How to Redecorate on a Budget

Inspired by a fabric

Budget means different things to different people. One may think redecorating a room on $2000 is frugal. Another thinks budget decor means the basic furniture pieces from a garage sale. Most people are somewhere in between. Let's make the assumption that you want to redecorate your living room, but you really need to keep costs to a minimum. With fresh paint and decorator accents, finds from thrift stores and consignment shops, you can have a whole new look for less.

Things You'll Need

• Paint for chairs
• Paint for walls
• Lamp shades
• Decorator pillows
• Throws
• Old furniture
• Hero item
• Window treatment
• Mantle or shelf

Instructions

1. 

   Find your "hero." By going to consignment stores, thrift shops, fabric and furniture stores, find the one new piece you cannot resist. Usually it will be something you just cannot forget. The slipper bench pictured was a floor model demonstration piece at a fabric store. This piece determines the color scheme for the whole room. Once you have your hero piece, decorate around it by refurbishing furniture, and choosing accent pieces. Keeping it in mind will be an automatic filter when you see items and bargains for sale, because all you need to ask yourself is: Will it go with my hero?

2. 

   Focus on the couch. Hopefully, yours is neutral, and can be accented with decorator pillows to coordinate with your new color theme. Goodwill is a great place to find pillows, and fabric stores often have a bin of throw pillows. Keep your eye out for red, gold and black in solids and prints. If your couch is not neutral, find a slipcover in a neutral tones. There are now stretch slipcovers that fit tightly and do not wrinkle every time someone sits down.

3. 

   Pull up a chair, or two. Old rattan or wooden chairs are simple to refurbish. Gloss enamel spray paint makes them look new again. If you can buy fabric that echoes or matches your new upholstered "hero" you can recover chair cushions simply with a staple gun. If your upholstered chairs are not compatible with your new decor, you can find stretch slipcovers that will be.

4. 

   Throw some light on the subject. Take a look at the lamps you already have, and find more at thrift stores and garage sales. If they are basic ceramic, they can be painted. If they are brass, they will also work well. Find discount store lamp shades to go with your new color theme. Black shades can dress up a lamp, and fabric wrapped around a white shade can give it a dashing look.

5. 

   Understand that the windows need some attention, too. Take your present window coverings down, and replace with a giant window scarf that swoops down in the center and drapes on each side. You will have a dramatic effect. If privacy is still an issue, buy plain curtain panels in solids or an understated pattern to go with your new scarf, or use window shades that can be rolled down when necessary.

6. 

   Accent and emphasize. Prints, such as leopard and zebra, can be very dominant. On small collector items and fabric throws and pillows, they can be very effective. While you have that spray can out, spray some old candlesticks black, some cardboard boxes, a wood lamp, a table, or another item of your choice. Of course, this works with white, red, or any solid color.

7. 

   Splash some color wall to wall. It may seem backward to pick your paint color last. But by that time, you will have your new colors nailed down, and know exactly what wall colors will work best. In this case, a camel color was used on the walls, in two shades. The darker shade for the fireplace and dining area walls, and the lighter shade for the staircase. Paint the ceiling too, with one shade lighter yet.

Tips & Warnings

• Hard bottom seat cushions are easy to cover with your fabric remnants, or a coordinating solid, using a staple gun. Try the fabric at different angles to see which makes the most of the pattern, before you cut it. Put it in place, flip cushion over and staple one side. Pull fabric smooth, and staple other side. It's like wrapping a present, using staples instead of adhesive tape.

• Just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it's a bargain. You will run into some incredible buys that do not go with your new look. Unless you can paint it or cover it without much expense, don't buy it.