Creating atmosphere in a new apartment or room can be an ENORMOUS obstacle for us 20 somethings who lack da booty (aka dinero). Afterall, if you’ve only got enough money to buy meat once a month, you certainly are not going to spend your hard earned money on sprucing up your living room! So here are several inexpensive ideas that will help you transform your vapid room into a spectacular space!
$20 away from a new living room!
Okay, so here’s what we’re working with. Standard dorm room (read: incredibly uncomfortable) furniture, little natural light and approximately 9 x 13 feet.
Step #1: Choose a theme color or identifying object
Choose a prized possession or unique piece of art to center the room’s color scheme around. Or choose a color that you especially like. I found this great 13 foot tall stuffed flamingo at a garage sale this summer and just couldn’t live without it (Hellow it was only $3)! Because Placido Calypso is hot pink, that became the theme color for our living room.
Step #2: Purchase coordinating fabrics
Next take a trip to Jo-Ann Fabrics and get a few coordinating bargain fabrics to cover throw pillows. I used pillows that I already had laying around the house. I also got material for tablecloths and used the extra material from the throw pillows to make napkins. * HOT TIP* Fashion quick and simple napkin rings by using a scrap of ribbon from your craft chest!
While you’re at Joann’s make sure to consider window coverings. I made these curtains with 3 yards of material that was only .88 cents per yard! Deal of the day! Also, I found a neat tropical print that really coordinated with the flamingo theme, so I bought a swatch of that and made it into a wall hanging!
Step #3: Host a deck-the-walls party
Now that we’ve got a pretty good looking room, all we need is something to cover those barren walls. Invite your friends over for a night of artistic creativity! Beforehand get out all of your craft supples (puffy paint, glitter, feathers, scrap paper, buttons, crayons, old pictures, watercolors, glue, etc.). make sure you have some plain white stock paper and set your buds to work. It’s good to set up some guidelines so that your room doesn’t end up looking like a jigsaw puzzle or wall of graffiti. Make sure each creation incorporates your theme color or the emotion you are trying to create with your new atmosphere. It also might be a good idea to discuss the use of language in the creations. We didn’t do this and ended up with lots of “We rock” type of artwork.
If you do end up with a few pieces that just aren’t your style, proudly display them in your local utility closet or bathroom.
More Ideas
*Use extra scraps of fabric to cover ugly plant pots.
*Speaking of plants, live foliage gives any room a sense of life. Choose large or interesting looking specimens to give your room oxygen and life.
November 20th, 2002 at 2:02 pm
Wow Shira! I am impressed! Now I feel bad for not ever posting anything exciting on here! lol
We will definitely have to do some similar stuff to our lounge here! ding! 
November 22nd, 2002 at 12:29 am
Wow, I was psyched to see that you have the whole tropical theme going on, since the theme of my room at school is tropical too. That gigantic stuffed flamingo is insane — I found a 3 foot tall light up flamingo over the summer, but somehow that pales in comparison to your flamingo!
September 28th, 2004 at 10:20 pm
this stink like poopY