how to decorate your room for free

How to Decorate Your Room for Free.

For most people, the bedroom is more than simply a place to sleep at night. Redecorating your bedroom can help create an environment that is relaxing, reflects your personality, and even provide a better night's rest. Adding recycled pieces or simple DIY flourishes can help transform your room to fit your needs. You can also incorporate elements of Feng Sui to convert your room into a sanctuary.

Part 1 Planning and Reorganizing.

1. Make a 2-dimensional floor plan of your room and furniture. Use a tape measure to measure the dimensions of your room (length and width). On a piece of graphing paper, draw a scale image of room where 3 grid squares = 4 inches or 1/3rd of a foot.

Include in your floor plan the location and size of doors, windows, closets, fireplaces, etc.

Make scale drawings of furniture on a separate piece of paper. Measure the length and width of any large pieces of furniture (e.g. bed, dresser, couch).

Cut these out and rearrange them in your drawing to see how much space you have to work with.

Carry this plan and furniture cut-outs with you if go shopping or "dumpster diving", so you know if you have enough space for something before bringing it home.

2. Make a list of design ideas. In a search engine such as Google or Bing, type in "easy bedroom decorating ideas" or "cheap bedroom diy".

Before starting a project you find online, write-out the instructions and compile a list of materials, including tools.

Gather together any tools or materials you need before beginning your project.

3. Clean your room. Create more space and reorganize by getting rid of anything that is unnecessary or outdated.

Clean out and organize your closet, under your bed, and other places in your room where stuff has accumulated.

Donate any furniture, clothing, or electronics that are in good condition. A good rule of thumb is to donate or throw out anything you haven't worn or used in the past year.

4. Rearrange or add furniture. Create more space in your bedroom by moving your bed against the wall or place a comfortable chair next to the window to make a comfy reading nook.

You want everything currently in your bedroom to fit comfortably before adding anything new, especially if you have a small bedroom.

Add a bed skirt so you can store things under your bed without them being seen.

Switch-out a bedside table with one that has drawers for storage or several shelves to hold books.

5. Maximize the storage potential of your bedroom. Create additional space by installing extra shelving in your closet or purchasing a combination of plastic and decorative storage bins.

Attach hooks or shoe bags to the back of doors.

Use the vertical space in your closet to install high shelves as a space to store out-of-season clothes and accessories.

Decide what you want to place in each storage bin and label it. Use these labels to avoid throwing anything in a bin that does not belong. This will help you stay organized.

Arrange storage bins on a shelf or the bottom shelf of a bookcase for easy access. If the bin is in a visible location, use a decorative canvas bin or wicker basket.

6. Rearrange your bedroom according to the principles of Feng Sui. Your bed should be raised off the floor and if possible, avoid placing it in an area that receives direct sunlight during the day.

Do not place mirrors opposite your bed.

Stimulate your other senses by adding lightly scented candles or spraying diluted essential oils. Lavender has been shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure.

7. Create a more relaxing space. Replace any light bulbs that emit a bluish light with soft white LED bulbs. Blue light stimulates brain activity and may make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Look through your house for lamps that have LED soft white bulbs and swap them with bulbs from your bedroom. Most interior lamps use 40- or 60-watt bulbs, but check first before exchanging a light bulb from another lamp.

Incorporate warm, bright colors as accessories (lamps, vases, pillows, etc.), but do not make them the dominate color in your bedroom.

Part 2 Decorating with Re-purposed or Recycled Items.

1. Find free things. Find a freecycle network within your area or ask friends and relatives for old unwanted items.

Look for furniture made from real wood that can be refinished.[9]

Unless it is in good condition, avoid second-hand plywood, particle board, or laminate furniture. While these surfaces can be cleaned and repainted, refinishing techniques such as sanding or sawing can release airborne pollutants such as formaldehyde.

2. Go to garage sales. Check your local newspaper or Craigslist for garage sales in or near your neighborhood.

You are more likely to find things for free if you go later in the day, preferably after 12:00 p.m.

3. Ask for old swatch books at the wallpaper store. Use recycled wallpaper to decoupage old lamps, vases, or furniture for free.

