Along the Way – Décor on a Dime- by Cindy Butler
“It’s a good thing that when God created the rainbow he didn’t consult a decorator or he would still be picking colors.”
-Sam Levenson
Hmmm. A shortcut to indecision might involve papering our walls with all those little paint chips found at our favorite home improvement store but…who wants thousands of colors covering a wall? There are very few hard and fast decorating rules for those of us on a budget. But there are some general guidelines which will simplify our choices.
Paint is the beginning of easy, inexpensive improvements. My mother used to say that a coat of paint covered a multitude of sins. And she proceeded to paint every old or potentially shabby surface in our home! This was before it was chic to be shabby.
The first thing you need to take into consideration is the direction your windows face. For rooms with southern/western exposure (lots of light and potential heat) you might want to consider cool colors: blues, greens, lavenders, which would lend an aura of coolness and serenity. For rooms with northern/eastern windows, the reverse is true. Determine which warm colors: reds, yellows, oranges, you’d prefer to lend warmth and brightness to your rooms.
You also need to ‘play’ with colors you love – even if the natural light in your home dictates a cooler or warmer shade. Our homes are our safe havens, a sanctuary of colors which refresh us, soothe and nurture us.
Alongside fresh paint, you may want to consider, surprisingly, sheets! Often, flat sheets (prints or solid) give good value for the amount of material provided. They may be made into light-weight draperies, turned into a custom-made duvet cover, or full balloon (or ruffled) valances, pillow covers, casual napkins and tablecloths.
In the bathroom you may make a gathered skirt for your pedestal sink (or to cover old exposed pipes), using Velcro strips to secure. Another use for the remaining fabric from this project is to stitch a wide band as decoration, to the lower portion of new hand and bath towels.
You might also use a matching or complimentary sheet as a shower curtain. Either stitch ribbons to the top by which to attach to rod, or add button holes through which rings would slip onto rod.
Paint and fabrics can be used together beautifully to give your home a fresh new look.
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