You love your home and what better way to show
it then to decorate with your own personal style? Use these tips to help you
save money and make your home the palace that you dream of in your head. One of the hardest facts about owning a home
is that you can’t always afford how expensive your décor taste is! There are
ways to cut corners, and still get fantastic ideas for your home.
Wouldn’t you love to find ways in your everyday life to save money and
get wonderful décor ideas? Here are the best money saving décor ideas for
your home. Best in this article means – everyday resources that are available
to you – and easy for you to execute.
Use free sources around you: From magazines, the internet, to satellite
home & garden programs the world is at your fingertips for décor
ideas. Peruse through magazines, and home décor books to get a sense of
what your taste is. Visit home improvement stores and collect paint and
material samples to start making an “idea” folder of what inspires you.
Determine what your personal style is. Is it: Vintage, Modern, Bohemian, French
Country, choose your style and start planning!
Determine your budget BEFORE you begin: Let’s face it, if you
didn’t have a budget your home would be already complete, and you wouldn’t need
these money saving tips. Everyone needs to set a budget to have
boundaries on your wallet and your home! Once you’ve set one, buy a few major
pivotal pieces to center the theme of your room around. Then use thrift
shops and department store clearance areas to fill in with gorgeous
accessories.
Start at the front door/entry: When guests walk in your home they
should get a sense of your style instantly. Maximize a foyer space without over
cluttering. Try using a chest or decorative baskets to house keys or mail. Add
a decorative touch by adding a mirror and foyer sized table for resting
flowers, and accessories to pull your guests into your home. The mirror will
open up your foyer and reflect the gorgeous décor of the space. Save money by
using vases and decorative urns from other areas of your home that already
exist.
Maximize your existing furniture: Consider re-upholstering
furniture with updated colored and styled materials. Slip covers offer a quick
and easy solution for changing out furniture for different seasons and or
occasions. Re-finish wood furniture or use a fresh coat of paint on headboards
and mirror frames. Try using online planning tools to play around with
different colors and options before you take the plunge!
Redesign your furniture layout: Believe it or not, your space can
look dramatically different just by moving the furniture! Find a new focal
point – like a fireplace, an outdoor view, an accent wall with a television,
and move your furniture to compliment it. Consider bringing pieces from
other rooms of your home. By removing some furniture you can get a more open
space, and the room may function better. Professional re-designers do this
every day, why don’t you try, it’s totally FREE!
Paint a room or accent wall with a bold color: Paint is the most
affordable decorating tool you have, so go for it! Paint an accent wall in a
contrasting or complementing color to your furniture. Don’t know how to
decide on colors? Ask your home improvement store to mix quart or sample sizes
for you. This way you can try it before you take the plunge. Use
accessories to bring a new look to furniture: Use throw pillows, throw
blankets, and area rugs to give your ‘old’ room a new look and feel.
Instead of buying a new piece of furniture, look at what colors you haven’t
tried before. Try a new color palette and mix and match patterns and
solids. These accessories are inexpensive and can be changed on a
whim. Have a worn area on the floor? Cover it with a funky new area rug –
instantly and cheaply you solved a décor dilemma.
Use accent lighting to highlight décor and interiors: Wall sconces
with directional lighting can add drama to a once boring hallway or
foyer. Install accent lighting to shine on artwork to add drama and a
focal point to a fireplace or over a couch. Use simple up-lighting to give
visual interest to house plants and atrium areas in your home. Make
wall treatments from everyday materials: Windows can get an added
decorative touch with wall treatments. Inexpensive ones can be made with
do it yourself home kits, and a sewing machine. Everyday materials such
as sheets, linen, and many man-made fibers that resemble expensive silks and
organza are also available. No one will know that you cut corners to
adorn your windows with beautiful drapery, curtains or valances.
Accessorize your bathroom with affordable décor: Towels, shower
curtains/rods, and bath mats are easy and inexpensive ways to bring color and a
theme to a boring bathroom. Consider changing the theme of the bathroom
with paint and add a new color palette for your new bath linen to match. Search
online classifieds and garage sales for cheap finds: Craigslist,
Backpages and other online classifieds can be a great treasure chest for some.
Also check college newspapers and apartment bulletin boards. Areas where
there’s a high turnover of people moving in and out are great finds for
furniture, décor, and small appliances. Do your homework when shopping: Often
home décor items are bought on a whim which is alright for the occasional item.
For furniture and longtime investment pieces you will save more money buying
quality once that lasts, rather than junk that you have to replace 10 times!
Compare prices, shop online deals, and don’t forget to shop department store
clearance areas.
