When decorating homes hard to find the right balance between functionality, comfort and style. No matter how much money we spend on decent furniture, the room seems to always miss something, and as a result they don’t look like that perfect apartment we see in fancy magazines. Sometimes such an issue can be solved with the help of small tricks that take only a few minutes of your time and do not require cash outlay. The following tips may help you learn how to make your home more stylish and comfortable with minimal effort and budget possible on our low income.

SIMPLE WAYS TO MAKE HOME INTERIOR MORE STYLISH AND COMFORTABLE

As usual, we consider

• garage sales
• thrift stores
• neighborhood giveaways
• Chinese goods,
• dollar stores
• DIY projects

as our main sources to shop and hunt for those little treasures and getting both necessary and stylish elements for our homes. 🙂 You won’t believe what a cozy home you can’t create out of almost no budget and using your inner creativity and good taste.

Take care of the front door

We shouldn’t forget about the front door even if we live in an apartment building, as it creates the first impression of your home. Take a good care of it as well as of the other interior doors, of course according to what kinda residence you live in. Put a few pots with flowers, hang a seasonal wreath, flag or decoration, update your street address plate or paint the door in some bright color. Find a cute unusual mailbox at a garage sale, restore or upgrade the existing one if you have such an opportunity. Put out a wind chime. Get a doorbell which plays several pleasant melodies and seasonal classics. Put out a night lantern or a welcome garden gnome… Do whatever you feel like to make yourself and the others feel comfy at your place from the first step made!

Roll out the carpet in several layers

Place a small thick rug on a larger, more neutral rug. This is a great way to test how you feel about bold modern experiments in the interior, such kind of a design will make the room more cozy and stylish.
With this trick you can also visually divide space into purpose zones or drag attention to certain areas. I personally don’t do much of this particular lifehack but it’s becoming more and more popular tendency now so I think it’s worth a try.

Move furniture between rooms

We used to move things within a single enclosed space and it is not too common to move furniture from room to room. Well in case you’ve got enough energy and feel it’s safe you can sure try this trick for a change. In fact, things may look much better in the new space or can serve as more functional items. When you don’t have enough time or budget to buy new home furnishings, the fastest way to refresh any room in your home is to rearrange the furniture.

Arrange items according to the rule of “three”

As in many fields and disciplines, the rule of “three” is widely used in decorating and styling. A trio of items looks visually more appealing and more balanced, especially when it comes to sizes, heights and materials. Start with a small step and decorate a little corner in the living room or on your desk. For example, put together a vase with flowers, a basket of books and a clock. You will be surprised how nice and cozy such a composition looks! But try not to overflow your room with the sets of decorative details, otherwise the effect will be opposite. Combine different styles and textures, colors and materials — express your creativity and taste.

Remove some accessories

I would say this rule is applicable only to some sort of an excessive numbers of items… 🙂 You see,
I’m totally opposite to minimalism styles of interior, they make me feel awful and depressively anxious if I can put it this way. But it’s totally a matter of a personal taste of course. 🙂 Modern style advisers insist that if you’re a fan of small trinkets, decorations, artwork, carpets, pillows your home is likely to look more like the folk art museum expo. Minimalist home interior is considered to look much better than abundance of unnecessary things nowadays. I’d say that it’s better to have a healthy mix of both though… Try to remove some accessories or replace them, to add something else until you’re happy with the result. Some designers say it’s best to decorate the house with one sort of decorative items, it looks stylish and cozy… Indeed, this discussion can last forever! 🙂 Some people have an unpleasant aesthetic shock seeing a ‘grandma’s interior’ and I will never get what can be possibly cozy in a ceiling-to-floor-all-white room with three black vases in the corner LOL

Serve water in a jug

It’s stylish. It’s elegant. It’s even has that old-style posh nobility. 🙂 No matter if you drink water from the tap or bottles, keep it in the jug. There is nothing nicer than to put it on the table during dinner with family or guests. If it is a transparent jug, add some cucumber slices or lemon to your water. Leave the jug on the bedside table to simultaneously humidify the air and add some style points too.

Arrange the books in alternative ways

Vertical or slightly inclined stack of books is the dogma for classical interiors. Using an alternative location tells a story about a bold and modern style. Try to alternate the shelves, placing the book vertically, then horizontally. Horizontal lines will disrupt the pattern of vertical lines and draw needed attention to the bookshelves. Simply make sure that the order of arrangement is random, since the rigid scheme looks very striking. Give a little color to your room by putting more books with brighter covers as style accents. Show some sophistication with having a separate stand for the books of a special value for you.

