Have you ever looked into purchasing home decor– perhaps from West Elm or Pottery Barn– and been disappointed by the high prices of chic items? And then, did you research exactly what it would take to do-it-yourself– only to be overwhelmed by the number of skills and tools you’d have to acquire?
Me too.
I won’t lie: my taste is relatively selective (some might say sophisticated, but I wouldn’t), and that usually means I can’t afford the pieces that I love.
I’m also not a big DIY-er, only because most of the things I like are too hard to make, or would take too much time.
So yes, in a sense, I’m the Goldilocks of home decor: too poor to purchase, too lazy to make.
It’s a good thing that I take a minimalist approach to shopping, because I haven’t accumulated too much decorative clutter over the years. Generally I’d rather have no decor than a handful of items that don’t go well together.
Still, I never want our home to feel sparse, cold, or plain; I want our walls to speak of the things we value and inspire us with simple beauty everyday.
Can you relate? If so, I have some tips for you!
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5 Simple (and chic!) Ways to Decorate on a Budget
1) Stop killing your succulents.
Succulents are so cheap– at our farmer’s market, you can get a pretty good succulent for $2.00– and yet, I used to always kill them. Once they died, I’d throw in the towel, thinking they must be impossible to keep alive.
But really, there’s something many of us don’t understand: succulents are low maintenance, not no maintenance. They need plenty of light, oxygen, well-drained soil, and they’ll pretty much live forever. Read my post on how to avoid killing your succulents, or check out this book about succulents that I’m really loving.
2) Make your own abstract wall art.
Abstract art is all the rage! And the good news is, it’s relatively achievable. With acrylic paint, a canvas and a few brushes, your art can adorn the walls.
This is a project I like, because it’s really all about pairing colors in creative ways. Paintings you make yourself (or with friends!) can be just as special as ones that sell for hundreds or thousands online.
Learn more about what you need to make pretty wall art here.
3) Find cheap, seasonal flowers at the farmer’s market and make them last.
Yes, fresh-cut flowers have the reputation of being expensive. But what if you could pay only $5.00 for 2 bouquets’ worth, and make them last for 2 weeks? Not too bad, right?
It turns out that seasonal flowers can truly be that cheap. The ones shown here were part of a larger seasonal bouquet we purchased at the farmer’s market. I’m determined to make them last– Jenna’s post about making fresh cut flowers last longer is brilliant!
4) Put your food on display.
This is probably the cheapest (and healthiest) option on the list. I’m a strong believer that all things natural and fresh are beautiful, so why not your fruit bowl?
Finding a good container for your weekly non-refrigerated groceries can be a great way to decorate: apples, squashes, citrus and root veggies are excellent choices. Whether it’s a basket, a wooden salad bowl, or one of those funky metal fruit hammocks I used to think were awesome, this makes a good centerpiece.
5) String up your favorite photographs with clothespins and twine.
Before we received our wedding album in the mail, we had lots and lots of Costco prints, which we used to select photos for the album. Not wanting to waste those prints, I pasted each of them on brown card stock and strung them up on the wall. You can read all about that super easy project here.
We no longer have the photos strung up in our new home, but I’ve stacked them on the coffee table for guests to flip through. It works so well and was much cheaper than the album!
Bonus tips:
Less is still more. When it comes to decor, the less busy your walls and surfaces, the more your simple pieces will stand out. I love seeing a lone bouquet on a table, or a simple painting on the walls.
Furthermore, making your home spic and span is also key to creating a chic and inspiring space. So yes, cleanliness makes a big difference. And this is coming from the girl who hates cleaning! Thankfully, Hannah wrote a brilliant post about what to clean when you only have 20 minutes. Check it out!
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I’ve killed cactus- by overwatering! ha!
Thanks for the super easy tips.
Thanks for sharing your posts, Kelsey! Definitely checking out the brush script! 🙂
It’s so true Sofia! Succulents do really well with proper care, which usually doesn’t require too much!
