Cheap and Chic: Redecorating Ideas on a Budget

As the winter months drag on and you find yourself perpetually house-bound, you may begin to notice a few fixer-uppers that you pushed off during the activity-filled summer months. Or perhaps you’ve deep-cleaned the entire place and you’re looking for new ways to alleviate the boredom. Whatever the case, you may be starting to think about redecorating. But since you’re still trying to pay off your holiday spending you might find yourself facing something of a number crunch where your budget is concerned. Fear not, though; there are plenty of chic upgrades you can manage on the cheap, especially if you have a good eye for bargains and a DIY attitude. Here are just a few ideas to help you get the ball rolling.

1. Furniture swap. You don’t have to replace every stick of furniture to make a space feel fresh; you’d be surprised what you can do by simply rearranging what you’ve got. Start by moving pieces around in a room. If that doesn’t do it for you, swap furnishings between rooms or pull something out of the attic or garage. You can even look on Craigslist for sweet deals on something practically new if you feel it’s time for a bigger change. And don’t forget that you can paint, stain, or re-cover old furniture to dramatically change the look of your space for less.
2. Accessories. Sometimes all you need are a few new accessories to make a major change in a room. But you could still spend a lot here if you’re not careful. So check out magazines, catalogues for home stores, and interior design websites to find looks you like (for lamps, photo frames, candle stands, floral arrangements, and so on). Then find similar pieces second-hand and spruce them up to look like the originals. You’ll save a ton and end up with a chic setup that seems a lot more expensive than it is.
3. Paint. It really doesn’t get any easier or cheaper than paint when it comes to totally changing the feel of a room. But don’t just stick to a single shade. Try using tape lines to create stripes or color blocks, or employ stencils or sponges (cut into shapes) to fake a wallpaper pattern.
4. Lighting fixtures. If you go to a lighting store (or any retail store that sells lighting fixtures) you could end up spending quite a bit. But if you’re keen to replace those outdated brass ceiling lamps and chandeliers from a different era, you can find ways to do it for less. In truth you could just give your old fixtures a facelift. With some fine-grit sandpaper to rough up the finish and a can of metallic spray paint your fixtures could have the modern look you crave. Another good option is to seek out second-hand fixtures to fix up or look for DIY projects (like capiz-shell chandeliers) online.
5. Wood flooring. Okay, this doesn’t sound cheap, and if you’re buying brand new hardwood planks (like cherry, teak, or Ipe wood, for example) it isn’t. But you can get the gorgeous hardwood flooring of your dreams by purchasing reclaimed planks. You get the real deal, plus the patina of age, for a fraction of the expense. Install it yourself to save even more.

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Hollie

Hollie is the owner and coordinator of Real Moms Real Views. She loves spending time with her family which consists of her handsome hubby and three kiddos ages three and under. She loves her fur baby (dog), the smell after it rains, red nail polish, chick flicks, and anything chocolate!
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