Use natural ingredients for an eye catching centerpiece: The next
time you are in the grocery store; don’t overlook the produce section to add
color to your home. Lemons, limes, apples, oranges make great centerpieces in a
beautiful vase or aligned in a modern horizontal platter. Add these with glass
marbles and tall greenery to make a statement on a foyer table.
Splurge on big impact décor: When buying decorative pieces for
your home, use the majority of your money on items that will make a huge
statement. A full length framed mirror that rests against the wall will
have a wow factor right away. While spending that same amount on a few décor
items that go on a bookshelf may get lost in the context of books, and your
money is essentially “wasted”.
Create table scapes to match the season: Create mini collages of
decorative items on your buffet, dining room, and sofa tables to bring the
outdoors in. Whether it is decorative seashells and rocks displayed in
glass jars, or pine cones and evergreen in bountiful baskets, table scapes are
fun and cost pennies to make. Update the plumbing fixtures: Your
bathroom and kitchen plumbing fixtures are décor “accessories” of your sinks
and showers! Instead of replacing an entire countertop, try changing out the
fixtures for more modern or more ornate ones. By changing the metal finish you
can introduce a new wow factor. Copper, brushed chrome, and brushed bronze all
have beautiful patinas.
Faux painting wall techniques deliver a wow factor: Painting has
come a long way over the years. Faux painting techniques can make your walls
look like suede, leather, stucco, or even denim! An inexpensive way to bring
ambiance to your space is by using a faux wall technique. Visit your
painting store, to see what new textures and varieties you have to choose from. Door
pulls and handles can change your cabinets: Don’t have money to get all
new cabinetry in your kitchen or bathroom? Install new door pulls and handles
to give a new look to a previously boring or out-of-date door pull. Want
a pulled together look? Match your plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures and
door pulls with the same metal. This ties all the elements together
beautifully!
Do it yourself and save: Long gone are the days when
do-it-yourself projects were only for crafts people and those handy with power
tools! Online tutorials, You Tube, satellite television DIY networks and the
internet – the world of home improvement is at your fingertips. Pick a project
and get started! Save money and design/build it yourself. Don’t
forget your local home improvement store: You can learn a lot from the
home improvement store around the corner. Most stores have hands-on
learning workshops that provide free lessons on home décor projects. From
tiling your backsplash in your kitchen to installing crown molding, these
workshops can make your home look like professionals did your home improvements
projects.
Can’t afford wallpaper? How about these ideas: Use your creativity
and add an heirloom quilt or other everyday items such as decorative dishes on
your wall. Use wall stickers and decals to give a decorative touch
without the fuss of hanging wallpaper. Wall murals that use up an entire wall
can transform your space into nature, space, or city-scapes with a few easy
steps.
Save money and plan ahead with the proper tools when shopping: Trying
to find a new couch or table? Measure out the space in your home first.
You will save time and money in the long run. Carry a tape measure with you to
measure the piece in the store too! Use your family’s artwork/collectibles as
art: Shadow boxes are a wonderful way to display your kid’s artwork,
camp projects, and sports medals/awards around your home. Instead of
throwing them in a drawer, choose ones that have lots of color and display them
on a contrasting color wall. Frame milestone memorabilia and see the pride your
kids will take in having their work displayed. Cheap for you and priceless for
the family.
Don’t underestimate using mirrors in your décor: Mirrors have
reinvented themselves in the last few years in the design world, and they are
bigger than ever in home décor. For cheap décor ideas visit your local craft
store and buy inexpensive mirrors to use as mosaic pieces on furniture, or
picture frames. Make your own frames for larger mirrors and customize the look
to hang in kid’s rooms or in your bathroom. Reface kitchen and bathroom cabinets: Replacing cabinetry can be
expensive. To get a whole new look by spending half of the money, consider refacing.
Refacing will apply a veneer to the exterior of the cabinetry boxes. New
doors will be applied to give your kitchen or bathroom an updated look and it
saved you money in the process.
Use decorative furniture to hide clutter: Furniture that has removable
tops, like ottomans and movable sofa cubes are a great way to hide CD’s, gaming
supplies, and kid’s toys. Decorative baskets and storage furniture are a
nice way to collect your necessary items, and still keep the integrity of the
space. New ways to refinish hardwood
floors: For a new look paint or use a different color stain on your
floor. Visit your home improvement store to see what products are made for
pre-finished floors. This cost saving tip will give your hard wood floors
new life, and change the entire décor of your home.
