Posted on: March 18, 2009
Cheap Dreams
Makeover your bedroom without breaking the bank - keep it light, bright and functional
By Mirielle Cailles
CTW Features
Image courtesy Domino Magazine
A sagging economy sure has a way of messing up your plans, doesn't it? Well, your bedroom décor doesn't need to suffer the same indignities as the outside world - some things are sacred!
One of the easiest, and cheapest, ways to makeover your bedroom is to rearrange furniture. "The best way to do this is to clear out the room and bring things back in selectively - bed first, then other furniture, accessories and art," says Ashleigh Weatherill, principal designer at Halcyon House in Denver. "Think about the light in your room. How would you like to wake up?"
Weatherill also recommends changing your linens and avoiding too many pillows. When it comes to your closet, throw away any old clothes that don't fit or are out of style.
New York interior designer Jamie Gibbs, likes to use Redi Shade pleated window shades to give a room a fresh new look. "They're especially great for kids rooms because they can color on them," he says. For $5 to $7 apiece, they're an easy-to-install and inexpensive way to create a new impression in a room.
Gibbs also loves Wall Pops for kids' rooms. Sold in everything from circles and squares to elephants, tigers and pigs, these wall accessories can add some fun to any child's oasis. The best part is you can peel and rearrange them, Gibbs says. Great for adults too, Wall Pops' writable products can double as a decoration and dry-erase post-it.
Another on-the-budget tip from Gibbs is to use a product beyond its purpose. With packaged bedding, use the included dust ruffle as a window treatment with Velcro or staples. Take the flat sheet in the set and create some flat panel drapery. Using these sheets as drapery allows you to match your linens with your window treatments. "Bed-in-the-bags are really viable options for consumers. They're sold at almost every price level," Gibbs says.
Orange County, Calif., designer Amanda Zettel also believes homeowners should play outside the rules. "Use a chair as a bedside table with a large book on top as a surface. Or even use a bookcase as a bedside table for added storage," she says.