When you’ve just bought a new home, there’s often not a lot of budget left for decorating. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give your home a stylish, decorator look! Here are our top 10 tips for decorating your home, without spending a lot of cash.
Huge painted canvases can add instant style to any room. The bigger the canvas, the better! Look online for inspiration, but keeping your artwork simple, bold and abstract will make it much easier than trying to paint a family portrait! Create a colour theme for the room, and then coordinate your accessories like cushions and lamps to match. Cheap canvases can be found at $2 shops and craft stores like Riot. Why not get the kids involved? Then your works of art will have sentimental value too.
Plates aren’t just for mealtime. Try hanging a cluster of plates in your chosen colour theme on the wall. Make sure you include a variety of sizes to create visual interest. Place the hero plate in the centre to give your display a focal point. Lay the plates out first to make sure you get it right, before you hang them. Then simply attach wire plate hangers to the back and hang them on picture hooks. Check out Kmart and Target’s affordable range of colourful plates. And if you’re going to splurge on just one plate, make it the hero centre plate!
Decorator tip: If you travel, why not pick up a plate from your favourite destination? It will be a beautiful reminder of your holiday, and you’ll enjoy seeing it everyday, rather than tucking it away in the cupboard never to be seen again!
Use shells, driftwood, rocks, pebbles and stones to create natural vignettes for your entry or coffee table. You can find your own or check out the $2 shops for bags of shells. Place them in a bowl and pop a candle in the centre to create a dreamy, beach feel for your home.
Why hide your treasured family photos in albums, when you can display them for all to see on the walls of your home? Choose the photos you love – wedding shots, baby photos, holiday snaps and birthday memories. Put them in identical frames and hang in a grid pattern or a long line in your entry or family room. You’ll enjoy looking at them everyday, and friends and family will also love seeing your memories take pride of place in your home.
A mirror adds instant interest, drama and light to any space, especially an entry. Mirrors can be expensive, but you can often snap up a bargain at second-hand stores and garage sales. Or maybe Grandma has an old mirror she’s willing to part with? A quick coat of spray paint and you’ll have a designer piece at a budget price!
Who doesn’t have piles of books lying around the house? They actually seem to multiply by themselves! Stacks of books add interest to coffee tables and shelves, and can even be used as a side table. Group books with the same coloured spines to create an interesting focal point for your shelving. It looks great!
Jazz up your table lamps with customised shades for a decorator look at a fraction of the cost! All you need is a glue gun, scissors, a stapler or staple gun and a great imagination. You can find a lovely range of fabric and ribbon at Spotlight stores at very affordable prices. Try Target, Kmart or Ikea for a great range of table lamps.
Group similar objects like vases, glassware, teacups, china and objects d’art to create mini collections to display around your home. This works particularly well if you stay within the one colour palette per collection. Make sure you choose objects of different shapes and heights to make this look work at its best.
Candles are a hot trend at the moment, and it looks like they’re here to stay! Candles look best when displayed in groups on a coffee table or the centre of your dining table. Place them in a glass bowl or on a large tray (this looks great and also stops the wax from damaging your furniture!). You can find a great range of large pillar candles, which look stylish in a group of four or five, at a variety of discount stores. Or perhaps splurge on a beautiful scented candle from your local homewares boutique. It will make your home smell wonderful!
Love the look of a bedhead, but can’t afford it? Paint one on the wall. This clever illusion will create the look you want without taking up an inch of space! And best of all, it will only cost about $20. You’ll need a roll of masking tape, a level and a 3-inch roller to create your bedhead. Use the tape and the level to mark out a rectangle that matches the size of your bed (make it 5-10 centimetres wider than your bed). Then fill in the whole area with two coats of high-gloss paint in your chosen colour. Feeling a little more adventurous? Why not create a twirly princess bedhead for the little princess in your life? Use glitter paint to add extra sparkle for a magical look.
Our colour consultants can help you get the look you want
At Hallmark Homes, we understand that choosing colours for your new home can be a little daunting. That’s why our expert colour consultants are here to help make it easy. They will guide you through all the options for finishes and fixtures, as well as your home colour selection process.
To make this process even easier, our brand new ‘Select by Hallmark’ Selection Centre on the Gold Coast is opening soon, showcasing all of our home inclusions and optional upgrades, for the exclusive use of our clients.
The team at Hallmark Homes is ready to help you with any queries you may have regarding your new home. If you have any questions about our home designs or house and land packages, please contact us today.
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