Are you bored with your window treatments? Do your windows look lifeless and dull? You find that the same old curtains and drapes are hanging year after year. Then it's time to get down to basics and have some fun. No one needs to dread looking at their windows.

Begin by thinking of windows as the jewelry that adorns a room. Windows can be adorned to be classy or they can fun. They can be dressed to be sophisticated or flowing and free. By using items that you find around the house, creating a look for your windows is fun and rewarding. Here are some ways to create a new look for any window in your home.

-Never throw out curtains or drapes. Panels can be used as toppers or scarves on just about any window. Use a different color than the panels on a window to make a window more noticeable.

-Inexpensive sheets can be made into window panels. There is usually enough material to make a valance, tabs, tiebacks or a scarf for the window. Even pillow cases can be used for kitchen or bathroom windows which are usually small. These are also easy to clean by just throwing them into the washing machine.

-Sew different panels of coordinating colors together to make totally new panels and new look.

-Use household items for tiebacks. Old earrings, rope, drawer pulls and even old utensils can make great tiebacks. You can even use the garland beads that are sold for Christmas trees.

-Only purchase curtains and drapes when they are at a deep discount. Then it's time to get creative. If a panel is too short, sew a matching color to the bottom or top and create a unique, one of a kind curtain that fits your window. This is a wonderful way to dress up a window at a low cost.

-If the ceilings are low, move the curtain rod closer to the ceiling to make the walls look taller. This is especially useful in the kitchen.

-Buy remnant material in colors that coordinate with your home. Remnants pieces are usually very inexpensive. These can be used to add length to curtain panels or to make valances.

-Are you a shade person? Then glue a decorative material to your shade to give it some life.

Decorating windows does not have to be a dreaded experience and an expensive adventure. Remember, if interior designers can have someone make window treatments, then you can be your own designer and make them too. It is fun and it is so rewarding to be in a room of your home, to look at the window and be able to say "I did that".