From cheap to chic

It’s easy to get an expensive look for much less, Penny Zimmerman-Wills If you think it’s hard to keep your wardrobe updated with the latest looks in fashion, what about keeping your home in style? It’s not just your closet that needs a few new pieces each season to show you’re up on the latest trendy looks. Your humble abode also needs some attention. But if you think increasing your wardrobe is expensive, try dressing up your home. Replacing furniture, tables and area rugs every few years can be pricey, but there are plenty of ways to update your home and get a designer look for less. The most cost-effective way to avoid a dated look is to invest in a few good, basic pieces in neutral colors, and then focus on refreshing the accessories when the seasons (or your mood) change. If you begin with a beige sofa, it’s much cheaper and easier to be trendy and playful with smaller items such as pillows, picture frames, throws and stools. For Nancy Viola, paint is the key to a new look for her home. Not only is a fresh color on the walls her favorite way to add new life to a room, but she likes to go one step further by adding texture to walls by using tissue paper, spackling and experimenting with textured rollers and brushes to create a custom design. She also uses items such as discarded doors and windows from old homes to create mirrors, coffee tables and art accents. Viola, owner of This Old House in Springfield, Ill., says such one-of-a-kind pieces give a home a personal touch. “You can add mirrors to old doors and windows, and it’s much cheaper and unique than buying a designer wall piece,” she says. She also uses them to make headboards and tables. Metal cans, garden urns and porch posts are just a few items that can be made into lamps, she says, with a little creativity and a simple wiring kit from the hardware store. Another trick she’s discovered is learning how to reupholster furniture and make slipcovers, which is a relatively inexpensive way to change the look of larger pieces of furniture without investing large sums on new items. Artist Sue Schwartz collects prints by a favorite artist and has them professionally framed to give her walls the look of an art gallery. “They look expensive, and they are not. I paid more for framing than the print,” she says. She also uses paint to punch up her home furnishings. “The best way to fresh up a room inexpensively is going to be paint. I would say stay away from painting only one wall a different color. If you’re going to do it, go for it,” she says. Old chairs, dressers and flea market finds can take a shiny coat of bright paint, accented with polka dots or flowers. She also paints favorite sayings or words from songs on windows and paints the frames to create a piece of original art for less than $20. Tamara Burris, who has worked in the interior design industry for 20 years, favors paint and mirrors to give a room a lighter feel. “The easiest way to freshen up an entire room is paint. Don’t paint it dark - paint it clean and light,” she says. Large mirrors also not only reflect light, but make a bold statement. “You can buy mirrors that look like window panes and hook them all together, or hang them very close and tight. Using three across the top and bottom gives you the illusion of a window,” she says. This is a decorating trick that cost less than purchasing a large one-piece mirror, and the mirrors can later be used separately if you decide to change the look. “In six months, if you decide to change it out with art, you can break them up and use them. You’ve never wasted a single penny,” she says. Using nature as inspiration, Burris decorates with free or inexpensive items such as green hedge apples, rocks and seashells. Family photos on heavy card stock can be used for a centerpiece. All three designers suggest going to consignment shops, flea markets and antique stores for unique items. Large furniture stores also sell showroom samples or floor models and used furniture for cheaper prices. Wholesale furniture warehouses also are cheaper than buying retail. “It’s a layering process. Once you have the large pieces for a room like the furniture and lighting, adding items like mirrors, pillow or plants can give a room a homey touch,” Burris says. Books are another easy, inexpensive way to decorate. Leave large picture books open to display colorful prints, or stack them on a table. “A house should make you smile when you walk into it,” says Burris, who has a book of humorous dog pictures by her back door. “That always sends me out with a smile,” she says.