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How To Give Your Home A New Look For Less Money

How do you make your home feel "new" without spending too much money? Well, here's some budget-wise decorating tips to give your home an updated new look:



1. Accent Pillows. Furniture is usually the most costly item. So if your furniture still looks acceptable, you can give your room a boost with some new accessories. Add a few new color-coordinated throw pillows to a sofa, a chair or on the bed and they can perk up your room without breaking the budget. A few new pillows can give old, tired upholstered furniture a new look.



2. Flowers. Buy a new flower arrangement or make one yourself. It's easy these days. Visit a home decor store (for example, Michaels) and buy silk flowers for as little as $3 a stem. Buy a vase (they are very reasonable at Michaels or in a consignment shop), add some pebbles in the bottom to help hold the flowers in place (again, buy them at a home decor store) and start adding silk flowers.
Flowers can add a punch of color to a dining room table, coffee table, end table, a dresser or in a dark corner.

Real flowers are beautiful too -- especially if you can pick them from your garden. But if you have to buy flowers on a weekly basis, it can get a little costly.


3. Wall art. Add some new artwork or a mirror to your walls. Check out consignment shops, budget-friendly stores such as Walmart, Target, Marshalls, Kohls and TJ Max. They all have home decor sections.

If you're not sure what artwork to buy, add a mirror! Mirrors reflect light and color and can make a small room look larger and a dark room look brighter. Here's another idea - add a wall shelf. You can place artwork, accessories, or plates on the shelf for a three-dimensional or "layered" appearance.


You can also make your own artwork if you feel adventurous. For example, if you collect beautiful greeting cards, you can mat and frame them yourself as long as the frames are a standard size (5X7, 8X10 or 11X13, for instance). I'll give you some advice on art-arranging techniques in a future blog.

Another option --buy a plain canvas and create your own contemporary artwork in colors that coordinate with your room! Acryllic paints are easy to use and come in many different colors.


With a little creativity and ingenuity, your rooms can have an updated look without spending a lot of money. However, if you'd like some professional decorating advice, call your favorite decorator. Happy decorating!

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