apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Anyone have some ideas for some CHEAP home improvement/decor projects? So far I have:
- refinish these two chairs that were garage sale finds (the fabric likely won't be cheap, but we can at least get started on refinishing the wood)
- do a deep deep clean (booooring!)
- reorganize (bookshelves, fabric, linen closet, kitchen cabinets)
- make some pillows/pillow covers using fabric on hand
- plant some bulbs / fall vegetables in containers
- painting the closet doors with paint on hand

I'd love to hear others' ideas about projects that add to the home and can be done without much money.

I think one great DYI project that gives a lot of character to a home is new window treatments. I saw gorgeous bamboo/wood blinds at Home Depot for really good prices. A blind and curtains for each window really beefs up the look.

paint the back of a cheap set of bookshelves with leftover paint

put up shelving like ikea grundtal or lack (anything i can get up on a wall and off the ground feels like a relief!)

make some art or buy some cool inexpensive stuff at etsy.com

replace old light fixtures with industrial-type fixtures from the hardware store

speaking of window treatments - what about putting molding around the windows? The molding already in our house (which we recently purchased) is inexpensive stuff from Big Box hardware stores, maybe putting some around the windows and painting it to match the trim would look nice?

and anne you made me add another one to the list:
- make roman shade for guest room (hopefully we can use fabric we have on hand)

I am all about making art. If you are not fancying yourself the creative type there are so many things you can do on so many different levels, even buying inexpensive shadow box frames makes for instant art as you go around the house and find bits and bobs, or even better, thrift stores and garage sales or sticks you find on walks...

I put up picks on my page a bit ago of what I have dubbed my 'museum wall' because it is less gallery wall than a collection of special items that I want to look at. The thing that keeps them united are the frames but I have everything from a tiny note card to an old enamel pin up there. The frames are from IKEA and were from $4 to $12 last year. I once saw vintage doll clothes framed like fashion art that looked just gorgeous with white frame and matting... it is easy to do, you just have to be on the lookout for frameable objects. I promise, it will get addicting once you start. You will start to see everything as a possible piece of wall candy.

Rearrange the furniture! That's a big, super cheap one. Also, we just mixed up the way our art was hung through the house and suddenly it's like I'm seeing it all for the first time again - It's become way more interesting.

Good Luck!

Hi!

I own an Eichler in Palo Alto, which we are remodelling in phases.

I'm looking for recommendations for help in arranging the living areas of the house. Specifically the large open(ish) space that incorporates the kitchen, living, dining and office.

I don't want someone to help me decorate as that is what I love to do. Just someone to help me make those spaces multi-task, so to speak.

I don't even know what to call such a person for starters. I'd love it if someone could point me in the right direction. But then I'd also love specific recommendations, if anyone has any.

thank you,
painitbright