• Start with a theme and think outside of the box. Avoid room themes that are based on your child’s favorite character or television show because it will be difficult to design the room without having to purchase a lot of overpriced and unattractive room decor created to market specifically for kids. Instead, select a theme that is more general based on a broader interest of your child, such as a flower garden or the solar system.

• Allow your child to become a part of the process. Talk to you child about their specific tastes in colors and other room details. Ask them about what they would like the room to look like; perhaps they will have an idea that is lots more creative than anything you might see in a magazine or catalog.

• Use a great paint color but think sophisticated rather than Crayola crayon. Select a paint color that is subtle, subdued and classic. Allow the brighter colors to come from accessories and your child’s toys, these items will inevitably be brightly colored.

• Make it personal by incorporating your child’s name somewhere in the room. Perhaps you can stencil their name on the wall above the bed. Also, rather than spending money on store bought art work, use inexpensive plastic frames to display your child’s artwork and other creations.

• Remember not to strive for perfection when creating a child’s room. Nobody is perfect, including your child, and you want to keep the environment friendly and forgiving for the ongoing mess and clutter that often associated with a child’s bedroom.

• Make toy and clothing storage accessible to your child’s height and reach level. Be sure that your child can be successful in selecting their clothing, and be able to reach toys for play and easily put them away at pick up time.

• Don’t forget about the ceiling. This is another great space to add a bit of visual interest. Depending on the theme of the room, you might consider hanging fabric butterflies, beautiful planets, or other items that relate to your concept.

• Look for wall paper cutouts that are easily applied to the wall, and easily removed. These are a great alternative to traditional wallpaper, wallpaper borders, or murals as they go up (and down) in a matter of minutes.

• Think long term. When purchasing more expensive items like furniture, look for pieces that are classically designed and will grow with your child.

• Keep it simple and fun. Remember those times when you child was very young and more interested in the wrapping paper rather than the actual gift. Same applies with their bedroom design. There is no need to go overboard and spend lots of money. A little effort and creativity on your part will go a long way in creating a room that you will like and your child will enjoy for many years.

Take a visual scan of the room in need. Look for things that instinctually bother you and are ongoing visual eyesores. These can be things like a picture that is hung too high or too low, a plant with dead branches, or an accessory that you no longer like. Take two minutes and fix this problem; re-hang the picture, pull the leaves off the plant, or remove that accessory.

Add fresh flowers in a colorful vase.

Quickly rearrange the existing items on a mantel shelf or coffee table.

20 Minutes Makeover Ideas

Empty a bookcase of all its contents. Reposition the items back on the bookshelves in a new and interesting way. Instead of placing books standing up, stack them in neat piles of like size books and place them on the shelves with an accessory or two on top of the books.

Take down all the artwork on the walls and re-hang in new places in the room. It will look like you purchased all new artwork.

Rearrange your furniture in one room for a new look.

Swap the lamps in one room with the lamps in another room. That matching pair of lamps in your Master Bedroom might look great in your Living Room and the unmatched pair from the Living Room might add a touch of visual and unexpected interest to the bedroom.

2 Hours Makeover Ideas

In a bedroom, switch out the duvet cover or quilt, add decorative pillow shams, and hang some coordinating sheer delicate drapery panels.

In a Bathroom, add new towels in a fresh color, a clean new shower curtain, a new area rug, and new framed mirror.

An alternative in the Bathroom is to paint an old wood vanity a crisp white or even use this as an unexpected place to add a touch of color.

Go through your entire house with touch up paint. It is amazing what eliminating scuffs and dings on the walls can do to help brighten a home.

Hang a set of shelves in the Office or in a Child’s Bedroom for book or toy storage.

Hang a new light fixture in your Entry or Dining Room; it is like adding jewelry to an outfit.

2 Days Makeover Ideas

Repaint a room, any room from a Bedroom to the Kitchen, top to bottom in a fresh and up-to-date color.

For your patio, buy new furniture, an outdoor area rug, a few new potted plants, and hang some wooden carvings to transform an average patio to an outside oasis.

Give a bathroom a complete facelift by painting the walls, installing a new framed mirror and light fixture, new towels, new accessories and rugs. The room will appear brand new.

Take a look…

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As I write my first official blog post for Interior Design 4 the Rest of Us, I am just weeks away from giving birth to my second child. Already blessed with a great son, I now look forward to welcoming a daughter. I am dumbfounded by the similarities between her pending birth and the launch of my newest design adventure.

