Decorating your home stylishly doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With some creativity and resourcefulness, you can give any space a makeover for less. Here are 12 more repurposing ideas to help you decorate on a budget.
Transform Old Furniture
Giving tired, outdated furniture new life is one of the best ways to save money when decorating. Even simple improvements like a fresh coat of paint, new hardware, or updated fabric can make old pieces look brand new.
Turn a Dresser into a Bathroom Vanity
An old dresser makes a charming vanity when you remove the center drawers and replace them with doors. Paint or stain it, then add a marble top and a vessel sink for a high-end bathroom look on a dime.
Make a Sofa Table from a Headboard
Lean an old headboard against a wall and place it over a console table base or pair of legs to invent a sofa table. Finish it off with a coat of paint or stain.
Fashion a Buffet from a Bookcase
Take a basic bookcase and lay it horizontally to create a chic sideboard or buffet for dining rooms. Finish with new hardware and a painted or distressed look.
Build a Kitchen Island from a Table
Add mobility and extra function by converting an old table into a kitchen island. Try attaching caster wheels and topping it with butcher block.
Display Collections Creatively
Your favorite collections become dazzling art displays with the right presentation. Get creative with practical items and containers you already have.
Showcase China in Curio Cabinets
Illuminate your grandmother’s china in a traditional curio cabinet or bookcase fitted with interior lighting. For a modern twist, display pieces in open shelving or on floating wall ledges.
Fill Glass Jars with Seashells
Wash out mason jars or empty spaghetti sauce jars and fill with seashells, pebbles, marbles, or other small decorative items for an artistic way to display your finds. Use different sizes and shapes for visual interest.
Arrange Photos in Picture Frames
Make gallery walls of eclectic frames showcasing favorite photos, prints, mementos, and found objects. Paint mismatched frames one color to unify the look.
Display Collections in Tiered Storage
Show off small items like figurines, vases, candles, or other decorative pieces using stacked crates, trays, cake stands, or risers to create fun vertical displays.
Repurpose Everyday Items
With a touch of imagination, many common household items can be transformed into chic decor. Get inspired by these clever repurposing projects.
Make Wall Art from Old Windows
Salvaged windows become a stunning backdrop for photos, art, mirrors, and decor collections when mounted on a wall. Try arranging a few windows together for impact.
Fashion Coat Racks from Architectural Elements
Turn vintage shutters, iron gates, wood balusters, and other architectural finds into functional accent pieces like coat racks. Display them with original patinas or give them an updated finish.
Use Ladders as Bookcases
An old wooden ladder laid on its side and secured to the wall lends rustic farmhouse charm while solving storage needs. Use it to hold books, plants, or bathroom essentials.
Create Candle Holders from Bottles
Wine bottles, pretty glassware, mason jars, and other glass vessels make charming DIY candle holders. For colored light, fill them with candy, flowers, beads, rocks, or other items before adding taper candles.
Refresh Fabric Items
Don’t toss out worn out fabric pieces like pillows, lampshades, and rugs. Breathe new life into them with thrifty makeovers.
Make Pillow Covers from Scarves
Turn silky scarves into soft, flowing pillow covers in minutes. Just fold each scarf into a triangle, stitch up two sides, insert a pillow form, then stitch the open end.
Recover Lampshades with Fabric
Wrap plain lampshades in elegant fabric for an instant style update. Use hot glue to attach fabric to the top and bottom edges, then adhere trim around the seam to hide edges.
Braid Fabric Scraps into Rugs
Put fabric scraps to use braiding an easy, eco-friendly rag rug. Alternate colors as you braid, then sew the ends together and finish with a backing.
Sew Cafe Curtains from Sheets
Sheets make cute cafe-style curtains for kitchens and breakfast nooks. Cut to size, sew rod pockets and side hems, then hang from decorative rods. Embellish with ribbon or trim.
