Indulge in Holiday Decor for Less

Expert Tips from HGTV’s Lisa LaPorta

(ARA) – ‘Tis the season to be chic on a budget, and with more people planning on spending quality time at home this holiday season, a financially friendly and festive facelift might be just what your house needs.

"With stressors like the tough economy and the holiday hustle-and-bustle, finding the time and money for holiday decorating can by trying," says Lisa LaPorta, lead designer and co-host of HGTV’s Designed to Sell. "There are countless quick and inexpensive do-it-yourself projects that can brighten a home in time for the holidays and beyond.”

Most homeowners will be staying put in 2009, according to the 2008 KILZ brand Roller Report. Those homeowners should consider renovations that will outlive the upcoming holiday fuss. LaPorta offers holiday design tips to brighten homes on a budget this year:

Dining rooms for holiday feasts ... and leftovers.

Applying a fresh coat of primer and paint is the easiest way to transform a space with minimal time and money. Save the season’s rich reds and golds for festive accent pieces like trim, picture frames and pillows. Try painting interior walls with shades of deep taupe, warm grey or soft brown. All are trend-right and make an impact without overwhelming interior design. Regardless of paint color, start with a high quality water-based primer like KILZ Premium. This will block and hide water stains and save time by reducing the number of top coats.

Commanding centerpieces for year-round flair.

Starting with a neutral wall color allows infinite options for a festive centerpiece. Fill a glass vase with an arrangement of rich red and orange flowers, simple twigs and glass beads or your favorite fruit for a powerful statement that costs close to nothing.

Kitchens that will enchant guests without breaking the bank.

The kitchen is the most-used, equipment-heavy and expensive-to-renovate room in the home, but it makes a huge impact on visitors -- which is especially important with the hustle and bustle of dinner parties and family get-togethers this winter. New appliances have the greatest impact on kitchen appeal, but can be costly. If you’re not able to make a large investment during the holidays, achieve a similar effect by updating cabinetry with fresh coats of primer and paint. This, along with new cabinet hardware, will make a kitchen appear brand new in time for the holidays at a fraction of the cost of a full renovation.

Merry accents to make a space pop.

* Use the colors of the season. Store cookies, candies, fruits, ornaments, toys and other treats in large glass jars around your home. Their bright colors and playful nature are perfect for the holiday season.

* Consider scale. Christmas trees are such large statement pieces that smaller decorations can get lost in their shadow. This year many stores are offering oversized ornaments, decorations and flowers that will be sure to pop against your home’s holiday backdrop. This is especially important when decorating outside. Instead of hanging decorations on doors and windows, consider wrapping your entire front door with metallic red paper and a giant bow to make a statement visible from the street.

* Make your ornaments. Visit your local craft store for clear glass Christmas ornaments you can fill with personal items, like family photos, twigs and berries, crystal beads or ribbon.

Visit www.kilz.com for more information.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Beat the Winter Blahs with Home Decorating Projects

(ARA) - For many of us, the return of winter means six months of snow, sleet and colder temperatures that force us to take cover indoors. Being stuck inside month after month can leave anyone a little bored. That’s what makes winter an ideal time to tackle easy, do-it-yourself indoor home improvements.

Staying busy with interior projects will not only help break up the monotony of the winter months, but will also increase your home’s value and aesthetic appeal. Plus, you’ll have more time to spend doing the things you enjoy when the warmer months of spring and summer arrive.

So, get ready to pick up that paint brush and hammer and battle the winter blahs with the following projects:

Paint

Long gone are the days when you had to wait until you could open the windows to paint inside. Today’s no-VOC paints don’t contain harmful volatile organic compounds that can evaporate into your home’s air, which means you can paint year around with the windows closed. There are many low- or no-VOC painting products on the market, but Dutch Boy’s new Refresh paint is the only no-VOC paint that’s been independently GreenGuard Certified and offers exclusive Arm & Hammer odor-eliminating technology. Ideal for kitchens, basements, laundry rooms, family rooms and bathrooms, the technology actually captures and removes common odors from the air, leaving your house odor-free.

Add Crown Molding

It’s often said that good design is in the details. Crown molding is an ideal way to add architectural detail and sophistication to your home. As the popularity of crown molding has grown, so have the options. There are several companies that offer pre-packaged crown molding made from materials that can actually be cut to size with household scissors. There’s even Styrofoam crown molding made from high-density polyurethane foam that you can install with caulk. Or, you can stick with the more traditional crown molding made from a variety of softwoods such as poplar, pine, spruce and oak.

Install Flooring  

Much of today’s new laminate flooring is a DIYer’s dream. It doesn’t require many tools, can be installed quickly and easily because it's not nailed, screwed or glued down like traditional flooring and is inexpensive -- especially when compared to "real" hardwood replacement floors -- thanks to tongue-and-groove pieces that simply click or snap together. And for great looks, the new North American Collection from Tarkett Residential offers patterns that include dark wood grains to warm and light tones in a wide assortment of grains and textures. Plus, its new laminate collection provides high durability to better resist scratches and indentations.

Change out Curtains

Curtains serve as the framework for our view to the outside world. Most of us hang curtains when we move into a home or undergo a major redecorating project, and then we tend to forget about them. We don’t realize that changing out curtains can be a cost-effective and relatively “anytime project" that can dramatically transform the appearance of a room. By changing your curtains you can update your style, add visual interest or even create a new focal point in a room. In addition to new curtains, you can create a fun, personalized look by using everyday items as curtain rods. To establish a high-end customized look, spray paint plumber’s PVC pipe and use it as a curtain rod. Or, if you want to bring a bit of the outdoors inside and create a rustic, yet contemporary look, you can use a tree branch as a curtain rod.

Organize Closets

Short on closet space? Most of us are. Winter is a great time to go through your closets, weed out what you don’t wear anymore and get things organized. To keep it clean and clutter-free well into the spring and summer, consider installing a closet organizer system. Today’s closet organizers are versatile and offer adjustable shelves, cabinets, drawers, shoe racks and sliding baskets. With a few tools and a free Sunday afternoon, you can install a closet organizer for all of your clothes, shoes and accessories.

This winter, don’t be lulled into hibernation. Take the time you have indoors and put it to good use. Tackling interior projects will not only keep you busy, but once you’re done it will leave your home looking beautiful for years to come.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Small Design Changes, Big Impact

Five Easy Ways to Freshen Up Your Home for Less
(ARA) - True, we're all living more cost-consciously these days. The good news is that it doesn't take much to turn your current decor into something completely fresh and different. There are plenty of easy, cost-effective ways to change your surroundings for the better.

"Sometimes the smallest changes can make a big difference in the look of your home. I always suggest visiting a nearby professional custom framer and updating an existing piece of art with new matboards," says Barbara Schmidt, a nationally recognized interior style consultant.

Schmidt offers four tips for freshening up any room in your home using inexpensive items, as well as preexisting pieces.

* "Choose one new color for your room and pull it into slipcovers, rugs and tablecloths to create newness and cohesiveness," Schmidt suggests. "Try spray-painting a lampshade as an inexpensive way to tie it all together."

* Dress up a wall by adding a tight grouping of your favorite pictures. "Pull your chosen color into the matting and frames, but vary the width and style of the frames to add variety," she says.

* "You'd be surprised at how easy it is to make pillow covers on your own," says Schmidt. "Or you can opt to buy them pre-made at fabric stores for a lot less than you'll find at a big-box retailer."

* "Choose one wall in a room, and repaint it to change the color scheme," says Schmidt. "Painting is one of the most inexpensive things you can do, and I guarantee the entire room will look brand new."