| Are you renting an apartment or home? Just | | | | purchase battery operated lights. |
| because you're renting doesn't mean it can't be | | | | Add picture lighting to your artwork and use can |
| your dream home. Most rentals are decorated to | | | | lights to accent your floor plants and light any |
| be very plain and generic so that they will not | | | | dark corners to brighten up a room. |
| offend any prospective tenants and coordinate | | | | 4. Wall Works. Besides painting, you can jazz up |
| with a majority of renters' furnishings. So consider | | | | your rooms with removable wall treatments. Buy |
| your home a blank canvas that you can add your | | | | inexpensive medium-weight fabric and hang from |
| personal touches, personality, color and style, to | | | | drapery rods, attach to the walls with small |
| turn bland and boring to appealing and exciting. | | | | staples or wallpaper your walls with the fabric |
| Here are seven ways you can decorate your | | | | using liquid starch. When you move out, just peel |
| home without over spending or upsetting your | | | | off and wash the starch off the walls. Just double |
| landlord. | | | | check to make sure the walls have at least a |
| 1. Color Your World. If your lease allows, paint. | | | | satin finish, although most will be semi-gloss. Either |
| Paint is the quickest and least expensive way to | | | | way, make sure you test this before covering a |
| dramatically change any room. Consider just | | | | wall. |
| painting your focal walls, the wall behind your bed, | | | | Another fun wall treatment is removable wall |
| your sofa wall, fireplace wall and if you have a | | | | words and designs. You can have any saying or |
| wall that you look directly at when entering your | | | | words printed in any size and color and find a |
| home, one entry wall can be very dramatic. | | | | design for every style of home. They rub and |
| If painting is out of the question, there are other | | | | peal right on, even with textured walls. |
| quick and easy ways to add temporary color. | | | | 5. Down Under. Hate the carpet? Use room sized |
| Purchase a couple large canvases and paint them | | | | area rugs to completely change the look of any |
| your favorite color and hang wall-to-wall for a | | | | room. Purchase a decorative area rug, paint your |
| fabulous look. Purchase an inexpensive folding | | | | own floor canvas or have a remnant bound. This |
| screen and replace the plain fabric with one from | | | | will make a tremendous difference in how you |
| your color scheme. Place behind your bed, in the | | | | feel when you walk into the room. |
| entry, behind your sofa or fill a corner with color. | | | | 6. Window Wear. To dress up your vertical blinds |
| 2. Pattern Play. Since most apartment walls and | | | | purchase ready-made panels or valances to add |
| floors are a neutral color palette, don't be afraid | | | | color and pattern in all your rooms. Window |
| to add pattern with fabric. Add it to your | | | | treatments really help finish every room. |
| windows, baths, bedding and pillows. Bring in a | | | | You can purchase discount fabrics and make |
| variety of patterns and mix and match two or | | | | no-sew treatments with seam tape and |
| three. Start with a large print, add a plaid, check | | | | decorative drapery clips. This treatment is nice for |
| or stripe and finish with a coordinating small print. | | | | both valances and panels. For a quick, easy and |
| Since these are all items you can take along with | | | | inexpensive cornice box, purchase the foam |
| you to your next home, if you find a fabric that | | | | cornice boxes from a craft store and simply |
| you really love, splurge on it. | | | | cover with your fabric. |
| 3. Light Up Your Life. Lighting can make such a big | | | | 7. Finishing Touches. Accessories are those |
| difference in how you feel in your home. In your | | | | wonderful items that make a room. Since you can |
| kitchen, under cabinet lighting is great for both | | | | take them with you no matter where you go, |
| function and accent when the ceiling lights are off. | | | | buy things that you love and want to keep. To |
| Place small accent lamps inside your bookcase, | | | | give your rooms that punch or color, think bigger |
| bakers rack, any open shelving or on your kitchen | | | | versus more, plus less to pack when you move. |
| breakfast bar. If there is not a plug nearby, | | | | |