How to decorate your home on a budget without compromising style

How to decorate your home on a budget without compromising style

December, 2018

Whether it’s a first home, an investment opportunity or you just want to switch up your style, decorating your house can seem like a daunting and expensive task. This doesn’t have to be the case – it’s absolutely possible to decorate your house tastefully on a budget. Here are some ways you can get the most for your money when decorating your property.

1. Accessorise!

You don’t have to go overboard to make your house beautiful. Try painting your walls a neutral colour so that you can get creative with your accessories. Simple things like cushions on the sofa or curtains over the windows can easily add a pop of colour. Spice up a plain sofa with a lovely throw or a plain carpet with an interesting rug. A green plant can easily brighten up a room, and if you get an artificial one you don’t even need to worry about looking after it.

2. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it

Before you rip out your kitchen completely, consider why you want to do it. Is it just the cupboard doors that are a little worse for wear? You can simply replace those and leave the rest of the kitchen intact, saving you a lot of time and money. A lick of paint can quickly spruce up your wooden furniture, and wood paint is relatively inexpensive. Have your old armchairs re-upholstered rather than buy a new one, which will easily give it a bit of life.

3. Less is more

If you are thinking about tiling your bathroom or kitchen, there may be a more cost effective way to do it. Rather than tiling the whole room, tile places that are likely to get wet like the shower area and floor, or places that could be splashed like above the cooker. The rest of the room can be painted (which is easier to do yourself than tile), saving you money on material and labour. You can even use the money saved to get nicer tiles.

 4. Get thrifty

Charity shops are some of the best places to look for unique finds. There can be some cheap second-hand gems if you scout around. You might be able to get your hands on a vintage piece that you wouldn’t get in a furniture shop, for only a fraction of the price. Buying a second hand piece and freshening it up will be more cost-effective than buying new, and you might get something much more interesting.

 5. Think about the long term

Not everything needs to be expensive, but it’s worth spending a little more on things you plan to keep for years to come. Replacing a bad quality sofa will cost more than spending a little more in the first place for a good quality one. A decent mattress can last you 10 years, and you’ll be having a better night’s sleep as a bonus. Weigh up the cost with how often it would need replacing so you don’t end up spending more than you need to.