We are lucky renters. Our landlords really like us and have said we can do anything we want to decorate the house. The first year we didn’t do much beyond putting more plants in the garden. I took down and stored some window coverings I didn’t like and recovered a couple of valances leaving the original fabric underneath. I just folded the fabric over and used thumb tacks to hold it in place. That way I can just take it off when we move on.

Last spring we painted the kitchen, one wall a golden yellow and and the other a nice aqua. The kitchen had some well worn wallpaper which was driving me crazy. It peeled off easily and since my husband is a very precise painter and he does not trust me to do the job he would do (fine with me.) So, I just had to remove the switch plates and clear the counters and my job was done.

Now I have pulled the dirty, peeling wallpaper off the powder room walls and it is time to paint in there, too. We are going to continue the aqua in that room. It shares wall with both the yellow and aqua from the kitchen, but I have always wanted an aqua bathroom. I bought red towels and bathmat which will really pop against the blue. The switch plates were cruddy ivory plastic, and I replaced them with shiny chrome to match the faucet and towel rack. Now I want to do the same in the kitchen. Changing out switch plates is an easy and inexpensive job which can really upgrade a sterile apartment or condo. You can even keep the original plates and put them back up when you move.

Our 14 year old daughter is looking at paint sample for her room. She loves pink and polka dots and peace symbols. She has talked her dad into a hot pink wall with a peace symbol. I am staying out of this one, but I am going to get her a nice bubble design night light with pink glass because it is like dots. She will also be happy with a peace symbol switch plate! I can choose from any of our 4 pink colors to customize it to match her decor. I also want to change out her light switch for a dimmer. She likes to have her lights on at night and a dimmer will allow her to chose comfortable lighting for studying and for sleeping. We have a huge variety of decorative dimmer knobs, but I think I will just put in a toggle dimmer. If you choose a decorative dimmer knob to replace an existing dimmer device, you can also take it with you when you move!

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