Decorate on a Budget - 3 Easy Tips for a Gorgeous House

Would you like to upgrade the look of your house without breaking the bank? Thankfully, these days it’s easy to decorate on a budget! Read on to get tips and ideas before you spend a fortune on home decor.

Decorating your home doesn’t need to be an overly expensive process. Today, there’s so much easy-to-find information about how to decorate on a budget! Just go online and search for low-cost or even DIY decorating. There, you’ll find tons of ideas for ways to save money without ending up with a bargain-basement atmosphere.

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First of all, you should remember that it doesn’t always pay to think first about how much something will cost. For example, let’s say you’re in the market for a new sofa or mattress. These are big items that should last you for some years. So it makes sense to spend more and invest in quality. If you’re really strapped for cash, take a look at auction houses, craigslist, or estate sales for a high-quality, previously used sofa. Then simply have it re-upholstered!

Keep in mind, even though used furniture can be a fantastic way to save money, don't buy a used mattress that's more than a couple of years old. They lose support as they age, and you will save money in the long-run if you have a mattress that supports your back properly. Splurge on the good mattress, but save with quality throw pillows.

The Internet isn’t the only place to find free sources of inspiration on how to decorate on a budget! Libraries are treasure houses of content, where you can scan through magazines or books on home décor. These days, many hardware stores play ‘how-to’ videos or even give free workshops on DIY decorating projects. Or you can take an adult-education class on a variety of decoration topics. There are so many ways to find design ideas. That’s why it’s really important to narrow down your own personal style before starting on your home decoration project. And it will help to take things step-by-step and revitalize one room at a time.

When decorating, it’s best to start by considering what you already own. It’s not always necessary to start from scratch. Especially when you need to keep within a specific budget. In the family room, you might already have a perfectly decent couch and coffee table. But somehow everything just looks a bit run-down. Take a good look at the arrangement and consider redesigning the layout. Simply by moving the furniture, you might open up some space, providing a completely new focal point and freshening up the look!

As mentioned before, you can have a tired-looking sofa or chair reupholstered– or do it yourself! If that’s too big of a project, why not get some new slipcovers for your throw pillows? They add accents that can brighten up any space. And you can even make them from old curtains, to really decorate on a budget! You can also refinish or paint worn-out kitchen cabinets or dresser drawers. Even just by changing dresser drawer handles, you can completely revitalize the way a bedroom looks.

Garage sales, Craigslist, eBay, online classified, community bulletin boards: these are all great places to find inexpensive accessories. You can find great discounts on picture frames, artwork or even inexpensive mirrors.

Mirrors are a great way to add that special ‘something’ to your home. They can make rooms look much larger while of course having a practical value too! And mirrors are no longer just rectangular forms to hang on the wall. They come in all shapes and sizes and add a decorative or even ‘artsy’ element to your home.

Interior stylist Anna Eskridge of the Making Room for Peace blog helps her clients achieve a great style by decluttering their lives for a more peaceful existence. Here are her three favorite tips for decorating on a budget.

1. Invest in key pieces.| Investing in key pieces such as furniture and rugs, is one of the best tips for decorating on a budget!  Selecting items that you love, that are quality and that are to scale will instantly elevate your space.  Nothing screams "on a budget" like a rug that is too small!
2. Don't be afraid to shop consignment second-hand. | Another great tip?  Not being afraid to shop consignment or second hand.  THESE are the pieces that are going to add character and depth to your home.  The last thing that you want to do is to have a room full of furniture from the same big-box store.
3. Create an Action Plan. | Nothing will keep your style consistent and your project on budget like creating an action plan.  First, make a list of all of the rooms in your home and below each room bullet point the steps needed to occur in order to "finish" the room*.  Make sure to keep each point specific (i.e. paint walls, purchase desk, get the art matted).  You can then transfer this action plan to the "note" section of your home so that when you are out shopping you can keep focused.

* Every interior stylist will tell you that your home will never truly be "finished".  Well-designed interiors are ones that grow and evolve with you.

If you want to update your home and let your personality shine through, just start! There are so many ways to improve any living space while still being able to decorate on a budget!

What are your favorite style trends? Let us know below, or discuss your design decisions on FamilyApp!