Decorating on a Budget – Accessories

Trying to update your home on a budget? Grab some accessories!

Pillows – If you can’t buy a new sofa, buy some throw pillows! You’ll find them inexpensively at craft, garden supply, and big box discount stores. If you don’t find a pillow you like, buy a pillow insert and enough fabric to cover it. Even without a machine, you can sew up a pocket for the insert and make your own throw pillows. Or switch pillows from one room to another to create a new look!

Candles are wonderful additions to the home. They not only bring color and dimension, but can add fragrance, too. One of my favorites is vanilla. Nothing makes a home cozier than a soothing fragrance. Candles come in a variety of colors and sizes so they’re good even in small areas like bathrooms. But be very careful using lit candles, especially if you have small children or pets.

Pots, vases, and urns in all sizes and shapes add a splash of color and interest to nooks and corners. They’re wonderful for holding flowers, plants, rocks, colored pebbles, or all by themselves for display. Not the season for fresh flowers? A fistful of twigs in a vase or a bowl of leaves, stones or pine cones creates interest on a table. Change the look by changing what you display.

Color – Pick an accent color for your home, like red, and splash it all through the house with accessories. Red pillows on the chair, a red vase sitting on the table, a red candle in the bathroom. Picking a color and displaying it throughout your home will create a theme that ties it all together.

Boxes are both pretty and useful, and they’re not just square anymore! I have one on my coffee table that I had completely forgotten about but found in a closet. It now holds our remote controls. Use boxes to hold pen and paper so everyone in the family knows where to find them, or to hold batteries or other useful items that can get lost in drawers. Stack several different sizes for a taller display. How many ways can you think of to incorporate decorative boxes?

Picture frames can be very inexpensive and can even be painted to match your room. Frame your children’s art and display it. Frame cards you’ve received. Frame a piece of your favorite fabric. Frame photos from magazines. Mount shells, leaves, twigs, anything you like from nature and put it in a frame. A grouping of multiple framed items on a wall creates a beautiful display.

Mirrors are perfect for making a small space look larger. Before hanging, check to see what they will be reflecting and reflect only areas that look good. Mirrors can be used in much the same way as picture frames. Use a small one in a photo stand and sit it on a shelf. Hang a grouping of different size and shaped mirrors on a wall to create the effect of a larger mirror and cover a larger space. Mirrors can be very inexpensive and beautiful.

Craft shops are a fantastic source of unique, inexpensive accessories. Search them for ideas, colors, and styles you like.

*Green tip – shop yard sales or swap accessory items with friends. Rather than buying more goods which costs the environment, recycle what’s already here. Cheaper for you, easier on the planet!

What other ideas have you tried?

Happy Decorating!