Your living room is looking a little tired these days. The throw pillows have lost their stuffing, the Ikea bookshelf is sagging under the weight of books and knickknacks you’ve accumulated over the years, and don’t even get us started on the outdated window treatments. But before you go dropping major dough on an interior decorator, take a deep breath. There are plenty of home decor ideas to give your space a quick facelift without emptying your wallet.
From rearranging furniture and swapping out art to renting stylish pieces and updating textiles, you can revamp your home decor in a flash. Best of all, most of these budget-friendly ideas require little more than a free Saturday and a dose of inspiration. Ready to transform your space? Keep reading. We’ve got 10 clever home decor ideas to help you overhaul your home decor ideas without breaking the bank.
1- Declutter and Rearrange to Refresh Your Space
If your place is feeling stale, donât despair. A few tweaks here and there can revive your space without draining your wallet. Start by clearing out the clutter and rearranging your furniture. Shift things around and open up the floor plan. Youâll gain a fresh perspective and itâs free!
Once youâve decluttered, add some DIY artwork. Unleash your inner artist or just do some simple stenciling or stamping. Frame kidsâ art or old photos. Repurpose materials into wall art. Get creative! You can also swap out or repurpose existing furniture. Move accent tables, cabinets and chairs to new spots. Turn a dresser into a bathroom vanity or a chest into a coffee table.
Bring the outdoors in with houseplants. They freshen up your space and boost your mood. Start with easy-care varieties if youâre plant-challenged. Thrift stores and yard sales are goldmines for home decor ideas. You can find unique items to upcycle or just give your place a new look for little cash.
With some rearranging, DIY projects, thrifty finds and greenery, you’ll enjoy a refreshed space and a refreshed perspective. Your budget will thank you too.
2- Get Crafty With DIY Art and Decor Projects
Why shell out big bucks for art and decor when you’ve got the skills to DIY? Save your money for the essentials and unleash your inner artist.
Make string art or yarn wall hangings. All you need is nails, string or yarn, and a surface. Create geometric shapes or freeform designs for a boho vibe.
Paint, stencil or decoupage plain vases, trays, boxes or jars. Add washi or patterned tape for extra flair. Group together for maximum impact.
Collage with maps, sheet music, book pages or magazines. Frame your creation or mod podge it to a surface. Hello, budget gallery wall!
Try alcohol ink painting, a fun and spontaneous art form. Drip and swirl vibrant inks on ceramic tiles, glass or metal and seal with a clear topcoat.
Make giant wall art from a roll of craft paper. Draw, stencil, stamp or freehand designs and adhere the paper directly to your walls. Change it up whenever the mood strikes.
With a little time and creativity, you’ll transform your space into an artful oasis, all without depleting your bank account. DIY is one of the most admirable home decor ideas.
3- Give Furniture a Makeover by Swapping, Repurposing or Shopping Secondhand
Why buy new when you can get perfectly good furniture for free (or nearly free)? Hit up yard sales, thrift stores, and the âfreeâ section of Craigslist to score tables, chairs, dressers and more at a fraction of the retail cost. Who cares if the coffee table has water rings or the desk chair is a little wobbly? A bit of sandpaper, wood glue, or duct tape and youâve got yourself a âcustomâ piece.
Pro tip: Check out estate sales in ritzy neighborhoodsâyou might find high-end brands for pennies on the dollar from heirs who just want the stuff gone. Once you get your haul home, flip that table over for an industrial chic look or give tired cabinets a facelift with a coat of paint in your favorite hue. Feeling really ambitious? Attach casters to a dresser to make it mobile or turn a bookshelf into a room divider. The possibilities are endless if youâre willing to get your hands dirty.
Why shell out your hard-earned cash when a few simple tweaks can revive what you already have? Repurposing forgotten furnishings is a budget-friendly way to redecorate thatâs easy on the wallet and the environment. Your friends will think youâve hired an expensive interior designer when they see your revamped retro relics. But you can just smile knowingly, proud of your thrifting prowess and DIY skills. Now these home decor ideas are something to brag about!
4- Introduce Greenery and Bring Nature Indoors With Plants
Bringing plants indoors is an easy, budget-friendly way to instantly transform your space. Unless you have a black thumb, houseplants are hard to kill and can thrive with minimal effort on your part.
