Little Ways to Get More for Your Decorating Dollar

Decorating your first home or redecorating can be a daunting task. Flea markets and garage sales are great sources for furnishing our homes, and it doesn't take as much money as it does courage and imagination to create an environment which is comfortable, as well as aesthetically pleasing.

MIX AND MATCH There was a time when convention dictated that dining room chairs needed to be part of a matched set, but that's no longer the case. There should be one thing, however, which unifies your chairs - the basic lines of the chairs, the wood stain, seat cushions, or the slipcovers. Perhaps the chairs you find here and there all have sustained some damage to their finishes, in which case I would suggest painting them all the same color, beautifully unifying the set.

REMAIN NEUTRAL Put neutral blinds or shades on windows. White or off-white shades and wood blinds will coordinate with a wide variety of decorating styles and color schemes and won't need to be changed even if you redecorate.

VERSATILE VALANCES Valances can be spread out or scrunched up to accomodate a variety of window widths and don't require expensive hardware to hang. If you anticipate moving in the near future, valances are an excellent choice as you'll be able to use them in your next home. You can make valances by sewing a pocket in the top of your fabric and hemming the bottom.

SCARF SENSE Another versatile look is a window scarf. Scarves require more fabric than some treatments, but you can often create a window scarf without sewing a stitch. The hardware for hanging a scarf over a window can be as simple as a cup hook at each top corner of the window frame or a branch fastened across the top of the window.

TABLE TALK Are you short an end or bedside table? Consider purchasing an inexpensive round table made of particle board with screw-in legs. These are available commerically for under $10 and take only seconds to assemble. To dress your table, make a round skirt or purchase one. You could also make or buy a table topper to layer over the long skirt or place a round piece of glass on top. You will gain a hidden storage area under the table.

SAVVY SUBSTITUTES A good stand-in for a coffee table is a large ottoman. Set a tray on the ottoman to provide a flat surface. When the ottoman is not being used as a table, it can provide extra seating. Many other items can also serve in this capacity, including trunks and small dining room tables with shortened legs. Use your imagination!

TROUNCE TRADITION You may also be able to discover an interesting substitute for a traditional headboard. Look for a section of wooden or iron fence. A gate may be large to enough to use behind a single bed. A quilt or large fabric wallhanging placed above your bed may also act as a stand in. If you already own a damaged wooden headboard, you could cover it with with batting and fabric or a sheet that will coordinate with your bedding. Simply secure the batting and fabric behind the headboard with a staple gun, and you create a custom look.

NEUTRALIZE NECESSITIES Buy a neutral couch and solid-color chairs. Looking for an interesting mix of textures in your furniture fabrics. Jazz up the room with pillows, area rugs, throw blankets, colorful art and accessories.

PILLOW POWER Buy remnants at fabric or salvage stores and garage sales to make pillows. You may be able to find vintage or tapestry fabrics at great savings. If you find a piece of fabric you love that's only large enough to cover the front of a pillow, purchase a contrasting piece of fabric for the back of the pillow. Don't be afraid to mix fabric patterns and textures and pillow sizes and styles.

QUILT QUEST Quilts which are stained or worn in one area could be cut up to make pillows or wall hangings. Look for damaged quilts at garage sales or check with relatives.

CONVENIENT CAMOUFLAGE Area rugs not only beautify your room but also protect your carpet in high traffic areas. They are available in almost every price range. Use them to hide a worn or damaged area of carpeting or flooring until it can be replaced.

SHEET TREAT When purchasing decorating fabric, first look in the bedding department of your local discount store. Sheets provide large panels of fabric and are often less expensive than buying the same amount of yard goods. Look at the cheap sheet sets. They are usually rougher and more stiff which is actually a plus when making pillows and curtains. Another benefit of using sheets is that you can often work one or more of the hemmed edges into your design.

FRESHEN UP Do you have painted wall which could use some help? Sponge paint or rag roll over the wall in a paint that very nearly matches the existing wall color for a tone-on-tone look. Either of these techniques will give your wall texture and interest and uses very little paint.

TEXTURE TECHNIQUES Sponge or rag painting is one way to add texture to an otherwise boring wall surface. Another method is squeegee painting. Purchase an inexpensive squeeqee. Cut small notches in the squeegee to give it "teeth". Paint your wall with a base coat and let it dry. Then paint a narrow stripe (about two feet wide) in a contrasting color. Immediately drag the squeegee over the top coat several times. Then move on to the next section of wall. Using this method you can create vertical stripes, squiggles, or half moon shapes. Before you tackle your wall, experiment on a piece of cardboard until you get the look you want. A fringe benefit of adding visual texture to your walls is that it tends to camoflage any imperfections in the walls.

WEED OUT WHIMS If you've recently fallen in love with a new color and can't wait to redecorate, proceed with caution. Try living with the color for a while first. You may want to paint a section of your wall with the color or a large piece of board or cardboard. You may even want to purchase a shirt in that color. Give it a little time to find out if it's a fleeting fancy or true love.

