Making Over a Room Can be Affordable

Making Over a Room Can be Affordable

You don’t have to spend a fortune to make a room look fabulous. There are many inexpensive ways to create the look you want for less. Start by evaluating the “four foundations” of a room - the walls, flooring, windows, and lighting. Are the walls in need of some paint? What condition are the floors in? Does the room have enough natural light or do you need to add some extra lighting? By making simple changes to the four main components to a room you will have a better canvas to work with when implementing the over all theme. Here are some inexpensive idea’s to consider when tackling a makeover on a budget.

1. Color is a great place to start and the first step to revitalizing a room. Before painting a room all one color, consider painting an accent wall. Start off by deciding which all is going to be the focal point, tape off the area and paint. Walk in and out of the room a few times and you will see that one painted wall can really make a statement.


I designed this room on Clean House for the Style Network.


2. Flooring - A dear friend of mine rents a fully carpeted apartment. Every-time people come over she always finds herself apologizing for the visible stains her kids have made over the years. Every six months or so she gets the carpets cleaned and wishes her landlord was willing to rip then up for dreamy hardwood floors. But since that isn’t an option, I suggested she look into - light weight washable area rugs. They are inexpensive; come in many colors, and can liven up any dull-carpeted floor. If you cannot replace worn carpet in your home consider purchasing some oversized area rugs. It is an easier and less expensive solution then replacing your entire flooring.


Here's an example of rugs on carpet. I designed this music room for Clean House on the Style Network.


3. Window treatments can be as understand as a Roman shade, which simply frames a window, or lavished with long curtains and tiebacks to make a grand statement. The first thing to do is to remove any existing window treatments from the window area and clean the glass well. Allow the natural light to reflect around the space for a day before making a decision on how you would like to control the light in the room.

I designed this Modern Hollywood Regency look on Clean House for the Style Network.


4. Lighting - When it comes to restoring there’s nothing a good can of spray-paint can’t do - especially to the base of an old lamp. Before tossing your out, take a trip to your local hardwired store and look at the range of colors and finishes spray-paint companies are offering today. You’d be surprised how inexpensive spray paints are and how easily they can transform old pieces of furniture to look brand-new. For the base of a lamp choose a color that will make a statement and top it off with a new neutral shade.


I designed this room on Extreme Makeover Home Edition.