Decorating on a budget

How to make your place look like a million bucks when you are saving pennies. Here are some ideas to get your creativity flowing:

Bowls of fruit and fresh flowers can really brighten a room
Throw pillows instantly update your sofa without having to reupholster.
Decorate with groupings of three. Value Village is a great source for art books, pieces of sculpture, or vases.
Sew your own curtains with fabric on sale at Fabricland and hang them higher and wider than the windows. It will give your place the illusion of higher ceilings and wider windows.
Try bringing the same colour scheme throughout the house. A pale neutral looks great on walls. Then pick an accent colour you love and carry that through the house.
Mirrors brighten and enlarge any room, reflecting your accent colour for more impact.
It's amazing what a simple can of paint can do to bring together what feels mismatched.
Area rugs instantly update and soundproof a room. They also divide rooms in open concept homes and tie in colour schemes.
Instead of harsh overhead lights in a room, install inexpensive dimmers. Try craigslist for lamps to brighten a space. It's also a great source for inexpensive chandeliers or pendant lamps to replace a plain builder's grade overhead lamp or fan.
If you want photos, a grid of white or silver frames with black and white photos adds elegance. For art, grab a canvas and create an abstract with your accent colour.
Fresh new white towels, a white cloth shower curtain and mat do wonders to a bathroom. If your mirror does not have a frame, adding one can make a huge difference
Try to keep on top of clutter. Go through every once in a while and sort through shelves, desks and cupboards. Put things on tables and counters away.
If you have a piece of furniture that no longer goes or is the wrong size, try selling it on kijiji and finding something else that would work better on the same site to replace it.
Instead of renovating the kitchen, paint cupboards and replace pulls. You can paint vinyl floor too. Try painting old appliances with liquid stainless steel paint before replacing.