Thrifty style – redecorating on a budget
Thrifty style: redecorating on a budget
In a time when getting onto the housing ladder is becoming increasingly difficult, the lucky ones that already own a property might be experiencing their own problems. It doesn’t take long for a home’s interior to lose its freshness and redecorating can be an expensive business. However, there are ways around this. By utilising thrifty tricks, a home can be transformed on a budget that won’t have you risking the mortgage payments.
Home improvement shows might not be dominating the TV schedule with the same gusto as their early noughties pomp, but DIY remains as popular as ever. Once you discover the tricks of the trade there will be no stopping you. Think upcycling, painting and accessorising, plus an ability to embrace the world of arts and crafts.
The home is supposed to be our sanctuary and a place that we control. If you find yourself staring at what is in front of you all the time, resigned to your interior fate then it’s probably time to get into the upcycling trend.
You love to sit in your cosy old
sofa, but its cover is showing more signs than Swiss cheese. Upcycle. Simply covering what you’ve already got with an inexpensive fabric automatically brightens it up. The adventurous might want to have a go at adding a design using fabric paint and stencils or even sewing tassels across the hem. Once you are done it will be a new sofa with the same familiar comfort.
Upcycling does not stop with the furniture though. Old jam jars can be transformed into glowing tea light holders, battered suitcases from the attic can be turned into bedside tables with a little stacking and it is often the most random objects that exude aesthetic appeal when they are displayed in the right places.
If you do feel the need for new furniture then the rule is to focus on what you need. Don’t head out looking for practical
corner sofas and return home with a decadent chaise longue. Decide on what fits your home and don’t stop until you find it: for the right price.
Another thrifty solution to home boredom is adding a splash of colour to the place. Equip yourself with paint and a roller and get to work reclaiming those walls. A new coat of paint is one of the most effective, and cheapest, ways to spruce things up. Just remember to think twice about the colour you choose!
If you live in a small home then the impact of bold, colourful walls could be a touch oppressive. In this case a whitewash is in order, which can quickly become stunningly chic with some creative accessorizing. Drape subtle shaded blankets across prized
leather sofas, liberally scatter pastel shaded cushions throughout a living room and swap old lampshades with simple globes for a touch of minimalist oomph.
But if all this sounds like too much work then just remember: a change is as good as a rest. Chopping and changing the furniture in the home can have a rejuvenating effect and what could be more thrifty than swapping around what you already own?
You don’ have to break the bank to reward your home with a makeover; with the use of some simple tricks and a little imagination, anybody can redecorate on a budget.
Posted at 12:52 19/04/2012