If there is one place in the world that we want to look its best at all times, it’s the place we call home. Yet making our homes look as perfect as we want them to be can cost many thousands (even tens of thousands) of dollars. The good news is, there are many ways that you can actually create a gorgeous interior for your home on a fairly limited budget if you think about a plan before you start. Once done, your home will look a million dollars, even though you only spent a few.
Declutter
Decluttering will cost you nothing and, if you choose to sell on some of the items you remove from a room, it could even make you money. It’s an easy and cost-effective way to see what you really have in a space before you start to redecorate. It might look absolutely wonderful once you have removed all the excess items and a coat of paint could be all you need to make it look fresh and clean.
Make sure you organize everything that is left so that it is neat and tidy. Storage could be a good option if the room is lacking in it (and now that you’ve decluttered you’ll have somewhere to put it all too) as a tidy room always looks so much more comfortable than a messy one. If you do decide you want to do more, then removing the clutter will help you when it comes time to actually do the work as there will be less to get in your way.
Do It Yourself
Assuming you don’t need to have a major renovation done in your home, then it should be possible for you to do it all yourself. Although this will take more time, it will also cost a lot less, and if your budget is limited, then this could be the ideal solution. If you’re not sure how to do something, then take a look online – there is more than likely going to be an instructional video somewhere that someone has posted for people like you who want to give DIY a try but don’t know where to start.
If you need the electrics in a house changing, or there is any kind of gas maintenance required them to make sure you do get an expert in for that; working on these things yourself could be dangerous and at the very least might invalidate your insurance.
Make Your Furniture Do Double Duty
If you want to save money and you don’t want to clutter up your home too much, then finding furniture that can do two (or more than two) jobs is a great idea. This could be an ottoman or footstool that offers additional storage space, or perhaps a TV stand that has cupboard space or drawers. It’s possible to buy a single bed with a trundle bed tucked beneath for when guests stay, and of course, beautiful free-standing bookshelves can work perfectly as room dividers.
Buy Second Hand
There is nothing wrong with buying second hand – if there was, no one would ever buy antiques, after all. We’re not suggesting you fill your home with antiques (unless you want to, of course), but buying good quality second-hand furniture is a great way to save money and find some excellent bargains along the way.
Or you might want to look at a site such as Etsy where you can find beautiful handmade and vintage items. You have all the time you want to browse and find something that will work exactly with your décor, and if you don’t find something that will work the first time you look you can set up an email alert so that you can be one of the first to spot new – and potentially perfect – items as they arrive on the site.
Shop For Bargains
There are many stores (both physical and online) that will offer some fantastic bargains. It just takes a little patience, and you should come up with something gorgeous like the Budget Blinds corner windows treatment. If you’re not in a hurry and you want to buy something brand new, then this might be your best option. Take a whole day to search if you can and remember if you don’t see something that you like don’t compromise unless you really have to. If you can possibly wait for the right thing to turn up, then that’s the best course of action.
Make Your Lighting Work For You
Changing your lighting can change the entire look of your room, turning it from something ordinary into something magnificent. You don’t need to buy expensive fittings and fixtures to create this new look; you can buy an old lamp (or even use one you already have) and recover it so that it looks modern and new, for example.
Even simpler, you could add a dimmer switch to your room rather than a standard on/off switch. That way, you can adjust the lighting so that it looks just right.
Revamp One Wall
Feature walls are extremely popular and can give a stunning pop of color to any room. They’re also a great way to decorate exactly as you want if you don’t have a large budget. You can spend more money on the paint or wall coverings that you like because you only have to buy one-quarter of what you might have bought for a whole room as well.
Textured wallpaper can work really well in living areas, and a colorful backsplash can look wonderful in a kitchen. In a kid’s room or study, you could invest in some chalkboard paint and create a feature that looks great, and that is practical too. You just need something to attract the eye and make the room look interesting.
Interior design doesn’t have to be expensive to look great – a little patience, a little effort, and some new skills put to the test can make everything look on point without having to overspend to get it.