Redo Your Bedroom In 9 Easy Steps

Looking for a way to create cozy comfort without the stress of redoing your entire bedroom? Think about the following modest tips to give your bedroom a new look and comfort feel.

1. Try to bring in chenille, fleece, raw silk and soft wool fabrics as a way of giving your bedroom a warm sensation. When a chill arrives in the air, wrap yourself in flannel sheets or for extra warmth go for a down comforter. (If allergies are a problem then substitute feathers for a synthetic down comforter.)

2. Don’t let your hardwood floors freeze your toes during the winter; throw down a cozy area rug.

3. Where have your put your bed? Squared off against your door? Are your pillows right under a window? A person’s personal energy is greatly influence by where they sleep. All of these factors can contribute to the well being of your overall health, mental attitude and love life. A line of red tape on the mattress where it faces the door or window can help. Negative energy is deflected by the color red. Take your bedroom from dreary to love nest using this easy to follow feng shui tip.

4. To create a warm glow, why not swap out your lampshades to comforting colors of yellow and gold? Try a dimmer switch on your overhead fixtures as a way of controlling the brightness. Here’s a quick and easy step towards having a comfy glow for the bedroom. Create a grouping of candles on a small plate and set it on your night stand.

5. Having mirrors to reflect the light in your room will not only create a warm atmosphere but won’t bust your budget. If you want a easy tip to make your small bedroom seem larger, try putting a big mirror over your dresser. A large mirror placed over your dresser will make a small bedroom seem much larger.

6. Having a chenille blanket on your bed will keep you warm and comfy through the long winter chill. A red, purple or deep brown variety of a soft chenille blanket will give your room even more of a warm feeling.

7. Think more pillows and less stuffed animals! With plush pillows filling up your bed space you’ll be creating an inviting atmosphere. One way to make it interesting is with a wide array of sizes and textures. A wonderful addition for the winter months are soft down pillows.

8. You can also repaint your room as an inexpensive way to make a huge change. Increase the warmth of your bedroom by selecting earth tones such as reds, camel, butterscotch or honey gold. For a more cool and soothing feel, try blues, lavenders and some shades of green.

9.You’re bedroom should be overflowing with the things you love. Family photos on dressers or night tables are perfect. Why not move some of your kid’s artwork off the fridge and into frames for your wall? Consider a small shelf for your candlestick.

Change your look this Summer

1. Light Linens for Summer Summer is just around the bend, so even on a shoestring budget, now’s the time to make your home ready for the season. For instantaneous summer style, follow these simple, affordable ideas to lighten the look of your home. Those velvet pillows and cozy down comforters you love all winter long can start to feel unbearably heavy and hot once summer arrives. Summer is all about fresh and easy. So send your dark, heavy linens on vacation and break out lighter, brighter ones. Summer cries out for chiffon, satin, and sheer and lightweight fabrics and bedding. You can find them inexpensively at your local fabric or thrift shop.

2. Nature Calls Say it with flowers! They are a quick and perfect solution for brightening a drab, colorless room. Calm and soothing, these natural outdoor beauties do wonders indoors. Be your own floral arranger after you pick up an inexpensive bouquet at the grocery store. For a really eye-catching arrangement for your kitchen tabletop, trying places freshly picked purple lilacs in a sparkling glass vase. Your senses will celebrate.

3. Roll Winter Away Traditional carpets are heavy. They can weigh a room down. Summer’s here, so roll them up. Brightly colored area rugs with polka dots and stripes are a fun replacement for those carpets. Bare all for summer. If you have polished wood floors under those rugs, let them shine. Your space will be clean, airy, and seem brand new.

4. Pick Your Summer Palette Splash summer’s color palette on your walls. If your walls have always been dark, maybe it’s time for a change. When you’re picking your perfect shade of paint, just think cottage décor and cool tones. Getting the effect you desire doesn’t mean having to paint the entire room. Let the sunshine in by painting one main wall is a cool sky blue. It will make your work even faster and less expensive.

5. A Brand New Fit You always shop for fun flirty summer clothes. Now’s the time to shop for fun, flirty furniture. Your bland sofa and your boring chairs become stylish showpieces with new slipcovers you either buy or make yourself. Found at large department stores, online home stores, and even discounted on eBay, slipcovers cost a lot less than buying brand new furniture. Say “Hello summer” to everyone lounging in your living room by greeting them with the perfect summer print. A light-colored damask or cotton twill fabric is just right.

6. Decorate and Accentuate For a more lighthearted look, accentuate some special summer accessories. Accentuate your colorful gardening books or your family’s past summer vacation photos on a table. They decorate your living room without costing you a thing. Your seashells from the beach embody the summer spirit. So does the sunlight on a windowsill when it strikes a bowl of luminous glass stones.

7. Windows to the World How do you feel about a room with a view? By rearranging furniture to center it around windows and terrace doors, you can take advantage of your outside view. Your favorite reading chair and your kitchen table? Drag them away from those boring walls and place them next to an open window to shed a whole new light on things. All it takes to transform your home for summer is a little imagination and a strong set of arms.

8. Display Summer Summer is the perfect time for refreshment. Start with your walls by updating your artwork. A light or even white wood is the perfect replacement for dark picture frames. Are your hallways in need of brightening and color? Update your artwork there too. If your snowy mountain print is currently hanging, how’s about replacing it with a field of red flowers? The perfect summer backdrop is easy to achieve with a few strategically placed pieces of art in just the right frames.

