The first of these design elements is so basic and yet so under-utilized that it is almost laughable, and just so happens to be the cheapest tool you can use to enhance the appearance of your home. PAINT. Before we can design any other element in our home we must first set the tone and depth of the backdrop. We have to paint the interior of any design area to enhance all other design elements. Before we can furnish or accessorize any room in the house we have to paint first. Color trends have changed and if it has been awhile since you last painted your home, you may want to give serious attention to this basic but necessary design tool. There are many more wonderful colors to choose from now and the colors you choose will set the mood and the backdrop for any home design plan. (We have some suggestions on how to use color to compliment you home on our web site).
The second fundamental tool that will make or break your interior design plans is your choice of window coverings. Here again we see that so many times we look right past this basic design element and focus on things that really do not make the impact that a proper WINDOW COVERING can achieve. Installing the proper window covering in the right colors will add depth and perspective to your overall design and the effect is phenomenal. Once again, if it has been some years since you updated your window coverings, you may find that other attempts at enhancing your home fall flat because of an outdated covering or color. Most window dressing is inexpensive and the current trend is toward the most simple of styles, so this means less money you have to shell out to update your home design.
The last tool I would like to discuss is also just as important as the first two and yet so often overlooked that literally we walk all over it. You must update your FLOORING. You can do all you want with furnishings and such, but if you set everything on and against a backdrop of outdated flooring and flooring colors, you have pretty much just wasted your time. What is that I hear? Someone is complaining about the cost of updating to modern flooring. You can update your floors without spending a fortune. Many hard surface floors, such as laminate, are designed to be installed by the homeowner, as a do-it-yourself project and this saves you money. Still too much for you to spend right now? Let me ask you this. Would most of you drive around in a twenty-year old car? No! And yet many of us think nothing of walking around on twenty years of dust, dirt, allergens and just plain outdated color. Your home and your family deserve better. If you are renting or living in a dorm or other such circumstance, you simply cannot replace that outdated floor. Or can you? If all else is impractical, then consider using an AREA RUG. They come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and can be the perfect solution to your flooring problem. It is a fact, that you will not browse any interior design magazine without seeing an area rug on the floor. That is how important they are to home design. You will also be pleasantly surprised at how reasonably priced rugs can be.
There are many area rugs on the market that are definitely cheap. Now let's not go too cheap though, because an area rug is a design element that can last a lifetime. And it's portable. You can always take it with you, or move it to another area when you adjust your home design. Rug styles also last, they don't become outdated the way that other design elements can. And the best news is that a good quality wool rug does not have to cost a fortune. We feature 10'x13' area rugs on our web site that are less than $500.00. This is quality and economy that will last a long time in your home. Many of these rugs were designed to last twenty-five years or more.
