(ARA) – Redecorating used to be most fun for those who had the time to spend poring through interior design magazines, waiting for samples to arrive in the mail, and driving to specialty stores looking for exactly the right item for their redesign.
Today, remodeling ideas and items that would once have taken hours – or even weeks – to obtain are now easily available, thanks to the magic of the Internet. Where once you would have had to locate and drive to a specialty store for items like custom blinds, slipcovers or lighting, you can now browse and purchase a staggering variety of options all from the comfort of your home PC.
Do-it-yourselfers will find plenty of inspiration and inventory online. Here are three interior decorating ideas that you can easily bring to life with the help of some Internet shopping:
1. Buying blinds
Perhaps you remember your mother or grandmother driving from store to store in search of the perfect window treatment. While most department stores have always offered window treatments, in the past the selection has been limited and often pricey. Online resources solve the inventory and pricing problem and spare you a trip to the home improvement store. Websites like Blinds.com offer thousands of cost-effective options, from wood, aluminum and vertical blinds to cell shades, shutters and draperies. Plus, shipping is free.
Changing window treatments is a great way to update the look of a room for a modest investment of cash. And replacing window treatments is one of the easiest DIY projects you can tackle. Online shopping also makes it easy to update your window treatments according to the season. As summer approaches, replace tired old blinds with cellular shades that block heat and ultraviolet rays but still allow light to filter through. When colder months arrive, add a layer of insulation at your windows with lined draperies.
2. Lovely linens
Sure you can find a big selection in terms of style at big box linen stores, but the variety of brands – not to mention lower-priced options – might be lacking. Need especially deep-pocketed sheets for your plush pillow-top mattress? You’ll probably find them in stores, but at a cost that may make you wish you’d bought an air mattress instead. Online, you can find options in every style, color and thread count imaginable – and often at prices that retailers can’t match.
A Google search for “linens” yields nearly 40 million results. Your biggest challenge will be deciding which online merchant to check out first. Some websites specialize in luxury linens, while others offer more basic and practically priced options. You may also find good deals by going directly to the website of a designer you like.
3. Simplifying slipcovers
Long gone are the days when “slipcover” mostly referred to that awful clear plastic covering your grandmother put on the couch to keep the kids and pets from staining it. Slipcovers aren’t just for sofas anymore, according to HGTV.com. You can find slipcovers for ottomans, armchairs, recliners, dining chairs and more – all online.
Modern slipcovers are a great way to change the look of a piece of furniture and the room in which it sits. Cheaper than reupholstering or buying new furniture, adding a slipcover can resurrect a treasured piece that may have worn upholstery but is still in good shape otherwise.
Whether you’re looking to update one room or a whole house, online resources have made redecorating easier than ever. A few clicks of a mouse button can help you quickly create a new look, so you can spend more time enjoying your new decor than you did shopping for it.