It’s a great pastime looking through Pinterest, Instagram and home decor magazines wishing your home looked like those perfectly polished abodes.
While dreaming big is good, it can be a little frustrating when faced with reality. So how can you actually get that home of your dreams?
You do not need to spend a ton of money getting the look. You can do so much to make your home look like a magazine photoshoot with simple hacks and techniques.
Let’s dive in a take a look at some of the simple things you can do right now!
Use White Crockery in the Kitchen
A cheap way to keep the look of your kitchen high end on a low-end budget is to pick all-white crockery and accessories.
This is a timeless look that will save you loads of money. No need to go out and get slate serving platters or hand-painted china. Ikea are the obvious choice for simple, white, cheap crockery.
While you’re at it, you can keep to the white theme with kitchen units too and splash out where it matters, say on a wooden worktop (although no need to spend a lot on that either!).
Use Pops of Colour
Of course, not everything has to be white. That might get a bit boring.
But you don’t need to do much to bring some colour into your home. Think of the little things that can really stand out, such as cushions in the living room, towels in the bathroom, pillows in the bedroom.
You don’t need to splash out on these either. Cushion pads can be bought cheaply (nobody will know when it’s got its cover on!). Then you can create a cushion cover with cheap, stylish fabric. Tip: this can be done without sewing!
Add Rugs
Rugs can get expensive, but if it’s one of the few things you have to spend money on in your home then maybe it’s worth it. It can totally transform the look of a room and is a really good investment.
The key with all this is spending in the right places. That being said, you can still get some bargains when it comes to rugs. Ikea immediately comes to mind again! But try looking for modern versions of vintage rugs online, or check out ebay, craigslist and gumtree for second hand rugs.
When planning and placing your rug, check out this awesome guide for size and position for maximum effect.
Invest in Art
Perhaps the wrong title to use for a budget how to guide, but I stand by it. When you buy art you could go one of three ways:
- Look at it as an investment and get stuck into researching artists and their potential and picking something you love that you know will increase in value.
- Take any image you want to use as a piece of art and get a poster making site to blow it up to the right size.
- Make your own art (even if you’re not an artist you can easily create something abstract!)
My personal preference is for number 3, but number 2 is also brilliant, especially if you look on Etsy for digital download prints and use them.
Number 1 can wait for now, but I’m excited to try it out one day!
Don’t Be a Slob!
The one thing you can do without spending any money at all is to have a good de-clutter and clean up. It will make a dramatic difference. Perhaps the biggest difference of all if you have a messy home!
Once clear and clean, create and stick to a schedule to keep it that way and you’ll feel like you’re living in a while new home!
It’s both good for the look of your house and great for your mind!
Get Some Flowers
Everyone likes to see flowers around the home. It can get expensive replacing them every couple of weeks though so think about getting some artificial ones to supplement any real ones.
Ikea offer a great range of artificial flowers that are really good value.
Again, let the flowers do the work and just stick with a plain white or glass (cheap!) vase.
Use Your Illusion (I & II)
To create the illusion of higher ceilings, use floor to ceiling curtains. This is a great, cheap way to maximise the look of any room.
To create the illusion of more space in a room, use mirrors. The reflection of the room, while not fooling anyone, will make a room ‘feel’ bigger.
Curate a Stunning Bookshelf
A really simple way to add a stylish, straight out of a magazine look is to get a bookshelf and fill it with gorgeous things.
The bookshelf does not need to be expensive (trip to Ikea coming up, I think!?) and neither do the things you put on it. Take a trip to a second-hand bookshop and totally judge a book by its cover!
Add in a few interesting items (which you could spray paint gold to make them look even more attractive!) and you have a bonafide Ideal Home bookshelf!
Check out this how-to guide on dressing a bookcase.
Now that wasn’t too scary, was it?
I would suggest starting with the de-clutter and clean up (should have put that first really, shouldn’t I?)
If your home is already spotless, perfect! You just need to add in a few strategic elements.
It really doesn’t take much to get the home of your dreams. You don’t need to move house, you just need to dress up what you already have!
Good luck and send us pictures of before and after so we can congratulate your efforts!