Upcycle Unusual Items
Stretch your imagination and turn random objects into chic decor. From crates and pallets to ladders and shutters, everyday items offer unlimited decorating potential.
Use Wooden Crates for Shelves
Stack vintage wooden crates atop one another to form industrial-style storage shelves. Try them in offices for organizing files or in bathrooms to hold rolled towels.
Make Coffee Tables from Pallets
Give rough wood pallets a makeover as trendy coffee tables. Sand, stain, paint, or whitewash them, then top with glass for an on-trend living room accent.
Display Shutters as Room Dividers
Make a stylish screen or space divider by hanging two or three shutters together. Prop them against a wall, connect them at the corners, or leave space between each shutter for a see-through effect.
Fashion Floating Wall Shelves
Cut salvaged wood into narrow boards and mount them on the wall with brackets to invent floating shelves. They’re perfect for showing off plants, decor, or collections.
Refinish Existing Pieces
Before replacing worn furnishings, consider refurbishing them. Simple refinishing techniques give tired furniture and accessories new life.
Whitewash Wood Furniture
Whitewashing is a budget way to refresh wooden furniture with chippy paint and natural wood showing through. Just water down white paint and brush on lightly and unevenly.
Stain Over Existing Finishes
Dated oak and maple pieces get modern with a rich ebony or walnut gel stain applied over existing finishes. The stain soaks in and creates darker, up-to-date colors.
Update Hardware on Cabinets
Replacing outdated hardware with new knobs, pulls, and hinges is a fast way to update kitchen and bathroom cabinets on a budget. Choose oil-rubbed bronze or matte black for a current look.
Apply Chalk Paint for Shabby Chic Style
Achieve trendy distressed finishes with chalk-style paint. The matte, velvety paint adheres to slick surfaces without sanding or priming so you can easily refinish laminate and melamine.
Shop Secondhand Stores
Scouting thrift shops, antique malls, yard sales, and online exchanges offers savings on unique home decor. These tips help you spot prime pieces.
Seek Quality Construction
Inspect furnishings to ensure they are solidly constructed using real wood joinery and sturdy hardware meant to last. Pass up items that seem flimsy or damaged.
Evaluate Condition
Make sure the structure is sound and materials are in good shape. Minor repairs and refinishing can update pieces, but reupholstering worn-out sofas or repairing broken furniture costs more than finding items in better condition.
Assess Potential
Use your imagination to look past ugly upholstery or bad paint jobs. Well-made items with good bones can be easily reinvented. The options are endless.
Know What to Look For
Having a list helps you efficiently spot valuable furniture and accessories. Seek out mirrors, lighting, rugs, original art, and unique smalls along with wood furniture.
Make Crafty Decor
Unleash your creativity with easy, thrifty craft projects that add personal flair to your home. Here are budget-friendly ideas to try.
Decoupage Furniture with Scrapbook Paper
Cut out motifs from scrapbook paper and decoupage onto furniture surfaces using Mod Podge. Try dresser drawers, end tables, frames, and more.
Fashion Monogrammed Pillows
Make custom throw pillows by painting or decoupaging initials, monograms, or other designs onto plain pillow covers. Use stencils for perfect results with fabric paint.
Create Photo Displays from Picture Frames
Arrange a collection of matching or mismatched frames on a wall or piece of furniture to display favorite photos and art. Spray paint them all one color for a cohesive look.
Craft Wall Art from Old Books
Stack vintage books and hang them sideways on the wall to invent cool dimensional art. Try alternating book sizes and directions for interest.
Incorporate Budget Materials
Affordable materials like plywood, cinder blocks, and textiles add trendy loft style when incorporated creatively. Use these ideas to get the look for less.
Fashion Industrial Shelves from Plywood
Cut plywood into planks, stain or paint them, then mount with iron brackets to create floating shelves with an urban edge. They work well in living rooms, offices, and kitchens.
