Decorating on a Budget – Frugal Décor Ideas

Craving a new look for your home but don’t want to spend tons of money? Check out these frugal décor ideas for decorating on a budget. There are cheap decorating ideas for the living room, ideas for decorating a bedroom on a budget, and more. Get your vision board (or Pinterest board!) ready, and let’s get decorating!

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Decorating on a Budget Tips

It is time to redo your living room, or dining room, but you really don’t have the money to spend on new furniture, or a professional decorator.

Doing it yourself can be fun, educational, and satisfying. Start with deciding what kind of look you want: formal or informal, country or modern. Look in magazines for ideas and don’t feel that you have to follow all the ideas for one room.

If you like the window treatment in one magazine, but prefer the furniture in another, go ahead and mix and match. Now collect the pictures of the items you like the most; a scrap book or small photo album is ideal.

If you can’t decide upon several ideas, have them scanned so that you can mix and match them on the computer (much easier than trying to visualize).

Even easier is using Pinterest to store all your dream home décor ideas.

Decide how much you have to spend on decorating, and that is your budget. If it is only $50 then that is it, you won’t go over it. If it is $500 then do what your budget allows.

Related reading: 8 Clever Budget Tips for Families That Will Save You Tons of Money

Home Decorating on a Budget: Window Décor

Drapes can be as inexpensive as a set of white sheets dyed to match the rest of the room, or as expensive as custom made drapes.

If you can sew, or have access to someone who does, then your expense will be minimal. This is a simple cheap decorating idea for a living room. New drapes in a different color can change the entire look of your room.

Remember that the sun will fade your drapes, so use lighter colors and the sun fading won’t show as quickly.

Heavier drapes can make a large room look smaller, and cut down on echoes for a more intimate feel.

Drapes can hide a small window or minimize a large window. The look you end up with is up to you.

I have seen incredible sales on drapes from this drapes store on Amazon.

Home Decorating Ideas on a Budget for Furniture

Furniture can be one of the biggest expenses when it comes to home décor.

Is what you have still usable, just faded, stained or outdated?

If you are decorating on a budget, consider DIY living room or DIY bedroom ideas. The more you do yourself, the more money you can save on home décor, while still updating and freshening up the look of your home. Re-upholstery can be time consuming but it is not hard and will save you money on decorating.

Pick a color that suits your lifestyle.

If you have children and or pets, then white is going to mean lots of cleaning, whereas a pattern will hide many “oops.” Use a good material; it will save more in the long run than a cheaper material will.

Slipcovers can be attractive and are usually less expensive than new furniture and re-upholstery. They are also easier to clean. This is an inexpensive bestseller slipcover.

Budget Decorating Ideas: Rugs and Carpets

Watch the colors to make sure they match your drapes and furniture. (Put another way: make sure the carpet matches the drapes.)

Don’t be afraid to put an attractive throw rug on your carpeting, unless of course you have someone who uses a cane or wheelchair.

Carpeting helps to quieten sounds and can be formal or informal depending upon the color, pattern and style.

Light colors will be harder to clean, but make the room look bigger.

This is a cozy, affordable rug perfect for bedrooms that’s available in many colors.

Budget Décor: Ideas for Accent Pieces

Accents such as pillows, lamps, and small side tables should do just that: accent, not overwhelm.

Keeping your home decorations minimalist can help save money as you’re buying fewer pieces.

Pillows are an easy way to decorate on a budget – new pillows or pillow covers can change the look of an room.

Match your pillow colors to the furniture and drapes, or use them to brighten an otherwise dark or dull area. Pile pillows up on an otherwise empty sofa, it makes an inviting place to rest.

I love linen and these linen blend pillow covers come in a variety of colors and are surprisingly affordable if you are decorating on a budget.

Lamps should provide light and a decorative touch.

Look for inexpensive lamps and make or purchase shades to match your room and the theme you are trying for.

I bought this cute and inexpensive lamp because it fit the room and is multi-purpose (it has usb ports and outlets).

Watch for using too large or too small shades on a lamp. No matter how pulled together the room is, a lamp with an oversized or undersized shade will detract from the beauty in the rest of the room.

Thrift stores often have unique lamps, and so do Freecycle or Buy Nothing groups on Facebook.

Related reading: How to Decorate for Fall on a Budget – 17 Cheap Fall Decor Ideas

Decorating Walls on a Budget

Walls can be painted, paneled, wallpapered, or a combination of all three

If you want an inexpensive cover for a wall, purchase flat white sheets and dye them to match your furniture, tack them to the wall with a staple gun and some decorative ribbon. If you pull them tight, they look wonderful.

When you get tired of the color, or decide you can do something different, then they are easy to remove.

Pictures on walls should add to the ambiance of the room.

If you want a homey look then hang many pictures, if you are striving for a more modern look then one or two large prints is ideal.

Most rooms have four walls. Don’t be afraid to have different styles of pictures on each wall, family pictures on one, landscapes on another, framed shells or small treasures on another, wrought iron knick-knacks on another. As long as they all have a similar frame and colors then they will go together well.

The key to a professional look is making sure that all the elements in a room go together and lead the eye to a focal point, no matter where you are in the room. It could be a collection of pictures on a side table, a fireplace, or an attractive lamp.

Experiment with furniture arrangements and various moveable items. Use a focal point to draw the eye away from the flaws in the room.

Rearranging a room is the cheapest (free!) way to decorate on a budget. It changes the entire look of a room and doesn’t cost a thing.

Overall with these budget decorating tips, don’t buy something just because it’s cheap or on sale. Make sure the room fits your needs and lifestyle.

Related reading: Reduce Spending: 10 Best Ways to Cut Spending This Year (Without Feeling Deprived)

Hidden Gems for Home Decorating on a Budget

Most people think of home stores or department stores when they are looking to decorate their home.

But did you know that garden centers are a treasure trove of beautiful furniture, pillows, lamps, wall decorations, and much more for your home?