Design
When it comes to styling and decorating, what you choose to do with your new home is entirely personal and up to you. But, if you’ve just cleared your bank account for a home loan, you may not be ready to splurge on extravagant decor. Here are a few ways you can style your new home without going broke.
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If you’re up to the task, dedicate a day to making your own art. You can paint, draw and sketch absolutely anything you like! No one even has to know it was created by you. You can make anything look like an expensive purchase if you stick it inside a gorgeous frame.
If art isn’t your forte, you can always search the Internet for amazing photographs and print them out.
For many, the only way to bring life and style into a new home is through plants and other greenery. There’s no denying that purchasing fresh flowers on a regular basis is pricey, and a majority of the time, the flowers we buy tend to droop and die within a matter of days.
That’s why house plants make excellent alternatives. They have a long life span (if properly cared for) and, depending on which one you choose, require little attention. If you have the space, larger plants like orchids and palms can add beauty and freshness. In smaller spaces, potted succulents can be cute as well as low-maintenance. Terrariums are a very popular way of displaying succulents indoors, as they're quite versatile. They can be hung from the ceiling or sat upon a table, depending on your needs.
However, if you definitely lack a green thumb, there are still options. Collecting twigs and stones and placing them into a bowl or tall jar can also work, as can investing in some deceptively fake flowers.
Upon moving into a new home, you may be gifted with either new or second-hand items as housewarming gifts from friends and family. While this is a generous gesture, you may feel certain items don't exactly match your own style.
While there are many things you won't be able to do a lot with, you may be able to customise certain other things. For example, you don't have to throw away a lamp because the shade doesn't match your decor theme. You can try switching out the lampshade to something you'd prefer.
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One of the ways you can bring vibrancy and brightness into your new home is through lights. These days, lighting up a room is more than just using a simple bulb, it’s also about style and creativity. If you’d like to give a more vintage feel to your home, try stuffing fairy lights into a tall, but wide, glass jug.
A final way you can cheaply style your home is through candles. They don’t even need to be scented, if that’s not really your thing. It’s best to cluster candles in open areas and on smooth surfaces, like a coffee or side table, giving the space a fuller and sightly more enclosed feel. Even if you don’t plan on lighting any, try placing the candles inside bowls or tall glasses to give off a more elegant vibe.
Candles are also a great way to bring some relaxation into your home. Learn more about how you can use them in creating a relaxing zen space in your home.
Something that you hear about on a regular basis when it comes to styling a home is colour scheme. This is when the benefit of owning a home comes into play. Your colour scheme is entirely up to you, and knowing that you don’t really have to answer to anybody in terms of interior design is a massive bonus.
By simply painting over side tables, doors, cabinets, and drawers, you’re personalising your new home. Painting your own furniture will not only save money, it’ll also save time. Your weekend will no longer be spent in furniture stores, frantically hunting down your perfect side table.
Making statements throughout a home are a given these days, and there’s no reason not to! Your home is your own private space, so make it your own. This can be done by creating a feature wall in the living room, your bedroom or even the bathroom. It doesn’t require a lot of financial saving, just a Saturday afternoon.
Like we mentioned before, either being gifted with or purchasing second-hand items can be inevitable when you move into a new home. Furniture is a big one. Essential furnishings like couches and dining room tables can be expensive, so sometimes secondhand is the only way to go.
There are easy, affordable ways of freshening up aged or outdated furniture. Scatter cushions, in different patterns and colours, and colourful throws can liven up a dull old couch and brighten up a room. Similarly, a bamboo or rattan table-runner can add a modern feature, as well as a layer of protection, to an old wooden table.
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Tags: property, renovate, first home, first home buyer
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