Excerpt
Redo Your Room Face it and#8212; your bedroom is the only place you can call your own. It should reflect your ideology, personality, and charm. But who chose the furniture, wallpaper, and paint? Were these stylistic atrocities forced on you by clueless decorators whose ideas of cool were ballerina figurines and tiger-striped throw pillows? Reclaim this precious space by redecorating. All it takes to transform your bedroom is some ingenuity and a little (very little) cash. Even if a complete overhaul isnand#8217;t possible right now, you can style your space with personal touches to make it unmistakably yours. How to Do It 1. First, clean up. Itand#8217;s a drag, but thatand#8217;s the only way to get a good look at the space. To redesign, you need some room to experiment. Free up space by moving out things you no longer want or need. (Keep your "out pile" around until you are totally finished because you may re-use that stuff for other purposes.) 2. Once you have a partially blank slate, start putting your stamp on your stomping grounds. Think about who you are and make your design reflect that person. If youand#8217;re a sports nut, pick out memorabilia from your favorite team. Music lovers can frame old record albums and create a grid of classic covers. Maps of the world and a cool collection of international postcards work for travel lovers and adventure seekers. 143. After redecorating, revisit the stuff you took out. Can you do something to wake up that old bookshelf or nightstand? Try throwing colorful fabrics on chipped tabletops, or sanding and staining old furniture to make it look new. 4. When youand#8217;re done, responsibly throw away, donate, sell, or recycle whatever you canand#8217;t use. Now, your room is your own personal creative space and the refuge from the outside world that it is supposed to be!