by Gail Miller

How often do we look round our homes and think, "I wish
I could spruce things up a bit ... if I only had the money"?
Well, brightening up a home certainly doesn’t have to break
the bank. Follow my tips on how to give your home a lift
without having to spend a fortune;

1) Freshen up your rooms with scented candles. As well
as providing fragrant aromas, candles also add a magical
ambience to rooms.

2) Cut a 5cm square from a small sponge. Using a
tester paint pot, sponge a row of squares round the
centre of your room. Above this, sponge a second row,
to make a check pattern. A third row can be added if
desired, and different colours used for a more dramatic
effect. MUCH cheaper than wallpaper border.

3) Cover plain cushions with fabric remnants of either
brightly coloured fabric, fake fur, or elegant chenille or velvet.

4) Give shelves a pretty look using gingham fabric made
into a runner, edged with lace.

5) Buy four greetings cards designed by the same artist.
They could be romantic, abstract, modern etc. Frame them
in cheap clip frames, and display together.

6) Have a two or three tester sized, jewel bright, paint colours
mixed at your local DIY superstore. Zing up your accessories,
such as picture frames, plant pots, or paintwork.

7) Rearrange your books on the bookshelves. Organise
in size order, or put books with similar coloured spines
together. It looks much neater than a jumble of sizes and colours.

8) Buy a bunch of flowers and display them in the most
prominent part of the room. Not only will they look good, they
will make the place smell nice too.

9) Cover chipped and stained table tops with sticky backed
plastic. There are a host of colours and modern patterns
and textures to choose from.

10) Pick up an old fashioned mirror from a car boot, or garage
sale and decorate with glass paint. Paint a design straight on to
the mirror if you are artistic, or use a stamp or stencil if you are
not that confident.

11) Give your net curtains a new lease of life by dyeing
them to match your colour scheme. Cold water dyes are
easy to use, and have a good colour range.

12) Give your skirting boards, window sills and paintwork a
fresh lick of paint. You will be amazed how clean your room
will look with gleaming new paintwork.