Big Home Changes on a Small Budget:
Furnishing your home can be quite a project–an expensive one. But you can get big results on a small budget if you know where to look, and use a few DIY tricks.
Here’s how to furniture shop without emptying your wallet.
Thrift Decor
1. Thrift Stores [1] – Investigate Goodwill® and The Salvation Army stores for inexpensive furnishings.
- Pick wood which can be easily treated or painted if necessary.
- Look for dovetailing in drawers. – this indicates good craftsmanship.
- Get to the store early – stores will be ripe for the picking in the morning when they open.
Decor Accents and DIY Projects [2,3]
Abide by one simple rule: 60/30/10
- 60% of the room’s color is on the walls.
- 30% of a room’s color comes from the upholstery.
- 10% of the color comes from accent pieces.
Craft a color scheme:
- Complementary colors on the color wheel are opposite each other. Also, stick to using the scheme in more formal areas of the house such as the den or the dining room.
- Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel. This scheme can be used in areas of the house where you would normally relax.
- Appropriately weigh a room with the correct colors: ceiling = light, walls = medium, floor = dark
Furniture Shopping Tips [4]
1. How will it be used?
- Avoid fabrics that will tear or stain easily if you have kids or pets.
2. Set a budget
- Know how much you want to spend overall and adjust for individual item prices as necessary.
3. Measurements
- Measure, measure, and then measure again to be sure what you buy will fit the intended space in your home
4. Freebie Sites
The only thing better than inexpensive stuff, is Free Stuff!
- Reuseitnetwork.org
- freecycle.org
- staga.net
- freesharing.org
In addition to helping you furnish your new place, ForRent.com and Homes.com can help you find that perfect apartment to rent or house to buy. Get started today!
Sources:
[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/19/thrift-store-shopping_n_1215124.html
[2] http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/reflective-energyefficient-roof-paint-2607.html
[3] http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/top-10-tips-for-adding-color-to-your-space/index.html
[4] http://voices.washingtonpost.com/shoptoit/2008/01/tuesday_tips_buying_furniture.html
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