Freshen Up on a Budget

1. Color Your Walls

Completely transform your room with just a few gallons of paint. Try a fresh shade, and watch how it transforms all your existing furniture. Paint costs so little compared to how much you get in return.
A grid of nine colorful paintings pops against a deep gray wall.
Poppy Nine Patch Canvas Set
$349
Available at Art.com



Rethink What You Have
It costs nothing to reassess what your room already looks like. Why not move a few pieces around? Sometimes a fresh approach encourages you to get rid of tired pieces that drag your space down. Do you really need everything you see? Does everything have a purpose and a special meaning to you? If not, then give it away. I promise, less is more.
Air Mail print
$40
Available at Art.com
Havanita print
$40
Available at Art.com



Choose Lighting Wisely
Adding dimmers to your space offers dimension and mood at very little cost. Or buy a fresh shade for your lamp. Consider replacing mismatched floor lamps with two, new matching lamps. Place one on either side of your sofa or bed, and see how the room suddenly has cohesive style.



Update Your Pillows
Can't afford a new sofa? There are dozens of affordable, fabulous pillows that are one of a kind and will zip up your space instantaneously.
Golden Horizon print
$25
Available at Art.com


Sleep In Style
Does your bedroom need a lift? Give it an instant update. Try buying just a new headboard with a unique fabric or pattern. Invest in a great set of sheets, complete with shams. Choose a bold pattern that will define your room, and don't be afraid to mix and match.
Calla Lilies framed print
$310
Available at Art.com



Try a Mirror
Can't afford art? You can find unique mirrors at discount stores or vintage shops that, when grouped together, will bring elegance and personality to even the smallest of spaces.



Recover and Renew
Can't afford a new chair? Give your existing one a makeover by recovering it in a new pattern. Get a little daring and see how a simple chair can be completely transformed.

First Impressions/Entry Ways

This entry way makes a bold statement with color and unusual design elements.



Elegant entry, the inlayed tile makes a dramatic statement.



A colorful work of art against stark white walls is the point of departure for accent colors in this residence. A mirror and a small console are always right in any entry hall; a great place to plop your keys and cell phone as you get ready to relax. A bulky and simple baseboard is in keeping with the contemporary architecture.


An entry hall with a center table is functional for placing handbags and packages. Art and sculptures can be showcased in this area for impact.


A curved console is a perfect fit against this curved wall.


Reclaimed Balinese doors emphasize the focal point in this entryway. Custom glass doors set an architectural mood with a Versailles-pattern porcelain tile defining the space. Ethnic antique furnishings, wall art and accessories set the tone for a space fit for a world traveler.

In this Washington D.C. loft, Tracy Morris Design introduced warm elements and clean lines into a converted school building. The concrete floors were treated with an acid wash, and the rug is angled toward the entrance to welcome guest into the room. While space maximization is crucial in all designs, it’s especially significant in loft design.

This rare wood and stone base entry table allows for inquiry when one enters the apartment. The faux art painted wall, with a sunflower painting, makes for a great entrance.

Something Old Something New

An heirloom, an old piece of furniture, or delicate china that has been given as a gift or found in an antique shop may have a special appeal, not only because it is a treasure in its own right, but also because it reflects a period or style for which you feel an affinity. Just one item can be the starting point for a collection of similar objects from that era and, in some cases, can inspire a room to be decorated and furnished to invoke the atmosphere of that time. Then add the freshness of new colors or art for a feeling of vibrancy to your room.

Old objects bring a nostalgic ambiance to any room, with the warmth and mellowness that come with age as well as soften the whiteness of modern materials.

Busacca Gallery

Busacca Gallery offers consignment support programs to select artists and antique galleries. Their job is to assess their clients' marketing needs and deliver a highly effective Internet strategy, including a custom-tailored solution to generate ongoing profits with a low cost of participation. Their client Internet solutions are conceived at Busacca Gallery, an elegant display space located in San Francisco's affluent Russian Hill.

