Great DIY tips to upgrade your living room

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20:  A child looks into a ...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

If you’re looking to update a room in your home but don’t have a huge budget here are five great tips that won’t break the bank but will transform your room and inject colour style and a sense of a fresh new makeover

  1. Change your rug.  If you have a neutral coloured room then by purchasing a rug in a strong, vibrant color and adding a couple of cushions of the same material can really make a difference to the look and feel of your room.  Go retro with a burnt orange shag pile rug or a contemporary rug with funky geometric shapes to give your room instant style!
  2. Buy a statement print or large mirror.  A mirror will give a sense of extra space to a small room and a statement print or piece of art can become a real focus and talking point for visitors.
  3. For the bedroom a simple change such as a new Manchester set and a new set of curtains and blinds can give you a brand new peaceful sanctuary to unwind in for very little expense
  4. Recover your couch and armchairs to breathe new life into your comfy couch.  A good couch is like an old friend, if you look after it and keep it re-upholstered to give you many years of comfort.
  5. Lighting can instantly change the mood of a room. Changing your light bulbs to a softer lighting or buying a pair of chic looking lamps will make an instance difference to the atmosphere of a room.

Keeping your home up to date and refreshing your look doesn’t have to cost the earth and sometimes less is more!

Do It Yourself-Shadowbox displays

Everett, Wash. (Oct. 6, 2005) - Military Worki...

Image via wikipedia sourced-shadowbox

A shadowbox is a box that is covered with a glass plate that displays objects. Many people use shadow boxes as a cute way to display personal objects. shadowboxes got their name because of the shadow they cast on the object placed within the box. Shadowboxes can be found at any hobby store, sometimes in a lower cost quality at wal-mart.See Nature Shadowboxes: A Great Weekend Project (wired.com) First, you have to choose what color of wood you want your shadowbox to have. whatever decision you make, it can match the decor of your room, or just be a finish you happen to like alot. After selecting your box, you then have to decide what to put in your box. Most people put special items,such as rewards(be they academic or military) or personal items in them. many times, you can find specific shadowboxes for military awards. Shadow boxes can even be used as a gift, to thank hosts for a party given in your favor, new mothers,new brides and golden anniversaries. For Ideas check out Weekend DIY: Paper Butterfly Shadowbox (courtneyoutloud.wordpress.com). Most store bought shadow boxes contain storage instructions, but if your creating your box from scratch, you may need glue, Styrofoam backing, wire or screws to secure your objects into your box. When doing a shadowbox from scratch, you have to use size, weight and proportion to decide on just where and how you can place your items in the box for display.

Example of a shadow box for a U.S. soldier who...

Image via wikipedia sourched-military shadowbox