When budgets are tight, spending money on home decorating projects, no matter how small, can be written right out of the budget. However, it is times like this when staying at home becomes très chic, because it saves money. Shouldn’t the place where you spend the most time be comfortable, somewhere you love to be? Whether it is a kitchen or a bedroom that needs sprucing up, these no-cost decorating ideas can take rooms from so-so spaces to an I-never-want-to-leave oasis.
Treat the House as a Personal Home Decorating Store
It is easy to forget about decorative items when they are in the same place all the time. When this happens, it is time to redecorate. The best, no-cost solution to cure uninspired spaces is looking at the things you already own with new perspective. Do this by shopping around your house and repurposing what you find. Move an accent pillow from the sofa to a bed, hang pretty china as art or turn an unused sheet into window panels. Be creative, have fun and enjoy the fresh (and free) new looks.
Choose a Decorating Theme for the Entire House
If the bathroom mimics the ocean, the kitchen is country chic and the master bedroom is a Zen oasis, it can be hard to move pieces from room to room. Instead, try to establish a single decorating style throughout the home to create a cohesive look. This can be as simple as painting rooms in different shades of the same color or using all white furniture. With a common style, furniture and accent pieces move seamlessly from room to room.
Create a Focal Point in Every Room
One of the six principles of design is bringing focus and emphasis into a room. The best way to do this is by creating a focal point. In a living room, a fireplace is an obvious focal point. Draw attention to it by decorating the mantle, hanging a striking piece of art and arranging furniture around the fireplace. Need ideas for other spaces? Think about the bed in a bedroom, a wall of built-ins in a study and a dramatic centerpiece on a dining table.
Dress up the Walls with Art
While blank walls can fit in with the overall design scheme of an uncluttered modern space, often, they are empty because people are unsure about what to hang up. This is decorating mistake because wall décor adds substance, style and color to a room. The right arrangement can even serve as a focal point. Transform a large black wall with framed pieces of scrapbook paper arranged in a grid. Enlarge a favorite photograph from vacation and hang it above the bed. The piece you hang doesn’t have to be a famous work of art; it just needs to work for your family.
Craft Homemade Decorations
Take inspiration from homemade decorations showcased during birthday parties and holidays. They add fun and unique feel then, so why not take advantage of them all the time. Coordinate these decorations to match the color scheme in your house to keep from looking festive. Here are some examples:
- Fashion an everyday garland for the mantle using scrap fabric.
- Use pretty wrapping paper as inexpensive photo mats.
- Sew a ribbon trim border onto window shades.
Making a home a haven is always important. These low-cost decorating ideas make it easy even in tough economic times.
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