Article: Bring Color to Your Home (On a Pennypinchers Budget!)

[Sara Noel]

In the first few months of every New Year, most of us are thinking about change. One of the fastest, most effective and least expensive ways to change your rooms is to use color! The color forecast for 2004 is one everyone can appreciate it's all about comfort! Shades from nature, warm rich colors from exotic parts of the world, or well-worn colors are all great choices for a comfort filled home. Here are some great ways to add color to your home, without breaking the bank!

1. Paint. Yes, you all knew I was going to say that, but try something a little different this year! Learn to sponge paint or rag roll, tape off wide stripes in a different shade of the same color, combine a painted wall with stamping or stenciling. Use a rich color in at least one room, and paint your ceilings and woodwork too! Or try that brave new color on a key piece of furniture.

2. Use fabric. Fabric can be expensive, but there are ways to cut the costs dramatically. Shop your thrift stores for sheets, blankets, and quilts to use as tablecloths and window coverings. Check the bargain bin at the local fabric store, often times they have beautiful fabrics at discount prices simply because they have been discontinued. Use cheap muslin, then add a border of a decorative fabric to save lots of cash. Use worn sweaters to stitch up a throw pillow cover. I once used a never to be used again maternity blouse to create gorgeous silk pillows for my living room. Look in your closets and linen chest for items in your color scheme that can be pressed into service.

3. Cover the matting in your wall art with colorful paper or fabric to coordinate with your room. )Or paint your picture frames!) This brings color and interest to your walls, guides the eye upward, and ties your room together.

4. Look for accessories at the local dollar store. Many colorful candles, baskets, bowls, and statuettes can be found for just a buck!

5. Add plants. Every room comes alive with plants, and they add a neutral but uplifting amount of color to your home. Think you have no green thumb? Sprout carrot tops, ivy cuttings from the yard, or potato cuttings, then pot up and put in a brightly lit spot even if your thumb fails you, they cost you nothing, and can easily be grown again!

Kathleen Wilson is an author, magazine columnist, and editor of her free ezine, The Budget Decorator. You can get more great ideas and sign up for her free newsletter at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.

[guest2]

Thanks Sara. There are some great ideas in this article.

[pip]

Cool ideas. I love color.

[canadian gardener]

Really nice ideas! I especially like the bit about adding a border of more expensive fabric or making cushions to add a hit of colour pattern and really expensive looks.

[Guest1]

I second the dollar store accessories...and the plant thing...

I have the blackest of thumbs but found some colored eucalyptus at Wal-Mart - used a clear glass vase that I already had - added some blue & yellow dollar store marbles - set it on my corner table and **VIOLA** the entire room feels different! Go Figure!

And to think, I just put it there because I didn't know where else to put it! (it used to be a swag in my bedroom!)

My kitchen was always so barren looking - I went to a Dollar store and bought $10 worth of anything yellow & blue (mini terra cotta pots with sunflowers on them, little votives, sunflower potholder...) and kind of haphazardly placed them in sundry locations around the kitchen -- looks great & really added a little "oomph" to the room!

Now that I know an actual decorator who recommends this, I've got the "gumption" to try throughout some other rooms! Thanks Sara!!