Decorating on a budget has been a fun challenge. My roommate lived in the apartment before I moved in, so she purchased all of the living room furniture but I decorated my room. These tips work whether you are decorating an entire apartment, or just a bedroom.
1. Prioritize: Choose a price limit for decorating. Decide items that you are willing to spend more money on. My room is small and the focal point is my bed so I decided to spend the most on it. I was also willing to spend more on a mattress because I have scoliosis and wanted a good mattress for people with scoliosis. I have always loved the First Impression Lilly Pulitzer Bedding so I bought my duvet cover from Garnett Hill.
2. Shop Flash Sale Sites: I love flash sale shopping sites! My favorite flash sale shopping sites for home decor are Joss & Main, Gilt, One King’s Lane, and Rue La La. You can find furniture, decorative pieces, art, bedding, and more for up to 70% off. In order to avoid impulse buying, I like to wait an hour or two (or even a day if I don’t think the item will sell out quickly) before purchasing anything.
3. Meet Your New Best Friends, Target, Ikea, and The Container Store: You can buy great pieces from Target and Ikea – they have pieces that look similar to more expensive pieces from Jonathan Adler, Pottery Barn, CB2, West Elm, and more. I have a bench from the Target Threshold Collection and I love it. I didn’t buy a dresser because I didn’t want to have a lot of furniture and clutter in my room. I bought under-the-bed storage and shoe and sweater hangers from The Container Store instead. I have a big shelf in my closet and I bought a few storage boxes for the shelf. I keep pajamas and some workout clothes in one, beauty products I don’t use often and knickknacks in another, and the last is my “desk box.” I don’t have a desk in my apartment and I don’t want to clutter the kitchen table so I keep notebooks, pens, paper, stationery, stamps, important paperwork, chargers and other things I might keep on my desk in my “desk box.”
4. Repurpose: I brought my nightstand, curtains, a few pillows, sheets and pillow cases, art, and a towel over from my room at my parent’s house. I made my old nightstand feel new by putting on new hardware from Anthopologie. I love Anthopologie’s doorknobs and drawer pulls!
5. DIY: There are so many DIY projects that you can do to get the look you want… for less. I’m going to put together a blog post with some of my favorite home DIY projects. Search for “Ikea Hacks” and “Anthropologie Hacks” for some ideas.
6. Art: Art does not have to be expensive. Some of my favorite places to buy affordable art are: Etsy, Lara Casey Shop, Charm and Gumption, Amanda Catherine Designs, SS Print Shop, Design Darling, and Emma Kisstina.
7. It’s the Little Things: Less expensive decorative pieces like pillows, fresh (or fake) flowers, a throw, candles, books, and personal photos make a huge difference. You don’t have to spend a lot to fill your apartment with things you love!
Does anyone else have any good tips for decorating on a budget?
One Response to Tips for Decorating on a Budget