Redecorating the house

[DZviol]

HI everyone, my chapter has a house that we lease. However, it's kinda outdated. Renovating is out of the question. We are planning to paint the inside, but as far as refurnishing goes some girls think "if it's not broken why fix it?" Our chapter room also needs to be done desperately.So, I was wondering if anyone has done in fun projects or anything as far as redecorating the house. We are also on a limited budget. ANY ideas are welcomed!
Thankx

[CASIGKAP]

Well, we have the same situation at the Sigma Kappa house in Long Beach. We are trying to do the same thing b/c we too are on a budget.

1. First thing first, we cleaned out our old storage shed & found some of the most amazing things in there. There was stuff from the 1960's when the chapter was still new (we colonized in 1955). We are going to clean & restore some of the stuff & use it to decorate the house. Kinda like showcasing the new & the history of our particular chapter.

2. We asked parents & alumna for help & donations. It doesn't necessarily have to be $$$ but if they have time, they can come help clean, paint, etc. Also, if they have friends or know people that can do repairs, or have things they would like to donate to the chapter, it is all greatly appreciated.

3. Watch shows that have things to do with house refurbishing. It's amazing what can be done with a limited budget & most of it is all do-it-yourself.

Good-Luck!!!

[TPARose]

What a coincidence! We are in the middle of refurbishing our humble abode as well.

Originally posted by CASIGKAP
2. We asked parents & alumna for help & donations. It doesn't necessarily have to be $$$ but if they have time, they can come help clean, paint, etc. Also, if they have friends or know people that can do repairs, or have things they would like to donate to the chapter, it is all greatly appreciated.

Another idea is to set up a house warming registry with Target or Bed Bath and Beyond. This is helpful for the same reason that it is during weddings. It garuntees that you will get what you want. Good luck, and have fun!

[shadokat]

When we redecorated our house, we went to our development corporation. We pay into the account every year, and had never used any of our reserves from it. So we ended up getting about $600 and bought paint, slipcovers for the furniture, new rugs, and little accents for the rooms. One sister, who could sew like a champ, made curtains from plain old twin sheets that cost like $4 a set. It ended up coming out really nice, and we did the kitchen and living room. It was like our own trading spaces

Also, get parents to donate...if someone's daughter is living in squalor, nine times out of ten, they'll throw in $20 for some paint.

Finally, make sure that you do something to spruce up the outside as well. We ended up planting flowers in big clay pots for outside the door, and they really jazzed up the porch. Simple, but very effective!!

Good luck!

[AOIIalum]

DZviol, you will definitely want to get written approval from your chapter's house corporation before starting any work! I cannot stress this enough, and I am speaking from experience.

For those of you who rent, your landlord probably stipulates in your lease what you can and cannot do to the property. The lease agreement is a legally binding document and if you (as tenant) violate the terms of your lease, you could find yourself hit with damage fines, having to return the property to the "original" state, and possibly eviction from the property. Your house corporation should know what steps to take to ensure your sorority complies with the lease document so you can make the improvements you want to make. Also, your house corporation can help you prioritize needs and wants and help you get the work done in a timely manner.

A good place to start is scheduling a heavy cleaning day (or weekend!) Start advertising any workdates well in advance if you want your chapter parents and area alumnae to help. Many times these people are willing to help, but they just don't get enough advance notice to actually be there. Let them know a *minimum* of 3-4 weeks in advance and follow up with them a week prior to the event to encourage and confirm participation.

If you rent the property as furnished, be sure you know who owns what before throwing out anything. If you have questions, ask before donating or trashing! Keep paint colors on the lighter side, take before and after pictures, and most importantly keep detailed records and receipts from everything. Again, your house corporation should be able to assist you with a lot of this.

Good luck!

[AXO4Life]

As everyone's said, ask you sorority's parents for help. Last year we wanted a new picnic table for outside, but decided to ask our Parent's Club before we bought one....instead of having to buy one, they donated TWO!

Parents can be a great resource! Good Luck!

[AXOKatie]

Alumnae and parents, all you need to know about getting money/stuff donated!!! Do you have an alum chapter nearby?

Particularly if you make it an event, like a silent auction or an in-house fundraiser to benefit your chapter. You can always make up fun invitations and other classy ways to show that the money will go to an awesome cause - yourself

Also, don't forget the little things that make your house look good - like getting a parent or sister to make curtains or having a gardening day. And scouring yard/estate sales in upscale neighborhoods, such a great resource!

