At Home: Brighten up a room

Ready for a room revamp? Want to remodel but don't want to break the bank with a whole new set of furniture?

Changing up your art, area rugs and accessories can make all the difference, says Deb Emmert, co-owner of Simpson Furniture, with stores in Coralville and Cedar Falls.

Most of the sofas Simpson sells are in neutral colors like earth tones or grays. Those provide easy palettes to design a new look around.

'Find something new that you love, whether it's a piece of art or an area rug,' she recommends. 'Draw accent colors from the art or rug.'

All about the rugs

Emmert recommends considering what you want from an area rug before going shopping.

'Decide if you want one your children can play on and spill things on or if it's a rug you want to keep for the rest of your life,' she says. 'For $200 you can get something that totally changes your room and feel. It just makes a world of difference.'

Accessorize

'A lot of people get a new sofa but don't think about the end tables and lamps and accessories,' Emmert says. 'They can give you a totally new look.'

Pillows, throws and table top accessories like vases can also offer a fresh take on a room.

Not ready for new end tables? Try adding a splash of paint to the old ones to liven them up.

About Simpson Furniture

Simpson Furniture has been a premier retailer for home furniture, flooring and home decor since 1946.

2300 Jones Blvd., Coralville; (319) 545-5005 and 2300 Main St., Cedar Falls

(319) 266-3535; www.simpsonfurniture.com