Easy Bedroom Makeover

CEBU, Philippines - Buck up the bedding. If you don't already have one, consider a duvet or comforter. A new duvet cover and matching shams can help create a whole new look, which means that going from graphic to girly, modern to classic, primary to pastel, can be accomplished in a snap.

Get your move on. Even a slight shift in a room's furniture configuration can add new life to familiar quarters, so don't be afraid to shake things up. And while you're at it, rotate and flip your mattress to prevent uneven wear.

Hook up with a headboard. Make even the simplest bed look lush and sleek with a wall-mounted headboard.

Tiny trim. The simple addition of rickrack, ribbon, or trim borders to bed skirts, pillowcases, or shams can yield glowing results.

Cut a rug. Add a properly sized area makes the room look small rug, even on top of carpeting, to create a more pulled-together look. One warning: Be sure to choose one that's large enough to tuck under the bed and at least one other piece of furniture.

Dress up the dresser. Wallpapering or painting the front of a dresser or nightstand drawers is an easy way to incorporate new color and design elements. An accent of floral paper can convert a previously dowdy dresser into a feminine classic.

You can handle it. Replace old drawer handles and pulls with decorative ones. This low-effort trick adds personality and style to nondescript or inexpensive furniture.

Window wonders. Add some "wow" to windows with a valance. Complement solid-print curtains with a pattern valance, and vice versa. You can find plenty of options to learn how to build a cornice, the wooden version of a valance that can be covered with batting and fabric for an upholstered look.

Turn off the high beams. Keep bedroom lighting subdued. Nightstand lamps or wall sconces should be close enough for bedtime reading, but use three-way bulbs so you can adapt the wattage to your needs or mood.

Make the room come to life. Houseplants generate oxygen and remove toxins from the air, so head to the nursery and ask for watering, feeding, and maintenance tips for the plants you like. If your thumb is far from green, ask which plants are hardest to kill.

Pillow population control. Pillows can be comfy and cute, but they shouldn't take up more than half of the bed. Two sets of appropriately sized bed pillows and a neck roll are all you need.

Don't play with matches. Don't be tempted by the "bed in a bag" because nothing is more mind-numbing and impersonal than having everything in a room match. Be brave. Be yourself and have fun! (www.goodhousekeeping.com) Julie Mihaly (FREEMAN)