I need help!!!!!!!!!!!!

[heaven]

Okay this is the deal i am so sick and tired of my house. it is the most boring place on the face of the earth there is NO COLOR in my house, i have like a sub-zero budget, and I have DARK DARK DARK paneling that i have washed and it hasn't changed it, and These UGLY orange and green shag carpets, *we wonder why my rent is so cheap* I need Ideas, tons of them, i will defantly make something for a budget but i need ideas. any ideas i will listen to them all i promise. Thanks guys.

[Heather]

As far as your paneling, you can prime it and paint over it any colour you want....my parents did that years ago to their TV room and what a difference!! It looks great...they went with a soft yellow!! Ok...I'm thinking on the carpet!!

[captclearance]

You can sand the paneling and milk paint it or wash too.... Then find an accent color that you like and goes with the carpet and go from there, if you hate the carpet, stay away from that color too much ! Wait Sara will have some great ideas..........

[MJsLady]

whats under the rugs? if its hardwood would the ll let you take them up if so?

[mrscornbread]

I painted a portion of my paneling, you HAVE to sand first, you wouldnt believe the transformation. I am going to use something on mine to give it texture, like runnung a toothbrush vertically every couple inches. There are so many things you could use. I saw the technique I am going to use in a Ralph LAuren pamplet I think it will look like denim. Look in your hardware paint section and they have lots of ideas for texture painting, you can even use saran wrap for goodness sakes!!! Look around. I think it is so fun to do that kind of painting!

[Ellise]

Heaven can you MOW the carpet? LOL JJ.

Not sure what will the Landlord allow you to do? I'd check with him before I did anything. And make sue you get it in writing, so he can't say later that he did not agree to it.

After that I would sand the walls and paint them. Maybe you could find a very inexpensive room sized rug. Wal-Mart use to carry them not sure if they still do or not.
HTH

[doodlebug]

If you aren't allowed to paint the paneling then try to lighten it up with pictures, or maybe a hanging quilt. Dollar Tree has some nice picture frames only $1 each for lots of different sizes, and you could paint them a light color or white and put up a lot of them on one wall, maybe make a smaller grouping on another wall; you could use family photos, magazine pictures, old calendar pictures, dried flowers, whatever appeals to you. Light colored curtains would also lighten up the room. As for the carpet, my parents had some orange/yellow shag carpet, ugh, keep an eye open for inexpensive throw rugs especially at yard sales, or if you are crafty maybe you could make some rugs (crochet or braided, etc). Maybe you could arrange your furniture so it hides a good deal of the carpet and then use throw rugs to cover up most of the rest. Hanging plants (real or silk) also bring in some brightness and freshen up the dark paneling. Guess you can tell I used to rent a place with dark paneling, lol. I contact papered one wall in a bedroom, but I notice contact paper has got quite expensive, but it can be removed so the landlord can't complain. I found that the more light and bright colors I brought in the more it helped the dark paneling to recede. And I know this is a frugal no-no but putting in higher wattage light bulbs can help brighten things up also.

[Patchworkgirl]

Heaven- if you are allowed to paint the paneling, you might not have to sand. I bought a primer that is especially for glossy surfaces and put that on first then painted. Another option is wallpaper. I have wallpapered right over paneling- after first priming- and it came out great!! You can find inexpensive wallpaper. If the landlord will let you- rip that carpet up. If not, how about a cheap sisal rug to throw over the top??

[heaven]

Thanks everyone as for my landlord, he is so flexable i have painted both the stairs and the laundry room. the carpet sucks and there is i think partical board or something under it. I wish i had hardwood floors. He is pulling up the carpet in the kitchen, *yes it is from the 60's guess back then it was all the rage) UGH!!! i can do anything i want to the house he has said many many times.
What few things i have on my walls i am realizing are DARK!!!! dark blues and blacks. painting the walls a soft color would defantly brighten the room, thanks for the ideas.