Budget Friendly Decorating

If you’re like me, you spend waaayyy too much time poring over shelter mags, surfing your favorite decor blogs, and pinning away on Pinterest.  All in the name of inspiration for your home’s spaces.  And if you’re like me, many of those beautiful inspiration images run afoul of my budgetary constraints.   My financial reality for decorating and redecorating my home means that my budget may be $150 instead of $1500 or $15,000 to redo a room.  Slipcovers instead of reupholstry.  Overstock instead of Restoration Hardware.  DIY instead of custom order.

But you know what?  I don’t mind. {Well, 99% of the time I don’t mind.  There’s always that nagging little 1% that wishes money was no object and I could book Windsor Smith to redesign a room or two.}  But I take pride in being a good steward of my family’s blessings.  And that means that other things — other needs– take priority.  Leaving me with not much more than spare change for my decor wants.

That’s when it’s time to get creative — the part I love most about being a home-maker.  That’s right– you’re making a home, no?  Crafting that haven for your family where children are raised, marriages are nurtured, and memories are made.  How about some easy suggestions to achieve a home you love on a shoestring?

1.  Paint.  The least expensive way to change or enhance a look is to paint.  Whether it’s paint the walls, the back of a book case, or a piece of furniture, you can’t beat the price of a gallon (or a quart or a sample!) of a gorgeous paint color.

Start a pinboard on colors you love and spend a little time accumlating inspiration.  Then hit your local Home Depot or hardware store and pick up a sample. Hint: samples are often enough to paint a small piece of furniture or the back of a book case and are usually about $3.

2.  Rearrange the furniture.  Show no mercy when looking for fresh homes for your favorite pieces!  We use my husband’s grandmother’s antique sideboard as a credenza in our home office.  Extra kitchen chairs work as spare seating in my family room.  And we have a piano in our dining room.   Why not use that upstairs hall table as a desk in the family room?  Or let your favorite arm chair find a home in your bedroom to create a reading nook, while opening up space to move the sofa in the living room.

Swap out rugs wherever possible.  Have a friend or your husband give you a hand… and their feedback.

3.  Shop your house.  I always start at home.   Swap out framed photos (or even the frames themselves), pull out and polish up your silver trays and candlesticks to create fresh vignettes,  move the ceramic rooster from atop the refrigerator to a place of honor on the sun porch.

Don’t forget to check closets for decorative items you may have stashed.  Would a coat of spray paint liven them up?

4.  Hit the thrift and deep discount stores.  These are my go-to sources for baskets for organizing, an interesting rug, fabric remnants, or a piece that could be painted and spruced up for a few dollars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I recently scored a super cool accent piece for my Mom Cave that went from ugly duckling to swan with a coat of spray paint.

5.  Try to DIY.  I don’t mean with a table saw and nail gun (unless you’re good with those things already!).  I mean with inexpensive craft supplies and a few things you may already have.  I love topiaries, but wasn’t willing to pay a premium, so I made my own using a cone form, reindeer moss, spray adhesive, a stick from my back yard and a planter I already had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why not try to embellish discount store drapes for your space?  Or refinish a beloved piece of furniture.  There are oodles of wonderful tutorials out in the blogosphere to help you break out of your DIY comfort zone.

6.  A little splurge isn’t always a bad thing.  Sometimes a girl just can’t resist a sale.  On a piece she loves.  That will make her soooooo happy.   It’s okay to go for it sometimes.  I give myself little rewards here and there, because it makes it easier to swallow a tight budget along the way.  Try your local TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, HomeGoods, and Target.  Or hit your local antique mall for unusual pieces with a little history.  It’s like letting yourself have a little Hershey kiss so you won’t overindulge on half a cheesecake.

Hope these budget friendly tips are helpful!  I keep telling myself that someday, when the kids are out of college, I’ll have plenty of money to decorate with.  But I have a feeling I won’t enjoy it any more than I do now.  How about you?  Any budget savvy decorating tips to share?

Happy Home Making, friends!