Save Big
Bucks on Home Decorating
by KathyWilson
More people decorate their homes during
the fall and winter
months than at any other time of the year, and with good
reason! We spend more time indoors, we owe it to
ourselves
and our families to create a comfortable place to be!
Here
are the best ways to save BIG bucks on your home
decorating
Start with plan. I know you’ve heard this before, but
having
a plan doesn’t necessarily mean you know exactly
everything
you want to do in your rooms ahead of time. What it does
mean is having a starting point to keep you in the
ballpark,
and that will save you A LOT of money in mistakes in the
long run. So start with the three things you need:
Color,
Style, and Formality. Color is easy: if you don’t
already
have a color scheme you love, find one in a book or
magazine, and borrow it! Still unsure? Pick your
favorite
color, plus white, never fail combo. Style? Maybe you
know
you love Country Farmhouse. Or maybe you like a little
of
everything! That’s ok, just make sure you give the room
style a name that includes the feeling you want in the
room,
and that will keep you on track. For instance, I have a
Fresh and Sunny Cottage Room for my family room. (I use
sunny as a feeling as well as a visual clue!) Keep the
feeling in the name, and you will pick the right style
every
time! Finally, formality. Know if you like a more formal
room, where things on both sides of the room match, or a
more informal feel. So my family room description would
go
something like this: I want an informal Fresh Sunny
Cottage
style full of soft blue, green yellow and white. So
every
time I buy something, I know if it doesn’t fit in that
description, it doesn’t fit period!
Look for alternatives to everything!!! Flat sheets on
sale
are a great buy. I can get one at my discount store for
$2.89. A flat sheet is generally 66x96 inches: that’s
over 3
yards of fabric for less than 97 cents a yard! Can’t
beat
that, and flat sheets come in so many colors. When in
doubt,
buy white! Use them for table covers, curtain panels,
making
comforter covers, throw pillow covers, or even casual
slipcovers! If you find a great color, stock up during a
white sale. You will always find uses for fabric that
fits
into your color scheme.
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Look for furniture at yard sales and
in the classifieds. You
can get quality furniture this way for a fraction of
what it
would cost you new. Learn to make do with the
furniture you
have with the art of disguise. Slipcovers, paint and
floor
length tablecloths go a long way towards dressing up
an
otherwise forgettable piece of furniture. By the
way, you
can paint ANYTHING these days! The trick is to use a
specialty blocking primer before painting. I
recommend KILZ
Original. Yes, you can even paint that ugly laminate
bookcase or computer desk! All your furniture
mismatched in
style and form? Paint it all one color, and it will
help
marry and unify your furniture grouping. (I love
white or
black for furniture, depending on the style of your
room.)
Finally, look for good resources to help you learn
to create
your own accessories, custom paint finishes, and
inspirational ideas such as TheBudgetDecorator.com.
With a little advanced thinking and a bit of
creativity,
anyone can have a well decorated home!
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