Budget Friendly Decorating

Looking to update the decor around your house? Repurpose and use what you already have to decorate. Try scrounging around your basement, garage, or storage unit to shop and repurpose whatever you can find. Who says you need an interior decorator or a lavish budget to make your house your own one-of-a-kind home? Here are a few tricks of the trade that I've used when styling my listings on a dime.

Frequent a Local Thrift Store

You never know what treasures you’ll find at typically affordable prices. I shop at Goodwill and Salvation Army to look for paintings, pottery, lamps, and small accessories. I have a substantial inventory of staging materials as well as the wonderful finds for my own use at home. Please check out photos of various homes I have staged with thrift store finds. Except for a few couches shown, everything else in these photos from rugs, curtains, art work, furniture, lamps and misc home furnishings were $5.00 or under, purchased from various thrift stores.

Coffee Tables

Need a coffee table? I've once made a coffee table out of a wrought iron table base missing its top, partnered with a table leaf from a discarded table. This combination was a perfect makeshift coffee table and fit the space perfectly. I found both pieces in the homeowners’ garage and saw their potential from trash to treasure.

Bar Carts

How about a bar cart? I've made one of these out of an old sewing machine stand, a piece of wood to create a cover for the sewing machine opening, an old spice rack (to hold the shot glasses), and a wine rack that serendipitously fit perfectly on the foot treadle.

Kitchen Too Small?

If you're wondering how you might be able to squeeze in a space to create an eat-in kitchen, you may just need to think outside the box. A 12 inch wide board, sanded and painted, attached to the wall with brackets can become a sturdy counter spot for morning coffee, checking your email, or dining space for two. Look for a couple of bar stools like these I found at a retail store for under $12 each to complete the look.

Refresh Your Countertops

Are your countertops getting dingy or in a color past its prime? Purchasing new can be very expensive, but did you know that there are products you can use to paint your countertops with a durable finish? I have used Krylon ColorMaxx acrylic latex paint with good results. It totally transforms your countertops for just pennies. The process is time consuming, but the results and money saved are 100% worth it.

Other Ideas

For more ideas, check out HGTV's 5 Ways to Style Your Home With Items You Already Have.