MAKEOVER ON A BUDGET

One of the questions I am most often asked is “I would love to personalize my home but have only a limited budget.  How can I make best use of the money available to me?” For those of you who would love to emulate the makeovers that we see on television or read about in magazines it is not always necessary to spend a large amount of money to achieve the results you want.

*          Firstly, make a note of the areas of your home you would like to improve and what elements you would like to introduce into those rooms.

*          Secondly, look at your existing furniture and furnishings and see if they can be re-allocated to another room for more effective use.  Be ruthless in removing all unwanted clutter!

*          The cheapest and most effective way to change the appearance of a room is with colour, especially paint.  Choose lighter shades to open up a small room.  The less contrast between furnishings, walls and floor coverings, the larger the room will feel.  Select richer, more intense paint colours and accessories to create a cosy ambience in a larger area. 

*          Group together inexpensive artwork to create a stunning visual effect on a plain wall.  Anything can be used – framed magazine covers, black and white photos that have been enlarged, posters purchased cheaply at an art store or even large pieces of stunning fabric stretched over a simple board.

*          If you have the opportunity, go to garage sales and look carefully for that bargain piece of furniture or accessory.   Large mirrors are an especially good buy as, carefully placed, they can transform a room.   Similarly, old picture frames are often cheap to purchase yet can be renovated to look stunning.

• Go to plant sales and look for healthy specimens in large terracotta pots.  These pots can be scrubbed and painted to create an antique patina and when grouped together, especially against a brightly coloured wall, the effect can be magical.  Festoon with white fairy lights for that special occasion!

Using just a little money but a lot of imagination, the possibilities for transforming your home are endless.

*********************************