FRESH START

Between the snow and rain, Inland Northwesterners likely have been spending more time inside than normal lately. That can lead to all sorts of problems, not the least of which is being completely bored with the look of your home.

These days, though, not everyone can afford a major overhaul of their interiors. Spokane design consultant Jessica Friedland, who owns Shaping Your Space, says even her high-end clients are tightening their belts lately.

“People who you would not imagine would have a budget, have a budget now,” she says. “I’ve gotten involved in some projects where in the beginning there was no talk of a budget at first, and now all of a sudden, they’ve got a budget.”

Friedland and other Spokane design experts say homeowners don’t need to pay big bucks to give their homes big changes. By knowing where to cut corners, where to shop, and how to do a few things on your own, your home can get a new look for less.

Whole-home tips

Two ideas with the most impact also are among the easiest to accomplish: getting rid of clutter and enlivening a room with fresh paint.

After purging a house of trash and unnecessary décor, Gina Cook, of Gina’s Design Corner in downtown Spokane, suggests boxing up half of what’s left, storing it, and then displaying it again on a seasonal basis.

“Just by rotating, you can get a brand-new look,” she says.

Friedland says knick-knacks and junk mail aren’t the only things crowding people’s homes: “A lot of people just have too much furniture.”

Sell some of it and use the money for home-improvement projects, or see if you can trade it for a service, like tile setting or refinishing hardwood floors. Friedland suggests placing an advertisement in the “barter” section on a community exchange service such as Craigslist.

Now that your rooms are tidy, set the tone for a fresh start with a new coat of paint.

Cook suggests using warm tones, such as reds and yellows, to psychologically combat the temperature outside.

Sandra Lambdin, an interior stylist who owns Define Your Design, advises against a trend made popular in recent years by HGTV.

“I get a lot of people who want to paint a red accent wall, but those tend to shrink a room down,” she says. “You’re better off painting a piece of furniture red for that pop of color.”

Paint can inexpensively transform outdated furniture, Lambdin says, even the “ugly oak bedroom set” one of her clients couldn’t afford to replace.

“We painted it black and bought new hardware for it, and it completely updated the look of her room,” she says.

Another paint tip from Lambdin: check the “oops shelves” at home-improvement stores, where unwanted cans are sold at discounted prices. She painted her whole basement with “oops” paint sold for $5 per gallon.

If you live in an older home with cracks in the lath and plaster, rather than forking over hundreds or thousands of dollars to have the walls refinished, cover them with “paintable wallpaper.”

“It’s really affordable and you can paint it any color you want,” Friedland says. “You could use it on your ceiling and then cover it with gold or silver paint.”

Paintable wallpaper comes either flat or with a raised pattern and is available at home-improvement stores for about $12 per 56-square-foot roll.

Flooring for less

When it comes to new flooring, the installation costs are prohibitive to many people right now.

Popular do-it-yourself products include click-and-lock panels of hardwood or tile and stick-on carpet squares, such as those made by a company called Flor.

“These are making such an impact in the market right now because the average person really can do it themselves,” Friedland says.

She suggests taking some of the free classes offered by home-improvement stores, or signing up for a noncredit class at a community college.

“They can teach you how to put in carpet or tile or how to reupholster furniture,” Friedland says. “You can learn how to do them yourself for a $50 class and could save yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars.”

For floors, Lambdin suggests looking at vinyl or Linoleum flooring if you haven’t for a while.

“Some of it looks just like tile now,” she says. “Even as a professional, I have to get really close to tell.”

Kitchens and bathrooms

Traditionally, kitchens and bathrooms are the two most expensive rooms in a house to renovate. Big improvements can be made, though, even if you’re on a tight budget.

Lambdin suggests replacing outdated curtains with something more simple or whimsical, such as dishtowels hung on curtain rings with clips.

Another quick change is to swap out or add hardware to cabinets.

“In the ’80s , it was big to have no knobs or pulls, but now hardware is in,” Cook says. “What’s in right now is a more rustic look, like wrought iron or oil-rubbed bronze.”

That said, she recommends choosing hardware that matches the style of your home: “If you have stainless steel appliances, get stainless steel knobs.”

Buying new appliances is often at the top of clients’ wish lists, but if the items are in good working order, Friedland recommends removing the front panels and bringing them to an auto body shop to have them sprayed with paint.

Sinks and bathtubs can be resurfaced, too, and cabinets can get a new life in the hands of a resurfacing company.

Cook says if you’re debating between which kitchen projects to tackle, replace an outdated backsplash first.

“Taking off the tile and putting new tile up isn’t too expensive, and it absolutely changes the look of your room,” she says.

Setting your style

Don’t forget to infuse your own sense of style into your remodel, perhaps by displaying personal collections, quirky accessories or almost anything that “makes you laugh,” Lambdin says.

“Eighty percent of my house is either hand-me-downs from family members or garage-sale trinkets,” she says.

Lambdin once turned an old television set into a fish bowl, she sometimes sets out a vintage sleigh to celebrate winter, and last summer she decorated her front porch with a French bistro theme to welcome neighbors who visit often for a glass of wine.

If you don’t know where to start, Friedland suggests choosing a magazine photo that inspires you, then finding ways to re-create it within your budget.

“You can spend $150 on a throw pillow or find one that looks like it for $8.99 at Ross (Dress For Less),” she says.

Friedland should know. She spends four to six hours a day shopping for clients.

“I know who has what at what price, so it takes me an hour to find something instead of days,” she says.

Friedland and Lambdin named stores such as Ross, T.J. Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory, The Tin Roof, National Home Furnishings and Model Home Furnishings as some of their favorite stomping grounds.

Lambdin also suggests visiting secondhand stores such as Metro Home Furniture on Consignment and Upscale Home Furnishings, both on North Monroe Street.

And don’t disregard high-end retailers, such as Mel’s Nursery in North Spokane, Lambdin says.

“Heck, when they do their barn sale in March, you might find a piece of furniture with a knick or a dent in it that can be 75 percent off,” she says.

Feeling overwhelmed? Hiring an interior decorator can help.

Don’t assume you’ll have to spend thousands of dollars for professional guidance. Some decorators work on an hourly rate and in a short amount of time can suggest paint colors, furniture arrangement and give other general advice.

“I charge $40 an hour, and I can usually go in and tell people in two hours what they can do,” Lambdin says.

If those suggestions are still beyond your budget, there are some changes you can make for free, the designers say.

First, rearrange your furniture. Create an intimate sitting area by pulling couches away from the walls and facing them toward each other. If you have a fireplace, arrange the seating so it is the focal point.

Next, do your spring cleaning. Now.

“Keeping your house clean is the No. 1 thing you can do to make it look nice,” Cook says.

Finally, recruit a friend.

“If you have somebody whose house you admire, ask them, ‘Can you come over and help me?’ ” Lambdin says.