“Company’s coming and my place doesn’t look right…”

You know how it goes, you have visitors coming tonight. You’ve
cleaned every room in the house (well, maybe not the bedroom).
You’ve planned the menu, and…it’s just not quite right. Perhaps
you’ve been hankering for a change or maybe it strikes you out
of the air, the room needs Something, but what?

Here’s five fast tips for when that re-decorating demon strikes
and you haven’t the budget or time to do much.

You can likely do all of these ideas for significantly less than
$50, but because they are simple, I’ll explain along the way
what makes the difference.

1)Fresh Flowers You don’t need a $50 bouquet to make a room, but
a stale look will get an instant boost with a bit of living,
breathing, greenery. Consider a $20 tropical, large enough to
fill in an empty corner, and spend another $20 on a colorful
bunch of fresh cut flowers (if you shop well, you can even get
the vase). This will give your room instant punch!

2)Bowl of Fruit & Table Cloth If you’re at the market anyway,
don’t overlook the zest and color that a large bowl of fresh
fruit lends to the kitchen, dining room, or even the coffee
table. Great look that works well in all decors; fill a pottery
dish with a variety, or a tall glass vase with a single fruit
(ie: lemons or limes) or even line up a row of green apples
along the coffee or dining table for a contemporary feel. And
since fruit is inexpensive, give yourself a shot of change by
selecting a new table linen in the trendiest color of the season
to give your room a real lift or invest in a crisp white or
cream cloth for a classic look.

3)Baskets You don’t have to be a country girl (or guy) to
appreciate the cozy look of baskets. Even the most modern room
can benefit from a bit of wood or rattan. But the main purpose
here is to hide clutter. You’ll feel so refreshed if you add a
few baskets to fill with magazines, toys or hobby material. It’s
the easiest way to contain the everyday clutter that you can’t
stow away. And clearing space is always a good look!

4)Throw Cushions I’d bet you could find two throw cushions for
less than $50, so if you do, add a throw blanket as well. Cheap
and shamefully easy, this is the way to go if you’re ready to
make more of a statement. Great opportunity to bring some
contrast into a dull room, consider light pillows for a dark
room, dark pillows for a light one, and absolutely try adding a
trendy color to a neutral room. And at this price, you can
change it next season!

5)Paint Admittedly for the more ambitious, this is a fantastic
way to create a stunning look in little time. However, this is
an article on FAST ideas, so let’s not tackle the whole room
right now. If company’s coming this weekend, try a new look by
painting a feature wall a stunning but complementary color (ie:
the fireplace wall, that blank wall behind the couch…you get the
idea.) Or even tape off a smaller section (this is called color
blocking) to focus attention on a collection of pictures, or
behind a mirror, or around the fireplace.

To all those with the decorating fever, I wish you speedy
recovery and an enjoyable project!