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ugh.
my apartment still looks like a college dorm! don't
be a wallflower! jump
on over to the discussion boards
and get decorating help.
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©1999-2000
DigsMagazine.com.
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décor dilemmas:
Cluttered place/
Spartan
space
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3
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Spiffing up the
Spartan
1.
Think big with your wall-art: Walls don’t have to be jam-packed with pictures
and posters and paintings to feel like they’ve been properly
decorated. A single large frame, properly placed, can make the
surrounding area seem like interesting white space rather than something
desperately in need of being covered. Mount small pictures with a large
matte border to maximize the impact of whatever artwork you happen to
have. What’s that – you haven’t got any artwork? Nonsense; you’re
just not thinking hard enough! Check out our Post-Posters
article for ideas and inspiration.
2. Colorize!:
You’re obviously a person of minimalist tendencies – but there’s
a big difference between gorgeously spare and just plain empty, and the
easiest way to turn the latter into the former is through smart use of
color. Paint the walls in a sassy color, or bolder (and faster) still,
paint just a single wall to make it a focal point. Other easy ways of
injecting a dose of interesting color into your abode: add some throw
pillows or toss on some slipcovers; paint the furniture; mount some
shelves in colors that contrast with the wall.
3. Get
creative with lighting: So painting sounds like too much work? Play
with light instead. Replace your boring old white lightbulbs with pretty
colored bulbs (I like red + yellow bulbs, which are universally
flattering to all skin tones, or blacklights). Aim a colored light at
the wall for instant washes of color.
4.
Invest in an area rug: So what little furniture you have just
floats in that big empty floorspace, does it? Lucky you … space is
indeed a luxury, but to help create a cozier ambience – even if all
you’ve got is a TV and a sofa – define the sitting area with a
rug.
5.
Get houseplants: There’s nothing like a little greenery to bring
some life into a cold, empty place. Houseplants are cheery, and, if you
choose the right ones, provide a lot of satisfaction – it’s
supremely rewarding to watch your itty-bit stub of a plant bloom into
something lush and showy -- with a minimum of fuss. Got a bright, sunny
room? Go with cacti or bromeliads, which look nifty, love the sunshine,
and require very, very infrequent watering. So you live in cave-like
conditions, with nary a ray of sunshine penetrating its depths? Devil’s
ivy is the choice for you … tolerant of low-light conditions and
virtually un-killable, these plants grow like mad if you give them even
the slightest amount of care. Other good choices include ficus plants,
spider plants, and aloe plants.
o
check out
these related articles:
post-posters: better ideas for
dressing bare walls
on weeding: school stuff
minor makeover miracles
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lounge . nourish .
host
. laze . home.
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