| DIY home decorating ideas abound on the television | | | | rooms the lift they need. Other flooring replacements |
| program of today, having gained in popularity over | | | | that can transform a room include tile, vinyl, linoleum, |
| the past twenty years or so, with many of us | | | | or textured rubber. |
| learning new skills from leaflets freely available in all | | | | (ARA) - So many of us find ourselves in the same |
| the big DIY superstores. Government legislation in the | | | | decorating boat - a home filled with a few family |
| UK has precluded many DIY-ers, especially in the | | | | heirlooms, flea market or tag sale finds, and maybe |
| realms of electrical and plumbing work and, following | | | | even one or two treasures from a successful |
| the introduction of the HIP Packs into UK | | | | dumpster dive. You love them all, but how do you |
| Conveyancing, where documentation has to be | | | | combine high and low design pieces to create a |
| provided for all and any alterations to your property, | | | | unified and polished look for your home? |
| DIY at its greatest popularity has slipped down a | | | | First says Marjorie Marcellus, an interior design |
| notch or two. However, even after those disastrous | | | | instructor at The Art Institute of California - San |
| MDF makeover programs lost favor, people are still | | | | Francisco, forget about the cost of a piece. "A |
| enthusiastic about DIY and not paying out for | | | | successful interior is not determined by the cost of |
| expensive labor costs unless it is absolutely | | | | its components. For a space to work, it needs to |
| necessary. | | | | have balance and harmony," says Marcellus. Finishes |
| One way that is bound to increase the value of your | | | | and home furnishings should relate to each other as |
| property is revamping your bathroom, with new | | | | part of an overall design scheme, but "that doesn't |
| bath, handbasin and toilet, together with separate | | | | mean they have to match, be of the same era, |
| shower if you have the room available. If you are on | | | | same price or quality," she explains. |
| a budget, replacing taps and showerheads and | | | | For example, says Marcellus, "I placed an expensive |
| putting some attractive cabinets in the bathroom will | | | | slab of marble onto a salvage-yard industrial black |
| achieve a dramatic effect without too much outlay. | | | | metal stand and then added four black bargain stools |
| With any DIY project, I would be inclined to go for | | | | from Pottery Barn." The similar finishes of the |
| the easiest first - take a look at whether your | | | | materials made it work. The result? "A custom |
| curtains, floors and other fabrics need to be replaced. | | | | kitchen table for my client's urban loft. Topped with a |
| They might be looking a little worn and, in replacing | | | | delicate antique vase, fresh wild flowers and colorful |
| these, it may not be necessary to go to major | | | | cloth napkins from IKEA, the outcome was |
| expenses associated with a full redecoration project. | | | | unexpected and delightful," says Marcellus. |
| Try changing your tired old carpet with more modern | | | | Suzanne Wilkins, an interior design instructor at The |
| hardwood or laminate flooring. If your hardwood is | | | | Art Institute of New York City, is another proponent |
| looking tired, sanding and re-staining should give it a | | | | of mixing both high and low design elements. A basic |
| new lease of life and, to brighten it up further, give is | | | | rule of thumb, says Wilkins, is to avoid having a less |
| a few coats of varnish. There are many other | | | | expensive item next to a more expensive similar |
| flooring options such as textured rubber, vinyl or tiles | | | | item. |
| - in fact, on one of my DIY shopping trips I found | | | | "Too many similarities invite comparison, and may |
| the most attractive textured floor tiles which, when | | | | make the less expensive things look cheap," she |
| laid, resembled hardwood flooring so closely that I | | | | says. Instead, pair precious things with inexpensive |
| could only tell the difference when I was just a few | | | | finds by following two rules of thumb: keep it simple |
| inches away from the tiles. They weren't especially | | | | and clean lined, or keep it funky. According to Wilkins, |
| costly - but they certainly looked it! | | | | simple clean lines naturally look expensive, and we |
| Some people assume that decorating needs to | | | | associate clean lines with a more modern and |
| incorporate only the most expensive looks but some | | | | expensive look. |
| of my friends' homes actually look lived-in - they | | | | On the other hand, she says, funky items can often |
| have achieved that 'tatty' look where everything | | | | stand alone and speak for themselves. But use them |
| looks almost chaos but, in fact, as one of my friends | | | | sparingly. For example, a nice grouping of African |
| admitted, it took quite a bit of ingenuity to achieve | | | | masks can add a lot of texture and color and can be |
| the look without going too far. I can see her point - | | | | found inexpensively in flea markets. To make it work, |
| she has gone for stripped down doors which she | | | | don't use more than three or four or in more than |
| bought from a junkyard, stripped bare wood shelves | | | | one location, says Wilkins. |
| inset into her alcoves and the walls are all finished in | | | | Dan Noyes, chairman of the Interior Design |
| an off-white Artex-type finish to give them the | | | | department at The Art Institutes International, |
| rustic look. Thankfully, she left the ceilings alone and | | | | Minnesota, loves to combine modern pieces with |
| did not go for the mock-antique beams. She has an | | | | weathered antiques, "to create a wonderful gypsy |
| old rocking chair which she bought from an antique | | | | chic look." Whether high end or low end, an antique's |
| shop and children's toys on view on the shelves | | | | patina and unique character flaws can set it apart |
| [these are for accent only]. She admitted to me that | | | | from a great, modern piece of furniture, he says. |
| the toys are simply there as interior décor focal | | | | Furniture pieces themselves can combine the best of |
| points and that all the children's toys are actually put | | | | both high and low end design features says John |
| away in their own rooms upstairs. | | | | Gambell, chairman of the Interior Design department |
| As I said, it works and, if you are careful about not | | | | of The Art Institute of New England. For a |
| over-doing the décor and going too far, the effect | | | | stylish-looking dining or end table, Gambell suggests |
| is fantastic. Her home is warm and friendly, spotlessly | | | | taking a simple and inexpensive parsons-styled table |
| clean, but has that dog-eared tired look which you | | | | (Ikea is a good source) and add a made-to-order |
| can only achieve if you work hard at it. My family | | | | stone top of either slate or marble. " A small 'reveal' |
| room is much the same - the dogs make sure of | | | | between the base and the top wood appear to |
| that! No matter how many times I clear up in a day, | | | | make the top float," says Gambell. |
| there is always chewed-up paper and card on the | | | | A few final words of wisdom about mixing high and |
| floor, with a few strategic slippers, elaborately | | | | low end design from the experts: When shopping at |
| chewed, strewn about the place. Who needs interior | | | | stores like Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn, pick a |
| decorators when they have dogs? | | | | few pieces from each instead of outfitting an entire |
| Your choice of flooring is limited only by your taste | | | | room with one look. "Mix it up," says Wilkins. And |
| and budget. Rip up the old carpet and replace it with | | | | remember, be patient and shop around. What makes |
| contemporary hardwood flooring or laminate flooring. | | | | a room look rich and expensive, no matter what the |
| If you already have hardwood, simply sanding and | | | | budget, is time. |
| re-staining it or giving it a clear finish may give your | | | | |