You can also use wallpaper to line shelves or the bottoms of drawers.

4. Move furniture and art from other places in the house for a fun change. For example, move a bookshelf from the living room to your bedroom.

Look for design inspiration in your own house. Use a painting, decorative pillow, piece of clothing, or floor rug as the basis for a new design theme or color palette in your room.

Ask permission from housemates before moving anything.

Part 3 Making Your Own Bedroom Accessories.

1. Make your own throw pillows. Throw pillows make a great accent piece and can add color. However, store bought pillows are often expensive. While having sewing skills or access to a sewing machine are helpful, they are not necessary.

Make a 'no sew pillow' by using two pieces of felt that are the same.[14] Place the felt pieces together and use scissors to cut 2 inch wide by 5 inch long strips along the edges. Leave a square at each corner. Tie the strips together around an insert pillow or cotton batting.

Use two t-shirts that hold sentimental value, but don't fit anymore to make a pillow. Cut-out a square or rectangular piece (depending on what shape and size you want your pillow) from each shirt. Place the two pieces together and sew together three of the four sides. Stuff with cotton batting or even other t-shirts before sewing the final edge.

You can also stuff a pillow with fabric scraps or use an old pillow as an insert pillow.

2. Make your own curtains. Drape fabric over the top and down the side of a curtain rod and then slide a valance or swag over the rod.

If you live in an area with a lot of light-pollution from streetlights, signs, car headlights, etc., you might want to use darker fabric to block outside light. Too much light exposure at dusk or at night can disrupt your body's natural sleep-wake cycle, known as its circadian rhythm.

Make your own curtain rings. Attach your curtains to the rod by tying hooks with fabric, rope, or ribbon. You can also dress-up cheap curtain wrings by wrapping them in different colored fabric.

Use a bed sheet to make a curtain ruffle that can be sewed onto the top or bottom of your curtains.

Use inexpensive small hooks, pegs or doorknobs to "hang" or tie curtains off to the side.

3. Make your own flower arrangement. Search garage sales, flea markets, and second-hand shops for silk flowers, or cut and dry real flowers.

Make an arrangement of dried grasses and wildflowers found along the roadside.Cut the flower and at least 8 inches of stem when they are in peak-bloom. Remove any leaves along the stem. Tie the flowers together with a piece of twine and hang them upside down in a dark, cool, dry place until completely dry, about 2-3 weeks.

4. Make a jewelry tree for your dresser. Arrange several dry branches in a vase. Fill the vase with pebbles for stability. Decorate the tree by draping earrings, necklaces and bracelets over the branches.

5. Hang some of your drawings, paintings or old calendar pictures on the walls. They don't necessarily need a frame. Attach them to the wall with a couple of common pins or mount them with poster board or foam board.

6. Experiment with DIY design ideas. Make a decorative mat or bureau scarf.

Stylize a plain lampshade by wrapping it in metallic ribbon, wrap it in gauzy fabric, or cover it in old maps or pages from your favorite book.

Make a mobile of odds and ends to hang from the ceiling. Attach old keys or origami birds with string to a metal coat hanger. This adds a fun, whimsical atmosphere to the room.

Question : I share a room with my sister and my mom wouldn't allow some of these ideas, but a few might do! Anything else?
Answer : I love some of these, but you need to agree with your sister. If you two agree, and your mom says no, ask her why she doesn't want that idea. She must have a good reason. A cute idea that she won't say no to is to put some books on your shelf landscape-way with up to five on each other, and put a few trinkets, such as glass animals, on top.

Question : My room is awesome, but my brothers always enter it without permission and break stuff and open my drawers. I have tried reasoning with them, and my parents won't stop them either. What do I do?
Answer : Try to save up money to get locks, either to get installed on your bedroom door or on your drawers. Also, find a hiding place to put your most valuable stuff. Remember, the harder you look, the harder they'll look, so go simple.

Question : How can I make space in my room?
Answer : Make sure everything is picked up off the floors, and get rid of all the old things you do not want.

Question : What are some ideas for DIY projects for small rooms?
Answer : You can make the room calmer or brighter to make it appear bigger by using washi tape to cover light switches or plugs. You could also make decorations with washi tape or cardboard for your door.

