space
Budget-friendly living. Paula Berberian, creative services manager for Brewster Home Fashions, a top wallpaper company, offered tips on how to create comfortable decor on a budget:
An engaging area rug. Use an outdoor rug or a large bath mat in a bright color or pattern as an affordable way to accent a room.
Stylish but affordable framed art. Select a yard or so of your favorite print at a local fabric store. Cut the fabric to fit in 8-by-10- inch frames. Remove the glass, and insert the fabric for a one-of- a-kind design.
Add stencils. Stencils bring a personal touch to cabinets. The use of gold or silver paint on top of a warmer color creates an elegant, memorable design.
money
Affordable home theaters. Home entertainment centers bring families together but can be expensive. Use these recommendations to cut costs without cutting back on quality:
What’s important? Does your family want great sound, a huge picture or a theater seat with a cup holder? Spend the most on that one feature and upgrade the others later.
Don’t buy everything at once. A home-theater design expert can help establish a timeline that outlines when each system should be purchased.
Consider the best location. What is the light like in the middle of the afternoon? Is it a high-traffic space? Cut back on costs of extra elements of the home theater by eliminating the need for shades or sound proofing.
trees
Landscaping care. As much as 10 percent of a home’s value is in its landscaping, experts say. With wind as fierce and dry as it’s been and no substantial precipitation in sight, it’s time to winter water trees, shrubs and perennials, especially if they’re still getting settled in. Trees take one year per inch in trunk diameter to fully establish their roots in a new location. For more info on how and when to give your trees a drink, visit Colorado State Extension publications online: and type “winter watering” into the search box.