Thanks girl!! You’re so kind! 🙂
Ikea has a great aesthetic– I completely agree! And yes, succulents are low-maintenance but they do require some care! Let me know if you’d like more tips on keeping yours alive 😉
Thanks Kristyn! I completely agree about fresh flowers– they definitely make me happy every time I look at them!
DIY abstract art is such a simple one, and it can be SO cheap, too! Last summer I had 3 canvases and a bunch of $0.33 bottles of paint from Michaels. I set my kids up in the backyard and let them go to town. It turned out so great that we hung all three canvases around the house: http://www.kelseyespecially.com/2014/04/weekend-project-diy-canvas-art/
Other (renter-friendly) DIY on a dime suggestions:
Painting the inside strip of your front door (and/or the back of it): http://www.kelseyespecially.com/2014/06/the-one-two-punch/
DIY brush script: http://www.kelseyespecially.com/2014/08/anniversary-art/
I absolutely LOVE succulents, they are great, hardly ever die and you can make them look so minimal and cute
http://reduxsquad.com
These are GORGEOUS tips, Daisy! I’m just in love with your simple style, focused on beauty, nature, fruit and abstract art! 🙂 It’s so refreshing!
AMEN! I also love Pottery Barn and West Elm… usually only specific pieces. When it really came down to it, someone asked me which store best emulates my style. Surprisingly, I said IKEA! The minimalist looks, while still having pieces that are trendy and budget friendly just draw me in. And like @dimesanddonuts:disqus said… definitely a succulent killer. Thank you for the tip!
These are wonderful tips. I love the fruit bowl one and the fresh flowers one. There is just something so perfect about fresh flowers on your table that make a crappy day seem a little bit brighter. I love those.
Hahah!! Well it doesn’t have to be that way!! I wrote a post bout not killing succulents, if that’s of interest to you. It’s here: https://simplicityrelished.com/avoid-killing-your-succulents/
Love these tips! I laughed out loud at the first tip, I am totally guilty of forever killing all of my succulents.
Christine | DimesandDonuts.com
I read your post and I think I over-watered my succulent as well… helicopter plant mom!
Haha! We invested in some fake florals and the payoff was really great. I’m working on keeping low-maintenance plants alive 😉 Let me know if you want any tips or tricks!
Ooh an herb garden sounds so great! I can see how it might be a bit difficult to find them though. I hope your herbs are successful– keeping them alive in my patio has been an adventure…
Flowers are such a great way to brighten up a room! I usually go for the fake variety because I’m terrible at keeping things alive lol. I also think larger, low-maintenance plants work really well to add a pop of color to an otherwise white living space. I put some nice cookbooks on display to make our kitchen more interesting – and guests like to take a peek at books like that too!
http://www.theblissfulmind.com
Right?? Since I don’t get a ton of enjoyment or satisfaction out of hours and hours of DIY work, often that time invested is not worth the money saved to me. Yes, maybe if we teamed up with could score some great garage sale finds!!
I kind of tend to go for the no-decoration look, largely because of frequent moves and lack of budget for decor, like you mentioned, but a little bit can go a long way, actually! I love using our own pictures in our house–I love looking back on years worth of memories all over my wall, and because books are so important to me, I like to keep them visible, as well.
We’re slowly starting a little herb garden in the kitchen (currently it’s only one plant, mint, because it’s a little hard to figure out where to buy herb plants here), and I like the green it adds to the house.
Thanks Robin!! 🙂
Thank you Jo-Anne!! Hope they’re useful for you!
Thanks Chelsea!! Good luck moving!
Thanks Robyn! Flowers do so much, and I love that we can keep them alive for a while and get them cheap!
Hahaha! Well let me know if you want any tips on keeping your succulents alive… it can be done I promise!
Yes great point Shaguna!! And honestly it’s best to own less stuff in college, since we have to move so often!
Thanks Jenna! And yes– a pretty salad bowl does a lot for us! 🙂
Thanks girl! Those two things add a lot of life and personality!
Thanks Kaelene! Scandinavian style is brilliant!! I love that– it’s always so bright and minimalistic.
