Creating a room – Where to start?

As the last of the summer sunshine disappears with the flip of the calendar page, I find myself stuck inside the increasingly dreary walls of my home.  I long for the vibrant colors of springtime.  Not one for patience, my thoughts quickly turn toward re-decorating.  The outside may be cold and gray, but I can bring a splash of color inside.  The big question though is: Where to start?

I love the clean coordinated looks you see in designer show rooms but, being a normal person, I don’t have the budget to buy all new things.  I don’t really need to in order to get the look I want anyway.  A few well-chosen accent pieces, some paint and I am on my way to giving this room a whole new look.

One way to coordinate a room is through a favorite piece of artwork. This season I want to bring in the feel of spring so I am going to start with a stained glass window.  It will focus the dull winter light into soft pleasant colors, be a beautiful centerpiece for the room and give me a pallet to work with.

I don’t do wall paper.  It is expensive, a pain to put up and an even bigger pain to take down. Paint, in my mind, is the way to go.  When picking a look to the window I have chosen and pick something I like from it.  I want something light colored to keep with my spring in winter theme, so choose the pale greenish blue of the upper sky behind the magnolia leaves.  This will let the walls blend in to the coloring of the window, but the window will still be a focal point.

Almost all of my furniture is wood.  No matter what color I decide to change the room to, it fits in.  I do have one piece, a side table, that isn’t in very good condition any more.  I’ve decided to paint this piece.  Again I turn toward my window.  I have chosen the deep bluish purple in the iris.  Once this is done the restored piece will tie into the room.

My living room’s “dirty little secret” is my sofa.  It has got to be the ugliest piece of furniture ever made.  No one knows this because it hasn’t been seen in years.  I use a sofa cover.  I can sew, so I make my own, but you can buy them at most home stores.  I selected the golden brown color of the fields in the center of the window.  I wanted the fabric to match, so I actually took the window with me.  Another solution is to use the paint color strips you find in hardware stores to match you color.

While I was at the fabric store I also picked up some sheer, light lavender cloth, the color of the lightest of the magnolia leaves, for window draping.  Again, most department/home stores carry a nice selection if you don’t want to tackle making your own.

A few appropriately colored candles and other nick-knacks and I have a whole new, spring fresh room to enjoy through the long, cold winter.  Since, for the most part, I used stuff I had around already, it didn’t cost me that much to make the transformation either.  Now all you have to do is find a piece of art you like and get started on your own new room.