Guest room decorating on a budget

The guest room is probably the most neglected of all the rooms in the house mainly because it is rarely used. You never know when an unsuspected visitor will suddenly arrive. For this reason, your guest room should always be well maintained and well decorated.

Decorating your guest room need not mean breaking the bank. With a little creativity, you can make your guest room look like a room in a first class hotel. Your guests would definitely enjoy their stay in your house if your guest room is well decorated.

Do you think your guest room needs some redecorating? Worried that your guests would not enjoy their stay in your home? Below are some tips on how to decorate a guest room while on a budget.

• Choose a style that is neutral. Remember that other people will stay in the guest room, not you: so choose a style that you feel will suit the tastes of other people. Some safe styles include country, Victorian or minimalist. By choosing a particular style it will be easier to stay within your budget since it is usually cheaper.
• Decide on a single color to paint the walls and ceilings in your guest room. Choose a color that will compliment the style of décor you choose. Off white or rosy pink is ideal for a Victorian themed room; while a country-inspired room would require yellows, greens, or blues.
• You can transfer items that are used infrequently from the other parts of the house to the guest room. If the color of these items does not match the color of your guest room you can paint them - repainting items is cheaper than buying new ones. Slipcovers work well to cover a couch or chair; they will save you a great amount of money.
• When buying draperies and rugs, remember that you can save by purchasing solid colored items. These will brighten any room.
• You can hang artwork in your guest room without spending a fortune; craft stores carry contemporary art pieces at nominal prices. You might want to photocopy or scan a picture that you are interested, enlarge it, and frame it to use on the wall.

Sounds easy? Well it is. Now what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start decorating your guest room.

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Decorate Your Dining Room on a Budget

A dining room improvement project can be a way of creating a new style in your home. To save more money, you may consider doing everything yourself instead of hiring an interior designer. Consider these tips on how you can stretch your budget when decorating your dining room.

• Cover the dining table with inexpensive plastic or fabric to hide any ugly surfaces: it will also create a new look for the dining area.
• Look for discount sales or bargain sales for materials you can use in decorating the dining room. You should be experimental and innovative with the materials available to minimize the expenses.
• Consider comparing the prices of the tools and materials to be purchased. There are materials and items available that may be affordable and appropriate for your budget.
• You might stencil the design of a concrete wall instead of purchasing expensive wallpaper. Use a brush and attractive colored paint.
• Inexpensive accessories may be used to change the whole appearance of the dining area. Add candles and candleholders to provide the area with a different look and feel. Minimize the use of lamps and chandelier which consume more electricity by being sure to turn off the lights when everybody is through using dining table.
• You can create and add a fold-down shelf on the wall which will serve as the buffet service area for the dining room. All spaces in the area should be maximized and used properly.
• Add plants near the dining table to fill any empty spaces. Furniture sets may be placed to cover wall areas that are not painted.
• You can purchase inexpensive dining chairs to replace the old ones or recycle and repair the old chairs yourself. Paint and varnish can be used to cover up the old wood surfaces.
• It is not necessary to buy all of the materials for the dining area at the same time. Determine which materials or accessories need replacement. Make sure all materials that are purchased are durable and affordable.

To save money, you should decide what things are necessary. You should maximize the space and use any available items in your house that can be used to decorate the dining area.

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How to Decorate the Bedroom on a Budget

One of the most important places in the home is the bedroom. It should be a place where a person can rest or be alone should things become too hectic elsewhere.

Decorating the bedroom doesn’t have to be expensive; just consider what is most important and proceed from there.

Many believe that the bedroom is an extension of the individual, since this is where the occupant can do as he/she pleases.

The first thing to be done is to pick a theme. If the person is having difficulty then asking for help from family members and/or friends is a good idea. Researching magazines that specialize in interior decoration is also a good idea and better than spending money to hire an interior decorator.

If the individual is a sports lover (soccer, baseball, etc.) the room doesn’t have to be decorated in wallpaper appropriate for that sport: buy a poster(s) instead and hang it on the wall or place it on the ceiling.

Those who want the bedroom painted can buy the paint and do it during their spare time instead of hiring a professional to do the job.

