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Decorating
Your
Style, Your Budget
by Batsheva Vaknin
Tired
of ogling the latest styles in brand name home furnishing stores and
catalogues, only to find that the price of one little coffee table
equals more than half your monthly salary? Don’t be discouraged
— with a little ingenuity, your home can be as beautiful and
stylish as a Hollywood celebrity’s, for just a fraction of the cost.
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Start
with the walls. It’s easy to forget that sometimes just adding
a fresh coat of paint or changing the color of your walls can give
your living room, bedroom, or dining room a brand new look and feel.
Wallpapering is another way to jazz up a room — but don’t
break your budget hiring a contractor. Consider wallpapering just one
wall, or only wallpapering borders.
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Create
atmosphere with Light. Don’t overlook the power of a lamp. The
right lighting can transform any room. Forgo overhead lighting for
lamps, and stay away from halogen unless it fits into your modern
decorative scheme. Wall sconces are another great way to add a
stylish touch to any room. Look for the type that lends itself to
easy, self-installation.
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Accessorize.
Another inexpensive way to create a designer look is to buy a few
key accessories, like silk pillows, chenille throw blankets, and
fresh-smelling candles. Choose an elegant centerpiece for your dining
room table or coffee table, like floating white candles, fresh
flowers, or a ceramic or glass fruit bowl. Pictures, photos, prints
and paintings can be hung around a room to create whatever look or
feel you desire. Shop flea markets and thrift stores for prints and
interesting photographs, or go to a discount store for frames and
hang some of your own creations.
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Buy
furniture that won’t break the bank. Shop smart for couches,
lamps, tables, entertainment centers, and more. Estate sales,
consignment stores, flea markets, junk and thrift stores can be gold
mines for second hand but stylish furniture. If you don’t want
second hand, shop clearance sales or online. Online furniture stores
can be treasure troves for good deals, since they generally have
little overhead and therefore don’t pass those costs on to you,
the consumer.
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Can’t
afford a new couch? If you are somewhat handy with a sewing machine,
use discounted fabric or beautiful sheets to sew yourself a couch
cover. Still have energy? Create more cheap but beautiful
"new" furniture by sewing upholstery covers for your
armchairs or dining room chair seat cushions. If you can’t sew,
buy a shabby-chic slipcover or tuck in a large beautiful sheet or
blanket for a homemade slipcover. Finally, consider simply
rearranging your furniture — finding a different wall to put
your couch against can create a whole new look for your living room.
Use
any or all of these tips to achieve the style you want at a low, low
cost. Amaze your friends and family with your stylish home, then
dazzle them with the shoestring budget you had to work with. Go
ahead! It’s your home and you deserve the best without having to
spend the most.
About The Author
When
Yale graduate, BatSheva Vaknin is not writing helpful and insightful
articles like the one you just read, she writes plays, screenplays
and short stories. In fact, she has just completed her first novel.
Find great home furniture online at her site www.homeandliving.com...
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