Remember to take everything out of your closet and remove any storage from under your bed. For items that you aren’t going to use, consider donating anything that is in good condition. As you clean out your room, look for items you can upcycle to fit your new decor. A new coat of paint, a stain, new knobs, or new upholstery can breathe new life into an old or outdated item.
The important part of making a budget is sticking to it. Before you purchase anything, make sure the items fit in your budget and that you won’t go over. It might be helpful to get an average price for the items that you want to buy before you start your project. Then, try to save around that amount of money. Don’t let a small budget discourage you. You can make the most of your money by shopping sales, the clearance section, or a thrift store.
For pieces that are in good shape but you don’t want to keep them, try repurposing them for another room, or sell them in a yard sale or on an online marketplace, like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. You might reuse some of your furniture for a different purpose. For example, using an armoire as a TV stand or an old trunk as a night stand can give your room a collected or eclectic feel.
For instance, in a modern theme, you might choose gray, white, and a bright green for your color scheme. Then, you can pick modern-style furniture, and add pops of green throughout the room, using gray and white as your main colors. In a vintage-themed room, you can choose a gold, cream, teal, and pale pink color scheme, with bright walls, gold accents, and pops of teal and pink throughout. You can incorporate antique furniture with gold finishes, and use pillows with bold floral prints. You don’t need to create a theme in your room if you don’t want one. Instead, choose neutral colors for your walls and furniture. Then, you can play around with color and design elements in your art, furniture, and decorative items.
If you have a smaller bedroom, consider painting your walls a light neutral color to make the space look larger. Look for shades like white, light cream, pale yellow, or even light brown. For an even easier redecorating project, paint only 1 wall of your room in a different color to create an accent wall.
For a less permanent option, consider using sheets of repositionable contact paper. Instead of traditional wallpaper, you might put up textured wallpaper or adhesive vinyl. For example, you can find faux shiplap, brick, or wood wallpaper or vinyl to decorate your walls. Textured walls can create a big impact for a low cost!
Laminate tends to be an inexpensive option for most people, but the cost will depend on the size of the space and how much flooring needs to be removed first. If you have vinyl flooring, you can paint or stencil it for a new look. Use paint labeled for use in high traffic areas.
Unless there are signs posted stating otherwise, it’s normally okay to negotiate with the salesperson at the thrift or antique store to lower the price of the item. You might be surprised at how much they’re willing to take off of the price! Antique stores tend to be slightly more expensive, but you can take a look at the sale items, or “damaged” items that might have scratches or missing fixtures. It’s easy to fix these pieces up and get them looking good as new! If there aren’t many thrift stores or antique shops near you, look in the local newspaper for estate sales or auctions where you can purchase furniture. Ask your friends and relatives if they have any extra furniture they don’t want. They may sell you a great piece for a low price or give them to you for free!
You can also download local marketplace apps like LetGo, OfferUp, and Nextdoor which have sections for selling furniture and home decor.
If you don’t have space for a chair, consider getting a small upholstered bench or floor cushions for creating a versatile seating area when you need it!
If you have a duvet, consider buying an inexpensive duvet cover that slides over your regular duvet. Then, you can change the look of your bedding whenever you want by putting on or removing the cover, rather than buying a new comforter. If you’re working on a small budget and can’t afford all new bedding, try adding a few throw pillows. You can also buy throw pillow covers to change up your existing throw pillows.
For a twin, full, or queen bed, use only 1 or 2 throw pillows to prevent it from becoming too crowded. For a king bed, pick 3 pillows to fill up the extra space.
For instance, if you have an old wooden dresser, you can make it more modern-looking by adding sleek brushed nickel handles and knobs. As an alternative, you can paint or decorate your handles or knobs. For example, you might glue a gemstone to your knobs.
Sometimes, public libraries will give away old reference books for free. Check there to see if you can find a few books that have both text and illustrations for added interest. If you don’t want to use books or magazines, you can repurpose fun wrapping paper or even pictures from a hanging calendar.
For example, if you like a more rustic look, you might want to get a headboard made from reclaimed wood, or make one yourself! If you don’t want to buy a new headboard, you can update the one that you have by decorating it in a style that fits your room. As another option, change up the look of your headboard by draping a scarf, tapestry, or stringed lighting over your headboard.
For example, if you don’t have a lot of color in your room, you might choose a multicolored rug in a fun pattern to spice up the room. If you do have a lot of color, you can pick a neutral-colored rug in white, gray, or even black to balance out the color scheme. Measure your room to make sure you choose a rug large enough for the space. Your rug should be visible after all of your furniture is in place.
For added interest, replace a plain lampshade with one in a bright color or pattern. If you want to make your room cozier, try hanging string lights across your ceiling. This will add some ambient lighting that isn’t too bright.
If you have a color scheme or theme for the room, try to pick colors that match the theme. Place your collectible items in shadow boxes or arrange them on shelves. Just make sure they don’t create clutter in your bedroom. For example, if you love animals, you might have a golden statue of an elephant. Place it on your nightstand or on a shelf for everyone to see!
If you want to add brightness to your room, place the mirror directly across from a window to reflect the light into the room. [23] X Expert Source Suzanne Lasky, ASIDInterior Designer Expert Interview. 31 March 2020. In a small room, you can hang your mirror on the door or above your dresser.
When positioning multiple pieces of art, you can place them on the same wall if they have a similar color scheme, style, or theme. If they’re very different pieces, try to hang them on different walls. For example, if you love traveling, you could hang a few framed antique maps on the same wall. If you want to hang a print of your favorite Warhol painting and your favorite Monet painting, position them on different walls so the styles don’t clash with each other.
