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Budget Decorating
(featured column)
Spring Renewal for
Your Home's Exterior
by Kathleen
Wilson
Come every Spring, we become a little more conscious of
the way our home looks to all those who pass by. Often times it is out of our budget to repaint, or remodel
the exterior of our home. Here are some great tight budget tips for dressing up the outside of your home
with "Creativity, Not Cash!"™ More...
1. Stand out on your sidewalk and take a picture of your
home from the street. Often times we do not really "see" what is there because we have become so
accustomed to it. Take your photo to a copy shop and print out a few copies of it, blown up to fit the
paper. Now you can spend some time drawing in your wish list for changes, add a fence, draw an arbor over your
entry walk, add planters, and come up with some low cost ways to accomplish it! (Kind of a low cost version of
that expensive software) This one step could save you a lot of time, money, and
work, not to mention get you to the home you want in a much smoother fashion!
2.Consider learning some woodworking skills. With just a little education and a rented saw, you can build
arbors and decorative fences for a fraction of what it would cost to have it installed. You can often get free
instruction at your local home improvement center. Check out http://www.hgtv.com or
http://www.bhg.com
for some help. Now remember, if you can't afford to totally fence in your yard, or build a big gazebo, how about
just adding a little decorative fences at the corners of the yard, and a simple decorative gate marking the
entrance to your yard? It only takes a little to add a whole lot of character.
3. If you already have a concrete drive and walkway, and you find it boring, dress it up by lining it with
brick. It doesn't cost much, and all it takes is a little elbow grease digging a trench to lay the brick
in alongside the walkway, then pack the dirt back around them to hold in place,
no mortaring necessary for this! Another low cost option? Use porch paint and stamp a brick walkway with a large rectangular sponge.
You can use a basket weave pattern, or lay it on the diagonal, whatever works for you!
4. Add shutters to your windows. Now, you don't have to buy those expensive premade ones that everyone else
has, you can make simple ones yourself. You can use plywood and edge it in wood trim, then paint, or just
hang a few vertical 1x2's 4 inches apart to form the a rectangular shape alongside your window, indicating
shutters. You may be able to find much of this wood in scrap piles. Just make sure the pieces are not warped.
Now paint with exterior trim paint, and watch the charm go up! Be sure to use galvanized screws or nails to
build and hang them so they won't rust.
5. Finally, add some personal touches to your entry, to make your home more welcoming. Hand paint a wood plaque
from the craft store with your family name or a favorite quote and hang it beside your front door. Add
a wreath or a swag to your entry door. You can make one easily from a grapevine or straw wreath and add your
own touches, some garden tools, silk flowers, small wood plaques with the family member's names,
seashells, whatever represents your tastes. Fill a planter with flowers or shade plants and place it right
by your door to add life, add a chair or bench if you have room. If you have a table and a covered porch,
don't be afraid to bring out candles, throw pillows, and even a throw rug to create your porch "room"! Just
remember to use your creativity, add your personal touch, and use that elbow grease, and soon people will
stop when they pass your home impressed, by your creativity!
* * *
Copyright © 2004 by Kathleen Wilson. All
rights reserved.
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