How to Decorate a Flat on a Budget
Guest post by Coupons.com
Needless to say, shifting to a new flat is a stressful experience. After spending thousands on household essentials such as tables and couches, the most daunting task ahead of you is thinking about how you will make the new place feel and look homely. Contrary to what you might think, decorating your new flat doesn’t need to be costly. Here are 11 awesome ways to cheaply decorate your new flat. For even more savings, consider purchasing a gift card for a home decor store like HomeGoods in December. Many stores offer discounted or even free gift cards during the holiday season!
1. Purchase Removable Decals and Wallpaper
Permanent wallpaper can be intimidating since removing it from walls is difficult. If you are a homeowner or renter who is into interior design, removable wallpaper offers a suitable solution for adding a splash of personal style and colour to your house. Removable wallpaper easily sticks to walls and is also easy to remove when moving out.
2. Build a DIY Bar Cart
Bar carts are fun design elements for your house. Nonetheless, they can be extremely expensive. Buying a cheap bar cart at the local hardware store or flea market is a good idea. You will save even more money if you choose to build a bar cart yourself. DIY bar carts similarly allow you to design them to match your personal tastes through the addition of decorative elements that appeal most to you. If you are willing to wait, you can save big by purchasing all of your tools and hardware in November.
3. Add a Decorative Mirror or Two
Floor length mirrors can make your rooms appear bigger than they really are. With a mirror or two, your rooms will also look more open. If you live in a tiny flat, position the mirrors strategically so that they reflect windows and optimally capture light. This will add dimension to your rooms. Floor length mirrors are available at affordable prices in most flea markets.
4. Repaint Old Furniture
Old furniture pieces whose coating has peeled off make your rooms appear dull. Rather than dumping your furniture to buy new stuff, consider repainting it. This will not only restore their look but also enhance their longevity.
5. Creatively Hide Storage
Clutter makes your house to look smaller and more congested than it really is. You should consider getting rid of unnecessary accessories, books, magazines, and room accessories and instead purchase furniture that does double the work. This may include storage ottomans and chests. Another great option is the placement of certain furniture including tables, cabinets, and chairs at an angle in one corner of your rooms so that a built-in space can be created for hiding extra stuff.
6. Update Lampshades
With continued use, lampshades tend to look dated. As a result, they need to be regularly replaced with new and clean ones. To save money, you should maintain your original lamp bases and only buy new shades that add a pop of graphic pattern and colour to your space.
7. Change Hardware on Furniture and Door Handles
Newer door knobs and drawer handles can help transform the appearance of old furniture. Rather than replacing an old door, you should consider repainting it and replacing its knobs. This will restore their previous high-end look as well as save you money that you would have otherwise spent on costly replacements.
8. Swap Out Current Ceiling Features
Chances are that the ceiling lamp at your house has been in use for over 20 years. You shouldn’t allow such eyesores to ruin your home décor. Instead, swap them for modern lighting options. This seemingly small change will have an amazing impact on the appearance of your space.
9. Mask Tattered Countertops Using Stickers
The same way that removable wallpaper can be used to cover walls, tile stickers are designed to cover grungy countertops by adding colourful patterns. These stickers are held into place by an adhesive, but nonetheless, they are easy to remove. Countertop and tile stickers are incredibly affordable.
10. Design Your Own Artwork
When purchasing artwork for their homes, most people window shop at flea markets or vintage stores until they find something that they admire. Nonetheless, the easiest way to get something that you will fall in love with is designing it yourself. Pre-stretched canvases sell for as little as $20, while brushes and paint are also available at local craft stores. To design your artwork, look for inspiration online and based your creation on that.
11. Get a Plant
This is one of the easiest hacks for those who want to decorate their houses. Plants will automatically add life to your room. Even so, they need to be properly maintained so that they keep looking nice. To ensure that the plant adds colour to your room, pair it with an eye-catching bowl or pot. To choose pots and bowls for your plants, visit farmers’ markets in your locality to sample the flora options that are on offer.
