old style decorating??

Kat315

Hi,

Does old-style decorating exist??

I live in a small rented flat that i would like to decorate on a budget, just making each room a little prettier and nicer to be in

Things like throws are an obvious choice i suppose... but i would like to know if any one has any other handy tips on making a room attractive without breaking the bank or spending a whole weekend in nasty homeware shops!!!

Thanks

K

jennyjelly

In a rented place you want to concentrate on things you can take with you rather than adding value to the landlord's property, so think accessories.

Spend the weekend sifting through boot sales and charity shops. You'll brighten the place up for a matter of a few pounds. Don't only see things as they are - think adaptation. Curtains can become cushions, tablecloths can become blinds, old picture frames can look lovely with a coat of paint and a postcard. There is loads of 70s orange pine around and it looks lovely with a coat of cream emulsion. The important thing is to look at each thing and try to see the potential in it. Imagination is far better than money. Oh, and hit the pound shops and places like that for paint - their ranges are excellent and half the price of the brands.

Do let us know how the revamp goes. Good luck!

Kat315

great tips, thanks. i'm thinking of maybe buying some cheap paint and just giving a couple of walls a bit of colour (it's all white at the mo).

However, i totally agree that it should be all about accessories, not home improvement.

any ideas for sprucing up a bathroom?

also, we have a nasty tiled fireplace in the living room (seriously, it's not nice, unlike the beautiful victorian one we uncovered in the bedroom!!) - is there a way i can disguise/improve on that?? its a focal point in the room, and not a very nice one at the mo!!!!

halia

just a quick note, are you allowed to decorate? and double check about things like putting up pictures and mirrors. Providing your landlord is OK then yep, cream/white paint on old furniture, new handles on old furniture, feature wall or wall hanging to brighten up rooms etc.
Cotton dust sheets are great value if you are handy with a needle and you can dye them any colour you want for large curtains/throws etc.

If you use the fire then you're a bit restricted, but at least in the summer months you coudl stick a large vase with dried lavender in it in front. How about finding a firescreen you like to hide it a bit but still enable you to use the fire?

mary43

Yes. do check with your landlord about any change of colour on the walls. If the answers a ''no' you can always paint a big canvas, sort of 'modern art' in coloured stripes, something like that, and hang it on a wall to give a bit of colour. There again, check with your landlord about any drilling of holes. My son asked his landlady before he did that. She was fine about it but he's lived in rented property before where the landlords not been so agreeable.
A nice rug on the carpet can make a world of difference as well, particularly in the winter, giving an extra bit of warmth to the room.
Oh, not forgetting a few plants maybe ? If you're not particularly greenfingered there are some really convincing artificial ones around.

Uniscots97

Kat315 wrote: »

any ideas for sprucing up a bathroom?

also, we have a nasty tiled fireplace in the living room (seriously, it's not nice, unlike the beautiful victorian one we uncovered in the bedroom!!) - is there a way i can disguise/improve on that?? its a focal point in the room, and not a very nice one at the mo!!!!

Bathroom - Ikea do large mirrors with wooden frames for a pound each, these could be painted white or a colour if you prefer. These are great for sprucing up the bathroom. Also what about nice brightly coloured towels?

As for the fireplace, what about making a screen? All you need is three pieces of mdf that you can hinge together (big enough to cover width ways and height) then paint it or even spray paint it. These screens are pretty cheap to put together.

Kat315

wow great ideas.

I will have to check about painting the walls but i imagine it'll be fine becuause the walls aren't in great shape as it is and the landlord's pretty easy going.

We're fine to hang pictures and mirrors, although it's an old house that's been renovated so we are limited to which walls we can drill into.

Thanks for these ideas, i like the fireguard idea. We don't use the fire. At the moment it's got vases and candles in it, but it's the horrible tiles round the edge that are frustratingly ugly.
I suppose i could drape some nice material along it to disguise it...

pukkamum

Get a roll of nice wallpaper and use it to cover some cheap canvas's hey presto lovely art work for the wall!!!!