Decorating On A Shoestring Budget – Update your home and make it a place you love with these high-impact, low-budget home decor ideas!
When it comes to updating and decorating my home, I’m all about low budget projects and affordable decor that make a big impact. Why spend a lot of money updating and decorating your home when you can create the look for less?
Decorating On A Shoestring Budget
Today I thought it would be helpful to share some of my favorite budget home decor ideas that make a big impact for less. Whether it’s a complete room makeover or a quick room refresh, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a beautiful home you love.
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Some of these big budget decorating ideas involve a bit of DIY, but I promise you they’re totally doable and well worth the effort.
Custom window treatments can quickly break the budget, but there are ways to achieve a custom look for less. Getting curtains from more affordable stores like HomeGoods, IKEA, and Overstock are great alternatives to more expensive options. I have white curtains from IKEA and green curtains from Overstock which I love and highly recommend.
Looking for more impact? Consider painting interior windows a rich charcoal gray or black (mine are painted iron ore) and adding bamboo shades.
DECORATION TIP: Hang curtains midway between the top of the window molding and the base of the ceiling (or cornice) and wide enough that the edge of the curtain runs along the sides of the windows.
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I’m a big fan of adding drama with accent walls. Great options are painting at the end of a hallway, adding bold and colorful wallpaper to a bedroom, or creating a custom wood wall treatment. Do you rent? Removable or temporary wallpaper is a fantastic way to update walls without a long term commitment.
Have you thought about painting your ceiling? Ceilings are a great place to play around with color or wallpaper.
Plank and slat style moldings and plank walls are my favorite wall treatments for giving a room an approachable, fashion-forward style.
I don’t mind the big box DIY stores, but vintage shopping is the best way to give your decor the extra boost it needs for a custom look. Opt for a unique piece of furniture instead of a standard TV cabinet, replace plain art with a one-of-a-kind vintage oil painting, or replace construction-grade lighting with a cool antique alternative.
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Incorporating plants is a super easy way to add life and texture and instantly brighten up a space. Need help transitioning from artificial plants to real plants? These low maintenance houseplants are my favorite plants for easy upkeep and maintenance.
I’ve painted everything from windows, doors, and walls to furniture and decor, and I’m still amazed at the power of paint. A simple can of paint can dramatically change the look of a room or breathe new life into an outdated piece of furniture.
Replacing an outdated fan or light fixture with one more to your liking is a DIY project that even a novice can pull off. I’m a big fan of adding vintage lighting to my home. If you also like the vintage look, this collection of vintage-inspired school lamps might be for you.
Don’t limit yourself to cabinets. Changing furniture hardware can make as dramatic a difference as changing a few bathroom knobs or kitchen cabinet handles.
Living Room Decorating Ideas On A Budget
9. CHANGING THE PILLOWS I am constantly rotating and changing the decor, especially the pillows from room to room. This is one of my favorite ways to change and update a part for very minimal cost.
Update your curb appeal by painting or replacing your front door, or if you’re feeling a bit more daring and ambitious, try adding a barn or vintage door to a closet, pantry or laundry room .
Facebook Marketplace, Habitat for Humanity, and auctions are fantastic sources for unique and affordable vintage and antique doors.
The right size rug can instantly pull a room together, complement the furnishings, and complete the overall look of the room. Not to mention it’s a fantastic way to add color and texture.
Apartment Decorating Ideas On A Budget
I know it can be daunting when your home isn’t where you want it, but remember that building a home takes time and you need to enjoy it every step of the way. Looking for small apartment decorating ideas on a budget? We reached out to one of Madison’s top designers for some ideas and combined them with inspirational photos for Pinterest. Small budget? No problem!
Laurel McManus Brown is president and owner of Brownhouse, an architecture and interior design firm. She’s worked on some amazing interior design projects, including the Upper House here in Madison.
We’re glad she shared some basic ideas for beginner decorators, especially if you’re working on a tight budget. (And who isn’t?)
Laurel thinks the key to smart apartment decorating is to start with a master plan or “big vision” before buying anything. “Without a roadmap, you’ll end up going in circles and making costly mistakes because you’re buying things for the wrong reasons,” she said.
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Gather fabric scraps, color swatches, and photos from the internet (especially Pinterest) and magazines describing the overall look you want to achieve.
Even if you have little to no budget, this shouldn’t be a barrier to creating fun and interesting interiors. “It just takes a little more creativity,” Laurel said. She recommends looking for profitable items at:
Experiment with fun paint on an old chair and cut out an old sweater or jacket to cover the seat. “It can stand out as a signature piece without investing much, other than a little equity,” Laurel said.
Hang the curtains high! Hanging your curtains closer to the ceiling will instantly make a small space look bigger.
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When you start decorating, Laurel’s advice is to start with one piece. This saves you from having to decorate the whole apartment at once. Patience is a virtue, especially for your wallet.
Laurel also notes that you’ll want an “anchor piece” in the room. “If you’re buying a sofa, choose a relatively neutral fabric and style,” she said. “That way you can switch up your look more easily with throw pillows and accents.”
Think of your interior this way: basics for the “big” things, color and boldness for the small, easy-to-change elements.
No room for a bulky coffee table? This slim sofa table looks great and stores nicely right behind your couch. Great place for a small lamp, plants and a nice place for your drinks!
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Don’t spend money on something that isn’t functional. First, buy functional pieces that you will use every day. “Feature film can still be modern,” Brown said.
She also suggests challenging your definition of “functional” when it comes to interior design. A work of art, for example, can be functional if it evokes a favorable emotion. Does it calm you down? Does it lift your spirits?
Maximize natural light in your apartment. It will brighten up your space and make it look bigger.
If you’re in a small apartment, you may feel limited if the space feels small. But Laurel suggests using scale to make a smaller space feel bigger.
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“Stick to larger fabrics and wallcoverings,” she said. This seems counterintuitive to many people, but it expands the space.
These temporary wall treatments, perfect for renters, are from MakingHomeBase.com (@makinghomebase). They are a great example of using scale to make a small space feel big.
When choosing decorations for your apartment, try to use light colors. Lighter colors will help reflect natural light entering your apartment.
Most of the great decorating ideas on the internet may not work with an apartment because you will have to paint or modify the structure in some way.
Decorating On A Budget
For most of your decorations, stick to ideas that are not part of the physical space. Invest in items you can take with you when you move, such as cushions, bedspreads, artwork, furniture, and rugs.
However, some owners will allow a paint change if the space is returned to its original condition. You can even get a refund for upgrades.
Having multifunctional furniture is essential for living in small spaces. This multifunctional pi-workstation desk from Vurni (@vurnitweets) is great for studying and also adds more seating for guests.
Just because you might get a good deal on something doesn’t mean you should buy it. When you deviate from the blueprint, you find yourself in the same predicament that often occurs when shopping for clothes.
Living Room Ideas On A Budget To Update Your Space For Less
“We buy something just because it’s on sale and then it sits in the back of our closet because we don’t have anything to match,” Laurel said. “The interior decoration follows the same rules.”
So you say your living room is small? No problem! It all depends on how you arrange it. Here is a good diagram to give you ideas.
As new stuff comes in, it’s time to stay cool and throw away your old stuff. These sentimental attachments can be obtained