Designing On A Budget

Be a Second-Hand Rose

There's no shame in buying used furniture! Grab your partner or friend and hit flea markets and yard sales. You can find some listed in this magazine. In addition, there are tons of thrift stores where you can score some great pieces while giving money to a non-profit. Out of The Closet, which has locations in Wilton Manors, South Beach and Miami has a great selection of gently used furniture and so does Poverello, which is located in Wilton Manors. Other stores to check out include Goodwill, Salvation Army and ReStore (part of Habitat for Humanity), all of which have locations all over Florida.

Update your walls

A quick way to switch up a room is to change the color of your walls, or even one wall. This can dramatically change the mood of a room. If you don't want to make that commitment, you can also add a pop of color with special wall stencils where you can add a design, mural, or words to your wall.

Hit the sales

Go to your favorite store's website and sign up. They will send you an alert whenever there is a sale and will also email you coupons. This way you will know when that comforter you've had your eye on is discounted. When you attend a sale, make sure to just buy what you absolutely need.

Cheaper is Chicer

Check out stores like Home Goods, Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Ross for brand name furniture and accessories for less. If you've never looked for home items at any of these stores before, you will be in for a pleasant surprise. The variety of brand name bedding; unusual vases, paintings, pictures frames, chairs and rugs will make your head spin!

DIY

Stores like IKEA are so affordable because they offer you the opportunity to do things yourself. The assortment of bookcases, shelves and furniture is cool and modern and the feeling of accomplishment you get from putting it all together is priceless. If you want a complete challenge, then head over to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy materials and build a table or shelves from scratch.

Declutter

A good way to change the appearance of your home is to declutter and go with a minimalist look. Clear out overflowing bookshelves, recycle the magazines spread out all over your coffee table and get rid of all the throw pillows and rugs. This will make your home easier to clean and give it a whole new feel.

Accessorize

For those who are currently working a stark look in your home, warm up your place with some accessories. Cheaper to buy than furniture, adding a throw rug or colorful pillows can add a fun new vibe to a blah room. New art work on your walls, or window treatments are other affordable room pick-me-ups.

Light Up

A more subtle way to change your home is to change the lighting in it. Adding track lighting, environmentally friendly bulbs, paper lamps or even colored lights are all good ways to make your home really shine.

Change of theme

Have you ever really thought about what style really fits you and your home? There are many different themes to choose from. With just a few simple changes or additions, you can make a contemporary room into a French Country-style room or dress up a casual room into a more formal style.

Any of these ideas, individually or combined together, will help you make your home into your castle.