Add visual interest to kid’s room: Children’s rooms can be
expensive to decorate. For creative and cheap wall ideas consider using
chalkboard paint and stencils. Chalkboard paint can be mixed into any
color and when used with stencils can give a custom look for your kids! Paint a
whole wall, or paint their favorite animals and sporting goods for hours of fun
later. Bring the outdoors inside: Use natural
products like wood, jute, hemp and greenery to make your indoors alive with
color, texture and richness. Inspiration can come from magazines, online sites
or your own backyard! Collect rocks and arrange in a decorative vase with fresh
flowers and greenery. Running water fountains can bring serenity to your space
as well. Opt for laminates instead of
the real thing: Laminate wood flooring has been manufactured and
delivered in a more believable look and feel in today’s home décor. If hardwood
is pricey for your wallet consider using laminate. Visit a flooring or home
improvement store to get educated on the pros and cons of laminate flooring.
Get the expensive look for a fraction of hardwood prices.
Dress up your fireplace: The fireplace in a room is naturally the
focal point of a space. To inexpensively decorate your fireplace take
cues from your existing furnishings and style. For a rustic fireplace with
stones and bricks, consider natural fibers and wood derived décor on the
mantle. For sleek and contemporary fireplaces that don’t have a mantle sit an
urn filled with bamboo or reeds to the side of the fireplace for an
asymmetrical composition.
Thrift stores can help you adopt a Bohemian décor style: Do you
love mixing and matching different colors, patterns, and styles? Eclectic
styles are wonderful because they have no boundaries. Thrift stores can help
you find inexpensive treasures to decorate with. Try mixing different colored
dinnerware for an original twist to a dinner table setting. Find similar color
families, or go bold. Either way, it’s all about embracing your décor style and
saving money!
Give your lighting a makeover: Lamps and lighting can make or
break a space.
By buying new lampshades you can give an old boring lamp
new life. If you have a custom color palette in your home, make your own
lampshade! They have kits that you can pick your coordinating fabric and
embellish it with ornamentation, ribbon, etc… Visit your local craft and hobby
store and see how many choices you have to choose from, or be adventurous and
create one from scratch.
Decorate with artifacts from past vacations and travels: If you
are a lover of travel and bringing back home décor items, use those items
proudly around your home. An empty corner could house an expensive piece of
furniture, or tucked in a closet may be an artisan artifact from your trip to
Tahiti that you didn’t know where to put it! Jewelry put in shadow boxes or
used as framed art is beautiful for display. Decorate your bathroom with outdoor inspiration: The spa inspired
bathroom is a sought after feel that can be achieved inexpensively with natural
woods, subtle colors, fluffy towels, and river rock. Arrange a basket of river
rock on the bottom of a beautiful basket with pampering bath gels, soaps and
sponges to give the look of a luxury day spa without hurting your wallet. Dress up your bed inexpensively: Do
you like the look of a streamlined box spring cover without using fussy dust
ruffles? Try this do it yourself trick: Take a fitted sheet in a matching or
coordinating color and use it instead of a dust ruffle. Buy a duvet cover to
put your warn out comforter inside. This will make your bed look new without
spending a lot for the look.
Have a decorating party: When moving into a new home the first
instinct is to invite all your family and friends over to celebrate, right? Why
not host a decorating party instead of a housewarming party? Choose what
your color and style is and head to your favorite décor store. Similar to
wedding registries, many stores have a wish list registry. This way when you
send out invitations, your guest can pick something to buy for your new place.
At your party you can have them help decorate and you just saved money in the
process.
Prioritize your wants over your needs when it comes to décor: When
you are saving money, the idea of decorating your home can be overwhelming and
every room seems like it needs something. Determine what rooms need the
most focus first. If you entertain or spend most of your time in the kitchen
and dining area – this becomes your focus. Instead of decorating all the bedrooms
and it’s only two of you living at your home.
Prioritize your wants over your needs when it comes to décor: When
you are saving money, the idea of decorating your home can be overwhelming and
every room seems like it needs something. Determine what rooms need the
most focus first. If you entertain or spend most of your time in the kitchen
and dining area – this becomes your focus. Instead of decorating all the
bedrooms and it’s only two of you living at your home.
Bring the indoors out to your porch: Décor is finding a larger
presence outdoors as inside the home. Outdoor furniture now resembles furniture
you would have in your living room. For cheap décor outdoors buy weatherproof
area rugs and seat cushions to spruce up the porch. Rattan and wicker work
wonderfully outdoors. There are also wicker resin material furniture that
resembles the real thing, but stands up to the elements better and is cheaper
than traditional wicker.
Your home is your
castle, however you like it – Bird.
