5 Steps to Cozy Décor, for Dimes!
By Kathleen Wilson
The Budget Decorator
We spend a lot of time inside our homes during the winter months, but it doesn’t have to be cold and dreary, no matter what your budget. There are plenty of terrific ways to warm up your décor for very little cash! Pick a room, pick a few ideas, and carve out a cozy spot to make this your most promising winter yet!
1.Try a new arrangement of furniture. This is free, and a great way to add new charm to any space. If your old arrangement focused on the tv, how about make the fireplace or a shelf full of candles the new focus? Bring furniture away from the walls and concentrate on creating comfortable conversation areas…a favorite pastime during those indoor months! Try switching a piece of furniture with another room, you may find it works much better in your new space!
2.Paint just one wall or a focus piece of furniture a deep, rich version of the present color scheme in the room. Midnight blue, forest green, ruby red, deep golden…all of these colors add depth, richness, and warmth to a room. And keeping it to one wall or one piece won’t overwhelm the room, and will make it easy to change back when the weather warms, if you wish. (But you might love it so much, you’ll keep it all year!)
3.Don’t be afraid to add layers to your windows. This can be done easily by draping quilts, tablecloths, or even bedsheets artfully over the curtain rod, then just pull them back with tiebacks during the day with the rest of the curtains. No sewing, little money, easy, and layering fabric is a designer’s secret for adding warmth to a room. The extra layers will also help save you money with the heating bill! Isn’t that how our Grandmother’s did it?
4.Make a few quick change winter accessories. Wall hangings are easily made with scrap fabric…simple shapes such as stars or hearts on a solid deep background, and hung as precious artwork is all it takes! Pick up a few dollar store frames, fill them with old calendar pictures of winter scenes (or print them from your computer) and group them together for a wonderful, warm display. Use flat bedsheets to stitch up tablecloths and runners in a deeper fabric, and try layering a print over a solid. No sew throw blankets are easily made from polar fleece sold at your fabric or discount store; just cut to size, then cut fringe on the top and bottom edge, and you’re done! They don’t fray, no sewing required, and they are so soft to snuggle with when those nights get cold! Stitch up some soft throw pillows in warm colors or patterns to add comfort to the room. If you don’t sew, you can still create your own accessories with fusible hem tape found in any crafts or discount store, and an iron.
Pile books on tables and bring out your favorite collections and display them. Add natural touches around your home such as pinecones in bowls, pretty branches gathered over cabinets, and candles nestled in dishes filled with nuts or polished stones.
5.Finally, don’t forget to bring some pleasant aromas into your home. Memories are often sparked by the sense of smell, so make some great memories! Baking pies, cinnamon cookies, and hot muffins on Saturday mornings create some unforgettable visions of comfort. If you don’t bake, pick up some potpourri liquid at the discount store and simmer a small amount on the stove. Or borrow some cinnamon and cloves from your spice cabinet, add a little orange peel, and simmer in water. Be sure to never leave your potpourri unattended on the stove.
Keep all your seasonal décor in a special box, so that each season it is as easy as pulling the box off the shelf! This will also save you money in impulse buying.
Don’t ever feel just because the winter months have arrived that your home will be dreary. Just use some imagination to add special touches to your home, and your family and friends will feel the love you put into it!
Kathleen Wilson is an author, national columnist, and editor of the free ezine, The Budget Decorator. More inspirational ideas and her free newsletter can be found at www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.
