Doing a No Cost Interior Redesign

Money may be tight, but you can still give your living space a fresh new look. By simply rearranging and repurposing the items you already own, your home can achieve new levels of comfort and style without spending a single cent. Here are some ideas you can try immediately

Step 1

Take a long hard look at the arrangement of items in your built-in bookshelves. If the shelves only contain books, mix things up a bit. Take out some of the books and work in silk greenery, framed pictures, knick knacks, and any other items that are colorful and give the room a bit of life. Instead of simply being a functional feature of the room, the bookshelves become a point of interest.

Step 2

Break up those matched furniture sets. There is no rule that makes it mandatory for a matching chair and sofa to remain in the same room. Eliminate some of the visual boredom by moving the chair out of the living room and replacing it with that chair in your bedroom. The mixture of colors and textures will help add visual interest to both spaces.

Step 3

Create a new focal point in the room and rearrange the furniture to use that focus to best advantage. Get rid of those heavy drapes and allow the beautiful molding on your windows to serve as a new focus in the room. Have a fireplace with lots of visual appeal? Create a nice nook or corner for television viewing and do most of your socializing with the fireplace as the center of attention. When friends are over, which is more inviting - a blank television screen or a roaring fire?

Step 4

Repurpose some of your furniture. Take the small cubbyhole hutch off your computer desk and position it under a window; load the cubbyholes with books and add colorful pillows on top to create a windowseat effect. Take the mirror off that old dresser and use it as a credenza behind the sofa or in a wide hallway. Older pieces take on new life when you assign them a new place and a new purpose in the home.

Step 5

Raid the garage and the attic. Chances are you have rugs, mirrors, prints, and other items that you can exchange for items currently in use. The introduction of these items into your space will often bring out colors in the patterns already present in the home and give everything a fresh look.

Step 6

Swap out accessories. Move throw pillows, prints, and other artwork from one room to another. Try to group like items in a central location to create a unified look in a corner. This is especially helpful if you have several small collections. The visual impact of a grouping of like items helps to show off all the elements to best advantage.

Step 7

Experiment a bit. Try different combinations of furniture, rugs, pillows and accessories in a given room. Remember that if you don't like the combination, you can always try something new. After all, you haven't spent a dime and can easily afford to move things around a little more until you achieve the look that brings you a sense of satisfaction.

Tips & Warnings

Before you make any permanent changes to any item, try it in the location you have in mind. Once you have an idea how the item will work in the space, you can paint, dye, or alter the item any way you like.

If you don't have an attic or garage to plunder, ask a friend or relative if they would allow you to go shopping in their storage areas. They may want to get rid of some items anyway, and the effort will still cost you nothing.

While it is okay to entertain the suggestions of others, keep in mind the look and feel of your home is ultimately up to you. Even if someone with impeccable taste suggests that you move a piece to a certain location, make sure you are happy with the placement. If it doesn't work for you, then move it elsewhere to a spot that is more to your liking.