Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Cheap Interior Design Tips

I don't do much interior designing in my home; space and money are at a premium; we just take whatever we can find in the trash if there's room for it in our house and use it, regardless of what it looks like. But as I know many of you readers are on a somewhat looser budget and have an eye for nice things, I thought you'd appreciate this guest post from Matthew Read who blogs at his interior design blog

Cheap Interior Design Tips

Decorating your home can be stressful, time consuming and very costly! Most homeowners wish they could change something in their home or make it look a bit fresher, but the potential cost can sometimes be too much of a deterrent.

However, there are many ways in which you can give your home new vigour and life without spending a fortune. Why not try some of these cheap interior design tips:

Recycle your furniture
Rather than spending money on a new wardrobe, chest of draws or kitchen cabinets, why not strip the varnish off with sandpaper and then re-paint them. Sandpaper, paint and varnish are a lot cheaper than new furniture and if you paint them yourself you can make them suit any new design theme.

Find a bargain
If you are after new furnishings and decor, don’t go to the expensive show rooms and high street shops, stick to flea markets, second hand shops and furniture auctions. You may find an old, second hand piece of furniture that just needs a bit of TLC and will look brand new. Auctions especially are a great source of cheap, hidden treasures. Or how about these affordable roman shades

Revamp your sofa
If your sofa is old, dingy and covered in food and drink stains, there is no need to get rid of it and buy a new one. There are 3 great ways to revamp it; 1) Remove the covering fabric and buy some new fabric which you can staple on. 2) Have it professionally cleaned, it’s much cheaper than buying a new sofa. 3) Cover it up with a lovely throw that matches the room’s decor.

Renovate your floors
It might sound costly to change the flooring in your house but it can actually be quite cheap and simple. If you have carpets try pulling up a small section, if you have wooden floor boards underneath you may be able to simply sand and varnish them to get brand new looking wooden floors. You might need to put some of your furniture in storage while this renovation is taking place, but you can find cheap storage units to use in the meantime.
 Alternatively, why not get a professional carpet cleaner in to give them new live, as this will be much cheaper than all new carpets. 

Make small changes
A new kitchen design or bathroom suite can run costs in the thousands. Instead why not just stick to smaller changes until you can afford the big ones. New curtains, a fresh coat of paint on the walls or new shelves can add a lot to your home without breaking the bank. Or even you can buy one cheap accent peice for your bedroom from Homes Direct 365

So there you have it, if you are looking to add new life into your home it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. However, with any big changes to your property you should always consult an expert and check how it will impact on your home insurance cover and property value.

How have you decorated your home cheaply? Are you willing to spend some money to make your place look nicer, or do you, like myself, worry more about functionality and cheapness than about getting the look?

This is a sponsored post.