Budget Friendly Decorating Tips!
You’ve signed the last form and have your keys in hand…it’s now time to move into your new home! Excitement is high – until you move your stuff into your dream house. Many new homeowners are shocked when they find the tried and true furnishings that served them well in their apartment or starter home just aren’t what they had in mind for their new digs. If you drained your bank account to make this amazing change, there might not be an endless well of funds to update your décor as well. So, are you stuck with the same old, same old while you save up the big bucks? Not on our watch! The team at Ernest Homes has some exciting ideas to try!
Repeat after me…PAINT!
One of the most inexpensive and immediate changes you can make is adding some color to your new home. Whether it’s hot red, cool blue, vibrant green or princess pink, paint can personalize your home and give your spirits a lift in a few short hours.
Go Undercover
Whether it’s slipcovers, throws, a new bedspread or curtains, adding some fresh fabric to the mix can spice up tired furniture or accent windows. Countless soft goods like towels, shower curtains, bedding and throw pillows are available at a low price that packs a mighty design punch.
Bargain Shop ‘til You Drop
Discount chain stores, Craig’s List, Letgo, online home value merchants such as Wayfair and Overstock.com, and off-price retailers such as Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshall’s and Big Lots can provide amazing finds at teeny-tiny prices. Look for small furniture pieces such as end tables, lamps and (or just some new shades) and accent chairs. Believe it or not, you can even pick up gorgeous rugs for much less than you would expect. A few well-chosen additions can give your rooms a facelift.
Get Thrifty
Don’t forget the staples of budget shopping, Goodwill, the Salvation Army, garage sales, flea markets and local second-hand shops. Catch someone else’s redecorating bug and spread the joy to your home.
The “Art” of Decorating
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and art is as individual as we are. Brighten up your walls and flat surfaces with anything you can find that delights you. Whether it’s your favorite photos, inexpensive prints picked up at street fairs or local art shows, mis-matched painted plates or your family’s own artistic efforts, art is whatever you think it is.
Small Changes Make Big Differences
Update your kitchen or bath by changing knobs, handles and pulls, choose some stylish baskets for in-sight storage, replace mirrors or swap out taps and water fixtures. You can even create a colorful new backsplash for your kitchen with splash-proof vinyl wallpaper.
Repurpose Furniture You Have
Stain wooden furniture a darker color, paint it, or sand it down and add sealant for a bare wood look. Wall mount your new flatscreen TV and convert your old media center into a bookcase or armoire. Turn an old child’s dresser into a classy kitchen cart…or head to Pinterest for hundreds and hundreds of ideas!
Go Green
Live plants can become a glorious focal point of a room if you have a green thumb. Pot some lush ferns, stand an indoor tree in a sunny corner or plant glorious window boxes. If keeping plants going is a challenge for you, pick up an inexpensive grocery store bouquet once or twice a week. Bright pops of lively color will enhance any room!
Now’s the Time to Purge Décor Accessories
If something is worn, damaged or just plain ugly, it’s time to make it go away. Redecorating works best when you consider the overall look of your home. Non-essential items that bring down the aesthetic value of your home aren’t doing your new place justice.
Put Some Muscle into It
Running really short this month? It doesn’t take any cash at all to completely change the look of a room. Just rearrange your furniture for an instant shot of excitement! You can even move pieces and accents from one room to another to compound the effect.
