Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

Shortcuts to Great Decorating

Everyone wants to get things done quicker, easier or better. The following short cuts should help.

Arranging Dried Flowers
When working with dried flowers, spray with hair spray to keep brittle leaves and petals from shedding.

Quick Pillow Covers
Large napkins or handkerchiefs can be stitched together for inexpensive and good-looking throw pillow covers.

Plate Display
Do you have plates too pretty to store out of sight? Display them on narrow shelves and attach slim, wood slats across the bottom edge to keep them in place.

Silk Sensations
Turn pretty silk scarves into decorative throw pillows. Choose brightly colored, big, floral patterns. Stitch two together and you've got elegant pizzazz for a sofa or bed.

Summer Pleasure All Year Long
Wash and bleach scallop shells and attach them in a row along a chair rail, or line them along the top of a door molding.

Quick Ties
Tie back curtains with silk, braided tassels sold in fabric or upholstery shops. Mail-order catalogs offer an extensive and beautiful variety to choose from all the time.

Jazz Up The Bathroom
Pay attention to the bathroom by adding a fresh plant, lace curtains and a pretty tray full of bath oils and magazines within easy reach of the tub. Fluffy new towels will give the room a lift for the least amount of effort and cost. Use a matching color sheet to make a new shower curtain.

Rice On
Rice-paper shades let in light but afford privacy. They're easy to install and carefree. This will give a bathroom or bedroom a clean fresh look.

Table Top Cover Up
If you've been using place mats on your dining table, switch to a floor length tablecloth, or cover the table with a quilt. It will make your meals less every-day.

Natural Tie-Backs
Dress up your curtains with small, wreath tie-backs. Make or buy vine wreaths and add your own decorations.

Instant Curtains
Use a set of pillowcases with a border trim for cafe curtains. Attach the unopen edge to a rod with clip-on rings. Open the seam of a third pillowcase so it is wide enough to use as a valance.

New Use For Place Mats
Use two round, quilted place mats to make a pillow cushion for a rocking chair. Stitch them together leaving 2 or 3 inches open for stuffing. Fill with quilt batting or foam and stitch opening closed. Some place mats even come with a ruffle all around.

Fall Arrangement
For a quick country arrangement, fill a basket with fresh vegetables and herbs.

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
Group mirrors of various sizes and shapes into a pattern as you would with paintings. If you have interesting antique frames you can easily have mirrors cut to fit them. This creates a fascinating effect in a room.

Quick Candle Holders
For a quick, free centerpiece on the patio table, use empty, glass, baby jars to hold votive candles. Decorate them with grape leaves tied with twine and group them together.

Family and Friend
Add a little spice to the family lineage. Arrange different pictures of family members on a blank sheet of paper, then cut a picture of a famous person from a magazine and add the picture to the group. Have the paste-up photo copied and frame.

Bed To Bench
Turn a single wood, bed frame into an elegant bench. Cut the foot board in half, then secure each piece to the sides of the headboard to make the side pieces of the bench. Cut the seat from the bed slates and give the whole thing a slick coat of white paint. Add a cushion or blue and white pillows.

Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.

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