Redecorate Your Kitchen

Following is a list of ideas to help you keep your kitchen beautiful, as well as functional:

1. First, I find it really important to keep the top of the refrigerator clear. I do think, however, that a modest display of cookbooks can be quite attractive. When your cookbooks are within reach, there’s more of a likelihood of yummy treats making an appearance in your kitchen. Use a nice pair of bookends.

2. Get creative with your glassware. For instance, in a glass-paned cabinet, it’s a good idea to put your attractive pieces on the higher shelf and keep the everyday ones on the bottom where they’re easy to grab.

3. I like to hang my wineglasses under a cabinet. This can be easily accomplished by installing a simple rack.

4. Coordinate the decorative items in your kitchen with the seasons. Seasonal items such as tea towels, potholders, aprons and decorative items such as fake pumpkins at Halloween can really spruce up a room.

5. I have found that my clients are divided in their opinion of what to do with the counter space in their kitchen. Most seem to like the counter clear of objects. The other group likes to see every kitchen gadget they've ever owned out and ready for action. I prefer the middle ground. Everyday items such as coffeemakers should be kept out. There’s no need to waste your time lugging it out and putting it away. But if you only use your food processor for occasional food preparation, then store it below in a cabinet.

6. Remember, counter items can be grouped into categories according to their function. For instance, your morning ritual may consist of toast and coffee. Therefore, place your coffeemaker and toaster near one of the outlets. If you are a busy mom who cooks every night, the blender, the small processor and the electric can opener are candidates for another cluster around an outlet.

7. I love plants and think they are a positive addition to every room. If you can find some counter space near a window, you can really add a bit of life and personality to your kitchen with a plant. Can't remember to water them? I'll bet you have a calendar by now with your schedule kept up to date in its pages. Pick a day of the week and make a note to water your plants. There are so many rewards. Plants not only look beautiful, they clean the air of pollutants and give oxygen to the atmosphere. There are some varieties that will be difficult for you to kill. Talking with someone from your local nursery can help you select a variety that is both hardy and will thrive in the conditions you offer.

8. Lighting can really influence the atmosphere of your kitchen. If you have the space, place a small lamp on your counter. A bright, cheery kitchen can really set off your morning as your prepare for the day. The evening meal is probably a time of lively interaction if you're a large family. Those late-night forays to the kitchen for a snack or a beverage, however, can be made in the gentle, quiet light of a lamp. My clients listen to this idea and are generally unimpressed. So I ask them if I can try a lamp to see how it looks. Every time their minds are changed. So will you give it a chance? Out of counter space? You might want to try a dimmer switch.

Redecorate Your Bedroom on a Budget

Making a change to your bedroom doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. A little creative thinking and planning can make a difference whether your working on a full project or just making a couple of changes.

Here's how to get started:

Pillows, pillows, pillows. Get a few of them, the $10 kind, in whole new color palette. You can easily make a beautiful monochromatic look simply by using pillows of the same color but mixing up several textures like chenille or elegant raw silk. You can get a romantic feel by creating a layer of pillows with larger pillows in the back and smaller ones in the front.

Want to make a big impact? Then a fresh coat of paint is one the most inexpensive way to go. Don’t forget, you can easily break down process by paint only one wall and focusing on a single area in your bedroom. Want to create some texture with your older more detailed closet doors? Then paint the closet’s frame in a neutral color and the inset in a dark one. Giving a room a new life can be as simple as painting the furniture. Experiment by giving an old mule chest dressers a faux antique finish or sponge paint the bland looking armoire.

A new headboard can be rather expensive. Try something new and creative like getting an inexpensive wrought iron or picket fence at a flea market. Bed skirts are a great way to make your bed look soft and sophisticated. They’re available in several color, textures and patterns. By using a soft and neutral color you can get the most in both beauty and versatility. You do not want it to be the center of attention, but you do want it to accent your bed.

Window treatments are easier than people think. Depending on the material used, swag curtains can be inexpensive and not too dramatic. It’s an easy way to add a touch of femininity. You can do this by simply placing plant or bicycle hooks in the ceiling. Or opt for just a blind and an inexpensive garland or floral accent at the top of the window. We also adore the simple look of pre-made drapes and a basic rod with funky finials. For a large selection of all these items you can try out Target, Walmart, Pottery Barn or Kmart.

Do you have a four-poster or canopy bed that needs a little life? Adorn the poles with fabric to achieve that "pond" affect, where the fabric appears to create a "pond" at the base. Getting this effect is easy, all you need is to add about an extra 20 inches before it’s cut. Candles are a perfect decorative item that many people tend to forget. If you want a little sophistication and romance use white ones, but if you want to pull focus to dresser or night stand consider a group of colored candles. Group candles in odd numbers -- even amounts tend to be boring. Try gathering an alter of different candle heights and place them on a wall or bookshelf.

Hanging framed artwork and posters or mirrors is inexpensive and can go a long way in changing the look of room, but make sure it doesn’t clash with your current décor. Keep it simple with a neutral colored frame - black, gold, brown or white. Add shelves for another quick decorating spruce-up. Collections are perfect for displaying on a wall shelf, but try to stay away from small items. Placing a lot of tiny accessories will leave the shelf looking cramped and cluttered. Want to try something simple yet elegant? Fresh flowers in glass bottles offer a minimalist touch. Or prop up your framed pictures or paintings on the shelves.