Ten Ways To Add Style For Under $100

It's not hard to add style or freshen up your home even if you're on a budget. Just like with your wardrobe, you can refresh your style with a new accessory, adding color, and mixing things up a bit.

1. Freshen up with a pattern. You can do this with draperies, an ottoman, pillows, accessories, and so much more.  Do you have solid colors? Bring in florals, stripes, and prints. Got stripes? Add a vine pattern. A rule of thumb in pattern matching is to watch the scale; mix a small pattern with the large and vice versa instead of keeping everything the same size. Keep the colors similar to make it easy or use complementary colors - opposites on the color wheel - for drama.

2. Bring in a new accessory in a different color or shape and make it a focal point. Blue and white is classic and timeless. Most discount stores have bowls, candlesticks and canisters for under $25. It will truly make a statement and add a bit of glamour. How about a fabulous mercury glass vase? Take a look at Target, HomeGoods, and Marshalls for pieces under $20. Come check out our San Diego showroom. 

3. Update a light fixture. If you can't stand what you have - bath bar fixtures are easy to DIY -  and refinishing with spray paint - as in an old brass chandelier transformed to bold red -  is not a good option, you can find nice fixtures in any style at www.LampsPlus.com

4. Bring in some new pillows.  This alone could completely change the look of your living room or bedroom. Almost all of the big-box stores have great selections for  $17-$25 each. I went shopping with my client at IKEA and found fabulous options for under $15. You can purchase just the pillow cover and use the fill that you already have.

5. Add to throw to your bed, sofa, or your favorite lounge chair. For about $25, a wonderful textured throw will keep you cozy and make a chair or bed more inviting. I found some fabulous faux furs at www.Amazon.com and know that they'll make a great gift.

6. Paint an accent wall or a piece of furniture in a new color. You can buy 'oops' paint for five dollars a gallon at Home Depot. Whether you already have the chair, nightstand, or find from a garage sale, changing just one piece will make a style statement.  

7. Set your dining table. Having your favorite dishes on display will make you feel wonderful. Mix them up for a creative and personal style. Place seasonal greens or findings – like acorns, pine boughs, leaves or pinecones - in a bowl or tray in the center. Add a candle or two and you'll create a beautiful display. 

8. Add candles to table tops, your credenza, the mantle and even bookshelves. There's just something about a candle that provides terrific ambiance. Use flameless candles since they don't need a candleholder, they're safe, and the realistic waxes look good by themselves. There always seem to be good options at www.Amazon.com.

9. Bring in something metallic.  I love mercury glass, and the new votive holders in my shop are under $5. Pillows with beading are a fabulous way to add silver or gold and be festive for the holidays. One of my favorite ways to add sparkle is with a bowl full of silver or gold ornaments. For about $6 you can get a pack at a craft store like Michaels. Mix in potpourri, greenery, to create a pleasing and seasonal display.

10.  Rearranging your furniture is a freebie. Reposition the largest piece of furniture first work in your other pieces. That alone should make a big difference in how your room feels. Even swapping tables or nightstand from living room to bedroom and vice versa can create a totally different style.

Weekend Update!

When you only have a few stolen hours on a Saturday or Sunday to get things done around the house, pick the top 3!  Mine usually involves clearing clutter, freshening up, and giving my room a new look...quickly.

Clutter:  The entry points - garage, porch, front door, or mud room - always seem to be the messiest. Backpacks, dog leashes, jackets and more, make that space cluttered. A quick fix is to hang or corral as much as possible. When the floor is clear, it seems cleaner!!  So...add a shelf or hooks and see what happens.  Make your clutter deliberate. I love baskets, so I corral shoes, leashes, mail, books and more. Even if you don't have room for a deep piece of furniture, hooks work.  Shelves at Home Goods are $15-30. Hooks are usually $3-4 at Pier I, Marshall's or WalMart.













Freshening up: This should be as simple as adding color with flowers and spritzing fragrance for a fabulous and relaxing scent. My local Trader Joe's has fabulous tulips and lilies for $2.99. You can use simple terra cotta pots (about $3 each) and get live greens too!  These pots are sprayed with a $3.97 can of white Rustoleum so they can do outdoors in the summer! I love Mrs. Meyers room sprays, and I am liberal with essential oil sprays that I make myself.












Update: I do three things.... rearrange or simplify the collectibles on my end tables, move the furniture around, and swap pillows.  These are swapped from bed to sofa but I also sometimes spring for a new pillow (under $20 at Home Goods). I do have a necessary rule with pillows since forms are bulky...donate the new forms and keep just the covers or "get one give one" so you don't add but replace old with improved.  If I have more time I'll make a pillow cover!    Furniture moving doesn't need to be major to have a great effect.  Taking one end table from the family room upstairs and the one in the bedroom into the living room works really well.  If I have more time and need more of an impact, I'll look for new hardware for dressers and chests (kitchen might be too much to change)!