And you thought there was something unique, complicated, perhaps mystical. No. Design mistakes, like all mistakes, require change. But, change is good. And change can even be simple.
If you have accepted the premise that change is going to help you with your design mistakes, what is the simplest thing to change with the largest impact? Color. Why color? Because everything, and I mean everything, has color.
There is no question, changing the color of your walls will give you the biggest bang for your bucks. And the cheapest, easiest change to your walls is paint. You can go to your local home renovation store and buy someone’s paint mistakes for as little as a dollar. However, don’t fall in love with a particular rejected color unless it solves your problem and there is enough to complete the job, regardless of its price.
If advice about making your design mistakes stopped there and you tried every paint mistake your fellow do-it-yourselfer brought back to the store, you are bound to hit something you like before you have spent twenty dollars.
You may not like the labor involved in repainting an entire room, but you could find a college student who paints to earn money toward books and/or tuition. Of course, get referrals. You don’t want a botched job even if the paint costs you next to nothing.
Paint is not the only color correction you can make. You can change the color on some or all of the fabrics in the space. You can darken or lighten the stain on wood. You can change the color of accessories, flooring--and all of these changes will make a significant difference in an otherwise unworkable design.
Connie LeGendre empowers homeowners designing their interiors through e-courses and newsletters. Do-it-yourself homeowners are encouraged to ask questions about their projects when signed up for a free, downloadable e-course, "7 New Secrets to Unleashing the Designer in You," at http://www.interiordesignclinic.com.
A trained architect and interior designer, fifteen years teaching and running her design business with high-end clients demanding cost-effective and unique solutions, Ms. LeGendre brings that considerable background to her online tips, information, solutions, and Q&A website. The mission is to help translate financially out-of-reach design into affordable creations for anyone who wants to do-it themselves.