Some bedrooms tend to be really messy: not just the bed but the table and the other things inside it. Before thinking about buying new things, it would be a good idea to check everything in the room, throw out anything considered “old junk”, and keep only things that are essential. When this is completed then do your shopping for the other things needed or desired.

The bed sheets may to be changed if their color doesn’t match the new look of the room. You can choose to buy sheets in plain colors (which are less expensive) or patterned ones that carry out the rooms’ decor.

Decorating the room may be difficult but not impossible even if a person is working on a small budget.

When going out to purchase new items, the theme of the room should always be kept in mind to make it easier to create a more pleasing atmosphere.

Some people think that organizing the room or decorating it should only be done once a year, but it can be done anytime you want if you have the time available.

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How to Decorate the Bathroom on a Small Budget

Houses large or small can never do without one or more bathrooms. It is not just a place for taking a shower or relieving yourself; but a place where a person can sing in the shower or relax for a moment to forget other things happening.

The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the house. It is necessary to keep it clean and organized. Decorating it with accessories and other things doesn’t have to be expensive. Just think smart about what needs to be improved and keep it functional.

First draw up a plan to facilitate convenience. If you find it difficult ask for input from friends and family.

There are interior design magazines that are worth buying which can offer cost-saving suggestions for redecorating the bathroom.

The bathroom may contain many things that are out of date or are not being used anymore such as medicine, shampoo, hair styling tools, etc. Those that are still in good condition should be kept and the remainder disposed of. Replace only things that are necessary to save money.

To jeep the bathroom smelling good at all times, use scented candles and potpourri which are less expensive and last longer than spray deodorizers.

Instead of buying a new cabinet to store the essentials in the bathroom, the person can use the top of the toilet bowl, the sides of the tub or a small cabinet with a mirror to store these items. A person could purchase towels that coordinate or contrast with the color of the walls to enhance the appearance of the room.

Repainting or retiling the bathroom could be expensive.

There are many ways to prevent water from spilling all over the bathroom floor. Instead of having a glass shower door made of glass, replace it with a shower curtain and pole.

Guests who visit the home will use the bathroom. Consider using safety handles that are useful for both for the owner of the house and any visitors to prevent accidents.

A bathroom doesn’t have to be extravagant for people to appreciate it. By working with the space and resources available, it can be decorated to be both elegant and beautiful.

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How to Decorate the Apartment on a Budget

Deciding to rent an apartment may be a bit challenging especially if the person is on a tight budget. This isn’t only about the rent and the other bills that have to be paid monthly but also the maintenance costs should the individual decide to make a few decorative changes.

When anyone rents an apartment, the apartment owner will usually ask for a deposit and a few months rent in advance. The deposit will only be returned when the contract ends and if there is no (or little) repair needed before it can be occupied by another tenant.

Here are some cost-saving tips for decorating an apartment;

1. Should the person have any posters, a good idea is to use straight pins to prevent them from falling from the walls. If they are framed, use the smallest nail possible so that when the contract ends the holes will be easy to patch using a spackling compound.

2. If the apartment is fully furnished, the furniture should be covered to prevent it from getting dirty or stained. The apartment owner will check before allowing a renter to leave.

3. Buying a disposable rug or carpet would be better than an expensive one to protect the floor. If the carpet is soiled or stained it can be disposed of because of the small investment.

4. If the chairs in the house are covered with fabric, consider buying some machine washable cushions to prevent any damage.

5. When looking at the apartment, there is the possibility that there are cracks or holes in the walls from the previous occupant. A person can repaint or apply wallpaper only with permission from the owner. In most cases it will not be allowed and if this occurs the tenant can disguise the flaws by using posters or paintings.

Most owners who will allow repainting will specify the color which is generally an off white. The person should make sure there is sufficient paint saved for any touch up that needs to be done later.

People who want privacy should use curtains that can be hung using spring tension rods. These are both easier to assemble and disassemble than standard curtain rods.
When starting out on a small budget, cover all the bases and you will save money decorating the apartment. It will also help make the apartment a comfortable place to live until you decide to move elsewhere.

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