Home Decorating Ideas on a Budget

With a brand new Cothran home as your “canvas,” you’re free to incorporate your unique style and decorate however you wish. If you’re looking to freshen up your home for fall and the upcoming holiday season, or you simply want to take on a new decor project, our design coordinator, Paige, has a few tips and tricks to ensure the best outcome!

Home Decor on a Budget

Always have a budget. First thing’s first, always have a budget. And no matter how big or small the project is, there’s always a deal to be found! Personally, I like making a game out of it. I challenge myself to see how many quality items I can find at a reduced cost or on sale. (Then when family or friends comment on how much they love my new coffee table, I just smile and know I got it for a steal!) Stay on target. Decide what room or area of the home you want to work on, then make a list of all the items you want to change or add, and decide how much money you’re willing to spend. Look through your favorite interior design magazines or websites to pull together your color palette and style concept. It’s a good idea to tear pages out or take pictures to use as a reference when shopping. Stay within your “design box” and each room will come together beautifully! Embrace a good sale. If you need to replace your sofa, upholstered armchairs, or bedroom furniture, you don’t have to blow your entire budget or spend all at once. Shop around at your favorite furniture stores, ask about sales or promotions, get a quote for those items, and save up. Some stores also offer a no-interest credit card for 12 months, so take advantage and pay the card off on time. That way you can hold on to some of your cash flow for other items on your decorating list. Renew and reuse. Reupholstering is a great way to go! If you have a quality piece of furniture that you love, sometimes it can cost less to have it reupholstered than to buy new. Scope out fabric stores that sell quality fabric remnants at discount prices. If you do not already have a good upholsterer, ask the Fabric Store (they usually have reputable references on file). Browse antiques. You’ll be surprised at what you can find at your local antique or consignment store. I especially like looking for bedroom furniture, mirrors, hat/coat racks, coffee tables, and end tables at these fun haunts. Look for older, solid wood items, preferably from the 40s and back. These items were usually made by hand in the US. Also look for fun retro or mid-century pieces if you like a more modern look. If you don’t like the wood finish, they can always be painted in a fun color to complement your theme. Go bargain hunting. I love discount accessory and furnishing stores for bed and bath linens, storage items, accessories, rugs, and artwork. There’s no need to pay full price for quality, and the best part is that you can select in person, then cash and carry. Look for 100% cotton linens, natural fiber and poly/wool blend rugs, and signed art pieces. Design online. Who doesn’t love the great home furnishing websites out there? There’s one for every design style imaginable! These sites typically offer frequent sales, free shipping, store-to-door delivery, and easy-to-assemble items (you can also pay them to assemble something for you). They even make it easy to return that one item that just didn’t work… From all of us at Cothran Homes, we hope you enjoy your fun decor project of the season!