- Recycle
- Rearrange
- Create
One of the easiest ways in which to decorate your home without making a dent in your budget is to rejuvenate existing items. In a lot of cases, older, boring pieces can be recycled to create something completely new and exciting. For example, an old table just needs to be sanded down and varnished or painted in order to create a wonderful new conversation piece that will change the entire feel of a room. And old chairs can be given a new lease on life by creating new cushions on them, which is as easy as one two three. If you have any old photographs lying around, why not make a collage that can function as personalized art? Using what you have is a great way to save money and freshen up your home.
Another great decorating idea is just to rearrange the layout of your rooms. Over time, you are bound to become bored with the way things are laid out, so shake things up. Do a little bit of research on topics like Feng Shui, or simply change things as you see fit. Larger rooms, such as dining rooms and lounges, can be instantly transformed by shifting the furniture. This type of cleansing exercise might also unearth pieces for recycling (see above) or possibly even sale.
The last guiding principle when you are decorating on a tight budget is to be creative and make things yourself. The greatest advantage of taking on decorating projects like this is that you can engage the whole family. Design projects like this will often lead to the creation of a sentimental, personal piece that will really make your home a home. Why not get the whole family to choose their favourite photograph and then create a piece of sequence art for your lounge. You can even make the frames yourself.
Be creative, try new things and look around at home – you will be able to decorate your house in a homely, personal way that won’t break the bank. Keep an eye out for useful magazines and TV shows if you’re not sure where to start.
Victoria is a freelance writer that is very fond of art.
