Saving cash, styling home can happen together

FORT WORTH, Texas — When Amy Haney walked into her newly redecorated family room, she was awed by what a big difference a few design changes could make.

“It made me love our house again,” said Haney, who called on Fort Worth-area decorator Kristi Margiotta to transform the main room in the family’s 8-year-old home. Margiotta breathed new life into the Old Worldstyle room by adding a fresh coat of paint along with new furnishings, lighting, pillows and window coverings.

Although the impact was big, the price tag was not: Margiotta stuck to an agreedupon budget and employed some decorator tricks-ofthe-trade to redo the room without wreaking havoc on the Haneys’ budget.

Today, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to refresh your home’s decor. No matter what your budget is, you can start the year off right with an affordable home refresh whether you opt for an interior decorator or go it alone utilizing these decoratingon-a-dime tips.

“I love to hunt for bargains for my clients, and I’m not afraid to drive all over the state,” admits Margiotta, “I also shop all of the Home Goods within a 50-mile radius. That is my favorite place to find accessories.”

■ Focus on the three P’s. In addition to adding affordable accessories, Margiotta stresses what she calls the Three P’s of home decorating: “Paint, pillows and plants are huge when updating a room,” she said.

Jordin LePori and Jennifer Parker of Grapevine, Texas-based Interior Styling concur that plants can play an important role in a room’s