Designed to Stay: 10 Inexpensive Decor Updates for Your Home

“Designed to Sell” is a popular TV show. What if you created a home designed for you to stay in? You don’t have to wait until you move in for an attractive place. These cheap tips will help you renovate your home.

1. Paint the trim. Although the walls may need to be painted, painting the trim will update the room. This should take less paint than the walls. Stuck on color? White and off-white are safe choices.

2. Add artistic drama. Too many small images can make a room look cluttered. But a large image can add drama and unify colors. Your image can be a poster. Many sale posters are available on the Internet. Discount stores have poster frames (two sheets of clear plastic) and they cost around $15.

3. Buy a crystal lamp. According to the Better Homes & Gardens website, glass lamps are a new trend. You can buy a glass lamp at an import or discount store. Or, as the website suggests, “Get creative and make your own by taking a solid foundation to a lamp store to convert it.”

4. Relocate furniture. Moving a piece of furniture can change the look of a room. I move a large trunk from the living room to the dining room. What a difference! The living room seemed larger and the dining room more coordinated.

5. Go green. Fake plants, no matter how real they look, trap dust. Growing plants add life to any room. You don `t have to spend a lot of money. A bouquet from the grocery store or a single rosebud can update your room and your mood.

6. Get an area rug. The Home Decorating Sense website says that “rugs can be put to good use by the frugal decorator, as they are extremely versatile.” Watch TV and newspaper ads for sales. You can get a great deal on the perfect rug for your place.

7. Install a curved shower rod. A curved bar gives you more room to move around in the shower. Clothing stores have curved temples at bargain prices. You may even find a discount coupon in the newspaper. While you’re at it, buy a new curtain to match your new rod.

6. Change the pillows. Large accent pillows are “hot.” According to the apartments.com website, accent pillows can “make a sofa or chair stand out before your room is ready for a makeover.” Discount stores carry a variety of large pillows and body pillows.

9. Change kitchen hardware. Old handles and knobs can make a kitchen look dated. The local home goods store was having a sale on handbags (everything that could fit in a handbag at a deep discount) and I took advantage of it. I replaced the plastic handles on my cabinets with antique brass and porcelain ones. You may prefer stainless steel or brushed nickel.

10. Shine with sheets. Using sheets instead of cloth will save you money. Decorative arts expert Jane E. Parr has posted many ideas for using prints on her website. “Accent fabrics are expensive,” she explains, but sheets are reasonably priced and “the availability and selection is wonderful.” She can make curtains, placemats, laundry bags, room dividers, screens and many other home furnishings out of bed sheets, according to Parr.

Big or small, your home is your castle. I hope these inexpensive decorating tips will bring you hours of pleasure and peace. Welcome home.

Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson