July 12, 2004

By: Dennis Orwell
Website: http://www.1st-in-home-decor.com

Fresh Spring Tips For Decorating On A Budget: Makeover Any Room

With winter quickly becoming a distant memory, spring brings the time for renewal and re-decorating! Don’t think you have the bucks to make a big difference in your home?

Not true, says home décor expert Dana Poor, Cotton Incorporated's Home Trend Forecaster, Take a look at your bathroom, there’s always room for improvement there! It’s a great place to start for people that have a small budget and haven’t undertaken a home decorating project before. It’s usually a pretty well-defined space and a few updates can make a big difference.

Color also plays a big part in bringing your bathroom into spring. When thinking about this year’s spring color palette, I am seeing a lot of greens, bold pinks and muted oranges for fabrics and home decorations, says Poor. But we all know that white will never go out of style!

Still thinking this task may be insurmountable? Poor suggests the following four-step approach:

Step One: Choose a Color Palette – In a smaller space like a bathroom, keep it simple. A maximum of four colors at most. Lighter colors will give you more of a spa-like feeling, but darker colors can make it more dramatic. A good rule of thumb: choose fabrics – for a shower curtain, towels, window treatments or scatter rugs – first, then a paint color. It’s easier to match paint to fabric than the other way around.

Step Two: Clear the Decks – De-clutter as much as possible. Keep accessories to a minimum and find a place to tuck personal care products out of sight. Just doing this alone will often make your bathroom feel like a new room!

Step Three: Create a Focal Point - Most bathrooms center around the vanity. But if you have one that you don’t like or can’t afford to replace, you can change the focal point. Try adding some bold artwork – like we did in our recent makeover – using some great Marimekko cotton fabric stretched over an inexpensive canvas. There’s a great how-to guide on TheFabricofOurLives.com.

And Finally Step Four: Keep it Simple – Be careful when working with patterns, especially in a small space. Steer clear of small, busy patterns and go for larger-scaled, bold prints. Also, limit the number of accent elements – less is more.

With these easy and helpful hints in mind, Cotton Incorporated is sponsoring a bathroom makeover promotion with retail outfit Bed, Bath and Beyond. Go to www.fabricofourlives.com, and enter for a chance to win a bathroom makeover! The winner will receive up to $300 worth of merchandise from Bed, Bath & Beyond – but better yet, Poor will be traveling to their home to design and conduct the makeover. Hurry though, because the chance to enter ends April 15, 2004!

About The Author:

Dennis Orwell is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-home-decor.com.  Home decorating tips and ideas to showcase any room with style.