From House to Home

You love decor, HGTV, online design sites, and the housewares section of Target.  But you have no idea how to turn your current apartment or house into a home.  You know what you like, but you don't know how to accomplish a complete look.  Plus, you can barely afford to pay the bills..... much less splurge on decor and furniture!  Fear not, design novice.  There is still hope for you!  Today I am going to discuss budget-friendly design solutions for turning a house into a home.  

The most important thing to do before you begin investing in furniture or trying to design a space is to identify how you will utilize the space.  If it is a bedroom, obviously you will utilize the room for sleep.  But, do you find yourself working on your laptop in bed?  

If so, perhaps a workspace would be beneficial in your bedroom.  Do you picture yourself coming to your bedroom to talk on the phone or read?

  Then a comfy sitting area with lots of light would be well utilized.  

When you have an empty house or a sudden urge to redecorate, it can be easy to run out and   spend your hard-earned moola on a million small decor items.  But refrain, you must, my dear.  Having clear direction of what you want to create with your space will always mean spending your money more wisely and being happier with your surroundings long term.  Once you have a clear idea of what you want to utilize your space for, you need to discover your design style.  If you live with a husband, boyfriend, or bestie, this will require compromise as you learn to fuse your tastes together in a cohesive fashion.

After you have come to terms with your design tastes, it's time to begin treasure hunting!  The best places to start when your budget is tight are local antique shops and resale shops.  You can find some beautifully unique pieces with lots of character.  Try your best to look past the color, fabric or hardware on items- these things can be changed.  Instead, pay attention to the structure of the furniture.  Focus on the lines.  

1/2/3/4

Once you have the base furniture for your space, now is the time to spruce it up! I have a set of matching lamps on each side of my bed that I originally bought from Hobby Lobby for a total of $100.  The lamps had red shades with leopard trim and a brown base.  Sure, they were cute.  But they weren't quite right for my super-girly bedroom.  We painted the base a turquoise and traded the shades for two larger white ones for a total cost of $50.  I love how they turned out!  What do you think?

Don't believe a home can be "spruced" at budget-friendly prices?  I curated a collection of beautiful items that won't break the bank.  In fact, they're all under $50!

Assouline St. Barth's/Chevron Pillow/High Fashion Home Mirror/Zhush Designer Antique Books/Large Chappin Glass Honeycomb/World's Away Gold Leaf Candlesticks/Bella Fiore Frame/Medallion Print Pillow/Floral Wall Decor/Curry Chrysanthemum Vase/Leopard Blue Rug/Vintage Charm Wooden Stool

How have you managed to turn your apartment or house into a home?