It is the best place on the Web to buy and sell art between $500 and $10,000. And it’s free; no posting fees, subscriptions or advertising costs. It is a beautiful, carefully edited, gallery-like site that makes money on the margin between the minimum bid and the gallery price of an object. The works range from exquisite antiques to masterpieces from living artists. BusaccaGallery.com is the perfect solution to the problem artists and art owners face when they think about selling their pieces: do they set up their own site and go through all the pain and costs involved, or get lost in the crowds at other posting sites and Internet auctions that charge to participate? Who’s to say their art or Victorian onyx chess set won’t wind up next to someone’s Hello Kitty lunch box? The investor appeal of BusaccaGallery.com goes beyond its importance as the only free, consignment art gallery on the web. The mid-range vision of the business is as an information seller based on the data collected in the course of art postings and sales. That’s where the big money is.

With more than 25 years in the art business, Mark Busacca has built an exceptionally sophisticated infrastructure and proven web art business system - in short, a profitable website and search engine for high-quality visual art transactions. http://busaccagallery.com/

Evening in Venice

James Coleman
James Coleman - a name synonymous with sweeping skies, tropical rain forests, rich deep woods and silent deserts. The images created by this talented man continue to delight all who view them. James Coleman was born in Hollywood, California in 1949. As a youth, his creative abilities seemed to dominate his world. Though he lacked the athletic skills of his young friends, he more than made up for it with imagination and ingenuity. As a young man his interest in film making and fine art would be the genesis for a long, successful career in animated films.

View his collection and see how he how he magically added Mickey and Minnie into the, "Evening in Venice", pictured above. Titled, James Coleman, Black Tie Affair with Mickey and Minnie.

In 1969 Coleman found his creative energies welcomed by Walt Disney Productions. As an animation background designer, Coleman styled and worked on nine feature films and over 30 short subjects. Winnie the Pooh, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast came to life with James Coleman's background images gracing the silver screen. Twenty-two years with Disney found him ready to develop all of his time and talent to the love of his life, fine art. Today he continues to illuminate the art world with vibrant colors, gentle moods, powerful design and exquisite detail. Coleman works in oil, watercolor, guache and pastel. His work is impressionistic and luminous. His pieces intrigue the eye and touch the heart. His paintings are warm, inviting and unique.

Coleman began doing paintings of the islands in the early 1980's. "Originally Hawaii was an escape for me, a place to recharge my batteries and enjoy the peace and tranquility of a heaven on earth. The land, its history and its people were my secret to serenity and relaxation. Soon my love for these beautiful islands and its people began to translate into my paintings. My desire has been to connect those who view my work with the past, present and future of the Hawaiian experience." Though traditional in technique and medium, Colemans tropical pieces are anything but traditional. They are a fresh and unique personal view of Hawaii. A master of color, light and design has in recent years made Coleman one of the most collected and sought after artists in Hawaii and around the world.

James Coleman pieces can be found in many fine, personal and corporate collections including the Disney family and corporate collections. Coleman is a naturalist and environmentalist who involves himself with the National Parks and other environmental organizations. He has been a finalist five years in the Arts for the Parks competition. The contribution made by Coleman to the world of art over the last twenty-six years, both in film and fine art, make him one of the most collected artists in contemporary art. His work is represented by some of the most prominent and respected galleries in North America, the Orient and the Hawaiian Islands.

Through the Artists Eyes

Irene Suchocki is a self-taught freelance photographer. She was born in Toronto, but moved to Montreal in 2001, and will be forever grateful to her high school French teacher.
Irene experiments with different styles and techniques, both in-camera and in her digital darkroom. Faithfully capturing a scene is less important than finding that little bit of mystery, evoking a certain mood, or telling a story. Irene creates little poems for the eyes through her explorations of the ethereal, the surreal, the whimsical, the mysterious, and the beautiful.

Her work has appeared on numerous book covers, on television, and has been exhibited at the Sundance Film Festival. Her photographic prints have found their way into private homes around the world.

Creative Photography

I published a post titled, "Hanging Garden", by one of my favorite photography artist. Here is more of her work, I have provided a link to her blog where you can view her gallery of lovely photographs, she is on vacation in France and I'm sure she will return with more beautiful photographs. Talk about a wall collage!!!!!!!

