The Rural Voice, 1993-02, Page 39Home Decorating
Redecorating doesn't mean big expense
by Kendra Krauter
As February approaches I am start-
ing to get the "February Blahs"! In
all good conscience I should not allow
this to happen; I have even had a little
holiday down
south ... but
what can a girl
do when the
walls start to
bother her??? I
thought that I
could maybe
give you a few
ideas of how to
change your
surroundings
without spend-
ing a lot of cash.
Most times
when we hear
the word "Rede-
corate" it is synonymous with major
renovations and major dollars. It can
be, but there are also many things you
can do to your home without taking
out a second mortgage. First let's
consider just rearranging the furniture
that you have in your room. I know
some rooms just have no hope, or
there is just no other way the pieces
will fit. Consider moving a few
pieces out from the wall. People
seem to think that if it is back flat
against the wall the room will appear
larger. Not necessarily so. By mov-
ing the furniture out a few inches, or
running it on an angle, you are
creating shadows that actually give a
new perspective to the room.
Maybe you need to move a unit of
furniture to or from another area in
the house. Sometimes we get so used
to seeing a chair or table in a certain
spot we overlook the possibility of
using it in another area in the house.
If you have a fairly large living room
it is interesting to rearrange the furni-
ture in conversational groupings,
reading areas, or musical spots
around the piano. If you are lucky
enough to have a fireplace, arrange a
couple of chairs, love seat or sofa so
you can watch the fire.
Next let's create a collage on a
wall that needs a change. Often
times we have a few small- to medi-
um-sized pictures in various places
Little
touches
help atot
J
throughout the house, or in the attic,
that might make a unique grouping.
Gather a few different shaped items
together, such as a small shelf, a little
mirror, a wreath, and a candle sconce,
that complement the pictures. I sug-
gest that you do a sketch of how you
would like it to look when you are
finished. It is much easier to make
the adjustments on paper than trying
to fill all those nail holes!! When
your plan is pleasing to your eye, do
a little measuring and get it centered
and spaced on the wall.
I am sure everyone has a wallpa-
per border somewhere in their house.
It is a very simple way to add an
updated look to a painted wall. There
are thousands of borders to choose
from, some very inexpensive, some
just out of sight for cost. They can be
placed at the ceiling, dropped down
from the ceiling to picture rail height,
chair rail height, around door and
window frames, and for a more mod-
ern -contemporary look run the bor-
ders on angles in an abstract design.
When choosing a border just keep in
mind the width. Will it work where
you want it to go? Take into consid-
eration the width of your woodwork,
and if you are going around windows
and doors make sure the pattern looks
okay, going up hill and down, and
that it will mitre at the corners.
Stencilling is another way to en-
hance a room, and can be used in the
same application as borders. The
benefit of the stencil is that it can be
co-ordinated with your colours, and
as well can be made to match a pat-
tern in your sofa, chair, or bedspread.
There is much more versatility if you
choose stencilling. If you are not into
a do-it-yourself project, there are
folks out there that do offer this ser- '
vice, and the cost is usually around
the same as borders.
I have many more ideas to make
inexpensive changes to your home
but I'll save them for another time.
Remember, if you have any decorat-
ing questions that you would like
help with, drop me a note c/o The
Rural Voice, P.O. Box 429, 136
Queen St. S., Blyth, ON NOM 11-10.
'Til next month!O
Kendra Krauter is a qualified interior
decorator who lives near Ethel, ON.
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FEBRUARY 1993 35