Question : I don't have a lot of money. What can I do for free?
Answer : You can use some of your own drawings or paintings or even some from another room to accessorize. You could also ask family members who have a garden for some nice flowers or plants to decorate. Go to a garage sale and look at what they have for some possible ideas as well.

Question : Can I have an example of some DIY projects?
Answer : You could do something as simple as decorating a simple lamp with some fabric or even writing quotes or putting accessories on a dresser. There are endless possibilities.

Question : Where can I get free suggestions on how to decorate my room?
Answer : There are a lot of online sights that offer decorating techniques. You can take an old dresser or desk and make it a decorative piece by writing quotes or drawing on it for decor.

Question : How should I decorate a loft bed?
Answer : Buy some nice sheets or reuse some from a garage sale or even at your own house. Go to a garage sale to find some decorative pillows or throws to add. You could even use some fabric to make a curtain for around it.

Question : I share a room with my sister and we have different tastes, how do I decorate?
Answer : You can always decorate your half of the room! If that's not convenient, then add a few small touches that don't clash with your sister's style. You could also just talk it over with your sister and try to compromise, there's got to be a few things you can agree on!

Question : How do I get teenage room decor for free with DIY?
Answer : Use the tips here to create things that vibe with the teen's style.

Tips.

Spray paint any mismatched furniture to match your room's décor.

Turn a wall into a chalkboard by painting it with chalkboard paint, or designate one wall as an art wall and paint what ever you want.

Minimize damage to walls when hanging pictures or posters by using blue sticky tack or reusable adhesive hooks. You can also buy an inexpensive picture or mirror hanging kit from a hardware store.

Turn a twin bed into a daybed by pushing it against the wall and placing pillows along the back edge.

Keep your room feeling fresh by washing bed sheets and pillow cases at least once a week.

Make a wall collage using photos, posters and anything cute.

Turn on your favorite music and renew your spirit along with your room. Music can change a room's atmosphere completely without any need for redecoration.

Planning is the most important first step for any redecorating or DIY project.

Select a theme or color scheme and stick to it. This will help you stick to your budget by preventing you from buying anything that does not 'go'.

Remember if you are under-aged or living in someone else's house, ask permission before decorating.



Warnings.

Be careful moving furniture. Ask for help if you think you may need it. Strained backs or broken toes are never fun.

Always let someone else use a nail and hammer if you're inexperienced. Throbbing thumbs or cracked walls certainly don't add much to a room.

Refrain from using power tools unless you have received proper training or obtain guidance from someone who is experience. Always wear a face mask when stripping old paint or sanding furniture.

Januari 15, 2020

how to fake expensive decor

How to Fake Expensive Decor.

A well-designed room looks expensive even if it isn’t. Before you invest in decorative try to come up with a theme or scheme for the room. Once you have identified what you want your room to look like, search for economical pieces that look classy and expensive. If you’re not having much luck finding pieces in stores, you can make your own. The following steps provide some ideas and advice, get started at step number one below.







Designing a Room that Looks Expensive.



Choose a unifying theme. A well-coordinated room will look expensive even if the elements of the décor are cheap. Choose a theme that will tie together your room. This will help you look for inexpensive pieces while making it seem as though you have paid an interior decorator. Rooms that seem confused, cluttered, and mismatched have the look of cheap rather than luxury even if the pieces are lovely. For example:

A beach-themed room would have pictures of the ocean, shell decorations, and a blue-green palette.

A rustic, woodsy theme would have wood detailing, paintings of landscapes, and an earthy palette.

Industrial themes use repurposed items, steel accents, and sharp edges to give the room a more modern edge. Gray, brick red, and black are popular colors.

Minimalism is a popular and trendy design scheme where you use as few pieces as possible to decorate your room. Simple furniture and white or neutral colors will make the room look as though it could feature in a magazine, likes Home and Garden, but the style is inexpensive to recreate.



