February 27, 2012

Very few of us can afford posh Persian rugs and fine china, so when it comes to decorating your space on a budget, you need to think outside the box. Decorating on a dime is all the rage right now. Countless blogs and books are dedicated to helping people take their places from average to interesting, without breaking the bank.

• Designspongeonline.com has great DIY projects for the home. Grab your boo or a friend for help creating something new.
• If you are looking for styling inspiration, or would rather buy a few original-looking statement pieces than lots of little items, check out your nearest Anthropologie store.
• Go to Anniesloan.com for furniture re-dos. This woman sells furniture paints that will give that old, beat up old dresser in your bedroom a fresh and unique new look. All you do is apply her chalk paint and/or wax to the desired piece of furniture to give it an antique, vintage and expensive feel. Who would have thought that you can give your whole place a makeover simply by repainting the furniture? One can of paint goes a long way.
• Buy plain dishes at Target.com along with some paint pens and draw your own designs on your dishware. You can also make your own dishes from ilovetocreate.com with their line of bisque wear. Other sets of designer china can cost loads of money.

Ready for some more ideas?  Here’s a selection of my personal tips, plus some basic ones offered by the blog, Decor8 (decor8blog.com).  These can help you out no matter where and for whom you are doing some sprucing up:

• Create a mood board using cut outs from magazines of colors and decorating styles you like. When you have a clear vision, you can have a clear budget.
• Thoroughly clean the room. This is the simplest of makeovers (also the one we put off the most). You’ll be amazed by the amount of space you gain when everything is tidy and put away.
• After you clean out your room, move only functional items back into the room first. You need to have your necessities.
• Now what else can be reused or thrown away? If you have a lot to get rid of, consider having a yard sale or sell items online to pay for other redecorating projects.
• If you’re cohabiting, make sure you give your roomie(s) space to add their own decorative touches. You never know, they might have a cool piece to bring to the mix.
• I recommend picking one overall theme per room so that there aren’t clashing personalities and disagreements over price when it comes to your home.

There are no set rules when it comes to making a place look like your own.  Once you figure out how much money you have to spend, you can start hunting for ideas that fall within your price range.  If you are DYING to get a certain piece but don’t have the cash just yet, remember that you don’t need to do everything at once!  This can be an ongoing, evolving process.  Get some basic items and add as you go along.  The ideas above should get you off to a great start.  Happy decorating!