Newly Corporate

It’s summer and inevitably we all get the itch to give our place a fresh look, but in a tough economy its not always affordable to do the cool remodel that you’ve been dreaming about. So here are some tips for sprucing up your room, condo, apartment or house this summer.

- A new coat of paint. A new hue makes a huge difference in your space and there are so many cool sites out there so you can preview the look in your room or to find a color that fits your style. Here are few of my favorites:

http://www.colorofinspiration.com/ and http://www.behr.com/behrx/workbook/index.jsp (this one let’s your upload a picture of the room and paint different colors on the picture – very cool)

- Steam clean your carpets. Sometimes alls your old stuff needs is a bit of elbow grease to look brand new. You can rent a cleaner at the supermarket or pick one up for $80-$250 depending on the model.

- Swap out the lighting in the room. Old fixtures make a room look dated and the new “natural light” bulbs can improve your mood and your lighting at the same time. If you’re a renter lighting is an easy swap out without upsetting your landlord.

- Cool accessories. You can create your own or pick some up on the cheap at Ikea or a thrift shop. To make your own, pick up some paints and a pulled canvas at an art shop for about $30. Invite some friends over and you can create a new focal point in your room and bond with some friends over a glass of wine and your new found talent, or lack there of.

- Fresh flowers – pick some from your back yard, or buy a bunch from your local farmers market. Flowers add a homey feel to the room, a pop of color and a great natural floral scent.

For more tips of fixing up your place on a budget, one of my favorites blogs is http://www.thebudgetcasa.com/. They share specials on housewares, cool decorating ideas and food tips. For the fashion divas out there, their sister site www.thebudgetfashionista.com has great deals for great clothes at the office and the weekend.