Paint some things in the color of the walls

Most of the things in the apartment don’t mix well with each other because of different styles, colors and finishes.
Paint some pieces of furniture in the same color as the walls or your curtains/carpet/pillow! For the best result the matching items should be exactly in the same color tone. This will create a unity of space and set accents. It’s useful to mention that such items need to scatter throughout the room not too close to each other. No need to repaint anything big and huge of course– even a small dose will help to create a harmonious colorful composition and add up more style to your interior.

Decorate the house with variations of the same item

Select one type of product that you have a sufficient amount. For example, the fruit —  the brighter the color the better. You can also use any vegetable or simple elements of nature such as stones or wood. Put them in a vase or into a bowl and set onto a visible place avoiding the center of a room though. Our goal is to attract attention, so the vase should be of simple shape and usual material. My repeated patterns are fruit&veggies for the kitchen, sea elements for the bathroom and those little bird houses for the corridors (oh well — I’ve warned you guys that I’m kinda old-fashioned!). 🙂

Make a nice thing out of old bottles

Next time you run into a beautiful looking bottle of alcohol, milk or perfume, do not throw it right away. Save it and use as a vessel for liquid soap or a vase. Alternatively, fill it with beads and tie a bow of twine (but first soak the bottle in warm soapy water until all the labels and sticky residue are easily washed away). A glass container looks very stylish and futuristic and the warm lights of garlands in the bottles make your house feel even more cozy.

Group the candles

Gather all the candles you have and put them in small groups throughout the apartment. Living room is the first place. Lighting up the candles in groups are much more effective than doing so separately cause they produce more light which is perfect for evenings in the company of guests. You can also combine different colors and scents  — that’s my preference especially for the seasonal changing decors. 🙂 Experts recommend though when buying candles to avoid fussy designs and odors…Most designers assure that the best choice of all is white classic candles that are perfect for groups.

Arrange the flowers in a random order

When you receive or buy flowers, put them somewhere in the corner of the room not only in some central spot. Bonus points if those are field or garden flowers — they give any house that spirit of a nature’s tough both beautiful and perfectly simple at the same time!  🙂 Random placement creates the feeling that flowers are an integral part of your home and you are not trying to show off or to impress others. Tastes differ and I hear a lot of critics about having artificial flowers as a home decor but if you want my personal opinion on it — I love using those as well as real flowers, especially when we’re talking about seasonal decorations. You choose…

Always keep a few books on the coffee table

Books instantly add style and serve as entertainment for guests. Be sure to put out your favorite book and a few books of different genres, just for the sake of a variety. In case you’re not too much of a bookie you most certainly can replace books with some interesting magazines too. You can put only books or mix them with magazines, photos or brochures. This is the perfect example to apply the rule of “three” and combine the books with decorative items and small items too. I like changing books and magazines according to the season also, that gives my place a more completed look (well, at least I’d like to think so LOL 🙂 )

Dust more often!!!

Nothing kills style like dust. Yeah I know – what the heck, you just cleaned yesterday, but the dust has quickly found its way back already! There’s even a saying about the 2 major world mysteries: where the money go and where that dust comes from! LOL 🙂 Well, to make the chores a bit easier take a good look around and find the surfaces on which dust is the most noticeable in daylight and be sure to wipe these places in between “major cleanings”. Thus, you will be able to enjoy some clean air without being worried of a mess if unexpected guests show up. 🙂

Store white towels in your bathroom

Is a personal choice, and this choice isn’t mine cause I’m simply not a huge fan of anything white at all! 🙂 The interior design experts though assure that the white towels give a feeling of freshness and cleanliness. In addition, if you add more towels to your bathroom it also adds a relaxed hospitality and attention to detail illusion to your interior. Again — it’s a personal choice… 🙂

Keep napkins and placemats on the table, even if you eat nothing

It may seem controversial but in fact this little trick creates the illusion of cleanliness and order in the family (especially if you have children). Besides, placemats are also a great way to add color and pattern to your kitchen interior. They can be an inexpensive, plastic, rubber or paper. You can also make DIY napkins and placemats cutting the fabric into small squares. The main thing is to consider the color scheme and your own taste.

