The thought of putting effort into styling and furnishing your flat can be anxiety-inducing. You consider the expense and time that needs to be invested. It’s doubly stressful if you rent and do not want to jeopardize your deposit by making holes in roles. However, furnishing does not have to be a massive undertaking; minimal flourishes can make a big impact and personalize your home. Following are 10 tips to do just this on a shoestring budget.
1. WALLS – One of the biggest surfaces to play around with in your flat, and a great place to personalize your space cheaply. The potential of leaving holes and the expense of getting the right tools to make them in the first place can be a bit daunting. The shoestring solution to this dilemma in Velcro. It’s cheap, can be purchased for under five pounds, is easy to use and versatile in terms of what you can mount with it. Frame, posters, cork-boards. A cheap, simple, and non-messy way to adorn your walls.
2. PLANTS – I feel like plants are grossly underused and I single-handedly want to change that. A space absent of plants is one of the first things I’ll notice and seek to rectify. It is, however, a good idea to some small research e.g. ensure that your chosen plant can survive indoors. But with the emergence of house plant specialized shops this is no task at all. A decent plant need not set you back more than ten pounds but can make an impressive addition to any room. What’s great about plants is that for minimal investment they have longevity and can grow to occupy different spaces within your flat. You can also accessorize with a decorative pot. Fake plants/branches are a low maintenance option that can look just as good as the real thing.
3. STATEMENT LIGHTING – A quirky table lamp or string lighting doesn’t have to break the bank but brings light and texture to any space.
4. BOOKS – Now I may be biased but a shelf occupied with books is a thing of beauty. What’s even better is that books don’t have to be expensive. You can buy them second hand which in addition to being cheap add a bit more drama to that shelf or side table.
5. REED DIFFUSERS – A bit of a strange one but bear with me. Diffusers are great because they last for months. They are relatively inexpensive and not only do they come in a variety of fragrances but the bottles are usually nicely labeled so they have form and function.
6. GAMES – I love competition and trivia and if you’ve been in any major bookshop recently you’ll know that the gift section is riddled with any number of inexpensive boxed games. These are fun to display on shelves and cabinets and come in an array of colours and shapes. My favourites are word and trivia games.
7. CUSHIONS – Keep an eye out for sales on these as its a good idea to get a few in different patterns. If you have plain white bedding, then an oversized colourful, textured, patterned cushion is a nice way to inject some fun. In the case of cushions, a little goes a long way. Go for a statement print, a bold colour, or both.
8. RUG – Another item that should be picked up when a good sale is going on. Rugs can be expensive but if you take your time to search and compare they can be the best deal you score. Decide the room you want to adorn with a rug, take measurements and do some online browsing. As this can be a more costly item, keep an eye out for retailers offering discounts for email subscriptions. These are usually only for online orders so you’ll want to see for yourself in person but then purchase online.
9. STORAGE – This seems obvious right, who doesn’t need storage? Choose wisely and that practical purchase could also serve as a little something to spice up that space. Think less plain white plastic boxes and more colourful steel trucks, woven baskets, and fabric or wood footstools or storage side tables. This way you get the best of both worlds - a sensible storage solution and something that’s easy on the eyes and adds to your interior styling. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also plug my LOOA Home Storage Sleeve here as a nice-to-look at storage option.
10. GLASS BOTTLES – Another quirky addition that might have you scratching your head. Glass bottles are surprisingly versatile even if the first image to come to mind is a transparent, tall, slim object. Think coloured glass or varying shapes and uses, a carafe for water or wine and you’ll soon get the picture. A glass bottle is a lovely silhouette to centre your kitchen table and is useful to have when guests are over. They are inexpensive and durable too.
Take a look, have an browse, and keep an eye out for those discount-with-subscription offers online.