Before you run out to your nearest garden center, first assess how much natural light your home gets. If youâre working with a dim basement or other low-light area, go for shade tolerant plants like pothos, Chinese evergreen, or ZZ plant. For medium to bright light, you have many options like succulents, snake plants, peace lilies or spider plants. These plants can handle some neglect but will reward you when you remember to water them.
When choosing plants, bigger is not always better. Donât be tempted by lush, full plants that may struggle in lower light. Smaller plants will adapt better to indoor conditions and give you the satisfaction of watching them fill out over time. Group several small plants together for an easy, stylish arrangement.
Houseplants donât have to cost a fortune. Check your local garden centers for affordable options, or see if friends or family have plants theyâd like to divide and share. You can often find inexpensive plants at big box stores as well, just give them a good inspection first.
If keeping houseplants alive sounds daunting, start with just one or two hard-to-kill plants. Once you get the hang of it, your indoor jungle will grow in no time. With these home decor ideas, your space will feel fresher and more vibrant, and youâll reap the many benefits of connecting with nature right inside your own home.
5- Update Lighting and Soft Furnishings to Transform a Room
Lighting and soft furnishings are two of the easiest home decor ideas to transform a room on a budget. You donât need an interior design degree to make swapping out a few lamps or tossing colorful pillows on a couch look like the work of a pro.
To shed some new light on a space, trade in those boring builder-grade fixtures for stylish yet affordable lamps or pendants. Search your favorite home stores for lighting that suits your taste and wonât break the bank. Swap out overhead fixtures for dimmable LEDs which can make a room warmer and more inviting. If rewiring isnât in the budget, plug-in sconces or table and floor lamps can do the trick.
Once you have the lighting sorted, cozy up your space with plush pillows, cushy throws, and plump poufs. A few textural accents and a pop of pattern or color on the sofa or chairs make a big impact without a big investment. Raid the clearance racks at home stores for discounted blankets, pillows and rugs to complete the look.
With some clever lighting adjustments and soft furnishings, your room will go from blah to ta-da without depleting your bank account. Now kick back on that comfy new couch and bask in the glow of your DIY home decor ideas triumph. The neighbors may think you hired a fancy designer, but weâll keep your budget-friendly secret safe!
6- Use Temporary Wallpapers or Decals for X-factor
Feeling uninspired by your home decor ideas? Peel-and-stick wallpaper and decals are an easy, temporary solution to give your space an instant face-lift without committing to a full-on renovation.
For a quick X-factor, consider removable wallpaper. Unlike the nightmarish wallpaper of yore, todayâs options go on smoothly and come off cleanly when youâre over the look. Whether you fancy palm fronds, geometrics or faux brick, thereâs a design for every style and budget. Canât decide on a pattern? Opt for a textured solid color to add subtle depth and dimension.
If full-wall paper seems too daring, decals are a more subtle solution. Removable stickers of oversized leaves, petals or birds are whimsical touches to jazz up an accent wall or small space. Feeling flirty? Try kiss-print decals for a cheeky take on wall art. For kiddosâ rooms, removable wall stickers shaped like woodland creatures, sea life or superheroes delight without damaging walls.
When your craving for change strikes again, simply peel away your wallpapers and decals without damage or sticky residue. Your wallet and walls will thank you for the temporary transformations, allowing you to revamp your space on a whim without buyerâs remorse. After all, nothing in home decor ideas is as fleeting as fashionâso why commit permanently to any one look? Removable wallpapers and decals give you permission to change your mind.
7- Try Furniture on Rent to Maintain Style and Flexibility
Renting furniture is the perfect home decor idea when you want to change up your space without dropping serious cash. Why commit to a sofa youâll hate in a year when you can have your pick of the latest styles for a fraction of the cost? Furniture rentals give you options to switch out pieces on a whim to match the current trends.
Say goodbye to the days of settling for hand-me-down decor and furniture thatâs seen better decades. Now you can get stylish statement pieces for your place without signing your life away on some exorbitant payment plan. Take your pick from mid-century modern one month, contemporary chic the next, or go boho beachy for summer. The versatility will keep things fresh and prevent your space from feeling stuck in a certain era.
