Interior Styling On a Budget

Do you want to create more ambience in your home, so you feel an overarching theme when you walk in instead of clutter and mismatched style? When it comes to styling, not everyone has an extensive budget to hire a professional interior designer or can make vast changes if they are renting. However, there are many easy and budget-friendly ways you can add more style to your space.

Colour Theme

You don’t have to spend a fortune on all new furniture and painting the entire house (if you’re not renting) to achieve a balanced colour theme throughout the home. Granted, if you’re renting and your landlord has decided to leave that horrendous bright featured wall or paint a room entirely in blue, you will have more navigating to do. However, if you start with neutral tones, you can effortlessly build on your interior styling to achieve an overall colour theme. 

You can achieve a colour theme on a budget. First, start with neutrals, like curtains, rugs and even furniture. Then, add smaller budget-friendly accents like cushions, rugs, towels, kitchen utensils in your desired colour theme around the home. If, however, you already have established furniture and your budget doesn’t permit a furniture change, use throw rugs and cushions to help cover the couch and further tie in your colour scheme. 

Before you dive into making new purchases, you need to be definite in your colour scheme. If you lack colour inspiration, you can find colour palette swatches on Pinterest and other interior inspiration. See some ideas we have put together below: 

Overall Theme

Your colour scheme should tie in with your overall theme. For example, if you’re after a country-style feel, you might opt to go with neutral tones, complemented with natural textures like cowhide, leather and timber accents. However, if you’re going with a Hampton’s feel, you may opt instead for whites that are complimented with blues. Deciding on your overall theme will greatly help you confirm the colour palette of your home. 

Positioning

If you have watched shows like ‘My Dream Home Makeover’ on Netflix, you will realise how you position items in your home are everything! When it comes to positioning, avoid making the space look cluttered and only opt to display items that add value to space and complement one another somehow. For items that aren’t essential, store them away from view, so they don’t make your home feel cluttered and look disorganised. If you want a symmetrical look, try not to overdo it and contrast the space with other items that add perspective.

Clutter & Storage

Clutter is where any style you’re trying to achieve will come undone. Clutter and disorganisation take away from the aesthetics of a space. Even if you live in a home with limited storage or a rental, many budget-friendly storage solutions can help you achieve an organised area that puts the focus back on your interior design styling. For example:

• Under-bed storage
• Chest of draws
• Cushioned storage benches
• Wooden storage boxes
• Wardrobes 
• Buffets 
  

Curtains

Whether you rent or own, adding curtains to your space can help tie in your overarching interior design ideas. Curtains add a sense of luxury to space and ambience. If you rent or are a homeowner on a budget, you can buy curtain brackets that sit over existing blinds, meaning no drilling into the walls. When it comes to the colour palette we discussed above, you will be able to select curtains that compliment your colour theme, whether they are the layering foundation, as a neutral tone, or you choose the curtains as an accent to your underlying colour scheme. Adding curtains to your space will also make your home feel more cosy and private.

Throws & Cushions

Throws and cushions not only make your space more comfortable, but they also add style. Some designers use throws for decorative purposes only, draping them over furniture or shelving in a particular way. Other designers opt to use their throws in everyday life, choosing to drape them over chairs, couches and bedding. A throw rack or wooden style ladder propped against a wall in the living room can also be a pleasing way to display your throw blanket collection. Cushions are also an effective way to add more comfort to your home and strengthen the theme of your home. When selecting cushions and throws, ensure the colour and style will add additional value to your space. 

Bedding

Bedding is another way you can lift a room’s style and create flow from one room to another in your home. There are so many bedding design options available; it can feel overwhelming; if in doubt or on a budget, opt to buy two to three sets that ‘go with everything’ and avoid complex patterns and designs. Meaning, you are using other items as accents to enhance the space’s style and complement the bedding. These different accents could be cushions, throws, wall art, rugs, depending on your budget. 

Accents

Styling your home with accents is not only an affordable option; it’s also fun, and you can add to your collection over time. You can also move items around and vary them depending on the season. Again, when it comes to styling your home, ensure everything adds value to your space and avoid giving your home a sense of clutter and disorganisation. 

Generally, the rule ‘if in doubt, leave it out’ applies in this situation. You can use accents to accessorise your home and add significant value to your overall theme, but if overdone, they can make your home look tacky and busy. 

There are many great ways you can add style to your home by accessorising: 

• Candles
• Diffusers
• Throws
• Cushions
• Select kitchen utensils 
• Bedding
• Wall art
• Rugs
• Coffee table books
• Vases 
• Plants
• Lamps

Interior design can be a fun adventure, and we hope our tips help you create a comfortable space that reflects your style.