Memphis Apartments

Some of the places you know to shop for attractive furnishings are also great spots to find art:

· Discount stores. Discount stores not cool enough for you? You may be surprised. It might take some digging, but you’re bound to find a few low-cost pieces of art that suit your taste. Look for prints you like—you can always embellish an existing frame or reframe the whole thing. Also try crafts stores like Michaels and Garden Ridge. Their prices are good, and their sales are great.

· Yard sales and flea markets. I’ve snatched up complete sets of four matching prints for as little as $10 at yard sales. If you’re a flea market lover, you’ll have even more to choose from for your Memphis apartment.

· Online stores. Too busy to shop for art? No problem! Just log on to a few Web sites and shop whenever it’s convenient for you, even if it’s the middle of the night. Art.com (www.art.com) and Next Monet (www.nextmonet.com) have really nice collections for a variety of decorating styles for your Memphis apartment.

· A child’s notebook. Ask the children in your life (e.g., neighbors, nieces, and friends) about their latest creations.

· Postcards and greeting cards. No matter your style or interests, you can probably find some postcards or greeting cards that appeal to you. Buy a few, purchase inexpensive frames, and create a grouping or use them all by themselves. They’re perfect for a hallway, stairwell, or other long, narrow spaces.

· Calendars. I have some friends who love the now-famous Blue Dog prints by the artist Rodrigue. But given the escalating cost of his work, one large framed print was the maximum for their budget. So I was surprised to see that their son’s bedroom now has several framed Blue Dog prints, and I asked how they’d done it. Easy, they said—they purchased a Blue Dog calendar (for about $25), and when the year was over, they removed and framed several months’ graphics. The result: six new prints, for just the small additional cost of very inexpensive frames. Plan ahead by purchasing calendars each year that have beautiful graphics you’d like to see hanging in your Memphis apartment the following year.

CREATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR MEMPHIS APARTMENT

Having a limited decorating budget is nothing more than an opportunity to be creative. So when you’re facing a blank wall and trying to figure out the best way to fill it without busting your budget, remember your choices are not limited to artwork, shelves, or anything else that traditionally ends up on your walls. Think outside the box, keep your eyes wide open, and seek inspiration wherever you can find it. Try these simple projects to get you started:

· An instant window. If you have a wall that needs a window but doesn’t have one, don’t despair. Hang an old window right on the wall (I get used windows for $3 at flea markets), then mount a rod above it and hang a curtain around it just as if it were a real window.

· Fun and functional. Vintage or interesting new game boards (e.g., checkers, and backgammon) look great hanging on Memphis apartment walls. When it’s time for a game, just pull them down and play!

· Nonart as art. Gather a variety of old picture frames and display them sans the artwork. They also look great “layered” over a mirror or propped up on window sills or mantels in a Memphis apartment.

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