Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

Home Décor for Pennies

I get a lot of email asking for frugal ways to make over a room for less. Typically, if an emailer hasn’t given me much information, I will email them some questions to get an idea of the theme or atmosphere they currently have (a picture is always helpful ladies) and what changes they are going for in the overall room. I so enjoy the “thank you” emails when I send them a final list of simple and frugal ways that they can create an entirely different room for just a few dollars, and many times for FREE! This can be accomplished in a variety of ways.

One of the best responded to “I never thought of that,” ideas is when choosing colors for rooms. Painting a room is a relatively inexpensive way of changing the entire mood of a room. I think we can all agree with that statement. But who wants to paint their room every other year? I am the daughter of a master painter and I loathe painting. The moving of the furniture, the turmoil it creates in my home, the constant interruptions form littletons, the smell, the mess, the clean up, I could go on and on about what I don’t like about painting a room. However it is still one of the most cost effective ways that you can make a big change for small monetary investment. But did you know you can stretch that investment even further by choosing your color scheme carefully?

Once I get a feel for the atmosphere a person is trying to achieve in a room and ask if they will be changing wall color, I ask if they want to repaint every couple of years. The answer is usually no. I also take time to find out if she is the type who likes to change up an entire room regularly. Oddly, the answer to this question is yes. The definition of “regularly” seems to be different, but the thought process is the same. For some women regularly means every 2 months or so and yet for others it can mean seasonally, or annually. If you fall into any of these categories with a little thought and planning before choosing your next wall color can be simple and frugal beyond your wildest dreams!

Choose a wall color that is a great canvas for the décor of your room. You don’t want the walls to be the focus, you want the accents to be the focus, such as furniture, art, window dressings, etc. This is a very simple way to decorate a room without decorating. BUT you need to think further. Think about how you like to change a room when the time comes. If you like to change furniture, or change up decorations seasonally, think about the home décor you own. Do you change up a throw blanket and pillows to match the season? Do you change up all of the art work? Perhaps you change the table dressings? Maybe you do a combination of things. Think about the color schemes for each of the seasonal items you change within the room. Now, look at your original wall color choice? Does it compliment all of those seasonal decorations? If not, change the “canvas” color. The options for paint colors are so great that you will be able to find a color that compliments all of your décor changes. With a little thought and planning you can choose a color that will accent each change giving the room an entirely new look with each season for years to come. Keep this looking fresh by dusting your walls on a bi-monthly basis. Also, make note of areas that have a tendency for grime build up and be sure to clean them each month. This will keep the room looking fresh and you won’t have to paint for several years, no matter how you change the room. Simply Frugal!

These are my thoughts.