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.

UPDATE - Powder Rooms!

Powder rooms are one of the best places to express your creativity; go deep and rich in color, add bright fabrics and accessories, have fabulous mood lighting, and add character with an interesting mirror or unique artwork. It's not a room that you spend much time in so you don't need bright lights for make up and dressing. It's easy to make it a room where your personality takes center stage. 

ADD  COLOR
Add a fresh coat of a seasonally or personally inspired paint color. I encouraged  my client to paint the walls a rich eggplant because it was her favorite color and didn't fit in any other space in the house. Even her husband loved the result. If you don't have a vanity but a pedestal or basin on a stand, consider adding a sink skirt in a fabric that you thoroughly enjoy. For Beth, we created our own sink skirt from napkins for a warm country style. Attaching a band of Velcro to the base of the pedestal add to the back of the fabric made it very easy to install. It now covers all of the pipes under the sink and creates a wonderful storage space. A bold pattern and color tile on the walls is exciting and less costly to do than in a full bath.

USE FABULOUS WALL ART
From spectacularly framed mirrors to interesting artwork, this is a space where you can add drama and creativity. Lynda & Richard love architectural elements and we hung some antique saw blades that look dynamite with their newly repainted black vanity. 

USE BOLD LIGHTING
You don't need bright light in the powder room so you can have fabulous mood lighting, deep amber glass or fabric shades, and even colored bulbs. Don't forget candles. With all of the flameless versions with timers and remotes, they're are simple to use and safe in wall candelabras. Their realistic wax makes them appealing and the flickering glow of warm yellow candlelight is pleasing to almost everyone.

MAKE UNIQUE CHOICES
Use colored towels. Add a fabulous ceramic accessory to an over-toilet shelf. Paint your vanity in a color that complements your wall, and  use this as an opportunity for creative distressing, stencil embellishments, and very decorative or ornamental hardware.  If you have room, consider adding a small table. 

ADD DRAMA

A Spectacular floor tile or a unique sink will make the space dramatic and personal. The small scale of a powder room often makes a dynamic update affordable.

Don't forget bargain-hunting. Many of the big box stores, and discount home furnishings shops have fabulous items at reasonable prices. Oops paint is typically available at the big hardware stores. For about five dollars you can get a gallon of paint and experiment with color. Lamps Plus.com has wonderful pricing on light fixtures if you have a bit of time and our creative, you can wire your own fixture from unique findings.

Enjoy!

One of the most important design elements is lighting. Without  it, the spaces designed don't function well and focal points and accents are lost.  Here are some ideas for lighting specific rooms. 

1) Kitchen.  This is the most important space to light properly. Many builders use large, recessed can lights over-lighting the room throwing and shadows on work surfaces. The best lighting ( be sure to use fixtures and lamping that complies with your local code) is to place recessed fixtures slightly away from the cabinet faces, so the beam of light is thrown onto the counter and into the walkways.  LED under cabinet fixtures are a fantastic way to get task lighting, with low profiles that are nearly completely concealed.  Tucking puck lights into glass-fronted cabinets provides accent light and night lighting as well. LED strip lighting under toe kicks and in crown molding accents and provides mood lighting. Pendant for islands, peninsulas and tables are a great lighting solution that adds artistry to functionality.Be sure to use the right number and scale. 

2) Bathrooms. Whether it's a master bath suite or a shared hallway bathroom, the lighting needs to address the requirements of all users. I do trans-generational lighting whenever possible. What does that mean? Many couples buy a home, start a family and raise them there. Both they and their children age and have different lighting needs over time. Start with a good ambient light for the overall space.  Add task lighting for vanities, showers, toilet areas, soak tubs, and specialty areas for make-up and health related tasks. Recessed and flush mounted fixtures are practical and provide excellent ambient light. Wall sconces that shine light down and across the wall or mirror are better than 'bath bar' lighting, but can be challenging to wire in small spaces. Accent lighting can be incorporated into cabinetry.

3) Living and dining rooms.  Lighting should multi-functional, keeping in mind that reading and entertaining are likely done there. For living rooms, ambient light is easily provided with table and floor lamps, which serve dual function as task lighting. Since these rooms are often joined, a well-scaled pendant over the dining room table can also provide light for the living room.  Wall sconces are nice in either room, flanking a fireplace, a piece of art, a focal point piece or a mirror, and even lighting a dark corner.  Hanging a dramatic chandelier over and end-table is an updated look in lieu of lamps.  Accent lighting can take many forms, from a decorative fixture to lighting in moldings and cabinetry. 

4) Family and play rooms. With TV watching, reading, meeting, playing and relaxing all in one room, the lighting needs are very diverse. From dim lights for movies and TV to bright lights for playtime and homework, layered lighting is a must. Many family rooms have focal points of fireplaces, entertainment units, and even a combination of both. Place lighting first to light the general space, then where tasks are -  reading, eating, homework - and add decorative accent lighting as a final touch. Lamps deliver both ambient and task lighting with the ability to move light as needed. Clip on lights and small mounted lights can be used for bookcases, desk lights, piano lamps and even for artwork. If your room has a focal point, be sure to accent it - down-lights can be focused on a great fireplace, and shelf lights can highlight an entertainment center. Game tables generally require good task lights and pendants and chandeliers are a good choice.


5) Hallways and entries:  For safe and easy access, hallways should be well-lit. Recessed lighting is great for good floor coverage, so the width and length of a hall have adequate light. Wall sconces work well too, depending upon their placement. If your entry or hallway has the space, table lamps provide a decorative element when used on a console or hall table.  Dark hallways can benefit from solar tubes - depending upon the structure of your roof-line. Consider lighting for night if the hallway must be traveled for bathroom use.

