How do i make a great room more colorful without painting walls?
Question:I live in a newer house in the Pacific Northwest. My landlords (my parents) don't want me to paint any of the walls since it was freshly painted in November... too bad the color is an off-white/creme, creme trim & tan carpet. My couch is a tan leather so it all blends way too much. Our kitchen is mahogany with blue/grey/green stone floors & black appliances. What colors would go good for the great room (living, kitchen, dining)... without having to paint the walls?
I tried getting really colorful artwork (our theme is along the spanish-mexican heritage, our favorite vacation spot) but it still seems lacking... would rugs, painted furniture, curtains help out? I'm also on a tight budget... prefer not to spend anything over $50.00 on decorating items... do you know of any websites or stores in the state of Washington that could help me?
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Answers:
You need more than just artwork! I love the idea of the spanish/mexican themed artwork, I picture lots of warm tones like reds, oranges, and yellows. You could also continue that earthy feel you already have by using warm rich browns A great way to bring a lot of life to a space is with some color. Don't be afraid to accent the warm tones with some cooler ones too, like purple and green. But, I have to say that with a small budget, you might want to take a lot of time to decorate your place. Adding curtains, throw pillows, and an accent rug (or a few, depending on your space) will really brighten things up and make the space look like a comfy place to live, however these things can be expensive. If you are a do-it yourselfer, then you could find cheaper fabrics (even shower curtains or sheets) and make curtains or even pillows, but these tasks are time consuming and you also want to make sure that you know what you're doing, or else it will look messy.
I'd say, start by hanging some artwork. Add a nice frame, or matting (or both) to make the pictures stand out. Next, add some pillows to your couch (chairs too, if you have em) Try shopping at an inexpensive HomeGoods store (they have these in the East coast, I don't know about your area.) Curtains might be on the top of your to-add list, because they not only add style, but also privacy from the outside.
Simple furniture with clean lines can be a great way to add style and function. Sometimes you can find great deals on wooden furniture like shelving units or side tables at antiques stores and yard sales, or even stores like Target. If you decide to look for used furniture, remember that by simply changing the finish, you can have a brand new piece that will be cohesive with the rest of your furniture. Don't rule something out simply because it needs a facelift, unless you absolutely don't have the time or energy to do projects like these.
One thing to remember is that you don't want to over-accessorize. Too much stuff eventually just looks like clutter. If you have a lot of photos that you'd like to display, make a statement by hanging many frames in one area on a wall. This will give your space a personal touch, and also break up that blah color on the wall.
OK I know I've given you a lot of stuff to think about, and I know it's not all a quick easy cheap solution like you wanted, but running with these ideas and even changing them a little to suit you will probably give you a more grown up, comfortable, great looking space; rather than just buying a lot of accessories with no way to display them effectively. Remember that the major pieces in your rooms can add to the decor just as mush as the little things.
And, start watching a little HGTV! Check out shows like Design on a Dime, and Color Splash. These might give you some inspiration.
-use a white/translucent vase with bright colored flowers (pink blue) grow your own garden and you can use your own flowers (thats cheaper)
-use colored curtains
-on the fridge put magnets
-paintings on the wall (instead of using nails you can use 2 sided tape)
hope i could help =]
Most rooms look more welcoming if they contain pictures. But, whether a valuable family heirloom or a cheap and cheerful poster, a picture must be hung where it can be easily seen and enjoyed.
Sounds like you're on the right track. Colorful curtain panels would give you big blocks of color, and you can mix them up by alternating colors either on the same window or on different windows. Coordinate them to the main colors in your art work. Rugs will also cover that boring tan carpet, and you can tie the rug in with the curtains. A rug is going to set you back a little more than curtains, but you might be able to find one in a second-hand or antique store that's reasonable.
I would hang fabric on one wall as an accent wall. It would be very easy and you could hand it on a rod with shower curtain hooks, binder rings, etc. Just put grommets along one end and hem the other three. This would soften the room and give you color. Then use art work, throw pillows, vases, etc to accessorize. Pull a color that you really love out of one of your art pieces and match the fabric to it. You can find cheap material alot of times.
Garage sales and resale shops are great places to find decorating items cheaper. Also check out the HGTV website, they have a lot of decorating ideas and how to guides for fixing things or using them for something outside their intended purpose. If you go into some of the decorating shows they have pictures of possible rooms. Also if you can sew check out the clearance material at Walmart, they usually run fabrics at $1.00 per yard and change it out often. Also any of the fabric stores will have material and odds and ends on clearance. Sometimes it's cheaper to make pillows and curtains. HGTV also has directions for very simple to do window treatments.
Maybe an inexpensive way would be to buy colorful pillows and throws to set on couches and chairs--with tan colors--maybe browns, reds and oranges and mutted yellows! And some greens and yes on the colored curtains! Maybe some decorative candles and glass jars to set around!!
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