December, 2009

7 Fast And Easy Summer Decorating Ideas For Any Budget!

Summer decorating should add freshness to your home, not bog you down with more projects during an already busy season. Here are 11 of The Budget Decorators top easy, fast and cheap summer decorating ideas.

1. If you want to add color to a room fast, paint is a great option. To save time and money however, try just painting the focal wall in a room. In most average rooms, you can paint just one wall in less than an hour!

2. Instead of sewing up new pillow covers and tablecloths, try using no sew techniques instead. Pillows can be wrapped in a piece of unfinished fabric on the diagonal like a present, and wrapped with decorative ribbon to secure it. Use duct tape to put a temporary hem in flat sheets or older tablecloths to make them fit your end tables and breakfast nooks. Once you have those tables covered, use cardboard boxes pushed under the tables to hide the kids toys and books and flip flops, but keep them handy. The floor length tablecloths will hide the storage area.

3. Take a box around the room and pick up all your knick knacks and collectibles. Now replace just three of your favorite items or collections. You will appreciate the less cluttered look, and the decrease in dusting chores as well!

4. If you love fresh flowers in your home, but hate the time and expense of changing the arrangements, find a sunny spot in your yard and toss out some sunflower seeds! Many varieties leave no pollen on your tables, are foolproof to grow, make your yard look great, and can last up to 10 days in a vaseall for the cost of a packet of seed!

5. Take down your layered window treatments and pick up your area rugs for a cool, clean look for summer. Be sure to leave mini blinds or sheers on your windows for privacy and light control.

6. Clean the glass in all areas for your home! The shiny surfaces in your home reflect light and sparkle, both contribute to a fresh summer look. Dont forget your tv screens, kitchen appliances, and even picture frame glass. Try this one technique, and see if your rooms dont look brighter and cheerier, for no more cost that an little effort a few pennies of glass cleaner or vinegar!

7. Finally, mix up your dcor a bit for a fresh take on the rooms youve spent so much time in these winter months! Move around some furniture, borrow and lend pieces from other rooms. Use clear strings of holiday light over the top of cabinets for sparkle. Bring out your good china and hang it on the wall as art. Put your toaster or bread machine under the cabinets for a cleaner look. Feel free to take down some wall art and store it for next fall. Paint your aging dining set a bright white.

Whatever you do to bring the summer season into your homes, make sure that you pick a couple of ideas from this list, and give them a try. They are fast, easy and cheap, what could you lose?

Despite what you may read in the trendiest kitchen design magazines, updating the look of your kitchen really does not require that your spend a lot of time and money. There are some simple and inexpensive ways to give your kitchen a brand new look.

Some small change here and there that you can make in your kitchen can still create a big effect on how your kitchen looks. You can get ideas about what you would like incorporate into your kitchen decorating and remodeling project from books, magazines, and internet sites dealing with kitchen design ideas.

There are 7 relatively low cost kitchen-decorating ideas to create a beautiful kitchen:

1. Replacing the cabinet doors and fronts. Then you can reface the remaining fixtures. This will greatly change the whole look and feel of your kitchen.

2. Painting your cabinets white and changing the hardware, such as knobs, handles, or pulls.

3. Using solid core MFD doors, which are medium density fiberboard or timber. They can be fitted to a solid door base. This type of door can be painted to create any look you may want.

4. Using color to renovate the kitchen is another example of inexpensive kitchen decorating. You can paint your walls and cabinets. When it comes to painting your existing cabinetry, you can use decorative finishes. Some examples are creating a distressed finish to add an aged look, and faux and glazed finishes. These are all simple to do and cost effective.

5. Another area of the kitchen you can easily update is the faucet and sink. It is possible to locate moderately priced sinks that can cost from $50 $300. They are also available in many colors, and styles. Porcelain, stainless steel, and acrylic are the materials that are available for sinks. For faucets, you will find that they are available in many styles and finishes, and depending on the type of faucet can range in price from $50 to$750.

6. Another great affordable idea in kitchen decorating is to add a kitchen island. Kitchen islands are great for adding more counter space to the kitchen and provide a gathering place. If you do not have enough money or space to add a permanent kitchen island, but would like to have the advantages of one, you might consider as an alternative getting a kitchen cart. A kitchen cart can have wheels for rolling around, as well as have drawers, shelves, and places to hang utensils. Because they are on wheels they can be cleared out the way.

7. If your kitchen-decorating budget is so small that you can only afford to remodel a small area of your kitchen you might consider adding a kitchen backsplash. A new kitchen backsplash can really dress up a drab, uninspiring kitchen. Kitchen backsplashes are available in so many different styles, colors, and materials. The materials used for backsplashes can include, wood, porcelain, natural stone, glass, stainless steel, and even wallpaper. The costs vary depending on the material you select.

So you can see that redecorating your kitchen can be a simple thing like changing the hardware on your existing cabinetry or painting the walls. Just one small change can do a lot to make your kitchen look brand new.

Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you’re looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang interesting art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

3. Bring In Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

5. Hang Pictures or Mirror- Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects and nice view or an interesting architectural element.

6. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows- The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

10. Eliminate Clutter- Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room. Find storage spaces for papers, toys, and other items that take from the personality of a room.