In any lighting scenario use dimmers, low wattage bulbs (like compact fluorescent) and smart placement for the best results. Consulting a professional lighting designer is wise to maximize your lighting and conserve energy at the same time; not to mention having a beautiful aesthetic.

Lighting Design - Fabulous and Functional

Lighting design offers a wide range of products and control options. From glamorous chandeliers to minimalistic and functional wall fixtures, there are many choices for functional yet pleasing home lighting. With energy use a main concern for the environment as well as personal utility bills, how to light spaces correctly becomes a necessity rather than a splurge. In any room, there are often many functional areas including dining, lounging, home office needs, television watching and entertaining, so a planned lighting solution is smart so you can ensure the best lighting for multi-tasking and still make each area inviting and attractive.

For achieving ambient (general) or task lighting, architectural lights, also known as "cans", "pots", and "recessed" fixtures are a good idea. Taking into account the spread of the light beam, the right size and number of recessed fixtures (LED, Compact fluorescent and dimmable halogen) can illuminate a task area, highlight a feature, bathe walls and room perimeters in light at a low energy cost, and more. Adding timers, dimmers and sensors for occupancy and vacancy makes using them easy. A variety of trims and baffles adds to the diversity of lighting solutions they can provide.

To create a warm atmosphere, light sources for special effects and mood lighting might include wall sconces, pendants, floor or table lamps.  The best lighting is done in layers so that you can control the amount of light and where it is shed, at any time.  Wall sconces are a great idea for feature walls, narrow spaces, and bathing architectural features in light.The correct fixture and right lamping (bulb) can throw light on the wall up or down depending upon the direction they hang. Wall sconces can be unobtrusive and small for accent lighting, or dramatic and bold to make an artistic statement.  

Offered in various shapes, sizes and colors, pendant options seem to be endless. Artistic, industrial, and every style in-between are available at fantastic prices.  One great fixture can set the tone for an entire home.   Furthermore, they can be used over a dining table, a desk, a counter, alone or in groups, and much more.

Chandeliers are a favorable alternative to recessed fixtures in  interior design since they offer multi-light options that are softer in feel. Like pendants, there are unlimited styles, but position is usually based on size. 

Accent lights include recessed fixtures, pendants, track, lamps, strip, rope and more.  They are meant to highlight architectural features, art, stairs, walls, landscape features, and a host of other design elements that are features indoors and out.

Whatever your lighting needs, there is an energy efficient solution that will provide a focused, correct color, and proper amount of light. Using a professional to advise is worthwhile and will enable the best results for the long-term.

Fall touch ups!

If you live in San Diego, you can take advantage of TOT-Home and have us TOUCH UP your home for fall.  
Our E-ZIGN service is ideal for those of you who have time to do leg-work but not to conceptualize and design.  For all of you DIY'ers out there, here are some of our most popular updates for fall. Not only do you get a great new home for the long-term, you can show off your home to family and friends just in time for the holidays.

Plants, cladding stucco with stone, and adding
light creates a welcoming attractive exterior.

1) Freshen up your exterior. That can mean a quick power-wash, some new plants, or a simple front door color update. We love to change container plantings since they can be done at nearly every front door. No entry? A cool wreath will give you a new look.  

A new surround and accessories dress up
a 1980's fireplace. 

2) Update your fireplace. Clean, paint, or re-cover dated material. If you love what you have, add a mantle, a surround, or add some accessories.  A large-scale planter or urn filled with a real or dried arrangement is fresh and natural. Add lights during the holidays for a festive look.

Paint, a shelf and some colorful
accessories are practical and beautiful.

3) Dress up the entry.  Even if you have a small space, a welcoming entry is a must. We recommend narrow entry tables, small benches, area rugs (great for wet and muddy feet), mirrors and lighting.  Not much space? A fold down shelf works well. 

A corner with accent stripes is all that was
needed in this living room.

4) Paint.  Yes we know it's time consuming to do a whole room, but it's the ideal way to completely change the look and feel of a space.  Even one accent wall or the addition of stripes will create a new space.

Lighting added under cabinets, in architectural elements and
behind plants create an easy to do, layered lighting plan.

5)  Add light. As darkness comes earlier and seems to go on forever...add energy saving LED lighting.  We love string lights, hidden rope lights, picture lights, and wall sconces.  Put them on in-wall or plug in timers for a low-cost, no-work solution. 

How to design your powder room.

Powder rooms are a unique space in the home. While they're a bathroom, they are typically off the main hallway or rooms of a home, so you have an opportunity to be expressive and dramatic.  Despite the small space, using intense colors, themes and lighting is fabulous rather than restrictive, since the room is meant to be used for brief periods and not to get dressed or apply makeup.  Bold, dramatic light fixtures are OK as are going 'over the top' with deep tones and large scale lighting.  

Wall treatments: If you love the glamour of metallics and your home is traditional, don't be afraid to use a striking wall covering. If your living room is too small for a richly textured old world finish, it's OK to do it in the powder room.  Do the ceiling too.

Lighting: Bold, sparkly, over-sized and deeply shaded fixtures. Under counter lighting sets a wonderful tone, and if you use the right material (glass, onyx, acrylics) you can even light the counter.

Cabinetry: Unusual pieces, re-purposed furnishings, exotic materials and woods. I love using re-claimed logs as counters, and even scoop out the center of large pieces of lumber to create the sink.

Tile: For me, this is not a room that needs a backsplash. You're not washing up in that room. GO ahead and tile the whole back wall. Make it a textured, iridescent or unusual material.

Plumbing:  A hands-free faucet is ideal. Go for the bold and artistic. Use a great wall hung toilet, a no-tank model, or a unique color toilet.

 Mirrors: Use one or not.  Bold frames, large scale, interesting glass. All work well.