Planning Your Design
Choose a theme. The theme of your room can be just about anything, from a fairy princess theme to an underwater theme. If you don't want to go too crazy with a theme, just pick a color theme consisting of two or three complementary colors. If you need some help choosing colors that go well together, you can try consulting a color wheel. Depending on how much contrast you want, you can choose colors that are near each other or across from each other on the color wheel.. You can also choose a colorful piece of fabric or art to inspire your color choices for the rest of the room. Keep your theme in mind when purchasing and repurposing items for the room. Everything doesn't have to match perfectly, but it should all coordinate.
Keep function in mind. Before you overhaul the room, take a minute to think about what is and what is not working for you. For example, if you have no place to study in your room, you may want to consider adding a desk. If the room feels claustrophobic, you may want to remove some furniture. Measure the room so you will know exactly how much space you have for new pieces before you buy them. You should make sure you have enough room to comfortably walk around each piece and open all doors and drawers. It's a good idea to keep these measurements written down somewhere or stored in your phone so you can consult them if you find a piece of furniture you like.
Declutter and assess your storage needs. Clutter can keep your room from looking the way you want it to, so find a way to minimize it. Donate clothes and other items you no longer use to a local thrift shop. You can also try selling some things online or at a consignment store if you want some extra money to spend on your room. Once you've gotten rid of everything you don't need, determine if you still have clutter, and if so, how to deal with it. You may need to add things like shelves, hooks, a dresser, or a storage ottoman to your room, depending on the kinds of items you need to store. Baskets and canvas bins are also great for making clutter disappear! You can also rearrange furniture, or clean out the room and store some unwanted items in the attic or basement. This will make it somewhat easier to see what the shape and size the room is.
Decorating Walls
Paint your room. Painting is one of the most affordable ways to instantly change the look of your space. Choose a color that goes well with your theme, and make sure it's something that you think you will like for a long time. Make sure to measure your room and check how many square feet the paint you are buying will cover. You will almost definitely need two coats of paint, no matter what kind you buy. If you are painting over a dark color, you may need to prime the walls before you paint. If you are using more than one gallon of paint, it's a good idea to mix them together in a large bucket just in case they end up being slightly different. Don't forget to give the ceiling and trim a fresh coat of paint if they are looking dingy.
Create patterns. Painting your walls a solid color can look great, but if you want something a little more unique, there are lots of ways to add some more interest to your walls. Paint three walls a neutral color and one wall a very vibrant color for an exciting accent wall. Use wallpaper for an added punch. Temporary wallpaper is also available if you don't want to have to worry about removing it later. If you can't afford to do your whole room, add wallpaper in strategic locations, like behind your bed or under a chair rail. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to wallpaper, try painting on a design. You can use painter's tape to create simple designs like stripes, or use a stencil for a more elaborate design. Faux painting with a sponge or rag is also an option if you want to give your walls some texture. You can also use painter's tape to create abstract patterns or geometric designs on your walls. Don't be afraid to be creative!
Decorate with photos. Photos of your friends, your pets, or your favorite places can make great additions to your decor. Be creative and use your photos to express yourself. Frame several photos and hang them to create a gallery wall. Hang photos from a piece of string or fishing line with clothespins. Have your photos printed on canvas, glass, or fabric. Arrange your photos on a poster board for a unique collage. In lieu of frames, mount photos to colorful pieces of paper and stick them to your walls with double-sided tape.
Put up posters or wall stickers. Putting up posters of your favorite band or actor can be a great way to express your interests. Better yet, wall stickers are meant for walls and won't rip paint. Just don't over-crowd the walls, because then the room will look messy.
Make your own art. You can hang just about anything on your walls, so use your imagination and create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece! If you have a collection of any kind, whether it's guitars or baseball caps, try displaying them all on one wall together. Try your hand at painting a canvas. You can paint a realistic portrait or an abstract design, depending on your skills and preferences. You can create colorful wall hangings by wrapping fabric tightly around a canvas or square piece of wood and stapling it in the back. You can add a frame to make your fabric art more dramatic. Purchase wood pieces in various shapes, like circles, letters, or stars. Then paint them to go with your theme and hang them in groupings around your room.
Creating New Items from Old Items
Recognize good quality furniture. Just because a piece of furniture looks ugly, doesn't mean it has to go! With a little work, you can give most pieces an amazing makeover, especially if they're solid wood or metal. Solid wood is better quality than particle board or MDF. Check to make sure all pieces are secure and do not wobble. If you find something that is broken, look to see if it could be repaired. Drawers and doors should open and close nicely. Look for joints that are tight and secured with dowels or dovetails. Be wary of joints that are only nailed or glued together. Metal pieces should be held together by neat, consistent welds that are free from cracks.
