Does you home need a lift? Paint and wall paper borders are an inexpensive way to create a new look and add architectural detail to any room without intruding on your current overall design theme. Borders are easy to install, relatively inexpensive and can be placed in stairways, kitchens, dinning rooms, living rooms, family rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms and around windows and doors.

Look in your local hardware or home improvement store for exciting paint colors that may have been returned or not mixed to a customer’s preference and discontinued or sale on wall paper borders. What a money saver!

You can use the paint for a one wall or wainscot accent. Place the border as a wainscot divider, around a door or window, create a series of gallery panels on a wall, use on the risers of the stairway, frame around a group of your favorite collectibles or a skylight, create your own headboard and use as a crown or base molding … to suggest a few.

Borders can be mitered for perfect corners or cut out different patterns that appear on the border and use them independently. Try it you will love it!

Want a quick room change or pick me up. Tired of your artwork but love the frames. Measure the picture size, purchase new prints or get creative and insert your own. If your decor lends well to abstract or modern art have your children paint sections of color on a canvas for a special unique and GREAT look. Voila!! A new appearance and feel to your room. Remember frames can be refreshed, renewed or completely changed with a small amount of paint.

Write for more detailed information. And remember, I always love to hear about your creative ideas.

By: Diane Cooper

Most people want their homes to reflect their personalities, tastes, and interests. When you visit a home improvement store it often feels like everything is just like the product next to it, and you also feel like there is no way you can get the look and feel you want. Never fear, there are other options out there. You just have to be willing to look for them and not be afraid to step outside of the box. It also helps if you have a contractor capable of building exactly what you want. For a really unique look in the rooms of your home, why not consider using wall frame trim instead of traditional molding?

Of all of the ways to bring focus to the walls inside your house, wall frame trim is one of the least common. Instead of simply enclosing the wall with ceiling and baseboard trim, this type of trim creates a frame for the entire wall. That means that the corners are encased as well. This method gives you plenty of room to work with. You could choose to use your wall frame trim as a picture frame. Among the people who opt for this type of trim, many of them take the extra step and have a local artist paint a mural inside the frame or use it to highlight special photos or a particular paint technique.

Wall frame trim works exceptionally well in rooms where you might want a little extra drama. The dining room, living room, and even the master bedroom are all good choices for this type of trim. Considering that it can be made in any size or shape also allows for discreet use of wall frame trim in the bathroom or even kitchen. With this type of decorating tool at your command, the only limit you really have is your imagination. As long as your contractor can make it happen, you can have it in your home.

By: Gregg Hicks