Interior decorating takes a lot of work, flair and an enormous amount of cash, right? Not exactly. Sure, you can drop a lot of dough on your decorating, or you can create a lot of stylish updates with some ingenuity. Check out these tips below to find out how!
DIY
If your house desperately needs new updates, the best way to do it on a budget is to handle needed repairs yourself. This way you’re only paying for materials, and not adding on the exorbitant cost of labor. Although this may sound frightening to a newbie, a lot of home remodeling tasks aren’t that difficult. You can easily re-tile a bathroom in a weekend with some rented equipment from your local hardware store and some trusted DIY tutorials found online. This site has some great places to get your DIY juices flowing
And this can’t be emphasized enough: plan, plan, plan. Plan everything out before you do any work so that you can minimize costs as much as possible. And to reduce wasted time and money, always measure twice (or even thrice) before cutting anything.
Paint
Painting is the #1 way to update your look without breaking the bank. You can bring a whole new feel to an outdated room with a fresh coat of paint. You can get paint inexpensively, and brushes and rollers don’t cost much, either. To make it even cheaper, check the end caps at your local hardware store for unwanted paint. Oftentimes, these stores will have random buckets of paint that were mixed that customers never picked up, or weren’t satisfied with that you can grab for pennies on the dollar. You may have trouble finding enough of a color you like to paint an entire room, but these end cap finds are great for painting accent walls or small rooms.
Renew your space
If your couch looks older than your Aunt Sally, or you can’t stand the shade of your end tables, don’t assume that those items have to be ditched. With a little bit of legwork, you can refurbish your items and breathe new life into a dull room. Tables can be sanded down and re-stained or painted to give them a new, vibrant look. Lamps can be brought up to date with the change of a lampshade. Or swap out some old frames for your pictures and you’ll be amazed at how small touches can transform a space.
Don’t discount yard sale finds
There are people that make their living by selling refurbished flea market items. Check out your local paper, or Craigslist for nearby garage sales, estate sales or flea markets. You can find furniture, accent pieces and décor outrageously cheap at these venues. Don’t look at the imperfections, look for something that you can utilize. Then, once you’ve found an item, get creative to find ways to refurbish it. Chairs can be re-upholstered and stained; mirrors can be re-finished, accent pieces can be created with some ingenuity. Pinterest is fantastic for finding ideas on how to make old items practically new again, depending on your personal taste.
Get Creative with your wall decor
Artwork doesn’t always have to be purchased from fine retailers. If you have a creative streak, why not create your own art to hang in your space? Get a canvas and go to town. Or think outside of the box and hang inexpensive, decorative plates as decorations, or frame pretty pieces of fabric, or make a shadow box of old mementos or vacation souvenirs; the sky really is the limit. You can even make your wall have a purpose: you could create a vision wall collage using cut out pictures, quotes and personal items; or, hang a cheap calendar and make it part of a workstation that the whole family can use.
Use things you already own
Stacking a few of your favorite books on a shelf, or setting out some candles can brighten a place without spending anything at all. Most people have a myriad of things they love all around their house. Some people stack old letters in drawers, and others get creative and display them in frames, or use them to make a new lampshade. Find an old dress that you loved (but no longer fits) and cut it into pieces create some new and fabulous couch cushions. Rustic lovers can even use the outdoors as their muse. Tables have been made from old driftwood and curtain tie-backs can be created from painted twigs.
Utilize accent colors
Sometimes, all you need is some color in your life. If you don’t have the money to totally revamp your space, try adding in a few pops of color to brighten your place. Grab some bold accent pieces at the second hand store, or stop by Wal-Mart to grab a cheap, vibrant throw rug. If you’re looking to redecorate a dining room, try finding a colorful vase and arranging some bright flowers to perk up the look.
Rethink what you need
You may think that your kitchen needs a whole overhaul when perhaps just re-facing the cabinets would suffice. A bathroom may do well with just a new tub and tiling instead of a whole demolition. There are plenty of products on the market right now that offer cosmetic quick fixes, such as cabinet & countertop restoration kits that include everything you need to refinish your kitchen surfaces. There are tub inserts you could purchase instead of a brand new tub that would shave costs off of bathroom remodels.
Small Budgets Can Make Big Changes
Small Budgets don’t always have to mean your place has to have outdated décor, hand-me-down furniture and an unpolished look. As you can see, with some elbow grease and a healthy dose of creativity, you can have a pad that reflects your personal style that won’t put you out thousands of dollars. So, get to work!