PonderEthereal

We’ve lived here for a full year. But right when we moved in, I was renovating the shop space… and then I was working 7 days a week and yada yada. So… I’m finally moving in. I’m not a decorating diva but I enjoy doing it and I’m really good at intuitive energy flow of a space. I’ve picked up some tricks for pulling a room up a few notches on a budget and portably, in case we move again (sigh). I did all of this for under $200 and did it in spurts over about a week. I wish I had before and after pics. Who am I kidding.. I never take pictures of anything these days. But it’s a really HUGE difference. It’s actually starting to seem like a home that someone put some thought into planning instead of a rental.

Inside

• Paint 2-3 accent walls a color other than white or off white. Choose a color that makes you feel good and at least remotely matches the tone of the room. You can pick up a gallon of flat paint for pretty cheap - or check the ‘oops’ paint at Walmart, which are shades that they custom mixed but didnt use for one reason or another and are usually about half off. 1 gallon can do a room give or take depending upon the size of the room. It takes about 2 hours to paint a room and it doesn’t take long for a flat latex to dry (the first wall is just about dry by the time you’ve finished the last).
• Change your couch’s throw cushions. You can pick up inexpensive replacements at Anna’s Linens or Target.
• Add a colorful throw rug or change out your neutral door mat for a more colorful, decorative one.
• You’ve lived in your current place for a while and you know what works and doesn’t work about your furniture… move stuff around. Swap bookshelves or move the entertainment center and the couch around.
• Add something ‘living’ to each room. A table top fountain, a large candle that can burn regularly or a plant - or all three. Wind chimes can be nice hung from the ceiling.
• Add a wall shelf with an object or two to a blank wall.
• For a couple more dollars, opt for nicer looking frames for posters or pictures. If your walls are white, the frames will stick out. A cheap frame looks cheap and brings the whole room down whereas, a nicer frame adds a lot to the whole room. Faux finishing existing frames is easy and can add a look of quality. Mat posters and pictures before framing them. Keep an eye on Michael’s for their 50% off frames and framing events.

Outside

• If the yard is sparse, run a rake over the bare spots and scatter grass seed. Scatter yard fertilizer over the whole thing and water it. Give it a few days. Here in Cali, look for a drought resistant grass.
• If you’re low on time or you aren’t a green thumb, look for drought resistant (ie: you don’t have to water it), flowering ground cover for beds. My favorite is ice plant. This can work in planters too. In fact, this year, I finally planted the ones I’ve had in trough planters for several years.
• Pick up a set of 4 solar powered lights for your garden or to line a path. I like the ones with the yellow led (v/s blueish white) and the smoked cover because it looks like flame. They have a very gentle glow but enough to look very nice at night. A set of 4 is about $15. They don’t have any wiring and take about 5 minutes of install time.
• I put a water garden pot in one of my bed arrangements. Get a water garden bowl, drop a couple of water lilies in it (you can get them at Lowes of Home Depot) and fill it with water. They grow on their own and the whole thing requires very little maintenance and has a really neat look to it.