Focus on a neutral color palette. Stick with white or light neutral shades, such as brown or gray, for the base color. Your walls and larger furniture pieces should belong to this color scheme. For example, you might have beige walls with white doors and gray furniture. Your feature elements will stand out against neutral colors more, which will make them seem more prominent. Some neutral colors you can mix and match include:

Gray.

Slate Blue.

Taupe.

Soft yellow.

Off-white shades like ivory and cream.

Coffee brown.

Tan.

Beige.



Add accent pieces. Accent pieces are small decorative items that contrast with your neutral color scheme. They are usually either brightly colored or patterned. Accent pieces can be easily and cheaply be replaced if you ever change your style. Make sure all of your accent pieces are the same color for maximum effect. Some items you might consider for accents include:

Vases.

Pillows or cushions.

Blankets or throws.

Picture Frames.

Ottoman.

Tablecloths.

Flowers.

Figurines.

Striped, dotted, or chevron patterned objects.



Choose a focal point. A focal point is a piece of furniture, art, or object that is the primary decoration in the room. Having one grand piece will draw attention to it, making it seem important and pricey. A room in which there is no clear focus tends to feel cheap. [2] Some good focal points for a room include:

A large painting.

A unique table.

Two retro mod chairs.

A wall decal.

Full-length book shelves.

An ornate mirror.



Consider getting rid of dated details. To some, the key to making décor seem expensive is to follow modern trends. To help your room remain stylish and cool, you should reduce the dated elements of its décor. Some common out-of-style elements include:

Vertical window blinds.

Formica tables.

Clear plastic furniture.

Furniture painted to resemble marble or stone.

Broken or damaged items such as torn posters, cracked vases, or splintered wood.

Obviously, antiques can lend an expensive looking touch to any room, especially if it is an family piece you have inherited and haven't had to pay for. As long your antiques are in good condition and tie in with the rest of the room's dėcor, keep them. Don't ditch them just because they are old. It "is" possible to combine modern and antique pieces in a room.



Avoid clutter. Ironically, having less" clutter in a room makes the overall impression that of luxury. You do not want a room that is filled with furniture and decorative items and resembles a second hand shop. Limit how many decorative pieces display. This creates the impression that you spent more on a few, expensive items instead of buying many cheaper items. When placing your decorative items around the room, keep a little bit of space between each item.



Decorative shelves should ideally not be crammed with items. It's tempting to fill that space with stuff. Instead, only fill 1/2 to 3/4 of the space, leaving some empty space.

Keep your surfaces, such as coffee tables, counters, and TV stands mostly clear.

Choose only one or two items to place on these surfaces.

For example, you might keep a lamp on a side table with a single picture frame but nothing else.

If in doubt, remove. Try taking out a piece of furniture. See what happens if the coffee table is simply moved to the another room. Or see what happens if you remove throw pillows/cushions. You may find that less is more.









Finding Cheaper Alternatives.



Visit thrift stores. Thrift stores, charity shops, consignments, estate sales, and antique stores will often have old vintage or antiques items that are much cheaper than new. This is a great way to get inexpensive but quality items, such as wooden tables or embroidered chairs.

Old wooden furniture can always be repainted. If you find a piece that is chipped or faded, you can paint it to match your color palette.

You may find interesting and unusual items in these stores and shops. These will seem expensive because they are unique. For example, you might find a lunchbox from the 60s with old superheroes on it, or you might discover an antique milk pail that you can use for flowers.



Shop online. Websites like eBay, Craigslist, and Gumtree allow people to sell their old furniture and decorative items. Search through these sites to see if you can snag a deal. It may take a little while to find the perfect deal, but you may be able to score a truly expensive piece for very little money.



Search online for less expensive replicas. If there is a more expensive piece that you have your eye on, you might be able to find a cheaper replica online. Search for words that are associated with the original piece.

For example, you might type, “cheap crystal chandelier” to see what pops up.



Print out your own art. If you can’t afford originals of art, you can buy prints from the internet. If the artwork is in the public domain, you can even print out your own copy at a print shop, and frame it yourself. This is a great way to get quality reproductions of famous art pieces in your own home without paying a fortune.

When sending the work to the print shop, make sure you send an HD copy so that you get the best image possible.

