Pretty Penny Decorating
By Kami Rice
For FranklinIs.com
I’m an artist type. Because of that, or maybe just because I’m human, my soul caves in when I live in a place that’s lifeless. Lifeless comes in lots of different shapes and sizes. For me it’s less about how expensive a place is and more about whether it has trees outside and something other than square rooms inside. Sometimes you have control over such aspects of your dwelling, sometimes you don’t.
Decorating your space, though, whether you’re dealing with square rooms or round ones, is something you usually can have control over. And you can make your digs appealing to the eye and soul even if all you’ve got to work with is a struggling artist’s income, or if you’re just plain frugal. Sometimes decorating on the cheap is even more satisfying than big budget decorating, more satisfying to the eye and more satisfying for the ingenuity it took to put it together.
For starters, get in touch with your decorating style. What elements in a room make you feel relaxed and at home? What things have you seen that you like? What colors are you drawn to?
I’ve discovered, for example, that I’m an earthy girl. I like browns and greens with splashes of burnt orange, brick red and sunshine yellow. I sometimes laugh at myself when I’m shopping. Inevitably, the shirt or dress or pants that just caught my eye are brown. I keep coming back to that color. What colors are in your wardrobe? What colors are on magazine or book covers you particularly like? Sometimes you may be drawn to multiple color schemes. Keep these in mind when you begin your low-budget decorating.
Paint
A little paint can do wonders. And you can paint just about anything, anywhere. Paint is a great way to make old things new. Relative to the change it makes in a room, paint is an inexpensive way to create a new look. Even better, though, is a tip I learned from a former roommate. Many places that sell paint have an “oops” section where they sell colors that weren’t quite right post-mixing. These cans of paint are very cheap, and you can find some great colors you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. The downside is that they can be hard to recreate, so try to make sure the oops paint you purchase is enough for your entire project.
Things you can paint in order to decorate with style:
*Walls, of course. If your walls have crown molding, show it off by putting color on your walls and keeping the molding and trim white or light colored.
*Bookshelves. Try painting the backing behind the books a different color than the rest of the bookshelf. This creates depth and interest.
*Doors. Add a new paint color to your front door (or back door or side door, for that matter) and immediately you’ve created a whole new look. A good door color can make a house look much friendlier and make you want to be inside it.
Frames
You can do all kinds of things with picture frames to make your space interesting. Whether it’s the tried and true assortment of picture frames collected from yard sales and TJ Maxx, from thrift stores and Target or more creative frame uses, you can show off your style and interests with framing.
*Paint old frames. Have some wood frames you’re not in love with anymore? Pick a new color and give them new life. You can even take some sandpaper to them after you’ve added the painted and give them a distressed look.
*Use a frame without a back. I picked up a couple empty wood frames at a yard sale once and hung them around smaller objects on the wall. This allowed the (green!) wall to serve as the mat for the inside item. This was vastly cheaper than heading to a frame shop.
*Use some jute or ribbon. Have a frame that’s hard to hang or just want to do something different? Take some jute, loop it through the picture hanger, and hang it from a nail. The jute adds some texture and interest and creates more options for height and spacing.
*Frame with ribbon. It can be very expensive to frame art prints or other things one hangs on walls. Sometimes the thing itself is quite reasonably priced, but the framing would massacre your budget. Try framing with ribbon instead. Whether it’s a dark brown or black ribbon that simulates a frame or a patterned ribbon that complements the artwork, attach it with some craft glue and watch it show itself off in style.
*Art on a budget. The work of many famous artists has been reproduced on note cards and calendars. Don’t be shy: frame them. Now you’ve got that artwork you could never afford. And the art doesn’t have to be famous. Search the note card aisle at your local Target or Wal-Mart and you’re likely to find something that catches your eye, for $5 or less.
Texture and Mismatched Things
I’m a fan of putting things together that aren’t “supposed” to go together. Sometimes rooms that are too matchy-matchy and too perfect feel like a false kind of beauty. I’m also a fan of textures, so I’m always looking for ways to mix textures in my rooms.
*Chairs. Instead of buying matching chairs for your kitchen table or desk, visit thrift stores and yard sales to find orphaned chairs. Sometimes even furniture stores sell leftover lone chairs or floor models for cheap.
*Wood. Mix wood colors in a room. From bookshelf to bed to dresser to coffee table, you can sometimes create a more interesting look by finding separate pieces that weren’t made to go together. Be careful, though, not to go too wild and crazy and make the room feel too busy with too many colors everywhere.
*Metal. Because I like the earthy textures of jute and baskets, I also like to add in enough metal accessories to keep things from feeling too country or jumbled. The metal adds a cleaner texture to mix with the rougher, earthy textures.
With a little creativity and smart shopping, you can create a space you’re proud of and enjoy living and entertaining in. These ideas are just a beginning. The options are endless, so dive in and enjoy the process as well as the satisfying end result!