Paint your items. Painting is a relatively quick and easy way to completely change the look of your furniture and accessories. If you want a glossy finish, consider using spray paint. Make sure you choose a paint that is appropriate for the material you are painting, and always use spray paint an area that is thoroughly protected and ventilated, preferably outside. If you want a more antiqued or distressed look, try using chalk paint. You can also find specialty paints that have metallic or glittery finishes. Look around at your local home improvement store for inspiration. Remember that in addition to furniture, you can paint things like picture frames, lamps, mirrors, and trash cans. The possibilities are endless! Fabric can be painted too! If you have some boring white curtains or pillow cases, you can use a stencil to paint on a fun and colorful design. Be sure to use paint that is appropriate for fabric. You can turn almost anything, from a piece of furniture to a wall, into a chalkboard with some simple and inexpensive chalkboard paint. Be creative and make a custom message board for your room.
Embellish your items. If your piece of furniture doesn't need an entire coat of paint, you can make some small changes that will have a big impact. Try stenciling a design on the fronts of your dresser drawers or decoupaging them with colorful fabric. You can also use temporary wallpaper if you don't want to make a big commitment. Change out the knobs on your dresser and nightstand for an instant makeover with almost no work. Use Mod Podge and your favorite fabric or patterned paper to give flat surfaces, like tabletops, a completely unique look.
Create a headboard. If your bed doesn't have a headboard, consider making one yourself to make your bed the focal point of your room. Hang a tapestry or another large item above your bed to mimic the look of a headboard. Make your own upholstered headboard by wrapping a wood pattern in batting and fabric, stapling it in the back. Hang an old door horizontally on the wall above your bed. You can paint it any color you like.
Make curtains, duvet covers, and pillows. These are easy projects, and you can even make them with fabric you already have, like a sheet. These projects require a few simple, straight stitches. If you really hate sewing, you can even use iron-on tape for your seams and hems. You can create a new cover to put over an old pillow, or, if you don't have an old pillow, simply fill the new pillow with polyester fluff from your local fabric store. Sewing in a zipper is the hardest part of making a pillow, but this is only necessary if you need to be able to wash the cover. To keep duvet covers closed, you can use buttons, snaps, or even ribbons. If you don't like the fabric on a chair or sofa, you might want to invest in a slipcover, which is still much less expensive than buying a new piece of furniture. You can also make one yourself, but you will need to have some sewing skills.
Jazz up your lighting. If you have lamps and ceiling fixtures that are a little too boring, there are lots of ways to make them more interesting. Depending on the materials, you could paint the base or the shade, embellish the shade with garland or beads, or even create a new shade with fabric. You can also add creative lighting to your room with strings of holiday lights.
Buying New Items
Buy wisely. There's nothing wrong with buying a few new pieces to decorate your room, but try to spend your money wisely. If you buy new furniture, make sure the quality is good enough that it will last you for a long time. You don't want to have to replace it in a few years. Don't spend a lot of money on pieces that are extremely trendy or that you may grow out of. Instead, try to make sure your core pieces are versatile so you can still use them even if your style changes. Less expensive accessories, like pillow cases and curtains, can be as trendy as you want.
Keep your lifestyle in mind. When buying furniture, it is important to think about how you plan on using the room. If you have a lot of friends over, for example, make sure you have enough seating. If you have a ton of clothes and not enough closet space, make sure to look for pieces that can store your extra items. If you're short on space, consider looking for pieces of furniture that serve multiple purposes. For example, a few cube ottomans can provide seating and storage. If you would love a couch in your room but don't have room for a both a couch and a bed, consider purchasing a daybed, which looks more like a seating area.
Arrange your furniture properly. There's no absolute rule for how to arrange your furniture, but there are a few helpful guidelines. Try not to place all of your furniture against a wall. If you have a seating area, have the seats facing each other. You should also think about colors when you're arranging your furniture and accessories. Try to scatter your accent colors around the room instead of having all of your colorful items on one wall. Create a focal point. For bedrooms, this is usually the bed, so anchor it with a headboard, a large piece of art, or a colorful accent wall. Try to have a designated area for each activity you plan on doing in your room, like studying, for example. This will help keep you more organized and help you make better decisions when buying furniture.
Think about proportion. Make sure you know how big your room is and how big a piece of furniture is before you buy it. Your furniture needs to be appropriately sized in order for it to feel cozy, yet comfortable. You also need plenty of space to walk around! If you're buying a rug. Make sure it is large enough to extend beyond the bed on both sides.
Check the house first. Before you buy anything new, check to see if there are any pieces of furniture in other parts of the house that could be used in your room. You can also try asking around to see if any friends or family members have furniture that they're looking to get rid of.
Buy used. Now that you know how to make over nearly any piece of furniture with paint, you can start shopping for affordable used pieces that you can customize to your own liking. Try shopping at antique stores, garage sales, thrift shops, and flea markets. There might even be a few pieces of furniture in the attic or basement that you aren't using. Repurpose those if possible!
Search for deals. If you plan on buying new items, always look for deals. Comparison shop if you find an item you like, and never purchase anything online without first searching for a coupon code.
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