David Bromstad- Color Splash

David Bromstad is one of my favorite designers.  He is the season one winner of HGTV's Design Star and he now has his own show, Color Splash on HGTV. Below are some of his designs. 

Shopping for Budget Decorating

•  Thrift Stores- You wouldn't believe what all you can find.  You'll discover furniture, paintings, picture frames, curtains, lamps, bedding, and many more decorative accessories.  Thrift store shopping is usually a hit or miss and requires going quite often in order to find the best items.  If you're lucky, you can even find brand name items that have never been opened or used.  Just be sure to look at everything in a new light.  Don't look at everything as old, used, and out-dated. Instead, think about how you can update and incorporate it into your home.  Look for picture frames, vases, shelves, end tables, coffee tables, book cases, etc. to paint and give a fresh new look. 

 

•  Always check out closeout stores like Tj Maxx, Marshals, Surplus City, etc. for great deals.  Online shopping is also a great option. Try searching for discounted, cheap, new or used items at websites like Overstock.com, Craigslist, Ebay, etc. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH1HS8eDqxw&feature=channel

Painting tips for Budget Decorating

Paint- One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to change the look of a room.  Painting is a great way to add color to a dull room and change the appearance of it dramatically.  You can paint the whole room, paint out-dated furniture and accessories, or create new artwork.

• Stripes- Give your room a bold look by painting stripes on one accent wall.  Start by choosing a main color that you like for the room and then choose a couple more colors that work well with the first color.  Next, paint the whole wall the main color.  Then use masking tape to mark the stripes by varying the widths of the tape.  Now all you have to do is paint the remaining colors inside the tape, let dry, and carefully peel off the tape.  

      

• Chalkboard Paint- Painting a wall, or part of a wall, with chalkboard paint will add style to the room as well as, providing organization. You could try it in your kitchen, office, or kids room.  Use it for  grocery lists, messages/reminders, recipes, or just a place for you or kids to draw and doodle. 

• Furniture- Try painting your old furniture to give it a brand new look.  Here are a few before and after photos:

Do-It-Yourself Art

Canvas Art  

    

• Simple Stripes-  Use a couple of bold colors and tape to create a simple piece of art. First, paint the entire canvas in one of your chosen colors. Then, use strips of tape to make horizontal or vertical stripes. You can even choose to make some of the stripes thick and some thin by placing the strips of tape further away or closer together. Lastly, you just fill in the gaps with another color (or colors), let dry, and peel off the tape. 

• Fabric Covered Canvas- This is a very quick and easy project. All you'll need is a canvas, fabric, and a staple gun. Just lay the pattern side of the fabric face down on the floor and then place the canvas on the fabric (with the back of the canvas facing up). Next, just simply start wrapping the canvas like a present, making sure the fabric is pulled tight across the canvas. Then just start stapling the fabric to the back and you're done. Try using multiple canvases with a variety of different patterns like in these photos from the Michael's Arts and Crafts website.

                                                  

• Stencil Art- It's such an easy way to achieve a professional-looking piece of art. You can apply the stencil directly to the wall, or to a canvas. Also, there are many options when it comes to choosing your stencil. You can buy them at any crafts store, such as, Michaels or Hobby Lobby, you can print out an image from the internet to cut out and use as a stencil, or just draw your own design.