Quick Decorating Ideas Under $20

Use What You Have!

The best budget strategy!

Decorating with what you have has become a very popular concept, and with good reason. Budget decorators more than anyone else can benefit from looking at things they already own, in a new way. What's better than free? Here are some great ideas for using your own things, and making your rooms look new again!

Look through your drawers for items of clothing that may be useful. A pretty shawl in the right color scheme may be just what you need to drape over that tired sofa, or how about draped over your mantel? Old clothing can often be fashioned into pillow covers, picture frame covers, chair seats, etc-- Our clothing usually represents our tastes in color and texture; you may be surprised at how much from your closet fits into your room scheme. Reuse it as fabric in your projects!

Look for unused containers for unusual plant arrangements. Old teapots, steins, pitchers, and gravy boats can make a charming vignette when filled with greenery. Those same old teapots can make great accessories, too.

Scour your linen closet for lace, cloth napkins, pretty tablecloths that are too special for everyday use, and think of how you may be able to use them differently in the home. Lace can be used in so many ways! Try softening shelf edges with doilies, or folded napkins. Twist and drape a tablecloth or sheet over a curtain rod for a fresh new window covering. Slip throw pillows into embroidered pillowcases, and tie closed with a silky cord for a romantic touch. Use placemats over a curtain rod as a valance. Use your imagination!

Search your basement for old furniture that has been outdated, and see if you can make it into something wonderful! Painted finishes are very in now, so it is possible to make that 1970's bookcase into a beautiful china display case. Or that peeling wooden chair into great extra seating, or if it isn't sturdy, how about a great artistic plant stand for the foyer?

Check your garden for ornaments that can be brought in the home. How about a rustic birdbath filled with dried flowers in an entry, or garden tools hung on the wall, or in a bucket on a shelf? Large pots can be made into end, sofa, or coffee tables be topping them with glass, or another flat object such as an old shutter or door.

Look through your kitchen cabinets for pretty plates that could be displayed on the wall, or on an easel. It doesn't have to be in the kitchen, either!

The kitchen is also a great area to find pretty vases, cups, creamers, etc-- that can be displayed on their own, or used as interesting containers for garden flowers.

Trying to add a romantic touch to your bedroom? How about displaying your wedding veil by draping it over one post of your headboard?

Also check for pretty textiles such as beaded or fringed purses to hang on the wall.

Don't forget your children's rooms. Lacy baby dresses, toddler suits or jackets can look like heritage items when hung on the wall. Simply wrap a regular hanger in ribbon or lace, and hang the garment with a picture hanger on the wall.

Have extra picture frames lying around? Use them as pretty vanity trays. Just cover the insert in a pretty fabric or paper, and lay it on a dresser for a great way to show off perfumes, candles, whatever! You could also add something personal like pressed flowers or leaves, tickets that remind you of a romantic evening, etc...

Don't be afraid to move things from other rooms if it's no longer working. The baskets you had hanging from the kitchen ceiling may look better holding towels in the guest bath. Steal a plant out of each room to make one effective grouping in the family room. That oversized chair no one sits in may be perfect in the corner of your bedroom with a throw blanket.

Got an old wooden stepladder? Use it as a plant stand, or even as an occasional table.

Finally, don't forget to look at the arrangement of your rooms. Sometimes a fresh look can be obtained simply by moving things around. We all get bored, don't let a challenged budget stop you from making your home an inviting place to be.

And now that you some basic guidelines on becoming a "budget decorator", let's get started!