Tired of your bedroom furniture, but don't want to buy new? It doesn't take much to transform a room using items you already have or can easily make. A bright green patio chair is at home in this warm, orange space, and an upholstered headboard looks fancier than it is. Cut plywood into the shape you want, line with foam for padding, and cover with fabric.Budget Decorating Tip: Shop the other rooms of your house (don't forget the attic and basement) for furniture and accessories. Pick your favorite things and see how they look together. A collection of antique mirrors creates a beautiful focal point over a fireplace mantel. The mirrors vary in size and quality, making the mix both romantic and unusual.Budget Decorating Tip: Show off your collections. Silver tableware along the mantel complements the hanging mirrors. Unmatched sets of silver at garage sales and flea markets are usually inexpensive. Don't wait for a special occasion to enjoy a set of pretty dishes -- hang them on the wall!

This three-by-three grid of colorful dishes surrounded by white frames packs a big punch. With green walls as a backdrop, the frames don't need mattes or glass.Budget Decorating Tip: Look around your house for everyday items that can become art. Consider old calendar pages, fabric swatches or paint chips. French doors are beautiful, but sometimes you need a little privacy or want a change of scenery. Colorful maps attached to one side of the door offer a fresh perspective.Budget Decorating Tip: You don't need a French door to do this project. Pop out the insert in a basic cabinet door and cover it with pretty fabric or decorative paper for a quick facelift. Think outside the box when you're decorating. A pair of old shutters stand in as a headboard in this guestroom.Budget Decorating Tip: Sometimes a fresh coat of paint on an old chair, lamp base or frame is all it takes to transform a piece. Fresh flowers are a quick pick-me-up for any room. Be creative about what you use as your vase.

Pink and white roses are beautiful in a white soup tureen.Budget Decorating Tip: Plant your garden with indoor decorating in mind. home decor plants living roomChoose flowers such as roses, zinnias and daisies that make easy bouquets so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor inside and out.outdoor christmas decorations catalog A bowl full of wine corks labeled with dates of special events and anniversaries acts as both a table display and a conversation starter. discount yard christmas decorationsMix oranges and limes or other colorful fruit in the bowl for additional color.mr price home bedroom decor ideas

Budget Decorating Tip: Postcards, seashells, and books all make great decorations. Muffin tins can do a lot more than serve fresh muffins. christmas decorations on cakeTurn an old tin into a jewelry holder.home decor for small apartmentsBudget Decorating Tip: The kitchen is a great place to look for inexpensive decorating ideas. Cookie sheets become message boards, pitchers double as flower vases, and glass jars hold crafts supplies. Rather than spending money on a pricey landscape, collect ferns and display them in simple white frames. Place the frames close together so they read as one element.Budget Decorating Tip: Before hanging a group of frames, trace their shapes on a piece of craft paper and tape it to the wall to test the arrangement. Take advantage of your mantel's prominent position with a stylish but inexpensive arrangement.

Turn a swatch of wallpaper or fabric into artwork. A frame with an ornate edge doesn't even need to be filled. Spray-paint it with a metallic finish to highlight its design.Budget Decorating Tip: Old frames are usually dirt cheap at garage sales and flea markets. Collect a variety of shapes and designs, and create a collage of empty frames on a wall. Prop an oversize mirror on the floor of a small room to create the illusion of a bigger space.Budget Decorating Tip: You don't need to hire a professional decorator to get a high-class look. Find inspiration in catalogs and furniture showrooms for free. A simple white pitcher creates a charming vase for a bunch of flowers. Red, white and blue pinwheels add a playful spin.Budget Decorating Tip: Dress up a $5 grocery store bouquet with a pretty vase and quick add-ins such as ferns, twigs or ribbons. Log in to leave a commentIt’s almost back to school time. For some kids, back to school means tears. But, if you’re heading off to college, it’s a time of excitement.

You’ll get to meet new people, live on your own for the first time, and decorate your own space. Dorm decorating on a college budget can be challenging, but it’s also a chance for you to get your creative juices flowing and put your own stamp on the place you’ll call home for the next nine months. Your dorm room will most likely come with a few standard pieces of furniture, such as a bed, desk and dresser. While you can’t do much about those pieces, you can bring in some of your own furniture to make the place a little more cozy. Craigslist and local thrift stores are great places to find furniture that’s priced for a college budget. If a piece of furniture doesn’t “wow” you, it doesn’t take much to spruce it up. A can of spray paint in a funky color, such as bright green or royal purple, turns a ho-hum, beat up wooden chair into an attention grabbing place to sit. You can give upholstered furniture new life by covering it with new fabric, too.

When I was in college, my roommate and I covered our green floral couch with a king sized bed sheet. All it took was a few stitches and staples to turn an outdated piece into something more stylish. Dorm rooms are notoriously short on space. Make working organization and storage part of your dorm decorating plan. If you’re feeling particularly handy, try making this jewelry organizer from Rebekah at Twinkle and Twine. Depending on your jewelry storage needs and space, you can make the entire organizer, or just the hooks for hanging necklaces or the frame for storing earrings. If dorm room paint isn’t your style, there are tons of ways you can add interest to the walls of your room without busting your college budge. Posters are okay, but everyone will have them. Instead of hanging up posters, try framing postcards and arranging them artfully on your walls. Use sticky tack or sticky nails that won’t leave marks on the wall to hang the framed cards.

Ikea is a great place to find inexpensive 4 by 6 inch frames. You can track down postcards at gift shops on your summer vacation or in thrift stores. Temporary wallpaper from Swag Paper gives you a more sophisticated way to decorate your dorm room walls. It’s also a more pricey option, as panels start at just over $56 each. But, it can be worth it if you only have a small area to cover. Check with your RA before hanging the wallpaper, though, as some schools are pretty strict about what can go on the walls. Odds are your dorm room will come with some curtains that make your stomach churn. Luckily, you can hang your own curtains without breaking the bank. You can find cheap curtains and curtain rods at thrift stores or places such like Ikea or Target. Take a look through the linen closet at your parent’s home or grandparent’s, too. You never know what cool vintage curtains might be lurking in the back of the closet. Curtains are also easy enough to make on your own, whether you can sew or not.