While I have been working as an interior design since college (some 15 years ago) it wasn’t until after my son was born that I began my online design business Interior Design Service Online, www.interiordesignserviceonline.com. The birth of my little boy was long and scary, yet turned out to be the single greatest gift in my life. I imagine all you other parents know what I mean. Similarly, investing the time and money into a new business (online design was not prevalent at the time I started) was also an experience filled with trepidation and sleepless nights, yet the risk has been worth all the labor.

Here I am on the next journey. While no soul could ever replace my son, I knew in my lifetime I wanted to mother a daughter as well. Making this dream a reality was something that I can not control, and therefore I have always wondered if this desire would remain unfulfilled.

Interior Design 4 the Rest of Us is a lot like the little girl I always dreamed about but was never sure I would have. This site is the culmination of my hard work, love of design and belief in my ability to reach my goals. It is the result of paying for a second college degree, working under some of the biggest prima donnas I will ever meet, taking any and every client that came my way at first just to get my own business started, and making mistakes but thankfully doing more right than wrong.

Now I find myself in the position to share what I’ve learned, giggle at some of the “characters” I have met along the way, and help people just like me enrich their lives through good design.

Welcome to the world baby girl – I can’t wait to meet you. Welcome to the world Interior Design 4 the Rest of Us readers – I can’t wait to meet you. I look forward to having you in my life and becoming a part of yours.

A Quart of Paint:  Paint is the unsurpassed winner in budget makeover projects and a quart of paint typically cost between $9.00 and $13.00.  The cost is low and the uses are infinite.  A quart of paint can easily cover Powder Room walls giving a room an entirely new look.  Additionally, you can paint existing furniture items such as tables, chairs and dressers.  Painting furniture can make an old item feel new.  Kitchen and Bathroom cabinets when painted receive a welcomed facelift.  Other items to think about painting include lamps, baskets, planters, and other accessories.

A Flat Bed Sheet:  Shop discount stores and clearance centers for flat bed sheets and you can find steals on these paying less than $15.00 a sheet.  This can be the most lovely pattern fabric for the lowest cost around.  Use this fabric to make throw pillows for a sofa or bed.  Flat bed sheets can also be used as drapery panels for a no sew project.  Other applications in which you can use the sheet it to make custom shower curtains, chair covers, table clothes, placemats, and nearly anything that involves using fabric. 

Blank Artist Canvas:  For under $15.00 you can purchase a stretched artist’s canvas in a large array of sizes.   Typically made of cotton duct and stapled on a wooden frame, these canvases can be easily turned into custom works of abstract art, and you do not need to be an artist.  Please note, abstract is the key word.  Go to your local library and find pictures of abstract art with broad expanses of color and simple lines.  You can then replicate the masterpiece on your canvas.  Or if you would rather come up with your own version of a masterpiece, you can use foam brushes to make wide stripes of colors allowing drips and paint build up to add to your piece.

Try investing $15.00 or less in any of the above items.  Each one (paint, bed sheet, and an artist canvas) offer unlimited opportunity to decorate your home for a small amount of money.

New colors come into fashion with every season change.  Keeping up with color trends is a great way to help a home decorated on a budget look fresh and current.  Before jumping in, consider these tips to help keep you in style yet on track with your budget decorating goals.

1. One surefire way to incorporate new colors each season into your home is to have the major furnishings and walls in a neutral palette.  This will allow you to bring in new colors without clashing.
2. Make sure that when you use the latest color in your home, it works with your other items.  A well color coordinated room can make even the shabbiest of interiors look expensive.
3. Do not feel like you absolutely have to use the latest and greatest color in your home.  Just because a color is in style, does not mean that you must like it or use it.
4. Think very carefully about investing money into a piece of furniture or other large item in the latest and greatest color.  You don’t want to be stuck with a sofa for 20 years date stamped spring of 2008.
5. Think small and cheap.  For example, an inexpensive lacquered bowl in a fresh color brings the trend into your home for a small monetary commitment.  A single throw pillow in the season’s hot color is another budget friendly way to dabble in a new color.
6. Consider painting a small table or other furniture item in a new hue.  A quart of paint is very inexpensive; the only real investment with this option is your time.
7. Think practicality when purchasing something simply to partake in a trend.  You might consider purchasing an item for your Kitchen such a set of plastic tumblers or coffee mugs.  This small purchase will give a taste of the color you crave with the ability to store the items in a cabinet once trend has passed.

