Residential Real EstateShoestring Decorating
Good taste is expensive, right? Whether you"re a first-time
apartment-renter fresh out of college, newly single, a single parent on a
budget or you"re simply not Rockefeller, trying to make your home resemble
the pages of House Beautiful can be a sobering experience.
Window-shopping often is discouraging, as you realize that walking into a
showroom and saying "I"ll take that" is an impossible dream. Being on a
budget doesn"t mean that you have to resort to orange crates, cinder blocks
and plastic dorm-room cubes, however. Indeed, there are bargains to be
found, and here"s where the fun begins. All it takes is a sense of
adventure -- and a little advance planning.
First, take a look at your living space, whether it"s a cookie-cutter
apartment, condominium or a single-family home. What is your favorite part
of your home? (Saying that you don"t have a favorite part is not an
answer.) Is it a large window that lets in the morning light? A window
seat? A garden window? Some built-in shelves? You"ll want to capitalize on
this and make it the focal point of that room. If it"s the shelves, for
example, you"ll want to be on the look-out for some interesting objects
d"art. And they don"t have to cost you an arm and a leg, either. By the
same token, if you"ve been hanging on to something that you don"t like
simply because you felt you didn"t have any other options due to budgetary
constraints, get rid of it if you can. If you can"t, can you hide it?
Enhance it? How about selling it and using the money toward what you really
want?
Next, head to your library or book store. If your library has a used
magazine sale (many libraries take magazine donations and then sell them
for $.10 or $.25, for example), buy yourself a stack of decorating
publications. Peruse them, and clip pictures of rooms and design elements
that you like. Do you see some paint in a magazine photograph that you
like? Clip that, too. Compile everything in one place, whether it"s a photo
album or photo box, and write the name of each room on the appropriate
clippings. When you"re on the hunt for items for a particular room in your
home, bring the clippings with you.
Before you begin purchasing anything, think about your intended purpose for
each room in your home. Do you want your home to be a soothing contrast to
your stressful job? Muted colors and neutrals will be your best bet. Or do
you want to feel energized by your surroundings? Then you might want to
consider brighter and bolder colors. Do your tastes lean toward the casual
side or the more formal side? That might depend on the surroundings in
which you work (for example, if you work in a rigid, ultra-corporate
environment, you might wish to keep your home surroundings deliberately
more casual), your personality, whether or not you have children and
whether or not you entertain frequently.
If you"re not thrilled with your sofa, and a new one isn"t in your budget,
slipcovers are the way to go. Watch out for sales during the summertime and
in early January ("New Year"s" sales), when furniture stores are clearing
out their inventories to make room for the new styles. That"s precisely the
time when you can pick up a slipcover for a discount of 30 percent, 40
percent or more, and completely change the look of your living room. Add a
few new pillows, and you"ll be amazed at the difference.
You don"t have to buy a card table and folding chairs for your kitchen.
Instead, put on your walking shoes, and get ready to do some
comparison-shopping. Many stores offer inexpensive sets -- a table and four
kitchen chairs in butcher-block-style, for example, for one price. For an
inexpensive route to new furniture, try your local unfinished furniture
store. Many such places mass-produce comparatively inexpensive oak and/or
pine pieces that can be painted if you wish, and dressed up with your own
accessories. Stores such as Target, Wal-Mart, even your local supercenter
or warehouse (such as Sam"s Club) carry respectable imitations of the
coffee tables, end tables, bar stools, floor lamps, shelves, picture frames
and other home-decor items you"ll spot in more expensive retail stores.
These are excellent destinations for any shopper on a budget.
Think about adding some new curtains. Granted, those can be pricey, but
they can also be inexpensive. Many balloon-style curtains and simple drapes
may be purchased (particularly during periodic sales) for between $10 and
$20. The addition of color adds warmth to any room. If you own your home
and can paint, there"s a bit of psychology to keep in mind when it comes to
color: blue creates serenity, and is intended to refresh and renew. Red
increases intensity, gets the heart pumping and the blood pressure rising.
Green, a popular choice right now, brings the outdoors indoors. It creates
a sense of balance and harmony and can be a calming influence. Yellow and
related shades are warm, cheery and inviting. And of course, a nice
touch-up of white paint can renew your house dramatically.
For art, the best pieces are the original ones you create yourself. Buy a
shadowbox, and insert dried flowers, black-and-white photos, magazine
clippings, postcards, anything that holds personal significance. Head to
the gift shop of your nearest museum or art gallery for poster-sized
reprints and postcards for framing. While framing a piece of art can be
extremely expensive, your local craft store holds reasonable facsimiles for
a fraction of the cost. Select something simple; after all, the picture is
what should be the center of your attention. Mirrors -- even inexpensive
ones -- also are an excellent choice, and they create the illusion of
depth.
Head to your nearest discount accessory store, and pick up accessories that
attract attention without blowing your budget. Such pieces include unique
photo frames, colored glass (an extremely inexpensive decoration), plate
racks, linens, vases and pitchers with silk or other artificial flowers,
and candles -- including votives, candlesticks and larger varieties placed
within glass bowls along with some potpourri. Remember that groupings of
accessories are more visually striking than single items. If you have an
empty corner, purchase a small table (craft stores sell them cheap, and you
can place a fabric cover or skirt on top) or pedestal there, and top it
with a plant. Remember that while more traditional styles favor more
accessories and in some cases, even clutter, if it"s contemporary you"re
aiming for, a more simple, streamlined appearance is best (which may be
more realistic if your budget is tight).
If you do plan to entertain, keep in mind that many professional chefs say
that there"s no space too small for a dinner party. You can always
improvise. The company is indeed more important than the decor. Just make
sure you have adequate seating to accommodate your guests, and that they
are able to sit within a close distance to one another and talk. It doesn"t
matter if your chairs are a hodge-podge of styles. It"s very possible to
use what you have and create a warm atmosphere by arranging it in a way
that encourages close conversation. A little re-arranging can completely
change the feel of a room, lift your spirits and change your tune about
those pieces you thought you didn"t like anymore.
Don"t rush any of your purchases. Take your time, and save your money for
the items you know you want and can afford. If you have your heart set on a
particular piece that"s a bit more than you can afford at the moment, by
all means, start a savings account, and wait until the time is right. Scan
the newspapers regularly for sales, and head to flea markets in your area.
Even when you decide to purchase facsimiles of more expensive looks, you
don"t have to sacrifice quality; there"s plenty of competition out there.
Be selective, and avoid impulsive buys on cheap knock-offs. Landing the
bargain of the century is half the fun. Happy hunting.
Also See:
Cheap Tricks For Decorating Your Apartment
Saving Space in the One-Room or Small Apartment
Too Many Clothes and Not Enough Bedroom