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Design On A Dime

Even in tough economic times, you can love the space you are in. These 10 cost-saving tips show how you can revamp your home and/or home office space.

By Barbara Buyer Ruiz

To help austinwoman’s readers fall in love with their homes again (without breaking the bank), Barbara Buyer-Ruiz of Metamorefix shares her Top 10 Ways to Fall in Love With the Home You are In:

1. Create a family wall of photos in a hallway or stairwell - put your memories in full view, where you can enjoy them each and every day.
2. Frame your windows with simple curtain panels to enhance your "view" - this will enhance your back yard or front yard view plus make your window seem larger, and the room bigger.
3. Carve out a corner for yourself - make a comfy reading or relaxation corner that you can enjoy coming home to!
4. Sand, sea, and sky = Bathroom Bliss - turn your bathroom into a Caribbean getaway with paint, posters, and a window treatment that frames the sky.
5. Update your room with throw pillows or other accessories in the latest colors, including Mimosa, Pantone's 2009 color of the year.
6. Wall color is a Dining Room essential! Paint below the chair rail only with an "entertainment" color such as Laura Ashley's Madder Root and your guests will linger longer.
7. Frame or re-frame a favorite poster or canvas. Do you have a Behrens prints from the 80s with a pastel mat and a gold metal frame? A dark blue mat with a distressed espresso frame makes a terrific update for these Mediterranean landscapes.
8. Add chandelier shades to a bare-bulb light fixture to bring color, character, and beautifully diffused light to the room.
9. Replace the countertops, backsplash, and paint your existing cabinets and walls for a mini-remodel of your kitchen, continuing with new floors, lighting, and updated appliances as time and budget allow.
10. Give it away! De-clutter your rooms, walls, closets, and drawers by donating your extras to an organization such as VinCare Services of Austin. They provide furnished apartments to homeless woman and their children and accept anything from a sofa to a spatula.