Apartment Decorating On A Budget

If you think that the hard part of finding a space to live in is finally over once you have bought or rented an apartment, then think again! The hard part is to turn your house into a home. However, for most, this task is even more difficult when they are on a budget. So now, you want to decorate your new apartment but do not have tons of money to spend. You can always decorate your home on a budget to give it a feel of a well-lived home space and a perfect haven for entertaining. You should realize that money would not help you achieve the look you want, rather it’s your creativity and intelligence that will work to your advantage. Here are a few great ideas that you can try to decorate your humble abode exactly the way you want it, without spending your fortune on it.

How To Decorate Your Apartment On A Budget

Plan The Look
Create a small reference book or a catalogue of your own of what and how you want to style your home. If you have some used magazines or old newspapers, then go through them to clip out the designs and decoration pieces you like. Creating your reference book will give you an idea of what exactly to look for on your budget scale when you go shopping. Collect all the images in a box or rather paste them in a scrapbook or any notebook. Compile the images according to each room. Also, think about how you want to keep your room. Whether it is going to be a minimalistic design with good quality, yet fewer items or a moderately flashy styled with many but inexpensive items.

Painting
This is one of the most inexpensive ways to transform your dull walls and add a splash of color, on a restricted budget. Use your reference book to check if you like any of those painting colors. Visit a hardware store and check out the cheaper options to achieve the same look. To save money, you can just paint the apartment yourself. Just gather some of your friends and paint away! Use your creativity to create interesting stencil designs. You do not need to spend money on them also. Just draw the design on a thick sheet and use it to make beautiful wall decorations.

Wall Decorations
Who says you need a Picasso on your wall to look classy. Visit a local art gallery and pick up a few inexpensive paintings that can add to the décor of your room. For a personal touch, ask any of your family or friends to paint something special as housewarming gift to you. Another great idea is to frame family photographs, your kids’ artwork, or your own work of art. Use fabrics from your old clothes to cut out any embroidery or applique work and frame it in a beautiful wooden frame. Another display idea is to showcase all your memorabilia or souvenirs in your wall mounted showcase.

Furniture
You can always buy inexpensive furniture, if you research and buy it carefully. This activity might require a bit of fieldwork. Carry your reference book and canvass a few furniture stores to find either the exact piece or the one closest to it. It is also possible that you stumble upon something new that you fall in love with instantly! However, if you want to use your old furniture, then buy some furniture polish and give them a makeover.

Fabrics
Try to save money on fabrics, as they tend to go out of style the quickest. Rather than following the latest fashion trends, look for something that has an everlasting charm. If your old rugs and carpets are in good shape then given them to laundry or dry cleaners rather than buying a new piece altogether. To add creativity in your curtains you can buy two complimentary colors of sheer fabric and hang them to add layers. Or pick up a beautiful double bed sheet and use it as a curtain. You can also create your own tapestry and tablecloths. All you need is a sewing machine and colorful fabrics that can be brought at very low rates. Add pillows and cushions to your sofas and bedroom in different colors so that after a while you can exchange them to create a fresh look.

Handmade Accessories
Stroll around your neighborhood to find an antique store and pick up classic yet inexpensive accessories like unique photo frames, colored glass bowls, plate racks, linens, vases and pitchers, etc. Now gather all your craft materials like glue, sequins, laces, artificial flowers and ribbons and create your own piece of art. You can use these to decorate your walls, tables, corners; dressers, etc. Make use of scented or normal colorful candles. These are a cheap way of adding light and a superb decoration idea. Hanging a mirror will give the illusion of space. Also, use the vases and pitchers to hold fresh flowers. A bunch of fresh flowers or potted plants can liven up your room like no other accessory and they are cheap too. Search craft magazines to learn paper crafts like paper flowers, snowflakes and others that you can use to decorate your home.

Cost-Saving Tips For Decorating An Apartment

• Some of the places for cheap treasures are yard/ garage sales, online/ newspaper classifieds, auctions, dollar stores, antique shops, thrift/flea markets and second hand items stores. Rather than visiting branded stores, opt to shop in local shops.
• Make use of small nail, corkboard and thumbtack so that you do not ruin your walls specially, if you live in a rented apartment.
• Cover your furniture with slipcovers. Even though they do not look as fashionable, they will increase the shelf life of the furniture. You can always remove when you have to entertain guests.
• Keep your apartment neat and clean. Do not let dust settle on your furnishings as it may spoil them quicker. Clean, dust and vacuum regularly.
• Take extra care of your fabrics while washing them. It is ok to spend a bit extra on the dry-cleaning if that will ensure better care of your beddings, cushion covers, pillowcases, bed spreads, etc.

Your creativity is your biggest money saving tool at hand. It is important to plan and select everything very carefully. Even if you have finished the first rounds of decoration of your home, do not sit idle. Continue to add images to your reference books and save money in other areas so that you buy important household goods in future. No your focus should not be on decorating but on refurnishing. Think of simple ways you can revamp the style in an inexpensive way, once you get bored of this look.