Too many people put off or shy away from redecorating their homes because they think it will be too expensive. The truth is, great design is available at a range of price points. Whether you’re looking to do a major home decorating overhaul or just spruce up a few areas, you have lots of options to suit both your taste and your budget. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Rearrange your existing items
Let’s start off with our ultimate budget-friendly home decorating tip: use what you’ve already got. You’ll be amazed at what a huge difference a little rearranging can make in a space. Enlist the help of family or friends to push some of the heavier furniture around into new configurations. Often, a few key adjustments bring an entirely different flow and feel to a room.
Feel free to add and subtract items as well. Maybe that never-used sofa is better off in the crawlspace or with your local Goodwill, and its absence from your living room makes the space feel refreshed and twice as big. If a room feels like it’s missing something, do some browsing in the other areas of your home to see what can you can repurpose or relocate.
Switch up your furniture
You may decide that you want a new addition to a room and nothing you currently own will do. In that case, it’s time to go furniture shopping! For the ultimate flexibility in configuring a room, look for furniture that is modular—in other words, furniture that has moveable parts that you can position in several ways. You can find a sofa to fit every budget.
Add a coat of fresh paint
This tip offers the most bang for your buck. Going from a light or subtle color to a bright or dramatic one does more than just give a room a facelift—it’s a full-body transformation, and all for the price of a few cans of paint.
If a radical change isn’t what you’re after, use paint to add smaller flourishes. Consider creating an accent wall by choosing one wall to sport a new, eye-catching color that stands out from the other three.
Stencils are another great way to update a space, and pretty much any exposed wall area can be your canvas. Furniture is also fair game for stencils: a credenza, cabinet, coffee table, or chest of drawers can gain new life from a pretty pattern. Stencils are widely available on the internet for a variety of prices. You can even make your own.
Use small touches to make a big difference
Sometimes the little things have the biggest impact. Small details, such as the addition of crown molding or some jazzed up skirting boards, can refresh a room, making it feel new. Without them, a room tends to feel unfinished.
To truly elevate your home and make every area feel polished and complete, add various types of moldings everywhere: chair rails, columns, ceiling beams, ceiling medallions. The list goes on. The level of attention and detail you bring to this will pay off with a truly elegant and glamorous atmosphere.
Update your hardware
Knobs, drawer pulls, handles, faucets, and taps all play a significant role in creating the look and feel of a room. This makes them perfect candidates for simple ways to update and upgrade your interior design.
To create a sleek, modern aesthetic, opt for matching hardware in darker colors. For a bolder, more eccentric style, mix and match between different styles.
Lots of affordable options are available at your local hardware store. For pricier (and more unique) finds, seek out specialty shops, antique dealers, and local artisans.
Focus the room around artwork
Beautiful and thought-provoking artwork is at home in every kind of room, whether your design aesthetic is ornate or minimal, and options exist for every budget.
If you want to invest a good chunk of money into a piece of art, start your search at auction houses and local galleries. You’ll get the benefit of speaking with art experts and curators who can guide your search for the perfect artwork in the right price range.
If you’re interested in finding a bargain, try local garage sales and student art shows. Who knows, you might just find a buried treasure or an up-and-comer whose work will appreciate in value in the future.
Whichever way you decide to go, art is subjective and the most important factor in selecting an addition to your home is whether it speaks to you.
Get creative!
Inspiration is more important than money when it comes to creating a truly spectacular home. If you’ve got an unlimited budget, then all the better, but don’t let a lack of funds stop you from getting creative with your interior design and home decor.