Remember these seven tips the next time you see those great new colors.  If possible, bring new colors into your home regularly for a true designer look.  Just remember that you can participate in a color trend without sacrificing your decorating budget.

In the current economic climate people will try anything to save a little cash. If you are the sort of person who is careful with their finances, perhaps you use a site such as http://www.lovemoney.com/ or collect coupons, then this will be right up your street. People everywhere are picking up on this great bargain based activity, which you too can be a part of.

You can easily coordinate a house decor swapping party with friends, and you and your guests will walk away with some great new items.  Here are step by step instructions for organizing this ultra fun event.

1. Pick a date at least two or three weeks in advance to give your guests time to look through their house for things to bring.  Send out an e-invitation to your guest list and be sure to include the following information; date, time, location and details of the party.
2. Here are the pre-party details to include in your invitation.  Ask that every guest look through their home for any decorating items that they no longer like or use.  The decor can be gently used or brand new as most of us have purchased something for our home that we liked until we actually brought it home.
3. Request that each person bring 7 to 12 items for best results.  On the invitation provide idea suggestions for specific items to help your guests in the decision out what to bring.  Suggested items include throw rugs, throw pillows, bedding, accessories, decorative towels, art, containers and other vessels, even a never used gallon of paint.
4. To set up the party is simple.  You need a large size room and some fold out tables to display the items your guests bring.  If you do not have access to tables, a clean floor will work as well.  Clear the room of any of you personal decorative items so there is no confusion about items up for grabs.  Consider serving some light snacks for a festive and fun party mood.
5. As guests arrive, ask them to display their items on the tables you set out.  If you are having a large number of guests (10 or over), you will want to label the tables with specific categories of the decorative items.  Use the same category names as you did on your invitation of suggested items to bring.
6. Have each guest place their name in a bowl.  When you are ready to start the swap, pull the first name out of the bowl.  That person is the first to select one item they would like from the lot of decorative items.  Continue by pulling the second name and continue the process until everyone has a turn.  The second round of selections begins by starting the name drawing over with a new order.  This allows so someone who selected toward the end last time the possibly an earlier pick.  Keep the process going until there are no items left, or no one wants any of the remaining items.
7. If there are leftovers, you can have fun as a group awarding certain unwanted   décor a title such as tackiest accessory or most dated throw pillow.  This part of the party is hilarious. 
8. When the party is over, call a local thrift store to pick up the remaining pieces to be given to charity.

This party is a win-win for everyone involved.  Not only will you and your guests have a great time, you will have an opportunity to pick up some “new” to you items for your house.  Plus, in the process everyone cleans out their house of things they not longer want.  Give this party a try; it may be the most fun you ever have bargain shopping and you won’t even need to bring your purse.

Produce:  Yes, you read correctly, produce.  Display colorful, fresh fruit or vegetables in a bowl in the Kitchen or Dining Room.  When used as an edible accessory, produce adds color and a delicate smell to your home and is great for your waistline.  Some varieties to try include pears, apples, lemons, limes, pomegranates, artichokes, and eggplants.

A Tassel:  Use tassels in unexpected ways.  Add a single tassel to the end of a pull cord on a ceiling fan or light fixture for a touch of color and instant sophistication.  Tassels can also be hung over a knob on a dresser or armoire to freshen the look of an existing piece of furniture.

Three Way Light Bulbs:  Replace a standard light bulb with a three way light bulb in a lamp that accommodates such a bulb.   The smallest wattage can be used for soft lighting to create instant ambiance.  The highest setting can be used for task lighting and reading. 

Throw Pillows:  Use throw pillows as a small yet effective way to add color, pattern and texture.  Adding a throw pillow in the season’s hot color, this spring the color is yellow, instantly updates a room.

Door Mat:  A new doormat welcomes guests to your home.  Rather than the basic green or tan color mat, look for a brightly painted mat to add color and warmth to your entrance.  First impressions last, so make yours representative of the details inside your home.

New Cabinet Knobs:  Replace your old cabinet knobs for a quick and effective transformation.  New knobs can transform the look of Kitchen cabinets from old to new.  A modern knob on older cabinets can result in an instantaneous updated look. 

Lamp Shade:  A tired looking lamp becomes new again with a fresh shade.   Seek to change both the shape and color of the old shade, and you will feel like you purchased a new lamp.  Bring your lamp base to the shade store for the most successful results. 

Fresh Flowers:  Flowers add color and smell to your home and help to brighten just about any room.  Pick flowers from your garden or purchase stems from growers at local farmer’s markets for a fresh and budget friendly alternative.

