Well, this week my over-active ADD mind is in full swing as I work to please two very different clients; one is moving into a newly constructed condominium and prefers traditional furnishings, while the other has purchased a traditional home but wants a fresh, new twist on modern interiors. Lucky for me, both clients have pretty tight budgets, so it's up to me to find creative ways to make these dollars stretch. If I had a dollar for every time I said it, I'd be a very, very wealthy man..but PAINT is the easiest way to transform any space. Have an ugly dresser you can't stand anymore? PAINT IT a vibrant, wild color and add new pulls for a fresh, modern look. Not sure what to do with the hideous lamps you've carried around for years? If you don't have the extra cash to head to Target or Home Goods for new shades (for as cheap as $10), buy special paint at an arts and crafts store (must be fire-safe), place blue painters tape on the shades and paint away the ugly with a fabulous design. To spruce up the otherwise boring breakfast nook above, guess what, it got PAINTED with stripes. While the project might look a tad daunting, it's much easier than you think. I DON'T like to use painters tape when working on a large scale (if you've used it, you probably know it's next to impossible to keep the paint from bleeding under the tape), so I take my time and paint freehand. Once I have the design in mind, I pencil sketch it on the wall, then use small, crisp brushes to paint between the lines (this is where childhood coloring books eventually paid off!). To wallpaper a space like this would cost hundreds of dollars, where painting these stripes cost less than $50! Aint that nifty?
