Cheap Decorating Ideas – Easy and Rewarding

Expressing your style with cheap decorating ideas is just what we need sometimes to make changes to the way our rooms look without investing a lot of time and (more importantly) money.

One of the easiest and most rewarding ways to make a big change is clearing out your clutter and editing your belongings.

I know it doesn’t sound very exciting but when you do this you will feel less stress and discover that you probably don’t need some of the furnishings you thought you were going to need prior to this task and your rooms will look different (and cleaner.)

Secondly, with your rooms looking different now that you have removed the clutter, you may be inspired to change the arrangement of the furniture. Just by changing the way the room is arranged gives a whole new perspective on the room’s appearance and definitely one of the best cheap decorating ideas you can use.

Borrow some of your home furnishings from one room into another. If you have had the same artwork for example hanging in one room, change it up a bit by rotating it to another room for a fresh look in both areas.

Do a little planning before you actually do the heavy lifting. It is best to ask yourself and really analyze the way you use or want to use the room, and writing down the needs of the room this way can answer the question of what pieces you may need to acquire.

For example if you thought you needed more storage, a new arrangement can address the proper size and what type of storage piece, (a bookcase or chest of drawers) that would be best suited, and where it should be placed. It could be the chest of drawers that is not being used in the guests’ bedroom given new life in the family room to hold board games and such.

And if you are going so far as to changing a few pieces of furniture and you find that the living room would actually make a better suited room for dining, go for it and make the change.

Color

• You’ve heard this before but using color with paint really is one of the best cheap decorating ideas for changing the whole look and feel of a room.
• If you don’t have time nor the inclination to paint an entire room, do just one wall. But paint it in an attention grabbing color for the best impact, but if your furniture is already in strong colors paint in a tone that will compliment and not contrast your furnishings.
• Add color with a decorative pillow (or two) to change the look of a room and to transition from one season to the next.
• Draw inspiration from this pillow and the new color for other accessories to finish pulling the room together.

Start your “shopping” in the other rooms of the home, focusing on the color from the inspiration piece (in this case the pillow) and pick things in this one color to experiment with new table top and mantel arrangements or the bookcase with your “new” accessories.

Shopping

• When you do go out to shop for any home furnishings or accents, which really will be new, be flexible and take your time visiting many different resources for a unique mix of the best finds.
• The many resources could include home centers like the Home Depot, nothing says outdoor furniture can only be used outside, and be sure to check out the plants.

Houseplants are cheap decorating ideas that bring a living and vital presence to any setting they inhabit.

• Choose plants that will express your personal style. Baby breath enhances a cottage decorating theme or huge bold Monstera leaves for a modern interior.
• Use them on mantels or consoles to soften any hard edges. Gather up some knotty branches from outside and put in a tall vase for a dramatic arrangement for in the foyer or to create height on top of an armoire.

Consignment shops can be a goldmine, and antique and flea markets are great especially if you have a cottage, shabby chic or retro decorating themes.

Going to an auction or an estate sale can be a lot of fun and a great place to find one of a kind home furnishings and decor.

• Take photos of the areas you need to shop for including the colors in the area rugs or upholstery, this way if you are debating whether something is going to look right, you can refer to your photos.

And don’t forget to peruse through the home sections of the neighborhood Walmart, Kmart and the craft stores for cheap decorating ideas, and my personal favorites, Homegoods, Marshalls and Target.