Budget decorating – refresh your home for less

Pressure on the purse demands restrained spending, but that doesn’t mean settling for second best – there are all manner of tips and tricks of the decoration trade that can help transform a tired interior into a fresh living space. Here are a few pointers on how to refresh your home for less.

Paint and wallpaper.

Changing the colour of your walls can radically alter the overall feel of a space without costing the earth. Whether the design spans the entire colour palate or a feature wall is selected, the paint on the walls can actually add to the overall design rather than simply serving as a backdrop. Wallpaper has also undergone a huge revival in the past few years and now there are all manner of decorative and flamboyant styles in the shops – some of which have price tags to match. Again another good style and budget tip is to simply choose one wall to paper, this avoids overkill both on design and budget.

Soft furnishings.

Big buy items, such as sofas, don’t have to be replaced when a room undergoes a refurb – if you’ve bought well in the first place, with regards to colour compatibility and quality, then investing in a few new cushions should suffice. Pairing items such as curtains, cushions and rugs can help create continuity in room design, without having to completely refit.

Affordable art.

A few wily art buys for the walls is a great way to transform a utility surface into a room feature – despite common conception that art can only cost a fortune, there are all sorts of affordable ways to access it. Posters are a great way to recreate a classic image on your own wall, buying direct from a college show could bag you piece of work from a potential prodigy, whilst creating your own art has to be the most financially efficient way to decorate your walls. Paint direct onto the wall, mural style, or invest in some frames and canvas.

Vintage chic.

Second hand shopping takes time, creativity and dedication, but it can pay dividends and create a unique look. Whether shoppers favour charity shops, car boot sales or online auction sites, research your local market, set yourself budgets and be prepared to make some snap decisions. Really successful second hand shoppers also have the enviable ability to look past first impressions and identify opportunities – a vintage sofa may look threadbare but a reupholster might transform it; a wooden chest might not fit in with an existing colour scheme but a lick of paint can rectify this.