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Style Magazine

Instantly Chic

Mar 29, 2012 06:22AM ● By Style

Want to take your space from blah to brilliant?

Try one or more of these smart, simple and thrifty ideas to help your home get its groove on.

PAINT

A little paint goes a long way. Rather than cover every wall in the room, pick one focus area or alcove and give it a dose of bold color. Accent the area with a contrasting bookshelf, table or dresser for eye-catching results.

PILLOWS

A decorator’s best friend, pillows are a cheap and easy way to introduce new colors, patterns or textures to a tired space. If your current pillows have removable cases, simply shop for fun new covers and reuse the inserts. Ikat and Moroccan prints are all the rage right now and can spice up even the most traditional settings.

RUGS

If you don’t want to go to the expense of changing out carpet or refinishing floors, a new rug might be the answer. Shop around for one that fits your budget and your floor plan. If your room is looking a bit square, consider an oval or round rug to soften the edges; for big rooms, you can’t go wrong with a large area rug. Make sure whatever piece you buy will withstand the traffic from your dogs, kids and everything in between.

WALL PLANTS

One of the hottest design trends right now is creating a living wall in the home. This is a pretty easy task if you grab the right materials. Go to your local nursery and buy a few wall planters, like Woolly Pockets or something similar. You can attach these hearty pouches directly to the wall like a framed picture; for a bigger impact, group them together. Then fill with soil and a colorful assortment of indoor plants, succulents or both. Easy-to-maintain and water-efficient, this stunning living art offers a breath of fresh air, color and vitality with little hassle.

CURTAINS

Give your windows an upbeat upgrade. Use existing rods and simply add a new pattern, color or texture that works with your existing décor. Can’t find your perfect panel? They are also fairly simple to make…if you are lucky enough to own a sewing machine and little talent. Go for it!

LINENS

Try switching up your bed’s duvet, comforter or quilt at least once a year. Check out the latest patterns or hot colors and give your bedroom a quick and easy makeover. If you’d rather not redo the entire set, then just swap out the shams with a contrasting and complementary hue or pattern. A throw blanket also adds a bit of flair when folded nicely at the foot of the bed.

LAMP SHADE

Don’t replace old lamps…just give them a mini makeover! A new shade in a fun pattern or color is a simple step to creative illumination. If you really want to take things up a notch, head to the hardware store, get a can of high-gloss spray paint and give the base a bold new look.

 

More tips to add a little pop to your pad!

GLASS VASES

I pop a few of these in different colors around the house as the seasons change. It’s always nice when I can find a spot near a window and the colored glass picks up the sunlight. Change out with your favorite flowers or let them go empty. For clear glass, I like to fill with plastic fruit or shiny Christmas ornaments (during the holiday) and anchor other items on my mantle.

HEADBOARD

If you have an upholstered headboard, try this easy trick for creating an entire new look. Go to the fabric store and buy an upholstery fabric that captures your fancy. Pin the fabric around the headboard so the pattern lines up perfectly and covers all the area. Then get a staple gun and secure the fabric tightly to the back of the headboard and cut off excess fabric. Voila!

BOOKS

Take a look at your bookshelf. Perhaps there’s a better way to arrange your accumulated library. I’m a big fan of color coordination. Take all the books off the shelf and divide by color palette. Group these together on the shelf and alight with other complementary colors. Mix in white, black and neutrals for contrast. Also, don’t be afraid to blend in objects, pictures and other personal items on the shelves. There’s nothing more boring than a plain wall of books.