5 Tips for Home Design on a Time and Dime Budget

Home decor is a huge passion of mine and designing on a time and dime budget and bargain finds are the cake's icing! Avocational interests / hobbies / things you do outside of work are so important for your overall health and well-being.

Here we go:

1. Pick a Theme. For example the picture behind me. This is a color theme for my business. The woman stands for courage, independence, fortitude. The & sign stand for '& Co.' in my company. Other examples may be Italian landscapes, Mexican beaches, Americana, Colonial, Traditional, Contemporary, and more. You get the general idea. However, this does not mean that your entire house is this theme, it is simply the foundation. 
2. No Matchy-Matchy. This means no 'bed-in-a-box', no 'five piece bedroom furniture sets', no purchasing the 'floor design'. You also want to mix prints--florals and stripes. paisleys and prints, plaids and florals. The key is to step outside your comfort zone, keep this hues complementary, buy it, take it home, and give it a whirl. You can always take it back or give it away. No harm, no foul.
3. Paint Changes Everything. Some of you might be in a situation where you can't change the paint color, however, you can add fabrics such as pillows, draperies, large prints, mirrors, blankets, etc. You can paint mirror frames with a can of spray paint and have a ton of fun experimenting with color. 
4. Blend Woods. This is the best tip I can give you--mix woods--light woods, dark woods, painted woods, antique woods, wood with glass, second hand pieces, etc. The key is to make sure these are solid wood. Blend different types of woods and never be afraid to do so as it makes your home much more interesting. The best compliment you can get for your home is that nothing matches yet everything matches. 
5. Repurpose. You can pick up free pieces of furniture or second-hand from yard sales, thrift stores and then completely repurpose. Even a small dining table can become and end-table as the anchor / corner piece between two sofas. Just because something was made and designed for one purpose, doesn't mean it can't be used, as effectively, for another purpose. 

Bonus--check out the pillow I found for a steal at our local Goodwill store. The key to shopping thrift stores and second-hand is making sure your find has quality--ie real wood if furniture, canvas oil / watercolor prints and originals, mirrors with frames that can be repainted or repaired. 

Back to the pillow in the video and why I chose this particular one (aside from the fact that it was only $2.99!):

• down-filled;
• quality fabric--this one if linen;
• zipper enclosure--because you can remove the down-pillow form and clean the casing OR replace the pillow form if you ever had to;
• this one was also made in the USA for an even extra bonus!; and
• when putting a pillow of this type on your furniture, be certain that the zipper side is face down. :) 

I believe in you and what is so possible for your life, from the bottom of my heart to the bottom of yours.

xo, 

Pamela J

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