Save Big Bucks on Home Decorating
by Kathy Wilson
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.
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!
About the Author: Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator, Decorating Your Small Space, and Decorating Cottage Style. For hundreds of free home decorating ideas, visit her now at
http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com. Don’t forget to sign up
for her free newsletter while your there!
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