4 home décor projects you can do in an hour

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SALT LAKE CITY — For do-it-yourselfers, home design and décor inspiration abounds. But even for the most ambitious among us, time and budget restrictions can easily put a damper on things. Not to worry — there are plenty of ways to give your home a healthy dose of style that are not only cheap, but these projects can be completed in about an hour.

Here are four projects to get your inspiration back on track.

Rearrange furniture

Sometimes it’s not about what’s in a room but how those items are arranged that has the biggest impact. If you’re frustrated with the look and feel of a room, it may need nothing more than a little rearranging.

“Rearranging your surroundings is the first step to rearranging your life,” according to ehow.com. “Whether you just rearranged your furniture last month or it hasn't moved an inch in 10 years, you can benefit by changing the placement of your furniture to maximize the flow of energy throughout your home.”

First, from functionality to feeling, consider the purpose of the room and the mood you’d like to create. Maybe you’d like to encourage more relaxed, casual conversation in your living room or make your entryway more welcoming and organized.

Then, roll up your sleeves and get moving. You may need to try several different layouts before you find the right one, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the perfect effect on the first try. To save your aching back, try online furniture arrangement software to help you virtually move your couch before you have to physically move it.

Paint an accent wall

Using measured doses of concentrated color is great way to ratchet up the style in your home. For homeowners strapped for cash and time, a little paint goes a long way.

“Painting is an inexpensive way to update a room with a great amount of impact. If you want to add a little drama, but only have time for a quick project, you might consider painting an accent wall,” writes Emilie Sennebogen for tlc.howstuffworks.com. “Painting one wall a different shade of the room's color, or even a different color entirely, will add some visual interest to a space that could use a little perking up.”

To select your accent wall, Sennebogen suggests finding a place where your eye is naturally drawn — say, behind the headboard in the bedroom or on a living room wall with architectural details.

For beginners, try a tone-on-tone effect. For more daring DIY-ers, go for a contrasting color or paint a graphic pattern.

Sew curtains and pillows

Some of the best decorating accessories start with items you already have.

–- Ryan Kirby, designer

If you’re hesitant to paint but eager to get more color into your space, bring in the drama with textiles. Curtains and pillows not only soften a room (literally), they give you the opportunity to add pattern, color and texture throughout. Not only are they easy and inexpensive to add, they allow you to experiment with bold design on a smaller, easy-to-implement scale.

“If your new set of living room furniture needs a finishing touch or if you want a new look for your living room without new furniture, decorative pillows will make a world of difference,” writes Chandler Warnick for overstock.com. “The right decorative pillows, also known as throw pillows, can put your personal stamp on a set of new furniture.”

Throw pillows and curtains can be found at any store that sells home goods, but for a truly custom space, head to a fabric store and make your own. You only need to sew a few straight seams with a sewing machine, or look online for tips on new-sew curtains and pillows.

Accessorize

If furniture is the meat-and-potatoes of a room, the accessories are the spice. They are the finishing touches that give a room its own personality and allow you to leave your individual mark on a space.

But there’s more to accessorizing a room than adding a piece of artwork or family photos. Unique knick-knacks or treasured heirlooms given prominent display can make a room one-of-a-kind.

“Some of the best decorating accessories start with items you already have,” advises designer Ryan Kirby for Style Estate. “I like for accessories to add that element of surprise that makes the room. I am always rearranging items to keep it fresh, but there is nothing wrong with living with the items you love for a long time.”

Thrift stores are a great place to find unique pieces on the cheap. To give new life to a room without spending a dime, “shop” the other rooms in your house and think outside the box. Grandma’s old serving platter you’ve kept hidden in the china hutch could make a great catch-all in the entryway, or some unused craft beads could add some sparkle to a glass vase on the dining room table.