6 tips for decorating on a budget
We all go through it. You go to your friend’s super chic apartment, or watch a TV show or movie where the girl lives in an amazing place perfectly decorated from the wall colour to the coaster, and then you have a breakdown. They live in palaces and you live in a messy shack that Bilbo Baggins would feel comfortable in. But you’re not made of money and clothing (some of it) can be a lot cheaper than the leather couch or gorgeous painting you’ve had your eye on. So how do you decorate fabulously and stay on budget? We have a few tips.
1. Invest in quality pillow inserts.
Roxy Owens, founder of awesome furniture design site Society Social, is a big fan of down pillows. The North Carolina native started her furniture line in August of 2011 with her signature bar cart (which Everygirl said she gave a “much-needed renaissance” to) after working as a buyer for a corporate department store chain. It started as a blog, but soon enough Roxy was producing her own designs, and after just two years her work was being featured in InStyle, Southern Living, and House Beautiful. Roxy says, “Save on inexpensive pillow covers. When you’re tired of your current look, just switch out the covers and you have a new look. I do this for our bedroom all the time since our bedding is quite neutral–-I’ve been switching back and forth between gold and coral.”
2. Invest in one high-quality piece.
Roxy says, “Even if you’re on a budget, it’s important to at least invest in one key piece. For example, a quality sofa or dining room table will anchor the room and distract from other pieces you may not be as proud of.”
3. Get creative and resourceful!
Roxy says, “I love the look of over-dyed rugs, but the pretty ones in the size we needed at ABC Home started at $10,000! I scoured eBay for a vintage turkish rug and found a rug cleaning company that also specialized in custom dying. We spent $700 in total for the same look. In the end our used rug was appraised for thousands, so you may even get lucky and find a treasure along the way. Look at our rug versus the designer rug.”
4. Hang plates.
Plates are a great way to decorate inexpensively. Plus, don’t you sometimes see plates that are so pretty you’d never want to actually eat off of them?
5. Hang a mirror.
A mirror is a great piece because not only can it look gorgeous, but it can also make any room (even a tiny studio apartment) look a lot bigger. Try Garnet Hill or Pottery Barn for some great mirrors that won’t break the bank.
6. Stack your books.
Don’t have any shelves? No worries. Just stacking books on a table or by themselves will look cool and make you seem intellectual at the same time.
