Simple ideas

Budget makeover

Clever, thrifty decorating ideas!

Don’t you wish, now and then that you could wave a magic wand and create magic at home on a budget…….Nothing fancy, just a home which emanates your style, your persona!?

Here some easy to implement, budget friendly ideas.

*Do you have boxes of kids art work and paintings in the house? Take them out and showcase them as works of art. Pages from coloring books, colored in by children could be framed and displayed too. These could also be put on the refrigerator using magnets or displayed using string and clothes pegs. Have a file on hand and rotate the pieces. They are good conversation starters too.

*We all take lots of photographs these days, don’t we? And we have boxes of albums with color and black and white pictures of our precious childhood tucked away inside? On a Saturday afternoon, settle down with these and make your very own family collage. Choose pictures, arrange and paste on a chart paper. You will enjoy making it and relive precious moments.

*Getting potted plants indoors livens up any space instantly. Arranging garden fresh flowers in tall jars, tin cans, baskets or vases elevates the mood and brings a sense of calm and peace. A few flowers with leaves of varied colors and shapes makes a great arrangement.

*Does your son have a stamp collection? Is your husband’s coin collection in the attic? Why not show case these? Bring them out and display them in a corner. Collections once displayed are works of pride and joy.

*Make a 3D scrap book of your child’s school life, your family trip to UK or about a particular person who has inspired you. Choose a bottle with a wide mouth in an attractive shape. Add things and slowly your scrap book will come to life. Your UK 3D scrap book may have a tissue from a hotel there, the visiting card of your friend who lives there, a coin, a stamp, a train ticket, a receipt and a bill. Close the mouth with a cloth from the place itself and tie a ribbon. Label it with the date of your visit and any other details. Remember, this is your work…..make it personal. There are no hard and fast rules for this.

*Colorful cushions provide an instant face lift. Use kitchen towels, old saris, materials or shawls to make your own cushions for that unique touch. These can also be thrown on a diwan or single bed.

Give these easy ideas a go and enjoy your home, and yes, be ready for compliments from family and friends.