These are nothing less than spectacular!!!!!!!!!

http://is-theblog.blogspot.com/

Create a Wall Collage

Gather all your framed photos, art collection, deco accent pieces and pictures. Stick to a color pallet to avoid visual chaos. If you are doing all black and white art, maybe paint the frames in different colors. If your art is in different colors, stick to one color frames. Measure out the wall area that you are planning to use for your collage. Measure out the same size on the floor and start laying out your pictures within that area. Play around with different configurations to get a feel for what you like best. You can also make templates of the frames out of Newspapers and tape it to the wall. Be careful leaving to much space between the frames or even putting to close together. I find that leaving about 2” between the frames tends to work best. You want the collage to feel like one art piece, not look like a wallpaper.
If you are brave and want to make the collage look even more interesting mix in 3 dimensional objects to add visual interest. You can also incorporate a clock or a mirror. Start with larger pieces in the center and work your way out. It looks great to mix in one round item with all the frames just to brake up the shapes.
Use a level if you aren't comfortable with your natural visual abilities.

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Mood Lighting

When remodeling and decorating, we usually look for furniture, paint, carpets and decorative items as pictures. However, the lighting can have a big impact on the overall look of a room. The lighting design is responsible for setting the mood or ambiance of a space. With careful design and planning for the type, color and hue of the lighting, the room can be given a different ambiance. The right lighting can set a mood, improve productivity and contribute to people’s sense of well-being. It can transform unappealing spaces into desirable ones. Bright rooms give a positive and optimistic feeling, while darker rooms are more intimate and romantic. Research had proven that light can make big difference in how we feel.

This is simply, sexy, cozy and serene. Placing floor spotlights below plants will create the soft shadows which adds to a calm peaceful feeling.

http://lightingbygregory.com/

Oriental Rugs

During the past century, the Oriental rug has become valued throughout the world as a work of art.With its rich history and color, the Oriental rug often is called the aristocrat of carpets.Although the Oriental rug of today may not soar through the air like a magic carpet of Arabian legend, the Oriental rug does perform magic, transforming interior spaces into extraordinary spaces.
The term, Oriental rug, traditionally has been used to describe hand knotted rugs from the East. The process typically involves stretching warp threads on a loom and knotting the pile to these threads. When a row of knots is completed, a weft thread is then inserted. Once the entire carpet is knotted, the pile is shorn. To a large degree, the precision of the design depends on how tightly the rug has been knotted and how short the pile has been cut.
The rug's density, or number of knots the better. A superb Oriental rug may have more than 500 to 1,000 knots per square inch.
Historically, the great carpet producing areas include Turkey, Persia, the Caucasus and Turkestan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India and China also must be added to the list. Also, under Arab influence, Spain, too has produced hand knotted rugs of distinction.
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Tapestry Art

In the middle Ages, tapestries had a purely utilitarian function. They were originally designed to protect medieval rooms from damp and cold weather, to cover austere walls of big castles, or to insulate big rooms into more comfortable quarters. Tapestries used for furnishing big stone castles were very big in size and they required large looms, many workers and high capital investments. Thus, manufacturer's of this type arose in prosperous localities, usually weaving centers. By 1500, Flanders, especially Brussels and Bruges, had become the chief places of production. Due to their size and intricacy, tapestries became investments and displays of wealth and power. In these early tapestries, isolated figures or compact groups stood out against a background that was generally plain or embellished with plant motifs or flowers, those are called , "mille fleurs", tapestry meaning (thousand flowers). Tapestry became equal to the class of paintings, sculpture and architectural design becoming one of the major visual art forms.

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Photo-Collage

A collage using any form of art always creates an interesting focal point in any room. Pick a theme for the collage, i.e. if you enjoy photography and love to take nature photos or city landscapes, enlarge your pictures and frame them or put them on canvas. Collages are great in high ceiling areas particularly, using different sizes will also create interest. If you take photos of your travels and display your photographs it will also create an interesting conversational piece to tell the stories of your travels.

This could be a fun project for your child, using his or her art project mixing their own personal photos into the collage, they will have fun sharing it with their friends. Visit this link to discover how to make a little extra spending money with your photographs http://www.expressdigital.com/products/prstorefronts.shtm
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