by THAT Painter Lady on Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Here we go again… It’s time to talk about the Holiday’s.
Holiday Decorating is pretty stressful for me… I don’t want to do over the top decorating any more.
But… I also don’t want to look like a Scrooge.
I do like to give my guest bathroom a bit of a sprucing up as well as decorate.
Start by removing the clutter from your bathroom. Clear off the counter tops and purge your medicine cabinets.
- Invest in Expandable Cosmetic Drawer Organizer and cupboards. When you have more storage space, you’re less likely to clutter counter tops with everything from your toothpaste to your curling iron to your razor.
- Keep hand towels on small rings or Over Cabinet Double Hooks . Have larger rod close to the shower or bath. I also use hooks for extra towels behind the door. Guests can easily find them… but they take up very little room.
- Add a new throw rug to the floor. Try something in a pumpkin or rust color for the Fall season… and then switch to bright red for December. It adds a splash of color and shows a bit of your personality.
- Co-ordinate your towels with your rugs. Add a few hand towels to match the rugs and let the other towels be the contrasting color.
- Add hooks to the back of the door. Have space for your overnight guests to hang robes or other items behind the door. It’s the nice little touches that you do for your guests that will be remembered.
- If you’ve got a weekend – add a new coat of paint. Try a dramatic new color on your guest bathroom walls.If you’ve been living with the same color for a long time, now might be the time for a change. Try Rusty colored walls and Purple towels and Pinzon Luxury Loop Bath Rug. Drama!
- Change the decorative handles on your cabinets to something more modern and clean lined. You will be amazed at how much better your tired cabinets will look. It’s like adding a new piece of jewelry to an old outfit.
- If your faucet is tired, cracked or just plain old… replace it with a new modern one. Nuff said.
- Add some candles for warmth and calming scents. I love the Flameless Melted Edge Wax Candles . They look so real, don’t have fire hazard warning labels, and some even come scented.
- Add a different splash of color with shower curtains, soap dishes and waste paper baskets. You might also choose toothbrush holders, but if your decorating a bathroom that your house guests will frequent, it’s sometimes best to put those things away. Who wants to see your used toothbrushes anyway?
There you have it, plenty of inexpensive Holiday Bathroom Decorating Ideas. You don’t have an excuse for the same old boring bathroom… and neither do I.
by THAT Painter Lady on Tuesday, March 3, 2009
If you have children you will know that decorating their bedroom can be both costly and all too frequent as they outgrow different trends and themes. Setting yourself a budget with each redecoration project is essential. After trawling through many furniture stores I have personally found Homebase Bedroom Furniture to be of a decent quality and can easily be purchased within budget.
Refurnishing and decorating a childs room doesnt have to be very expensive. There are plenty of lovely wall papers and paints available with colours to suit every childs taste. As well as the essential bed, you may also want to look at adding a desk and chair. Children like to have a place where they can be creative, they also like a little personal space where mom, dad and other siblings are not constantly looking over their ˜work. As they get older a desk can also be used a place to complete homework or other projects.
Once the furniture and colour scheme has been chosen, look at lighting. If a child is doing their homework or completing creative projects, poor lighting will lead to eye strain. If they have a desk area choose a table or desk lamp that will give ample light so they can see what they are working on. A bedside light is also another option which should be conveniently placed for them to reach when they need to.
Globe 5203801 Energy Saving Desk Lamp, Metallic Silver
The final additions to a childs bedroom could be alarm clocks to help get them up for school and a radio or music centre to help them relax after completing their homework. Children may also want to add photographs of their family and friends. With these additional few items a childs bedroom will soon be complete without breaking the budget.
Be ready for a few rows when undertaking this project as you cannot always please everyone.
photo credit: vieux bandit
by THAT Painter Lady on Sunday, February 15, 2009
You have to be hearing it everywhere! THIS economy!!! It affects everything and everyone. Including our “let’s fix up the house” budget. So, to help you out I’ve written down some great tips for you (and your budget) so you can still do some decorating.
The first thing you’ll want to remember when decorating is that there are no rules- well, except the ones you set for yourself. However, having a plan – always a good idea… and it’ll help you to keep on budget. Like my dad always said, “Measure twice – cut once.” That’s contractor talk for “have a plan” (and double check it too!).
So…here are some tips that will help you get started.
1. Trust yourself
Remember, you know more about what looks good for your home than you think. Believe in that.
2. Focal Points
Select the most important element in a room, say a fireplace, and make this the focal point. Then place furnishings and objects around it to draw a person’s eye towards it. If you have a great view of your garden, or the golf course or the ocean…make that your focal point and place your furnishings and decorative pieces so that it will draw their eye towards that view.
3. Themes
Provide each room with a theme. You can make the theme flow through the whole house, or simply confine it to one room. It may be just a color, or it may be a particular style, say French Country or Italian Tuscany. Maybe you want a Tuscan Cucina (kitchen) and that’s the theme you want to have ….but only in your kitchen. Go for it! Doing this will give you a starting point, and will help to guide you through the decorating stages.
4. Planning
When planning your design, work from the largest area of the room to the smallest. For instance, start with walls, windows, floors, furnishings and then finish with accessories. It is important to remember the larger the decorating surface, the more impact it will have on the finished design. Walls make a huge impact on your decorating and can make or break your decorating theme.
5. Don’t be Afraid to be BOLD!
The least expensive way to make a big statement in your new decor is to paint with flair! Use a bold color as a focal point if you don’t have a great view or a fireplace. How about “Black Cherry”!! Don’t paint one solid color and walk away. Be BOLD! Do a four layer faux finish on your wall and make it POP!
The most important thing of all when decorating on a budget is to have fun!
Country Living 750 Great Ideas for Decorating on a Budget: Transform Your Home Inside & Out
photo credit: Elin B
photo credit: Posh Living, LLC
