Freshen up your home: Where to focus your decorating dollars

When it comes to home renovation and decorating on a budget, having limitless possibilities and jumping on upgrades and modifications can quickly unbalance checkbooks. However, renovating your home and maintaining money in your bank account is possible. Focus decorating attention on the following odds, ends, and main elements of interior decor.

Spend More On Less

Spend more money on the home essentials like a sofa, television, and resting chairs. Choose neutral designs and colors, so the home elements blend with any future layout or decor. A sofa and television set are integral components of a living room or entertainment area and warrant proper investment.

Spend more money on these items, so you’ll have them for a long time rather than spend on annual upgrades or replacements.

Don’t Blow Your Load on Art

Paintings and art pieces, normal decor, are costly purchases. Sculptures, paintings, and other pieces come at high costs; even local artists charge a lot for productions. Skimp on the pieces offered at expensive stores and by personalities.

Use your creativity to deck the halls and walls. Wreaths and ribbons create beautiful displays; tall plants fill space in large living rooms; and, visiting garage sales is a cheaper way to find home decor.

Be Patient and Wait for Sales

It’s common to put a mental timeframe on redecorating. Perhaps you have limited time during the week and need to devote the weekend toward renovation. Yet, depending on the time of season and particular vendor, you may save money by waiting for sales. Be patient and don’t make rash decisions based on the desire to get the redecoration finished. Search local listings and find sales from leading online vendors.

Use Professionals When Required

Do-it-yourself projects proliferate as less-than-proficient homeowners attempt to lay floors, paint, and try a hand at landscaping. Be smart in assessing when to bow to the expertise of a professional. DIY projects save money but cost more than expected when done poorly.

Find those with experience working with hardwood floors, painting interiors and exteriors, and addressing large home projects. There is a difference between trying to save money and making a mistake.

Renovate Rather Than Discard Old Items

Dilapidated tables, worn cushions, and tattered chairs look horrible, yet old furniture looks new with a bit of creativity. For example, a scratched or worn wooden table looks great with a textured, new tablecloth thrown on top. Furthermore, fabrics, found at arts and crafts stores, cover worn cushions as well as scratched or chipped arms and legs of chairs.

Moreover, as suggested above, visit garage sales or check personal listings for opportunities to get your hands on second-hand, discounted items. In many cases, a bit of creativity compensates for scratches, worn patches, and shabby-looking implements.

Deconstruct and Duplicate Expensive Decor

Local and small-scale artists get ideas from larger vendors. Look online at a number of interior decor ideas; identify what elements make it look attractive; and, duplicate the design at a fraction of the cost. For example, a beautiful holiday wreath is expensive at high-end stores, yet one can purchase a bare wreath along with ribbon, artificial flowers, and other implements to arrange within at a crafts store.

Invest In or Visit a High-End Color Printer

There are scores of free-to-use pictures available on the Internet. Using a high-end color printer, enlarge graphics to create beautiful displays throughout the home. If you don’t have access to a high-end printer, check local listings for shops that charge a low price for printing high-quality pictures from a digital file. To cover more area across the wall, break images in three parts for an artistic and symmetrical look. Furthermore, free and paid-for graphic design software allows creative homeowners to orchestrate their own designs and eventual home implements.

You need to spend a lot of attention on recreating your living space, but you don’t have to invest a lot of money. Be patient; seek alternatives; and, use creativity to avoid costly renovations.

This guest post was courtesy of interior design consultant Jeremy Brock. He particularly enjoys getting hands on and getting involved in DIY ventures. His articles appear on design and homeowner blogs.

Photo Sources: 1. After Design, 2. AR Architecture & Design, 3. Pinterest, 4. Home Gallery Stores, 5. Cartoloji, 6. Gardner Architects LLC, 7. Apartment Therapy, 8. Nuevo Estilo, 9. Cardel Designs, 10. Bergdorf, 11. David Hicks, 12. – 13. BHG, 14. Tobi Fairley Interior Design, 15. – 16. BHG

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