly. Be creative by shopping for discounts and buy “ready-made” from your local discount stores. Beautiful name brands such as Waverly curtains and Kirsch rods and hardware can be found at Big Lots for much less than you would pay anywhere else. Watch for sales and refrain from buying even ready-made until the price is deeply discounted.

Do you have an oddly shaped window that is difficult to cover? Look for discounted fabrics and even fabric remnants to create your own stunning window treatment. You don’t have to be a seamstress; a glue gun and staple gun in your toolkit can produce some fantastic results that will leave your friends asking for your designer’s business card.