There’s nothing more frustrating than flipping through your favorite décor magazine or scouring the pages of your favorite design blog only to find that the pieces you want are way out of budget. Over the years, I’ve learned some tips and tricks on designing your home on a budget.
But decorating on a dime isn’t necessarily about scooping up every cheap piece of furniture you can find. No, being chic on a budget forces you to be more creative and more stylish, and isn’t that part of the fun?
Here now, are 8 Chic Décor Tips on a Dime.
Paint an Accent Wall: An accent wall is an easy way to update your home’s look. Paint one wall in a bold color that accents your space’s current color palette. For instance, if your living room’s color palette is gray, white and yellow, paint one of the walls teal or fuchsia. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easily a bold accent wall can freshen up the room. This celadon green kitchen gets a fresh new update with an accent wall painted in a brownish-red color.
Source: Sico Paints
Shop out of Season– It follows in fashion that if you want the best deals, you shop out of season. The same goes for home décor. Buy your throws and plush area rugs in the summer and your outdoor furniture in the winter. You’ll find that these items tend to be priced much cheaper since few people buy out of season.
Scour Estate Sales, Yard Sales, Craigslist– The old adage is true; “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” With a little patience, you’ll be able to find great pieces at estate sales, yard sales, flea markets, and on Craigslist and eBay. Some of my favorite pieces have been items neighbors were going to throw away! I got my hands on an antique French nightstand, a brass table lamp and a wingback chair upholstered in teal velvet simply by asking. If you’re a fan of past décor styles like mid-century modern, art deco/art nouveau, or French colonial, consider scouring these places because many people unload these things not knowing their provenance or worth. Just look at how chic thrifted pieces can be.
Source: Toronto Interior Design Group
Accents are Everything– By far the simplest way to decorate on a dime, is snapping up a few accent pieces. A couple of new accent pillows with complimentary candelabra and a new side table in your bedroom give new life to a stodgy space. In this bedroom, bright pink accent pillows instantly add a touch of feminine glamour to this masculine bedroom.
Source: Elegant Changes
Update the Lighting– Get something unique, something bold or something bright. Perhaps all three. Just think what a new copper pendant or vintage chandelier can do for your room: it gives it a new and enlightened facelift! A vintage chandelier adds a bit of charm and elegance to this bedroom with its modern color palette and (neo) traditional pieces.
Source: Vi-Spring
When in Doubt, Reupholster– For those of you who are handy with needle and thread, or a bucket of paint, make your old pieces like new by painting them or reupholstering them in trendy new fabric. Your hand-me-down dining wooden dining chairs would look so chic with a fresh coat of high gloss black lacquer!
Consider a Replica– There is some controversy around replicas, but there are some companies out there putting out high quality replicas of your favorite styles. A set of replica Eames Shell Dining Chairs like the set shown here would make furnishing your dining room so much more affordable.
Invest in One Major Piece– If you really want to change up your space, focus on buying just one major piece; be it a new coffee table in your living room or new upholstered headboard in your bedroom. You’ll spend less money by focusing your decorating dollars on one piece that will be the focal point in that space. I just love the soft elegance of a new upholstered headboard, such as this one. The color matches well with the color scheme of the bedroom, while the nailhead trim is on trend and keeps the bedroom from looking too girly.
Source: Aubrey & Lindsay
When decorating on a dime, it’s important to remember that a little goes a long way and that’s it financially more feasible to decorate little by little. When you’re ready to start shopping, I recommend viewing a few photo galleries like this one and this one for inspiration first. If you want to make a more immediate change, there’s nothing like new fabric or accent pieces that breathe new life into the spaces in which they inhabit.
About the Author: Lindsey Gregory is a design enthusiast who writes for Patio Enclosures. She’s been writing and blogging about home design for nearly five years and holds a B.A. in English Literature. When she’s not reading or writing she enjoys biking, hiking and doing yoga.
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