Designer Secrets for Updating Your Home Decor On a Tight Budget

by Pamel Cole Harris

Home décor seems to change every time you turn around! What was "in" yesterday, gives your visitors flashbacks to their childhood today! If your décor is stuck in the last decade and you don't have the budget for a complete makeover, you have two choices. Keep your decor the same until it comes back into style (only ten more years to go!) or update your décor for little or no money! Here are some secrets!

Color
If the color is a definite throwback from another decade, update by painting one wall that new, hot color. Or paint stripes of the new color on one wall! Create a color focal point in the room to draw attention away from the areas that may not be as updated as you would like. But don't go overboard! (Please get those lime green stripes out of your mind!)
Furniture
Work with what you have. If the upholstery is worn, cover with throws, quilts, slipcovers or sheets to draw the eye away from the problem areas. This also works if the color is outdated. Add a few throw pillows to catch the eye and draw attention to their beauty! Just one caution: If you have so many pillows that nobody can sit on the sofa, you have probably carried this advice a little too far!
Floors
Cover an old carpet with a large throw rug or make your own hand-painted floor cloth. If you have wood floors under the carpet, tear the carpet out! Then sand and seal the floors if they are in good shape or paint the floors if they are not. You can even make concrete look beautiful! (cold and hard, but beautiful!)
Furniture Arrangement
Rearranging your furniture is always a good way to update the look. As with color, create a focal point of your best pieces. It should be the first thing people see when they walk in the room. They won't even notice the ugly stuff in the corner!

Try these tricks and update your own décor! And just a little tip from yours truly - burnt orange and avocado green plaid will NEVER come back, so give that sofa to the Goodwill! (or the Smithsonian!)

Pamel Cole Harris - Pamela Cole Harris is an editor, writer and eco-decorator with over 35 years experience. Her website, http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com is full of her unique decorating ideas and "how-to"s. Her new book, "100+ Wildly Imaginative Ideas for Creating Your Own Coffee Table - a Handbook for the Creatively Deficient Decorator " is available through her website or at http://www.lulu.com/pamelacoleharris .