Decoration Ideas and Tips for the Home - Simple and Inexpensive

Most of us like to have some sense of serenity around the place that we call home.   After all, we spend a lot of time there.   For the most part, we would like our homes to feel comfortable;  and yes - look   "pretty".  At least I do.

I never had a lot of money to spend on making my home look like those out of a magazine.  But, somehow I always had that beautifully decorated home, and managed to do it on a shoestring.   Let me share some ideas!

A fresh coat of paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to spruce up a home and give it a fresh new look. I was always afraid to use "color", and opted for whites or off-whites. This is what I grew up with, and making that switch to color was a big step. Don't worry, if you make a mistake, you can always paint over it!

Let your family's personalities help make a color decision for you. Do you love the beach? Well calming blues or aquas, or even a variety of sand colors may be a start for that much needed transformation. Love the country? Rich, bold, warm colors in the hunter green, barn red, and All American blue may be a choice.

Afraid to take the plunge? Most big-box home improvement retailers now carry three ounce custom color "samples" that you can purchase for just a few dollars to "try out". Worth the investment if you if are teetering on the edge with the idea.

Choosing a room, or whole house theme, takes a lot of thought. Do you want your entire house to flow with the same theme? Or maybe, like myself, want each room to have it's own individual personality? In either case, you will want to take your time to choose your furnishings and accessories carefully. The last thing that we want to do it buy on impulse and "hate it" when we get it home.

I always choose to do one room at a time, and at my own pace. I was then focused on my project, and shopped exclusively for that project until I was done.

Now, coming up with these ideas won't necessarily be an easy task. Utilize the help of decorating magazines and the Internet to get you started. Talk to friends and family about your ideas and ask for opinions and feedback.

So, you have decided to paint those walls that new shade of your choice.   Good for you!  That's a start.  Hopefully, you have decided to come up with some sort of theme;  or at least an idea of what you would like your new room (or house) too look like.  Now we start with the fun part of this!

The following ideas are ones that can help you along with creating that new look that you want to achieve, and still keep under your budget:

Bedrooms:

• A new bedspread and throw pillows do wonders. An inexpensive find from Kmart or Walmart in a solid color could work just well. Throw pillows aren't cheap! How about purchasing a few yards of fabric, or even some sheets or curtains from the clearance rack and make your own. You don't need a sewing machine (if you don't have one).... just use some simple iron on hemming tape to mend seams together.

Living Rooms:

• The old trick of using slipcovers is becoming fresh again! Slipcovers could transform your entire living area and give it a fresh new look. Despise slipcovers? Okay, well then travel over to that Costco or Big Lots and scour those clearance isles for a new sofa. Many times you can find discontinued items, or those that are just not hot sellers for only pennies on the dollar. Sometimes Big Box furniture stores have clearance outlets for you to scour.

Bath Rooms:

• An investment in a new shower curtain and liner could give this room new life.

Kids Rooms:

• No one said that kids rooms had to look like kids rooms. Sometimes children like the "old stuff" that Mom previously had on her bed! Most recently, I put one of my older quilts on my daughter's bed. I added a few new (hand made) throw pillows to it. When she came home from school - she thought that I had purchased a brand new ensemble. Wow, that made me happy!

Finding things to hang on walls or place on tables is another task in itself.

Going to the Big Box retailers and shopping their home furnishing departments is great.  I can't afford to do that.  I've found that stopping into local thrift or consignment shops gives me better choices, and better prices.

Did you find something that you really love, but not sure that it will match?  Try revitalizing it!  A little bit of paint or touch up on an item could transform it to a true treasure.  I've found some really cool wall hangings (paintings and photos), and simply changed the frame to make it look like new!

Maybe using an old tea-set as a decorative piece on a kitchen table will give you that old school look that you want.

From a local thrift store, I've recently purchased a package of two curtain panels (starfish and shells).  No, I wouldn't personally use them as curtains, but I transformed them to throw pillows.  Just a start to my new bedroom's theme. 

Well, whatever you decide - I hope that I've been able to share a few tips to get your project going.  Have fun and enjoy your new home!