Decorating Ideas that Don’t Break the Bank
By HiLine Hal
T.S. Eliot said, “Home is where one starts from”. Congratulations, you have started! You are ready to build that home you have always dreamed about. You know you want a quality built, affordable, energy-efficient home. This is an exciting time as you have a blank slate and the possibilities are endless.
Move on to phase two of your dream – interior design. You can do this! The decorating process can be a fun and fulfilling experience. Start with the one room in your home that will give you the most pleasure once it looks like you.
Here are some suggestions to make the process affordable and pleasing to the whole family:
- Painting is a relatively inexpensive way to create atmosphere, just be careful to select a color that compliments all adjacent areas.
- Furniture placement sets the tone of the room. Try placing some pieces on angles, and where possible create several furniture groupings within the room.
- Next, select one color that you want to feature as an accent. Walk through your house and pull everything you can find in that shade to determine what might work well. Shopping in your own space will save both time and money.
- Arrange similar objects together in groups of three or five, add texture with fabrics and pillows. Personalize the room with small objects that tell your story; a teacup from your grandmother’s house, your father’s old hat, or children’s artwork. Use whatever makes you smile.
- Add black. This color is grounding and will give the room a finished look.
- Bring in nature with plants, flowers, and natural fragrances.
- Splurge on a few small details. Upgrade wall outlets and switch plate covers. Replacing window treatments is costly; try changing the hardware by spray painting. Invest in new lampshades, and soften the lighting with lower watt bulbs.
- Add books. Raid your bookcases for binding covers in your color scheme, or pick up some at a thrift store for a few dollars.
Design each room by utilizing the things you already have, the things that make you happy. Try being your own interior decorator – make your new custom home uniquely you.
