20 Ways To Decorate On A Shoestring

Forget wall-to-wall colour – paint can be used more sparingly (and economically) to revamp a room. A quick lick will instantly update doors or add definition to skirting boards. A painted ceiling contrasts wonderfully with white walls and, if you fancy a panelling effect without the financial outlay, create the same effect with bold paint, taking it in a crisp line across both walls and doors.

Instead of buying matching cushions and throws, take inspiration from the colour combinations of interior designers such as Robert Kime. Invest in one or two new pieces to mix with your existing textiles – florals, patterns or stripes all make happy companions.

Pictured: Country Living Witcombe Chaise Sofa at DFS

Blinds are more economical than full curtains. They don’t even need to function, depending on the room, and can simply be used to soften a frame or add colour.

If your cabinets have seen better days, consider replacing the doors with curtains. It’s a great way to add colour or pattern, and brings a quaint vintage feel to the room.

If storage is limited, make a virtue of the clutter, displaying functional pieces such as chopping boards, jars, platters and utensils on open shelves and countertops

Country style really lends itself to affordable decorating because you can mix vintage, antique and new pieces at will, styling can be a bit haphazard and mismatched, and a wide palette of wood tones can sit happily together.

Pictured: Country Living Ullswater Bed at Dreams

Second-hand clothing stores are full of vintage kimonos, silky robes and dazzling sequinned and feathered dresses that you might not choose to wear yourself, but would look fabulous hanging on an empty wall.

Give wooden units a facelift with a dash of paint – you might be able to get away with paint samples rather than full tins. Finish with old handles and door knobs sourced from eBay or local salvage yards.

Pictured: Bespoke kitchen at Neptune

Good quality picture frames or framing services can be astronomical. Seek out pictures from charity shops, discard the prints and use the frames to create a wall collage. For budget artwork, frame a patterned tea-towel or vintage silk scarf.

A headboard can really make or break your bedroom. Here, a DIY version has been fashioned from ticking fabric with a sturdy upcycled frame.

When you’re decorating on a budget, everything has some creative value. Fill up your sideboards, not with new vases and bowls, but with a makeshift home bar using any nice bottles, trays and glasses you already own. And add some oranges for good measure.

Pictured: Ranelagh Cocktail Glasses, and Rubinne Side Table, all at OKA

Your kitchen will benefit from some foraged accents like logs, dried herbs, interesting shells from a beach walk, or some wildflowers from a country stroll. Alway keep your eye out for nature’s offerings.

Pictured: Bespoke utility room by deVOL

Pared-back decorating – with a plain, monochromatic colour scheme – makes it easier to pull off a sophisticated look for less.

Not everything has to look pristine – there’s beauty in the bashed and battered, too. Wornpaint, rusted signage, distressed wood and weathered pottery all work well together. Keep it looking chic by offsetting with crisp paintwork on your walls.

Make shelving units and bookcases using inexpensive wood from reclaimed sources such as scaffold planks, or try DIY stores. Homebase’s furniture board is FSC-sourced and cheaper than solid wood.

Rescuing and restoring a pre-loved find helps save both money and the planet by reducing landfill. Check out fairs, flea markets and boot sales local to you at carbootjunction.com.