Does Your Living Room Design Need a Facelift?

During this time of economic recovery the last thing on many people’s minds is getting a facelift, let alone giving one to their current living room design. Isn’t that reserved for the rich and famous? Actually, no. Living rooms are one of the most important spaces in the home. It’s where families spend the majority of their time together, watching TV, playing video games or entertaining guests which is why your living room’s appearance is important. While your living room should be a place of comfort and relaxation, every once in a while it needs a simple jolt of decorating Botox to make things exciting again. Here are some easy and affordable tips for giving your living room the jolt it deserves. [singlepic id=481 w=320 h=240 float=right]And by facelift we don’t mean blowing your budget on expensive glass pieces, vases, scented candles and other home décor items. One of the best and easiest ways to give your living room a new look is with panel draperies. Even if you consider your sewing skills to be rudimentary, panels are the easiest draperies to sew because you’re merely sewing straight lines on rectangular pieces of fabric. Find the fabric you love at Sunshine Drapery and buy white or cream colored top sheets from a local discount store for the lining. You’ll want to unstitch the top edge of the sheet. Measure your windows and cut each drapery panel 10 inches longer than you’d like your curtains. Fold each panel’s raw edge over ½” and iron them. Fold each edge ½” again and iron a 2nd time, folding your curtain’s top edge down 3” (this will leave a pocket with enough room for your curtain rod). Next cut your top sheet lining the same size as your fabric. Align the top and left edge of your lining perfectly with the edge of your curtain fabric. Tuck in only the top and left side under your ironed edge on the curtain fabric. Pin every 6 inches and then sew along the pinned edges (about 1/8” from your inner seam on each edge), removing the pins as you go. Then repeat the process for the right and bottom sides of your panel. Another way families are giving their living rooms a facelift is by adding plants to the room. The right touch of green can make an ordinary living room extraordinary. To prevent dirtying your rug, simply place your potted plants inside a larger pot that works as an attractive accessory in the room. The outer more attractive pot shouldn’t have any holes in it. The pot actually holding the plant will have holes to allow for circulation of water and by placing it in a prettier pot the water stays inside so you won’t risk dirtying your rug. Plants in larger pots are ideally placed on fireplace hearths, a simple stool or next to an arm chair by a window.   Nothing personalizes your living room like a wall of well-framed and well-arranged family photos. Take your best photos and place them in an eclectic collection of frames painted the same color. You can use craft paper and a laser level (one that shines a steady and straight red line) to get your arrangement just the way you want before hammering nails into the wall. And you don’t have to let old family photos of previous generations collect dust in a drawer. Place them in vintage silver-hued frames and arrange them on the wall in a “tree” like fashion, connecting each one with a length of boxwood – an evergreen that dries beautifully – for a textured and organic look. By using these simple and affordable tips you’ll bring excitement back into your living room in no time.