Hahaha I’m so glad that you can relate!! I just can’t believe some people spend hours and hours (or all weekend) trying to make one project that costs $50. That dilemma just kills me, haha!
Going garage-saleing sounds fun!! Wish we could go together– I haven’t had a ton of luck at those in the past!
Hahaha Glad you appreciated that 😉
And, you don’t have to kill your succulents! I’ve kept mine alive for a while now. I wrote a post about it in case you’re interested… I think the main issue for them is getting enough natural light, air circulation, and good drainage. Here’s the post: https://simplicityrelished.com/avoid-killing-your-succulents/
Haha they’re so fun!
And yes, I’m not a huge fan of flea markets and antique shops because I have a hard time decorating with eclectic pieces! I wish I had your eye for things!
Thanks Hannah!! And no problem 🙂
Thanks Shireen!! Yeah, we were able to find CHEAP flowers at the farmers’ market, but sometimes they can be pricey.
Yes! that’s a struggle for us too. Thankfully we got some hand-me-down furniture that has lasted forever and was barely used. Perfect.
Yes!!
It’s so fun to do! And it’s great that you kept up the photos on the walls!
Ooh yes!! absolutely.
hahaha I get it!
These are great. I love simple decor just like this! 🙂
Yes yes yes I so like these ideas
I love these ideas! and just in time for moving back into my dorm!! Xo
Chelsea // trendychelsea.wordpress.com
Awesome tips, Daisy. Our walls are quite bare because I love a minimal look and… Well, I’m lazy. 🙂
Great tips! I love flowers in a home, they just bring it to life!
Plants and flowers are a favorite of mine when it comes to decorating. I’m terrible at it and I always kill them (accidentally) but I love the way they look.
I love minimalist ways to decorate. I’m in a college apartment, and our rooms are small and crammed. Minimalist decor works really well in opening up the space.
Shaguna
gold&hearts
These are great! I love the idea of decorating with food. I want to get a pretty fruit bowl like that so I can add color to my kitchen with apples and other fruits. Flowers are one of my favorite ways to decorate, too.
These are great tips! Flowers and photos really add so much!
These are such great tips! I love embracing the Scandinavian style of less is better. And adding a flowers or a house plant and really make a room feel so much brighter and welcoming!
I am seriously cracking up over the “too poor to purchase, too lazy to DIY” thing. I was just lamenting to myself yesterday about how this is totally me!! I refuse to pay full-price for expensive home decor items, but I’m also unwilling to put in the time to go garage-saleing and then figure out how to refurbish a piece. Fresh flowers always seem to brighten up the home, but I’d never thought about displaying fresh fruit. Great idea!
hahahaha! I burst out laughing when you called yourself Goldilocks.
I am a succulent killer too… how do they stay alive in the middle of the desert and die in my house within days??? LOL
So I’m kind of obsessed with the clothes pin wall art and may just do that for my childs room. Currently she had picture frames that go crooked every time we close her door. It drives me crazy. haha. This looks like a no fuss DIY to fix that problem. Another great way to spruce up your space without the big price tag is to check out flea markets and antique shops. You can always find color vases and accent items for as little as 0.50!
http://www.accordingtokiki.net
I love this, Daisy! These tips are like a breath of fresh air. What you said about rather having no decor instead of decor that doesn’t go well together will really stick with me! Also, thanks for the mention!! 🙂
Great tips, Daisy! I love flowers but gosh, they can be really pricey sometimes so brilliant idea on having succulents. xx
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
I love pictures. I might do that. I am so picky on furniture. We are in the stage of buying it to basically last forever so no purchase is ever made quickly. lol.
We hang photos up as well! Such a nice, personal touch! x
hehe it’s so funny the last photo with the pictures pegged up – we did that for baby’s first birthday, a progression of photos from newborn to 12 months and strung them up along the wall. And I took down all the other decorations, but not those as I really like having them up there! 🙂
Away From The Blue Blog
I just got a new apartment and literally last night strung up photos with clothespins! Great minds?!