{Image via Architectural Digest}

Celebrities have money to burn and can invest in top-of-the-line items for their interior decorating.  It’s not hard to get lost scanning the photos of sprawling kitchen areas laced with chrome and granite, or perfectly arranged dens with hand-crafted, coordinated pieces (What else is Pinterest for!).  It’s inspirational!  Then you check your bank statement… and it’s demoralizing.  How to cope!?  While you may appreciate the champagne taste, the beer budget you’re living with will hamper your decorating efforts.  It’s going to take efficient spending, but you can give your home that makeover you promised yourself.

{Image via Architectural Digest}

Put Your Money Where It Counts

It’s not a crime to spend on design, but spend wisely – you’re designing for the long term, here!  Invest heavily in quality additions that are durable and versatile.  You could add hardwood flooring, which lasts for decades and compliments nearly every design intention, or granite countertops, which are resistant to scratches and immediately upgrade the aesthetic of your kitchen.  If you want to add a rug to the foyer, wouldn’t it make sense to spend $150 on a piece that will last for years over a $50 rug that gets worn within one? Being frugal doesn’t necessarily mean spending the least, it means spending the most effectively.

{Image via Architectural Digest}

Spread out the Expense

I’ll be honest, I struggle with this one.  If I fall in love with a set, I want the whole package – I can just put it on credit, right?  Cooler heads must prevail – spread the expense. Buy a set of matching chairs in the spring, and then go back for coordinating end tables in the fall.  Believe me, your house guests won’t realize a piece is missing!  I prefer to go room by room, and invest more in rooms that I have more interaction with.  When guests come over, where will you spend your time?  It will take a longer to create your dream décor, but you will eventually reach your goal.

{Image via Architectural Digest}

A Fresh Coat of Paint

Paint is relatively cheap, and most homeowners can handle painting themselves. It’s a new look for your home, without rampant spending!  Choose colors that make you smile and look great with the furniture you’ve chosen (or plan to).  Trying to whittle down a color scheme on a “blank” wall can be difficult.  When I pick my paint, I always think of the window treatments I’d use in the room.  Take the paint chips to your fabric outlet, to see how different patterns will interact with the colors.  And hey – it can be fun, too!

Easy Wall Murals

While you don’t have the budget for a personal mural artist, you can afford to invest in beautiful wall stickers to help you create the right look. Paint a clever quote on the kitchen wall, or grace the wall above the couch with the branches of a cherry tree that’s preparing to open its blossoms. Appropriate for any wall in the house, they create a custom look without requiring a high payment.
Get Clever with Furniture

If you love old items that have a story to tell, then you can get a little creative. Convert a vintage little red wagon for children into a bookshelf by removing the side rails from the long sides. Buy a small used kitchen table, cut the legs shorter, and use it for a cool coffee table. Turn an old window sash into something new by making it a shadow box or using it to frame other items. A short, wooden ladder can be the perfect spot for hanging a collection of your favorite magazines, kitchen towels or even throw blankets.  Repurposed items are great conversation starters, and have that aura of grandeur we strive for!

You don’t have to enjoy a celebrity budget and lifestyle to have a home that looks fantastic. Invest in your property by putting the bulk of your money into high-quality, durable additions. Buy new furniture pieces a little at a time to spread out the expense. Remember to get clever with furniture or paint to create a wonderful new look without going broke.

Erin Devine is a freelance writer and editor for Floor & Décor Outlets, a factory direct flooring store. In her free time, she maintains her own blog about all things home renovation and interior design, DIY Home & Floor.

(Image source: Realtor.com)