Budget Makeovers BEAUTIFUL

A dose of creativity and a little elbow grease can give furniture, walls and even an appliance a bold new look — without breaking the bank.

by M O NI

VA

Decorate a bookcase.

Turn a dated cabinet into a conversation piece with peel-and-stick wallpaper and a few coats of paint. For instructions, see page 109.

Design Toolbox

Beach Housegarden Bohomoody Floral

Transform a bare wall with a painted arch.

If a structural home upgrade isn’t in your budget, painting an arch on a wall is the next best thing. Atlanta-based DIY enthusiast Xin Lu did just that in her trendy guest room using Behr’s Green Balsam. “Most of my house is gray, so I used the arch wall as an opportunity to go for a bold color,” she says. “It’s a fun feature whenever our guests see it.”

1 Put a pin in the middle of the wall and tie a string to it with a pencil at the end.