10 Ways to Glamour on a Shoestring
With the economy in the doldrums, it seems folly to think about redecorating your home. After all, doesn't that take a lot of money - especially when it is important to trim expenses and cut down on extra spending? However, there is another school of thought that in these troubled times, it is more important than ever to keep one's spirits up, continue to spend (what we can) and keep life going on an even keel.
Do this by bringing some luxury and style into your home. But at the same time, you do not want to overspend. Here's a list of 10 simple things you can do to give your home a breath of fresh air while keeping your expenses low.
Paint
The easiest, and most dramatic way to change the look of your home is of course, a fresh coat of paint. Perhaps the walls have been looking a little faded anyway. Perhaps now that you're spending more evenings at home, those plain white walls are starting to look a little boring. Or maybe you're just tired of those pastel shades your mother had suggested the last time.
Why not brighten up your home with a cheery sunshine yellow in your kitchen, a restful yet invigorating green in your living room, and in your bedroom, go for a rich, romantic purple? Blue goes well with the study and red in the dining room will make conversation lively while stimulating your appetite. You don't have to repaint the whole house, of course, or turn the entire house into a patchwork of colours, but even just one makeover in say, your living room, can inject excitement.
For something more unusual, paint stripes! Use two complementary colours or different shades of the same colour, and alternate them in vertical stripes. This immediately breaks up the monotony of having just one colour, but to avoid an overwhelming effect, you may want to have this only as an accent, or only on one wall. Other tricks you can do with paint include using stencils or stamps to create the effect of expensive wallpaper, or even (for a touch of luxury) a hint of gold paint. Or more simply, repaint a table, a cabinet, or even your windows - change that you can do in just one day.
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