How To - DIY Decorating

When I moved home after college, my bedroom was a nightmare. The walls were painted in neon colors thanks to my outlandish teenage whims, and I still had a painting hanging up from when I was a baby (it involves teddy bears and balloons...). The blinds clashed with the paint (well, pretty much everything clashed with the paint, to be honest), my comforter was the same one I'd used since pre-school, and I had a T.V. from the dark ages sitting on my dresser, complete with taped-on antennae. I'm still in the midst of fixing it up, but I thought I'd share with you some of the projects I've done and show you how easy it can be to transform a room on a budget. All you need is a little DIY know-how and some elbow grease.

1. Painting: Always start with the paint. Why? Because it's not only the cheapest way to update a room, but it also makes the largest impact. Don't be afraid to take some risks with your paint. After all, you can always paint over your mistakes. I took the plunge and painted stripes on my walls using a chalk line and some painters tape.

2. Embellish a lampshade: I used to look at lampshades as a necessary evil; they don't do much except take up space. Now, however, I look at them as blank canvases upon which you can leave your mark.

3. Make Wall Art: Decorating your walls is as simple as grouping some framed photographs together. I used a decoupage project that involved wooden plaques, paint, scrapbook paper, and Mod Podge.

4. Change up your bedding: Duvet covers are basically the best invention since, well, duvets. They cost much less than buying a whole new duvet and you can change them out at every whim. Or if you're up for a challenge you can make your own! Pillows are one of the easiest things to make, especially if you're new to sewing.

5. Refashion your Furniture: I'm planning on delving into the world of furniture painting. Of course I couldn't neglect to mention decoupage as an option, since I'm clearly obsessed with it.

6. Whip up some window treatments: Right now I'm up to my elbows in ruffles as I attempt to sew my own curtains (I've got to cover up those clashing blinds!). I got the idea from a shower curtain project, and I actually used some tips from a T-shirt refashioning tutorial.

Karisa Tell is an Editor for http://www.FaveCrafts.com - a popular online resource for all things crafting, from Christmas crafts and crafting with kids to free knitting patterns and free crochet patterns.