By Stephanie Foster
How's your decorating budget? Not that good? Not to worry, there are plenty of ways to update any room in your house without breaking the budget.
The first thing to do is try just rearranging the furniture. It's a simple change that might amaze you with its effectiveness. Try taking some of the furniture away from the walls perhaps. You don't have to limit yourself to the basic lines of the walls. Setting the room up at an angle to the walls can sometimes make the room look bigger.
Paint is very affordable, and anther way to freshen up a room. Are your walls still a basic off-white? Try a little color. Many of the medium to lighter shades of brown will go with just about any decor. Alternatively, if you want a brighter color, try painting just one wall for a focus point. Place some nice art on that wall or perhaps family photos, and maybe some of your furniture, and you have something that really stands out.
How's the carpet? Getting old but you can't afford a replacement? Maybe you're just bored with it but it's still in good condition? Bring in an area rug. You can find one that complements what is already in the room. These are most often placed to emphasize the conversation area.
How do your sofa and chairs look? If they're a little plain, a throw pillow can help. Pillows are also a nice way to bring in a new, complementary color to the room.
What about the lighting? Is the room too dark? How do the lamps themselves look?
Bring a little life to the room with real or silk plants. A little nature in the room almost never hurts.
Rearrange the pictures on the wall and maybe update with new ones. Whether you like to show off family photos or love art, moving things around on the walls can make a real difference. While you're at it, consider adding a good mirror if the room doesn't have one already. Mirrors can help make the room look bigger and brighter.
Finally, although perhaps this should be first, declutter the room. Clutter can make even the best decorated room look bad. Find more appropriate places for all the stuff and decide what you want to keep, then get rid of the rest.
About the Author: Stephanie Foster runs http://www.exceptionalhomedecor.com/ and always wishes for more of a budget to decorate her home. She offers more home decorating tips at her website.
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