Cutting cost doesn't mean cutting quality or selection to upgrade window treatments

When interior designer Lauren Liess first saw a rundown suburban home for sale outside Washington D.C., she immediately thought of all the window treatments, paint jobs and new lighting that would quickly turn it into her dream home.

"The home's bones were in great shape, and it had the feeling I wanted: light and airy," Liess told the Washington Post. "To create something special, I knew certain things had to be at a certain [financial] level."

A limited budget doesn't mean homeowners looking for new window coverings have to settle for less selection. Blinds Chalet has countless treatments in window shades, blinds and architectural features such as valances and shutters that can transform a room into the design of a consumer's dreams. With discount coupons, ongoing sales and low-cost upgrades, the company's inventory is always affordable.

Liess' hard decisions about cutting cost without cutting quality led her to scout thrift stores and Craigslist, where she got a low-cost sofa that she reupholstered in an apple green centerpiece of her family room. Her husband stencilled a paler green pattern onto nearby walls.

"It took him three days, but only cost $60," Liess told the newspaper.