Build Furniture from Concrete Blocks
Stacked cinder blocks become end tables, plant stands, and shelves when topped with wood. Leave blocks unfinished for an industrial vibe or paint them bright colors for pop.
Make Woven Wall Hangings
Weave strips of torn cotton fabric or recycled t-shirts through a wood stretcher frame to build colorful wall hangings. Use a variety of patterns and textures for interest.
Cover Tables with Burlap
Cheap burlap tablecloths instantly warm up dining and side table surfaces. Layer different shades for dimension or use stencils and fabric paint to add patterns.
Display Found Objects
Incorporate collected shells, rocks, driftwood, and other organic items to add natural beauty. Creative presentations turn ordinary finds into works of art.
Showcase Sea Glass in Clear Containers
Fill glass cylinders, bowls, and jars with colorful, frosted sea glass to create dazzling displays. Add sand or pebbles for more texture.
Hang Driftwood on Walls
Nail assorted pieces of driftwood to a wall in pleasing formations for nature-inspired art. Try mixing dried botanicals and shells into the arrangement.
Arrange Collections in Shadow Boxes
Display special shells, stones, feathers, or flowers against pretty papers inside shadow boxes. Hang the finished boxes gallery-style for neat collections.
Make Wreaths from Grapevine, Twigs, or Willow
Shape flexible grapevine, birch twigs, or willow branches into circles and fasten into wreaths with florist wire. Embellish them with moss, ferns, leaves, berries, or blooms.
FAQ
What are some good places to find used furniture and home decor?
Some top spots to shop for secondhand home furnishings include thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army, consignment shops, antique stores and flea markets, estate sales, yard sales, online resale sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, and salvage or reuse stores like Habitat for Humanity ReStores.
Where can I find free or cheap materials for repurposing projects?
Check out garage sales, thrift stores, antique shops, salvage yards, and online sites like Craigslist and Freecycle to find great items at low costs for repurposing. You can also upcycle things you already have around the house like old wood, windows, doors, crates, shutters, and fabric scraps. Building supply stores offer affordable wood cut-offs, and hardware and home improvement stores have bargain bins of knobs, pulls, lighting, tiles, and flooring samples.
What are some easy DIY projects I can do to decorate on a tight budget?
Some fun, doable DIY projects for decorating affordably include painting and stenciling furniture, sewing simple curtains and pillows, refinishing thrift store finds, building shelves from reclaimed wood, creating an art wall of framed photos and prints, decoupaging furniture or lamps with scrapbook paper, making monogrammed throw pillows, and upcycling crates, ladders, and shutters into functional decor.
How can I make a small space look bigger without spending much?
Use reflective surfaces like mirrors and metallics to add depth. Paint walls light colors and use glass tables to maintain an open feel. Raise curtains high and extend rods past windows. Use multifunctional furniture and avoid clutter. Add tall lamps, plants, and art to draw the eye up and make ceilings seem higher.
What are the best paint colors for creating an inexpensive, stylish space?
Some budget-friendly paint colors for achieving designer looks include neutral shades of white and cream, light gray, pale blue, soft sage green, light taupe, and tan. For drama, use deep shades like navy, charcoal, or eggplant in small doses, like on one accent wall.
What are economical ways to update my home’s style?
Some simple, low-cost style updates include editing down decor and decluttering so every piece counts, repainting walls or refinishing furniture, replacing outdated light fixtures, switching out hardware on cabinets and drawers, replacing worn rugs and curtains, and rearranging furniture in new compositions. Focus on high-impact changes rather than overhauling everything.
Conclusion
Decorating with style doesn’t require a huge makeover budget. Armed with creativity and resourcefulness, you can reinvent what you already have, source bargains at secondhand shops, display collected items inventively, and make easy crafty upgrades. Repurposing everyday items in clever new ways also allows you to stamp rooms with personality and charm for very little cash. With these budget-savvy decorating tips, you can love the way your home looks without breaking the bank.
