When you’re a new home owner (like me) or have school age kids (not like me) budgets can be a little tight.
My home is a little on the old side (it was built in the 1970s) and things tend to break or need maintenance fairly often, eating up the spare dollars I might have had for full scale home renovations.
But a tight budget certainly doesn’t mean you can’t create an elegant and beautifully styled living home. You need to be proud of your space and some small changes can make all the difference.
Home stylist Brooke Timmins-Taulelei from Canvas Interiors spoke to me about some affordable steps to transform your house on a budget.
If you want to refresh your rooms, changing colour is an easy first step. “Often the simplest and most cost effective update is a good old can of paint,” she says. “Nothing transforms a room more than a fresh modern colour.”
Decluttering is another easy way to transform your room that is often overlooked. Clear out unnecessary knickknacks, files, papers, books and other piles to give your space a fresh and open feel.
Something many home owners also don’t realise is that you don’t have to start from scratch. “You do not need (in most cases) or want to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” says Brooke. Some simple and affordable ideas include:
Think about rearranging your current furniture or moving pieces between rooms. A new layout will immediately create a new vibe. Make the most of your existing accessories and decorations to improve the look, such as clustering your various throw cushions in your living area to immediately add new colour and design.
Feature wall design paired with new throw cushions transforms the room. Pic Matthew Williams via LABLstudio
Cluster some of your existing pieces together, says Brooke. “This will create ‘nooks’ or defined spaces within a room that create interest.”
Clustering a few existing items together to make a feature. Pic Lonny
Empty walls are another affordable option to update. “Don’t leave your walls naked,” advises Brooke. “You don’t have to spend a fortune on art, an arrangement of mirrors and prints is often good enough.” Having photos printed out on canvas can make your happy snaps real decorative items.
A combination of inexpensive pictures and mirrors can make for a great art piece. http://www.popsugar.com/
Another great addition is to introduce plants to breathe life into your room – even fake according to Brooke. Plants add a fresh and cosy atmosphere.
Plants are a cheap but delightful design addition. Pic A House in the Hills
Her final advice is the finishing touch - think about buying just one new item. It doesn’t have to be expensive as a dramatic decorative piece is equally as good, and make it the room’s feature. "It's not necessary to spend a fortune on decorator items - one key piece (a new vase for example) combined with some cheap and cheerful chain store accessories - pop them all together and they look 'designer' all of a sudden!" she says.
If you want to splurge, do it only on this one feature, and think about the things you use the most. For example buying a good sofa that will last (and won't age quickly like inexpensive options) is a better investment than a small and expensive decoration.
A good sofa paired with some affordable decorative items: funky throw cushions, plant, books.
- Em from the Look Local WA team
