DIY decorating
Finding cheap ways to decorate can improve the look of a temporary home
By Breanna Scott • Freelance Reporter
After finding a place,
signing the papers and
are getting ready to
move in, it seems like most of
the hard work is done — until
taking a closer look at the liv
ing arrangements and realizing
the work has just begun.
The walls are bare, and the
furniture is mismatched. It
could be time to add some col
or to the room with a little
cheap redecorating.
Many people run into the
situation of needing or want
ing to redecorate but don't
have much money to accom
plish their goal. Alisa Caesar,
an interior decorator at Drag
onfly Interior Designs, provid
ed several suggestions on how
to improve a space.
"The easiest way to make a
place brighter is to paint,
which adds color and freshens
up the space," Caesar said.
"However, sometimes paint
ing isn't always an option to
those who rent."
For those who don't have
the option of painting, Caesar
suggests the next level of im
proving the look of the furni
ture.
"A slipcover on a couch or
chair will drastically change the
look of a room," Caesar said.
"Even a blanket or sheet can be
used as a slipcover to change
the look of the furniture."
Caesar said it is possible to
add color in a variety of ways
and at almost any price.
"For example, an area rug
can drastically change the ap
pearance of a room," she said.
"If the carpet is stained or ugly
an area rug will cover that up,
and they can be purchased at a
variety of prices. A cheaper one
can still look nice and can still
accomplish the same look as a
more expensive one."
Once a color scheme is
picked, Caesar recommended
adding patterns to give a space
more variety.
"You can add patterned pil
lows or curtains to a room that
pick up the other colors in the
room," Caesar said. "Discount
stores are good places to look
for patterned things to add, al
though it might take longer to
find something you really like."
She also said window treat
ments are becoming more do
it-yourself.
"All the supplies are avail
able at various stores," she said.
"You can choose the color, the
fabric, the style of treatments
and buy a curtain rod to hang
them from. Even sheets can be
used as a curtain in a pinch."
Sophomore Michelle Rose
offered some suggestions
about decorating on a budget.
"If you can identify your dec
orating inspiration, then you
can find low-budget items that
replicate the features that you
admire," Rose said.
Sophomore Patty Miller said
Ikea — the closest store is locat
ed just south of Seattle — is a
good place to find items for
decorating an apartment.
"It's trendy style, but cheap
prices," Miller said.
Miller added that putting up
posters is a cheap and easy way
to cover bare walls.
"It's cool when people do
things like hang their own art
work and add color and per
sonality that way," she said.
"My aunt, for example, makes
artwork out of household ob
jects and hangs it on the walls.
It ends up looking pretty cool.
"Do things like decorate new
lampshades for old lamps you
find at thrift stores," Miller
said. "This will make them
look newer and trendier."
Miller said throw pillows
can add a lot of color to a room
and are easy to incorporate.
"You can even take an old
pillow and cover it with fabric,"
she said. "They fill up space
and accent the rest of the colors
in the room easily."
Home decorating is becom
ing easier and more accessible
as stores focus on do-it-yourself
projects. While you may not be
able to change everything in a
new place on a small budget,
you can make drastic improve
ments. Simply adding color to
the walls, throwing down an
area rug and putting new cov
ers on couches and chairs can
make a drab place look new.
"The range of things that
people can do varies whether
they rent or own and what the
available budget is," Caesar
said. "But home decorating has
become so much more accessi
ble to the average person and
they are able to do a lot them
selves."
Breanna Scott is a freelance
reporter for the Emerald.
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