You can also tear out images from an old calendar and frame them. This is a great way to reuse an old calendar, and the images are all professional quality.



Repurpose items. You might find interesting pieces that can be used for a different purpose than intended. These pieces can be a focal point for your room if you choose. Transform your old furniture, or keep an eye out for things that can become tables, wall hangings, or accent pieces. You might.

Use an old luggage trunk as a coffee table.

Hang antique dinner plates on the wall.

Drape an old quilt over a chair.

Frame vintage fashion magazines images.

Make shelves out of old wooden planks.

Position a TV on a painted crate.









Making Your Own Décor.



Assemble your own built-in bookcases. Floor-to-ceiling length bookshelves may seem expensive, but you can replicate the effect without purchasing high-end custom furniture. Measure your wall. Instead of building one giant bookcase, purchase four identical smaller bookcases that will fit in that space. Place two side by side for the base, and stack the other two on top. Be sure to bolt all four bookcases to the wall for stability.



Wallpaper the inside of your bookcase. An easy way to add a customized twist to an old bookcase is to wallpaper the back of the shelves. Find a wallpaper that matches your theme or color scheme. Cut the wallpaper to size of the backing of each shelf. Paste it on using wallpaper paste. Let it dry before you put items back on the shelves.

If you are using the bookcase to display decorative objects like vases or figurines, you might want to choose a solid color for the wallpaper, so that more attention is drawn to your collection.

If you are just using the shelves for books, you can choose a bold pattern, such as chevron stripes, polka dots, or a floral design. This will make the shelves an accent piece in their own right.



Paint your own tile backsplash. Small ceramic tiles are great for decorating the backsplash of kitchens or bathrooms, but decorated tiles are expensive. Plain white ceramic tiles, on the other hand, can be cheap. With a little time and effort, you can turn tiles into something stunning and extravagant.

Find a stencil of a design you like, such as a fleur-de-lis or a bird. Press the stencil down on the tile, and paint over the design. Let the tile dry, and you have an easy, beautiful tile. You can then adhere it to the wall using tile mastic.

Good places for painted tile backsplashes include underneath cabinets or above a countertop. Do not paint the tiles on your floor or along your shower or bath. Too much water damage can ruin the paint.



Use fake flowers instead of real. Fresh flowers are beautiful, but they can become costly. Instead, look for convincing fake flowers. Put together your own centerpiece, and arrange them in an inexpensive vase. You have an easy, reusable centerpiece.

Go for flowers that look as close to real as possible. You might even be able to find ones that also feel soft and natural. Your guests probably will not know the difference.

You can swap out flowers for each season and event, reusing the same flowers every year. Friends probably will not notice, but it will make it seem as though you are constantly updating your centerpiece.

Artificial flowers can easily become dusty. If so they do not look luxurious. Also, this can be problematic for allergy sufferers and asthmatics



Fill a vase to make a centerpiece. Vases are easy to find, and they can be relatively inexpensive. To help jazz up an empty vase, you can fill it with some small items. This will add a touch of character to your décor without costing a ton of money. Some things you can fill it with include:

Potpourri.

Shells.

Pieces of coral.

Marbles.

Buttons.

Sticks.

Wine corks.



Repaint frames. Nice picture frames can be expensive, but you can manage a high quality look without paying a lot of money. Find inexpensive picture frames at a dollar store, craft store, or thrift store. Paint the frames with a color or design that pleases you.

Gold and silver paint are easy to find if you want a more distinguished shade.

You can add words as you like such as “Sisters” or “Friends Forever.” This will make it seem personalized.

Painting designs on your frames gives them a unique look. You can paint stripes, dots, or other easy geometric shapes.





Tips.

The most important thing is that the room looks good to you. If you like the way the room looks, you do not have to worry so much if it appears expensive or not.

While you should invest in good furniture pieces, such as sofas and tables, you can go cheap on accessories, like pillows and artwork, without people noticing.

If you are making your own décor, you should choose projects that you know you can complete at your skill level.

Always measure your space before buying new décor or furniture to make sure that it will fit.

Try leaving a little bit of space between furniture and other objects to make the room seem larger than it is.

November 13, 2019