Getting Free Design Ideas

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

It is always exciting when you have the opportunity to decorate or redesign a room. We are slowly making our way through repairs here at our house and are almost ready to decorate our family room. And, we have three sets of friends who are making big moves to new homes and will need to think about designing their spaces.

So short of hiring an interior decorator, how can you get some design ideas? Look to the following places for free design ideas.

Catalogues

Catalogues of home items are filled with pages of professionally designed spaces. Naturally, the companies that put out these catalogues hope that you will buy their merchandise. But, there are so many ideas in these catalogues that you can then adapt to your own frugal use. For example, I spotted a large round scrollwork decoration that was mounted over a brick fireplace in a Pottery Barn catalog that retailed for several hundred dollars. I adapted that idea when I found a medium-sized scrollwork candle holder in the thrift store for $2 that I can mount over my own brick fireplace.

Free magazines

The library is full of free magazines to browser and even check out. There are also magazines that offer free one- or two-year subscriptions. To learn more about free magazines, click here. Internet resources

There are lots of great ideas for design all for free on the Internet. Check out the Home Blog here at Families.com and post your design questions in the forums.

Home stores

Home stores often offer a free design service as part of their customer service. Or, you can just ask knowledgeable employees. We were lucky enough to meet an interior designer who worked at a carpet store. He gave us some great guidelines for decorating our kitchen.

Look for an upcoming article about "hacking" common, less expensive furniture to make it into a custom "designer" look.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, online content manager, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania in the middle of the woods but close enough to Target and Home Depot.

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