My daughter claims to have NO artistic talent whatsoever… at least compared to her boyfriend, who can draw, paint, sculpt and create just about anything. To prove that she too could produce a piece of art worthy of hanging on the wall, he brought a large canvas, along with 5-6 jars of acrylic paint to our back yard one day. Dressed in disposable painter coveralls, they spent the morning throwing paper plates full of paint at the canvas, and then at each other.  Awww… it was very cute…  so very “Princess Diaries!”

Yes… they had a blast, AND look at what they were able to create!  This work of art now follows her from apartment to apartment. It provides a focal point, instant color, and a reminder of the great time she had that day.

Need something big and dramatic for a wall in your home?  For under $100 you too can create your own personal work of art, complete with fun and fond memories.  Pick out your favorite colors and give it a try.  And don’t worry about the mess… it’s washable!

Decorating a room in your home? Don’t forget…. the job isn’t finished until the accessorizing has been done.

One area that is often neglected when accessorizing: the space beneath… beneath coffee tables, side tables, sofa tables, etc etc…  Put together a fun little combination of pieces to go beneath your tables and you’ll have something much more interesting to look at than the blank floor and wall behind it.  Leggy tables are especially perfect for a little extra accessorizing.

Decorating beneath the furniture makes your room look more interesting… at every level.

And from every angle.

And sometimes, these spaces beneath provide the perfect place for storage… for those things we don’t need everyday like books, toys or an extra seat or ottoman.

Remember to finish off those decorating projects.. and fill in those crazy little spaces beneath.

With no fireplace in this living room, it was in desperate need of some kind of focal point . Shelves would have worked well, as would a hutch or armoire, or even a very large piece of art.  But for this project our job was to use what was already in the house… nothing new.  None of the pieces alone would be big enough for this very tall wall, but in combination, they will work beautifully.

To start… a bamboo sofa table, the perfect base and grounding piece for the arrangement we are building above it.  The art and mirror go high on the wall, leaving room for other pieces to sit on the table.

Next, we kept layering art, leaning some of it on the table and against the wall. Accessories were added, providing color, texture and height.

One last layer under the table… 2 ottomans, ready to pull out and use for extra seating.

The final product… this wall has now become a beautiful focal point for the room!

The secret… layering.  Lots and lots of it, from high to low, front to back, and left to right… and all with items found around the house and in the garage. It’s always surprising, and rewarding, to see how great a room can look…. without spending a dime on new things!  Give it a try!!