NO NEED FOR RICHES JUST IMAGINATION Don't you just hate to look at that bare wall and want to do something with it, but are at a loss about what you can do.
It's like your imagination went on vacation or something.
It happens to most of us that sooner or later we want to decorate the space we are living in whether we own the house or we are renting.
WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK Is it fear of making a mistake, or perhaps it is just a low budget-never enough money left over to decorate?It is easy to go shopping and see many things we cannot afford and the things we can afford DO NOT seem to turn us on.
However, one can do a lot with a little.
Knowing how to use what you have and adding only a few extra accessories, is the best way to save money.
But just because you may be on a limited budget does not mean that you can't work wonders with what you have to bring a little color or life to the place.
It is better to think one room at a time.
The first place to begin is painting the walls of that room.
Decide on a color.
Lots of paint stores have paint chips that you can bring home free of charge.
Sometimes, it takes a while looking at a color chip to really make up your mind whether you want to take the plunge or not.
It is probably a good idea to buy a tester jar of a couple of colors you like best.
Most stores offer this.
It does not cover very much area but you need to try it in a couple of places.
Paint a spot on one of the walls that has a lot of light and another spot on a wall that doesn't have much light.
You see, color looks different when the light hits it, so the contrast of each can help you decide.
Also, the color looks different after dark, so you want to know what it's going to look like when the sun goes down.
Now what if you can't decide, get a second opinion.
Bring in a friend and ask her what she thinks, especially if she has any interior design experience.
That could really set your mind at peace.
If you still are not sure, then go with any neutral color, even white is an OK color, if you know how to bring in colorful accessories to brighten things up.
You can also wall paper one wall for an accent wall with a beautiful scene for example.
This really sets the mood for whatever end result you wish to achieve.
Once you have the walls finished, then you need to think about your furniture arrangement.
If possible, place your furniture in conversational areas away from the walls.
Remember to arrange your furniture around a focal point like a fireplace or a TV.
Leave your wall space for wall tables, cabinets or shelving.
I remember when I was in college and poor, I bought three 2 x 6 boards, in three different lengths.
I stained and stacked them upon two rows of bricks about 4-6 inches from each end, the shorter board on top.
I used it as a place to display any knick- knacks that I had collected.
It was my favorite piece of furniture until I could afford to begin to buy "real" furniture.
If you don't have a coffee table, use an old wooden crate turned upside down with a tray on top.
With a little bright spray paint it can be a great accent piece.
If your sofa needs recovering, consider the slipcovers that are popular today to change colors or cover up tattered upholstery.
Then you can pick up lots of things to decorate your walls.
They sell tin art pieces at the discount stores at a real reasonable price.
Also you can take old photos, enlarge them in black and white, frame them in a black frame and hang as a gallery.
One can even take canvas stretchers and place bright colored fabric on them instead of canvas.
Wow! A couple of those and the whole room comes alive! Last.
but not least, throw a few colorful pillows on the sofa to pull the whole room together.
If you have used the bright colored fabric on stretcher frames, use that same fabric to make a couple of pillows for the sofa.
Any time you can repeat a color or fabric it always is a good way to finish off a room with good design.
It's like your imagination went on vacation or something.
It happens to most of us that sooner or later we want to decorate the space we are living in whether we own the house or we are renting.
WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK Is it fear of making a mistake, or perhaps it is just a low budget-never enough money left over to decorate?It is easy to go shopping and see many things we cannot afford and the things we can afford DO NOT seem to turn us on.
However, one can do a lot with a little.
Knowing how to use what you have and adding only a few extra accessories, is the best way to save money.
But just because you may be on a limited budget does not mean that you can't work wonders with what you have to bring a little color or life to the place.
It is better to think one room at a time.
The first place to begin is painting the walls of that room.
Decide on a color.
Lots of paint stores have paint chips that you can bring home free of charge.
Sometimes, it takes a while looking at a color chip to really make up your mind whether you want to take the plunge or not.
It is probably a good idea to buy a tester jar of a couple of colors you like best.
Most stores offer this.
It does not cover very much area but you need to try it in a couple of places.
Paint a spot on one of the walls that has a lot of light and another spot on a wall that doesn't have much light.
You see, color looks different when the light hits it, so the contrast of each can help you decide.
Also, the color looks different after dark, so you want to know what it's going to look like when the sun goes down.
Now what if you can't decide, get a second opinion.
Bring in a friend and ask her what she thinks, especially if she has any interior design experience.
That could really set your mind at peace.
If you still are not sure, then go with any neutral color, even white is an OK color, if you know how to bring in colorful accessories to brighten things up.
You can also wall paper one wall for an accent wall with a beautiful scene for example.
This really sets the mood for whatever end result you wish to achieve.
Once you have the walls finished, then you need to think about your furniture arrangement.
If possible, place your furniture in conversational areas away from the walls.
Remember to arrange your furniture around a focal point like a fireplace or a TV.
Leave your wall space for wall tables, cabinets or shelving.
I remember when I was in college and poor, I bought three 2 x 6 boards, in three different lengths.
I stained and stacked them upon two rows of bricks about 4-6 inches from each end, the shorter board on top.
I used it as a place to display any knick- knacks that I had collected.
It was my favorite piece of furniture until I could afford to begin to buy "real" furniture.
If you don't have a coffee table, use an old wooden crate turned upside down with a tray on top.
With a little bright spray paint it can be a great accent piece.
If your sofa needs recovering, consider the slipcovers that are popular today to change colors or cover up tattered upholstery.
Then you can pick up lots of things to decorate your walls.
They sell tin art pieces at the discount stores at a real reasonable price.
Also you can take old photos, enlarge them in black and white, frame them in a black frame and hang as a gallery.
One can even take canvas stretchers and place bright colored fabric on them instead of canvas.
Wow! A couple of those and the whole room comes alive! Last.
but not least, throw a few colorful pillows on the sofa to pull the whole room together.
If you have used the bright colored fabric on stretcher frames, use that same fabric to make a couple of pillows for the sofa.
Any time you can repeat a color or fabric it always is a good way to finish off a room with good design.
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