Arrange baskets around

Baskets are a lifeline when you need to clean up the mess before the guests arrive or to move things from room to room. They seem to be much more expensive and exotic than they really are. Baskets can be of different sizes and shapes, but they must be made of the same material or have a common color so they won’t create too much chaos. They can become absolutely unique and loud spots in the neutral space of your room. If your home interior is made in bright colors, pick up the baskets of darker shades, and vice versa. Using DIY baskets will help saving money and personalize your style even more.

Get some the food in containers

It is the best way to organize your kitchen space and add a stylish touch in the interior. Store cereals, spices, biscuits and other foods in containers. Glass containers look pretty but they can be costly. Use inexpensive options. The point is not to have the whole set.  Containers can be of the same material and same color to create a clean and streamlined look in your kitchen or pantry or of the different colors to add energy and more cheerful rainbow look.

Put on display things that have a story to tell

This task might be a little harder to accomplish than it sounds cause not every person wants to demonstrate cherished objects to anyone except themselves. In order to attract people’s attention, your favorite things should stand out from the environment and should be spotted immediately. Don’t take it too serious though — there’s absolutely no need to cross the ocean for finding the item to impress your guests. 🙂 As long as you have a dear memory-related thing, you can carry this theme of the guest if you consider it appropriate. Those might be framed family pictures, souvenirs or your granny’s statuettes collection you’ve inherited, anything that makes this home personally yours.

Add houseplants

Plants not only bring freshness and color to the room but are also an important decorative element. Place them near the large pieces of furniture, or use to fill the empty corners. Small plants can be mixed in composition, guided by the rule of “three”. Don’t forget to take a good care of your plants and pay attention to what kind of light and watering schedule they need. Some home plants are very demanding and don’t tolerate each other well so in case you’re not an expert it’s better to read some information before bringing any new plants home. WARNING: some plants may be toxic or poisonous for pets and children!!! Again, I like artificial plants also even though I’ve got LOTS of living home plants. 🙂

Keep a small blanket on the couch

A light blanket, throw or plaid not only provides comfort but also allows you to add texture and color in a fairly flat or neutral room. If you want to add only one bright touch, make sure the blanket is not folded neatly, but casually thrown over the back of your couch or an armchair.

Hang things on the walls

Many people avoid decorating the walls because they don’t have enough money for expensive art works. But you don’t need a fanciful painting because everything can be art while it awakens you feelings! 🙂 Hang magazine pages, photos, own drawings in a chaotic manner to add more ‘voice’ to the walls. From time to time, change the images to slightly update the interior. Play with borders and wallpapers, use DIY projects for schedule organizers, opt for some cute wall decals or stickers — give your fantasy a chance to fly! 🙂

Show your hobby

Do not hesitate to openly demonstrate your hobby! First, this will be a topic for interesting discussions. Second, you can hang the results of your work on the walls or randomly place them on the shelves or just leave ’em on the floor. It is guaranteed to add uniqueness to your home and make it feel more comfortable for you personally.

Use unnecessary things in unexpected ways

Whether it is a fireplace, old piano, large furniture, appliances, empty corners… Put books, vases, plants, and unnecessary items instantly turn into a stylish decor. Use an old metal bucket as a planter. Re-purpose a magnet board into a makeup holder and an old hanger into a jewelry organizer. Use a painting frame on a bathroom mirror, etc. 🙂

Let your home reflect your personality

Most stylish interiors we see in magazines are decorated with photos of their residents. Those are most often real life places which are homes to some interesting personalities and filled with the things their owners enjoy. Musical instruments, books, old VHS tapes, fridge magnets… it is the easiest and most reliable way to make your home more stylish is to add more information about who you are and what you like.

Add some scent

Everybody has a memory of a smell of home from their childhood… 🙂 Scents like no other item makes us feel comfortable in our residence and create the necessary atmosphere to unwind and relax. No wonder that aroma industry is doing so well — we all have our favorite scents that make us feel happier! So don’t miss the opportunity to use candles, scented oils, potpourri mixes, melted wax or any other way to add some nice smell to your home. 🙂

Pets

Nothing spells ‘home’ as a pet, even if it’s just a goldfish! 🙂 Of course tastes and possibilities differ, but like 50% of people associate their home with their pets. I can’t imagine a home without my cat indeed even though he creates a lot of mess and leaves his fur everywhere… So a saying ‘Home is just a house without a cat’ has some real meaning for me.

Take your time and transform your home into not only stylish but also the most favorite place on Earth!