A futon cover can help change the entire look of a room. And whether you make it yourself or buy one, it's nice to know there are thousands of choices out there. Different styles, different prices, and even different types are available, so whenever you make your futon cover choice, it's not the end of the world, even if you change your mind and decide on another.

To make your own Oriental-style futon cover, take a look at Home & Garden Television's Web site. There you'll discover quick and easy instructions to make a futon cover using fuschia, black, and turquoise dyes. The technique used to make this futon cover results in a "crushed" appearance great for a kid's room, a playroom, or a family room, as well.

For another futon cover you can make yourself, the DIY Network offers one made by piecing together two fleece-style blankets. This futon cover can work anywhere in the home. Besides the blankets, all you need to make this futon cover is seam tape, grommets (and grommet kit), a piece of wood, leather lacing, chalk, a hammer, and a pair of scissors.

Buying

But if you're the type that would rather buy a futon cover than make one, there are plenty of retailers out there to accommodate you. For those who don't mind spending some money to get the best, Omni Softgoods offers a gorgeous selection. For instance, the Winston futon cover set (available at www.csnfutons.com) features a beautiful melange of butterflies and leaves set against a rich, solid-color background. This set, at $319, represents the high end you may pay for a high-quality futon cover to last for years.

For those with more taste than dollars, MetroFutonCovers offers a reasonable-looking futon cover for only $47. This site offers more than 400 patterns and free shipping, in addition to customers being able to tap into their nine years of futon cover know-how. They also offer swatches and a hassle-free return policy on any futon cover they sell.

So if you're in the market to buy or make a futon cover, now you have a few starting places. A new futon cover may not solve all your decorating dilemmas, but it can at least get you started in the right direction. So click that mouse, surf a while, and get yourself a new futon cover - it'll be a few minutes well spent!