In the theme of Changes....

In keeping with the theme of changes, and promising a blog about decor , and well keeping in mind that I like to do things on a small budget...I was pleasantly surprised when flipping through my Better Homes and Gardens magazine for this month.

 Inside the pages there is always wonderful tips for saving money and finding pleasure in life on all levels, this month was no difference, so my copy is very "dog eared" . One of the articles that instantly caught my eye was one by San Francisco interior designer Grant K. Gibson.

I follow him on Face Book, read his blog on a regular basis as well, and have pages in all my fav mags marked where he has been mentioned and showcased. So how great was it to find a spread about a budget re-do for a living room by him??!

The article was titled "Picture Perfect For Less" . This is what he had to work with.....

And then it was tweaked a bit more.....

 already looking better right??? You can go to his blog to see the entire magazine article, his thoughts on things and the final result, it is all there!! But what I will share with you today is the portion of the article that stated "It's the little things that make for a great look. Here , 6 small changes that add up...." That is what caught my eye , especially since yesterday I posted about making some changes to my body and before that in another post to my mind set, and well my whole life is going through changes as we learn to deal with what has been going on for the last two years and trying to change things for the better.

So here we go..... some of the highlights, you will have to buy the magazine, or read his blog to get the rest ;o)

 "The Stuff" 

 1. Toss in Pattern ! according to the article, it gives a space the fun and personality that a room needs and deserves. 

  

2. Corral it ! Grant Used trays to corral everything, give it a space of it's own and to use even things like a tv remote as part of the decor , and well it keeps things organized. I am a huge fan of trays, baskets, and boxes for all the laying loose items about my space. 

 3. Think Big ! Grant used a small print and put it in a big frame to make it a focal point. We have chatted here before about not going small with scale just because you may have a small space.  

4. Go Lighter! Grant was talking about lighter visually, not in color, so for him the coffee table being replaced with a glass and chrome one, opening up the space visually was what he meant in this instance. 

5. Shop at Home ! This is a standard in the budget decorators arsenal, I know it is in mine. Shop from what you have, move it around , use it in new ways, and give your items and decor new life!

6. Cover Up! In this case it was using a long cloth on a round table , creating a bit of drama and also a new look and well as a bonus extra storage space. But it could also be a new slip cover to breathe new life into an old couch, or maybe a throw tossed over a chair or the end of the bed to create a new , warmer , cozier look. 

 Now for one more thing to share on a decor note, and also from BH&G this month.....a blog to take a look at called Copy Cat Chic  . She shows you the expensive items, and then does all the searching for you and shows you the same item, or one similar for a lot less! She has a FB page too that you can link to from her blog page! 

So that is all for today....have a wonderful day and here is to small changes making big differences!