5 Easy Ways to Spruce Up Your Livingroom Without Breaking the Bank

So, you're throwing a fabulous party. The most important people have RSVP ed and yes they are coming. You've spent months getting the best foods, wine, drinks, decorations, and entertainment money can buy. However you've managed to max the credit cards purchasing the latest and greatest must haves for your amazing mixer but suddenly realized your living room is an epic embarrassment. Yikes! Didn't plan on that happening did ya? RELAX! No need to panic. Here are 5 easy Ways to Spruce Up Your Living room Without Breaking the Bank.


1. FLEE MARKET MADNESS


Believe it or not the local flee market can and will save your decorum and can change your living room from drab to fab. The beauty of a flee market is the fact that the sellers and you have something very important in common. They have items priced cheaply to sell and you have very little money to purchase. Flee markets are filled with antique treasures, shabby chic nic nacs and ornate items that simply need a little TLC and a nice home to display them. Lucky for you most items in a flee market are relatively inexpensive and 99% of the time the dealer is more then happy to barter down the price so to not have to lug the item home. Choose a few fabulous items that will spruce up your living room in no time. Be careful not to purchase anything that will require to much "fixing up" time. Restorations can run you as much if not more then new items will. With a little patient picking and a lot of love and attention your new additions will ad a flair of fashion and flavor to your living room leaving your guests gasping at the beauty of your home. Happy Hunting!


2. CLUTTER IS NEVER CHIC


There is nothing your family members love more then coming to your home and viewing pictures displayed of your children. This is Johnny in the sandbox, and in the pool, and in the rain, and building a snowman, and hugging Uncle Pete..etc etc etc. Really Cute and fun for the family, but for your super fabulous friends...UM, not so much. Pictures of your family have a time and a place where they are warm and welcomed however not at your amazing mixer. Remove all but 1 or 2 of the pictures of little Johnny. As for the ones that remain think about purchasing 1 or 2 antique or antique-looking photo frames to display for your guests. Try to find frames that compliment your decor and always remember the rule that less is more. Get rid of any clutter you might have. Also as a rule along with the sweet and treasured pictures of little Johnny you may want to put away any of the "special gifts" that little Johnny may have created for you at school as well. While they are near and dear to our hearts we still do not need to put them on display for our very chic guests to view.


3. SLIP COVERS CAN SAVE THE DAY


Undoubtedly it would be ideal if every time we had a new party we could whip put the checkbook and purchase the latest and greatest in fashioned furniture. However, unfortunately you and I live in the real world and most of us don't exactly have new furnishings in our budgets this month ( or next month or for the next year for that matter). So what do you do when your furniture has the reminisce of the grape juice Johnny spilled on it last year or a hole or two in the side from Johnny jumping and playing on it? I'll tell you what you do...you improvise. You take a little stroll down to the local fabric store and you purchase elegant simple solid color slip covers to go over your furniture. Vwala! Problem Solved! They will look elegant and new and no one will know except you. (and me of course) But certainly not your guests and that's all that matters.


4. BORROW FROM THE BEDROOM


Ok so you've got your new slip covers, your amazing antique items purchased from the flee market, you've put Johnnies pictures and "special gifts" in a "special" place for safe keeping but now you've realized your living room is looking especially barren and empty. Your out of money, your husband will definitely divorce you this time if you get yet another credit card but you really need a little more bling in your bland living room for this party. No problem, borrow for the bedroom or the other rooms in the house. You are a fashionable vixen. You have posh pieces everywhere in the house. Since your delightful guests come equipped with manners, they will not be spending any time in the other rooms of your home. No need to panic; borrow those fabulous picture perfect pieces from other rooms to decorate and liven up your living room.


5. THE DESPERATE BUT SOMETIMES NEEDED PLEAD FOR HELP


We all have them. Though we do not fully admit or speak of it. We do have one or two of them. Oh yes I am speaking of the friends with benefits we all know and love. NO not THAT kind of benefits...get your mind out of the gutter. I'm talking about those fabulous friends whose houses are more like castles, villas and picture perfect pages of the images in "Perfect Home" magazines. Yes it is slightly degrading, Yes you have to grovel a tad and get out your... "flattery will get you everywhere manual." But, ladies in the end with the help of that sophisticated, superwoman and her endless buffet of good taste you may just wind up borrowing the most perfect of posh pieces for your party that are sure to impress and wow even the most finicky of guests. So swallow a little pride, eat a little crow and don't be afraid to ask for a bitty bit of help along the way. Then you, yes you, may end up throwing the shin-dig of the century.