MAKE A RUN FOR THE BORDER Have you decided you can't live without wallpaper? Pick a fairly neutral paper and add a little pizzazz through the use of borders at the ceiling, chair-rail height or along the baseboards.

STRETCH IT OUT When choosing a wallpaper border, look for a pattern that can be cut apart to double your coverage.

ARTISTIC ATTEMPTS You can create your own border on a painted wall using paint and decorating stamps. Mask off the boundaries of your border area with painting tape and stamp away. I created a border of multi-colored stars in my little boys' room with a minimal investment of time and materials. If you're feeling very courageous, you may want to create an original design using a paint brush. It could be a pattern or very abstract. Either way, the results will be unique!

STUPENDOUS STENCILS Stencil a border. You'll get a custom look for very little money. One of my current favorites is the look for words stenciled with metallic paint. Stencil a favorite quote in English or a foreign language. The words "LATHER-RINSE-REPEAT" would look great stenciled around your bathroom.

DRYWALL DAMAGE A badly cracked wall can be hidden using drywall compound. Spread it thinly over the wall using a medium-sized spackling knife. Work the knife over the wall until you get an interesting texture. You can then paint the wall as is or lightly sand it before painting. This texture looks great sponge or rag painted. No one will ever know the wall was cracked.

NEW NEUTRALS If you're buying new carpet, choose a neutral color. You won't be sorry. It doesn't have to be "real estate beige" but should be compatible with a number of color schemes. Pick an interesting texture for a fashionable, up-to-date look.

KNOCK ON WOOD Worn carpet may not necessarily need to be replaced. Check to see if a presentable hardwood floor is hidden under your rug.

THE FLIPSIDE Buy reversible comforters for your home's beds. You can make a decorating change without spending a penny, and, if a comforter becomes stained on one side, it can simply be reversed.

CONSTRUCT A COMFORTER If it's a time for a new comforter for your bed, buy sheets and make a simple duvet cover to put over your old comforter. Sew the sheets together on three sides and put large buttons and buttonholes on the fourth side or sew on fabric tabs to tie together. Your duvet cover will look fresh and new at a fraction of the cost of a new comforter.

GO LARGE Need to buy a comforter for your young child's twin (or single) bed? Consider buying a full-size comforter for only a few dollars more. It will fit the twin bed and cover it without the need for a bed skirt. Later, if your child graduates to a full bed, the comforter is still usable.

CANCEL CARTOON CHARACTERS Don't buy a comforter covered with characters from the latest movie or cartoon for your child's room. Childen's preferences change frequently. Buy a plain comforter and decorate the room with inexpensive posters or removable wall decals featuring the desired characters. If your child simply must sleep on their favorite 'toons, buy a sheet set or pillow shams in the favored theme.

AN ILLUMINATING SUGGESTION Do you have a lamp which doesn't quite fit in your room? I sponge painted a lamp base which matched my old couch with navy and tan acrylic paints to coordinate with my new color scheme. It turned out beautifully.

ANOTHER BRIGHT IDEA You can cover a lamp base with fabric for a custom look. Set the lamp in the middle of the fabric and bring the fabric up to the top of the base. Secure with a rubber band and fold excess fabric over the band to hide it. Arrange the folds. Make sure the fabric is clear of the light bulb.

CORRAL COLLECTIBLES Decorate your room with things you collect and love, whether it's rare crystal pieces or found objects such as sea shells or pine cones. Make groupings of your treasured items for major impact.

PERSONALIZE WITH PICTURES Vacation or family photos are also a great way to put your stamp on a room. Photos, like collectible items, look more important when grouped. If you own a variety of frames in different styles and colors, spray paint or gold leaf the frames for a unified look.

FOUND FRAMES Picture and mirror frames can be works of art by themselves. I once saw a beautiful wall grouping of empty frames. The frames were all gold, large in scale, and ornate. Flea markets, garage sales, and your grandmother's attic are excellent sources of inexpensive frames. A single, large empty frame can also be propped on an mantel.

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN If you can't afford anything new, rearrange the things you have. Your rooms will look fresh. Even if you have your rooms decorated in an attractive manner, after a while your eye doesn't notice. Store away some of your accessories for a clean, minimal look.

ASYMMETRICAL ACCESSORIES When accessorizing a fireplace mantel, shelves or a wall, consider an asymmetrical arrangement. It will be visually interesting, informal and will allow you to combine items you already own in new ways.

THEME TIME Do you have a room to decorate and no idea where to even begin the process? Theme decorating can be your answer. Choose an inspiration piece - a printed fabric, an art print or wall hanging - and go from there. It can supply your color scheme and suggest your accessories. A word of caution - don't repeat your motif too many times. Your room may end up looking tacky rather than tasteful.

FILL A FILE Before you begin decorating, look through magazines and go on home tours with your camera. Keep all the pictures which appeal to you in a file folder or three-ring binder. Looking at the pictures you've collected should make it obvious which color schemes and decorating styles you prefer.