August 13, 2012

Reflect Your Style, Not Your Budget in Your New Home

Moving into a new home is exciting. It’s a blank slate just waiting for you to display your personal style and set the mood for your new home.  But if most of your home buying budget has been exhausted prior to moving day, you might feel like you will be stuck with the previous occupant’s decorating taste.  Luckily, there are ways to work with a limited budget to make your new home an inviting reflection of your style.

One of the quickest and least expensive ways to change the character of your living space is with paint. Adding color to white walls will make your room feel less generic and set the tone for your room. Consider living in your space before painting right away.

When choosing furnishings, consider all the furniture you already have, including items that may have been forgotten in an attic or basement.  Many pieces of furniture can be used in a different way than they were originally intended.  An old trunk can be repurposed into a great coffee table or a low dresser might make a functional entertainment center for the family room. With a little sanding, a quick coat of paint or even a slipcover, a piece you may have written off as outdated can be rejuvenated and fit in perfectly in your new décor. Resist the notion that everything must match.  Too much matching creates the lifeless appeal of a furniture showroom.  Even if the furnishings you start out with span from the 1960s to the present, don’t worry.  Play up the similarities by tying the room together with unifying color through curtains, throw pillows, rugs or other accessories.

The options for finishing a room with unique accents and touches are almost limitless – even with a limited budget.  Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

• Place collections of candles on a tray or platter and surround them with sand or pebbles to give the room a cozy feel.
• Old postcards found at local antique stores can make impressive artwork when framed and placed on a table or wall.
• Inexpensive or second hand frames placed in a group create visual interest on a large open wall.  Fill the frames with enlargements of photos you’ve taken. Visit a local garden or park and take simple photographs of flowers and natural landmarks. Maybe you prefer black and white shots of bustling urban life.  Close-ups of produce or scenes taken at a farmer’s market are a great way to decorate an empty kitchen wall.
• Use a combination of overhead lighting and table or floor lamps to warm your environment.
• If you have a green thumb and receive adequate light, a live plant or two brings a living energy to the room and helps clean your air at a reasonable price.

No matter how you choose to decorate your new home, remember this is a process that happens over time. Don’t expect to have every room completed in a day or two.  It’s best to avoid making any significant purchases until you’ve lived in the home for a couple of months.  How you end up living in the space may be very different than you originally imagined. Have fun with it and use your creativity. Be resourceful and use a little of your own elbow grease to make things happen and stay within your budget.

We’ve all come across inexpensive and unique ideas to create your own style in your living space.  What tips do you have to share? Join in the discussion by adding your comments below!