How to Decorate on a Budget

All too often, homeowners put off decorating because they don’t believe they can afford it. With the right approach however, decorating the home needn’t be excessively expensive and with a little thought, a tight budget can go a long way in making any home look fresh and new.

It isn’t necessary to gut every room and call in the decorators, there are plenty of simple changes that will make a huge difference and don’t cost the earth. For example, give the bathroom a minor makeover by replacing the sink taps with larger, kitchen-size editions. It’s amazing how such a small change can give the entire sink unit an air of bespoke design. But why stop there? Splash out on a new shower curtain for the quickest bathroom decorating project ever. Bedrooms, too, can be changed by simply adding a feature wall using something like these wall stickers for instant impact.

In older homes, people used to add a dado rail to stop the backs of chairs from scraping on the wall. These days, dado rails are more about decoration and are incredibly easy to fit using a stick-on moulding. They can add touch of sophistication and drama to any tired hallway and look especially striking if the two areas above and below the rail are painted different shades of the same colour.

Don’t forget about the outside of the house either. Something as simple as installing some lovely shutters or painting the front door a bright and cheerful shade of orange or green can liven up the home’s exterior. People often forget about the exterior of a home but often this is the most important aspect. The outside of your house is so important if you want to give off a good impression. Consider planting some colorful new flowers or even hiring a company like rhino shield house painters to give your house a real makeover!

Just as it is possible to save hundreds of pounds by making decorating a room a DIY project, there is also money to be saved when it comes to furnishing it. Take some time to scour online stores (like https://www.belleze.com/pages/kitchen-dining, for instance), local second-hand shops, or consider brightening up the existing furniture. Before throwing any item of furniture away, think about whether it can be used somewhere else. A redundant dining room table, for example, could be cut down into a coffee table or an old commode could be stripped of its crumbling paint and varnished for a fresher, contemporary country look.

Due to a lack of time or adequate budget it may not be possible to repaint an entire dining room, but it’s worth considering a paint job on the furniture or a reupholstering project. Upholstered dining chairs, for example, can be transformed with cheerful new seat covers. These can be made from curtain remnants and are tremendously easy to fit. Similarly, sofa coverings can be bought in standard sizes from most furniture stores and will revitalise a faded couch in minutes.

Reusing what is already available is known as ‘upcycling’ and not only is it a huge gift to the environment; it’s also an amazing money saver. Car boot sales and the like are great places to pick up second hand bargains that can be repainted or varnished to suit the style, taste and personality of the individual homeowner.

Save money by buying all-inclusive dining table sets rather than purchasing the table and chairs separately. Alternatively, use old kitchen units or even bookshelves topped off with a piece of thick plywood or similar hardwearing material, for a cheap and super-functional kitchen island. Complete the designer look by faking it with special granite look paint, which is available at many DIY stores.