When your lease is up, just swap out the items for new ones. Youâll get an instant style upgrade without wasting time and money trying to sell used furniture thatâs depreciated in value. And if you find a set you canât live without? Many rental companies offer rent-to-own options so you can make it a permanent part of your place.
Furniture rentals give you more flexibility and freedom of choice. And in todayâs fast-paced world, flexibility is really all anyone can ask for. So go ahead, revamp your space on a whim and a budget. Your wallet and your wanderlust spirit will thank you.
8- Create a Gallery Wall to Make it Personal
Creating a gallery wall is an easy, budget-friendly home decor idea to make your space feel more personal. Who wants blank walls when you can display memories, inside jokes, or quirky finds from your explorations?
Start by gathering an eclectic assortment of frames. Raid your attic or hit up thrift stores to find a variety of sizes, colors and styles. The more mismatched the better! Now comes the fun partâcurating your collage. Dig through old photos, postcards, maps or whatever sparks joy. Arrange them on the floor until you have a pleasing composition, then get hammering.
Pro tip: use removable mounting putty instead of nails so you can swap pieces in and out without damaging the walls. That way, your gallery wall will be ever-evolving, just like you!
Once complete, step back and admire your handiwork. Your haphazard, hodgepodge wall of trinkets and treasures is a representation of memories collected and moments cherished. And unlike beige walls, a gallery wall brimming with nostalgia and whimsy is something guests will actually notice and remark on. âOh this? Just my quirky collection of finds from lifeâs adventures so far…â You can thank me later for the compliments!
9- Use Mirrors Smartly to Create Optimal Space
Mirrors are the decorative equivalent of smoke and mirrorsâthey create the illusion of more space. Place them strategically in your home and watch your rooms magically expand before your eyes.
Want your living room to feel more open and airy? Hang a large mirror on the wall opposite a window. The mirror will reflect the natural light pouring in and voilĂ , your space will feel instantly airier and more spacious.
For small rooms like bedrooms or home offices, mount a mirror on the wall behind a desk or dresser. The mirror will make the room appear more deep and double the visual space. You’ll feel like you gained extra square footage without lifting a hammer.
In hallways or entryways, lean a full-length mirror against the wall. The mirror will create the optical illusion of an extended hallway, allowing you to check your âfit from top to bottom before heading out the door.
The right mirror in the right place is a decorating trick that requires almost zero effort but reaps major rewards. Use mirrors to reflect light, double the visual space of small rooms or create the illusion of long hallways and more open floor plans. Mirrorsâthe smoke, mirrors and magic of home decor on a budget.
10- Multifunction Furniture for Maximum Comfort
Multifunctional furniture is the interior design equivalent of your favorite pair of lounge pants – comfortable, versatile and perfect for any occasion. Why dedicate valuable square footage to single-purpose pieces when you can have furniture that multitasks as well as you do?
A daybed does double duty as a couch by day and a bed by night for your out-of-town guests who never seem to leave. A storage ottoman pulls triple duty as a footrest, extra seating and a place to stash your junk. Nesting tables are the Swiss Army knives of the furniture world, combining into one space-efficient piece or separating into side tables as needed.
If your studio apartment is more âcozyâ than âspacious,â look for furniture with built-in storage so you have room not just for the essentials but also for luxuries like clean laundry. A sofa table behind your couch is wasted space, so choose a sofa with built-in shelving or drawers instead. Your coffee table can do more than just hold remotes and stale popcorn if you choose one with shelving, drawers or even a lift-top.
Multifunctional furniture may not win any awards for style, but it will earn a place in your home and heart for its practicality and hard work in earning its keep. Give your space a flexible, functional focal point and your lone piece of multifunction furniture will make even a small space seem more spacious. Choose wisely and it can be the hardest working piece of furniture in your home.
Take Away
So there you have it, 10 home decor ideas to refresh you home, without breaking the bank or driving yourself to drink. Rearrange, repurpose, recycle, rent, swap, thrift, and DIY your way to an inviting space that looks like a million bucks but only cost a fraction. Your wallet and sanity will thank you. Now grab a glass of wine, put on some music, roll up your sleeves and get to work revamping your space useing these home decor ideas. When friends drop by and ooh and ahh over your transformed pad, just smile knowingly – your decorating secret is safe with me.