[CASIGKAP]

Definitely I can't stress thinking flowers & plants enough. You'd be surprised at how awesome a home can look if you do something as simple as putting in flowers & plants. Our house is a rental so there are limitations to what we can do but if they are in pots, they can be changed around & put anyway you like them. Also, we are planning to get violets b/c that's our official flower. Why not try to do something similar?

[MissEm]

Since you're on a budget one word Target. They have so such stuff that can really spruce up a room. Slip covers, furniture that is cheap and still looks good, etc. My sisters and myself are a litle Target addicted. Don't forget to check the endcaps, that is where you find the really great deals.

[Little E]

Couple of suggestions, solid wood, veneers will chip quickly in a house full of women. Garage sales are a great source too. If you are looking to do rooms, ie beds, etc, talk to your college housing office and see if they have stuff that has been replaced, but isn't in too bad of shape.

Slipcovers do wonders, a new rug, and neutral paint colors.

Make sure you have a committee. have them put it all together, then show the chapter/exec. The thing with decorating, at least we found, is that people have different styles, so if you have at least a chance for people to voice concern, there will be less drama later.

Parents and alumnae who are redoing houses is also great. We love our target list, it is so useful and alumnae can order it and ship it online all from your list. so publicize it well!!! ours is like Alpha Sigma Tau marries Delta Nu (our chapter) so it is easy to find. (And you can see the other chapters!) You can update it a ton, and set the date pretty far out.

There was another thread on this before, that actually had some great ideas for places to get furniture. Try doing a search to see what was said then...

eta: http://forums.greekchat.com/gcforums...t=redecorating
This is the other thread.

[shadokat]

Something else to add...if you're renting the house from a landlord, and he/she hasn't done work on the house in eons, ask them for the paint. Tell them you're willing to do the work, but that as it is their property, they should buy the paint. Landlords do have the responsibility of the upkeep of their properties after all And if you'd move out, they'd paint it for the next tenant!

[AOIIalum]

I love Target, and we've picked up some items for our local chapter house there. We've been quite pleased with a TV stand we purchased for them earlier this year. It looks great, has held up well so far, and fits into that room's decor.

However, there's a big difference in the furniture you get at a Target and the furniture you'd get at a quality furniture store. The reality is in some sorority systems a house filled with Target (or other 'discount') furnishings would be a detriment to that chapter's recruitment efforts. Yes, I know that's a shame and it shouldn't matter what your house looks like, but we know it does.

Regardless of the room or item, make sure that your accessories and furnishings, etc are sturdy enough for the number of people that will be using them. When you're putting together your redecorating plans, determine how long you expect any given item to actually last. For example, if you want to get new slipcovers you aren't going to want to replace those every year. Purchase good quality ones that can be easily cleaned and fit with your decor.

Matter of fact, the same thing goes for paint. Don't buy the cheapest paint out there You may want to make that investment according to the length of your current lease and how long you expect to remain in that property. If you're going to be there long term, definitely go with a quality interior primer and paint. It's worth a couple extra dollars per gallon if you can extend the number of years between repainting!

[DZviol]

Hi fellow GC'ers you guys have great suggestions, and have helped me out. Unfortunately, there is no alumni chapter in our area, so it does make it a bit harder to keep in contact with them. I really like the idea of concentrating on one room at a time, just so we don't overwhelm ourselves with too much. Like I said our chapter room does need work. I was wondering if ya'll had any ideas for that. I know we can do the typical painting of our colors, but I really wanted to make it extra special, you know? I was thinking of maybe doing a theme, maybe like painting clouds towards the top, something along those lines.
Keep the suggestions coming, they're all great.

[Little E]

one cute thing a local at my school did, depending on the look you go for, was write the words to their symphony/creed around the border of the room (like where you'd put a border, ya know?) It was cute, gave the room a fun feel, yet still very sisterly casual.

Do you have chapter alumnae that you have contact with? They could help, even if they live across the country (mail order!)

I'd find some comfy couches, if you want them to match, do slip covers that way you can find the best price. But just make sure that you aren't spending more when you add the covers into the cost of the item. Cause if it adds up to quickly it might be better to just by in the color you want. But you can usually find comfy/useable stuff at a salvation army or as people move out. The covers will give you uniform if you'd like that. Then get a bunch of pillows, some big ones are good for meetings and stuff. What do you use your chapter room for? just chapter? or is it your living room aswell?

[DZviol]

we use our chapter room mostly for meetings and stuff. but on occassion when we need more room we use it for games and/or activities. our living room is seperate and needs work as well.