Free and Cheap Ways to Freshen Up Your Decor

It isn't always practical to redecorate, to completely change the design scheme in your home. It's costly and time consuming. Instead of investing in all new furnishings, try these free and inexpensive changes to freshen up your decor. They're easy on the budget and give you an opportunity to tap into your creative side.

Rearrange the Furniture
Rearranging the furniture gives any room a new perspective, but simply moving the television to the opposite wall and flipping the furniture to match may not be enough. Swap out end tables, lamps and accessories from other rooms. That bench at the front door may be just the thing for that odd corner in the family room. And don't be afraid to repurpose spaces. Perhaps your eat-in kitchen table is just a dumping ground for mail and backpacks. Move the table out and add storage shelves and a desk, turning the space into a work space as well as storage area.

Rotate the Accessories
From your collection of ceramic frogs to the original oil painting of your great grandfather, accessories and artwork can fade into the background when left in one place for too long. Move your artwork around and rotate your accessories, displaying a few at a time and storing the rest. Another option is to create your own artwork, using what you have around the house.

Change the Window Treatments
New window treatments needn't be expensive. Home improvement stores offer in-stock shades and blinds for a fraction of the cost of custom treatments. Other options include adding a cornice to existing window treatments, adding trim to drapery panels and changing the hardware. These inexpensive alterations bring new life to the window dressing as well as to the overall design scheme.

Add Layers of Fabric
Throw pillows, blanket throws, and cushions for benches and occasional chairs bring color and texture into a room and cost very little. If your decor is sleek and modern, but needs just a touch of softness, select a fabric with a stylized graphic pattern and frame it for use as wall art. Recover the seat of a small side chair with the same fabric for added color and texture. Add an area rug to the room for visual interest as well. Find inexpensive area rugs in thrift shops and clearance centers in home improvement and general department stores.

Paint, Paint, Paint
Nothing freshens up a space like a new coat of paint. Choose a color that departs from the usual -and safe- shades. Instead of Navajo White, try a grassy green, a coneflower blue or a creamy, rich gray tone with black trim. But walls aren't the only places for paint. Paint the dining room chairs, an old blanket chest or a bookcase. Adding new color to everyday items gives them new life and brings a new fresh look to your decor.