Get The Look For Less: Six Budget-Friendly Design Tips

Decorating on a budget doesn’t have to mean sacrificing on style. Our resident interior design expert, Rebecca Jones from Edward Thomas Interiors shares six top tips that will elevate your new home interiors without breaking the bank…

#1 Mood Boards

One of our favourite ways to collate and visualise ideas is using a mood board. These allow you to play with colour, texture and fabrics before making any purchases. You can use apps like Canva or Morpholio Board to bring all your digital findings together but dig out those craft supplies for anything tactile or a true representation of colour. Mood boards are also super useful for sketching or drawing out the footprint of your room to get a sense of the layout and what furniture will fit.

#2 Timeless Triumphs

It’s always worth investing in one or two quality pieces that are timeless such as a classic chair or antique table. While these might be expensive to begin with, they won’t date and will earn their value over time. You can then layer your styling around this furniture, either making it a ‘hero’ piece or using it as the basis to connect with your wider design. Remember to go for pieces you love and don’t be afraid to mix new, pre-loved and upcycled pieces – check out last month’s blog for more of my advice on this!

#3 Wall Upgrades

A fresh wallcovering will add instant impact. I’m not talking about full repainting or wallpapering, but feature walls, zones or panels. Wallpapered panels are in right now and create an elegant focal point for living rooms or bedrooms. Or, you could colour block paint an alcove or archway to redefine a space. Don’t discount ceilings either, these unexpected places are often the most striking and don’t require large quantities so help keep your costs down. Similarly, opt for digital wallpapers rather than traditional ones.

#4 A New Facade

Sometimes the smallest changes can breathe new life into your interiors. Use stencils or vinyls to reimagine drawer fronts, back panel a bookcase, or upgrade worktops, table tops or storage boxes. To give kitchen cabinetry, bedside tables or chests of drawers a refresh, try swapping handles.

#5 Room Rotation

Rotating a room’s layout can be a very effective revamp, and best of all it’s free! If you don’t want to go for a full rearrangement, reposition wall art and mirrors, it’s surprising how this uplifts everything. You could also interchange accessories from other rooms to introduce a new colour or style.

#6 Smart Buys

There are so many great options for finding home bargains. High street stores like TK Maxx, H&M, Dunelm, Next Home have wide ranges, then online retailers such as Wayfair and Etsy have excellent pieces too. For pre-loved pieces, our favourites are Vinted, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace – you never know what gems you’ll uncover!