Hand Towels:  Perk up a Kitchen or Powder Room with hand towels.  These objects of necessity can do much more than simply dry your hands.  For just a few dollars, colored or patterned hand towels add a bit of interest in these utilitarian spaces. 

Paint:  One gallon of a new paint color can dramatically change the look of a small room or piece of furniture.  Drab walls can instantaneously change to stunning and a piece of furniture can be given a whole new personality with paint color.

Child’s Artwork:  Nothing adds character and color to home like a picture made by your favorite child.  Simple artwork can be transformed to look like a masterpiece when placed in inexpensive frame.  You can even commission your child to color a picture for you to fill a specific place on your wall or add a needed touch of color in a room.  

These ideas are simple and inexpensive.  Go ahead and give one a try, you will be impressed with how big of an impact the addition of one small decorative item can have in your home.

If you are on a limited decorating budget and want to create a look that is unpretentious yet elegant, Shabby Chic may be the style for you.  Here are a few of the basic elements that make up a Shabby Chic look that you may want to try in your own home.

Slip Covers:  Slip covered furniture is the cornerstone of a Shabby Chic interior.  Not only does slip covering furniture give an old item a new look, the cost is quite inexpensive and slip covering allows you to easily purchase used furniture.  The Shabby Chic style often uses lots of simple white slip covers that look clean and fresh and are extremely budget friendly.

Unmatched Printed Fabrics: To liven up the white slip covers, printed and patterned fabrics are added as comfortable throw pillows, chair cushions, bedding, etc.  These fabrics are often floral but can also be striped, paisley or any other type of subdued print.  These various patterns and colors creates a relaxed feel in a Shabby Chic home, and allows a budget decorator to purchase remnants to mix and match.

Painted Furniture: Painted furniture is another key element in a Shabby Chic interior.  Furniture can be purchased at flea markets and garages sales, and then painted for that old but loved look.  Adding paint to an item of furniture gives a clean appearance, and painting several items all one color (typically white in Shabby Chic) gives unmatched furniture a look of an imperfectly matched set.

Flowers: Fresh flowers add lightness and color, and an instant Chic in the home.  To achieve a Shabby Chic look with flowers, use cut flowers from the garden or make you own bouquets from flowers you purchase.  The floral arrangements are typically informal and organic, with a look of just being thrown together.  Flowers are used in all rooms of the home including the bedrooms and bathrooms.

Unique Lighting: Shabby Chic features light fixtures and lamps that typically appear to be flea market finds.  Often the light fixtures have glass or crystal beads which in juxtaposition to the casual furniture creates an unexpected look.  Lamps are often painted, and feature fabric shades made from printed fabrics.

Now that you know some of the key fundamentals that go into making a Shabby Chic look, you can try to incorporate some of these elements into your own home.  A major appeal and the beauty of a Shabby Chic look is the imperfection, so do not be afraid of making a mistake when giving this style a try.

Branches: Fallen or pruned branches and sticks from the yard can be given a second life inside the house.  Remove any leaves and thorns from the branches and wipe them down to remove any outside dust.  Spray paint the branches in a dark brown, black, white or metallic color and arrange in a large pot.  This arrangement is great placed in an empty corner of a room or on top of a fireplace for an organic touch.

Old Windows or Doors: Salvaged architectural items such as windows and doors do not have to go to the junk yard.  These items can be used as headboards by simply screwing their frames to the wall with wood screws.  Doors can also be placed on sawhorse legs and used as a simple yet unexpected desk.

Books: Old books can be transformed into a functional and decorative safe for storing valuables.  This simple project creating a book safe involves cutting out the centers of some of the pages, turning a used book into a great little spot for hidden storage.

Cowboy or Rain Boots: Make planters for your garden with an old pair of boots for a kicky feel.   Poke holes in the soles of the boots for drainage and fill the bottom of each boot with small pebbles for drainage and extra weight.  Now you can place a plant in its original plastic container inside the boots for instant charm.

Old Tablecloths: This is a colorful way to add some vintage appeal to your Kitchen.  A large tablecloth can be turned into a new set of placemats or napkins.  Cut the old tablecloth into squares or rectangles, making sure to cut around stains and candle wax drippings.  Stitch the edges of the fabric for a finished look.

These are just a few ideas to get you started using old items in new ways.  Countless other ideas are out there too; just use a little ingenuity and a lot of creativity.