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Cheap ‘n Chic Home Décor Ideas

Posted on June 1st, 2009. 1 Crumb

The prolonged recession gabble and the weatherman’s forecast of the monsoon might have dampened your spirit. If you’ve been feeling blue, its time you introduced a splash of colours in your life. And there couldn’t be a better time than now! Get ready to create your happy space in the confines of your home sweet home. With these clever ideas, you can re-decor your interiors without leaving a dent in your pocket.

Thinking of buying all new furniture? Think again. It may not be necessary. Polishing makes old furniture look as good as new, and is also easy on the pocket.
If you must invest in new furniture, buy a single centre-piece or coffee table. Be sure to pick a piece that’s bold enough to spark off a conversation. Don’t hesitate to explore your options at Mumbai’s Chor Bazaar, which stocks some of the most unique furniture and antiques at wallet-friendly prices.
In your own bedroom, spruce up your old chest or drawer by painting elements that define you.
For the dining table, buy vintage car coasters from Chor Bazaar and bright-coloured cutlery from Crawford Market at rock-bottom rates.
A fun and inexpensive way of adding colour to your dining table is by making your own table mats. Take 11″ x 17″ lamination sheets and trap anything between them - from old greeting cards, magazine cutouts, family photos to dried flowers. Or make a pretty candle holder. Pick a lean, clear glass and paint it, or stick beads around it. Go all out and be creative!
One of the most economical ways to give your home a new look is by adding rugs under the coffee table or centre table. Rugs help soften up the tone of any room, if the right colours are chosen.
Cane lampshades are inexpensive and look equally beautiful in the day and night. Teamed with soft yellow light, they make for the most charming decorative piece.
Flowers add instant spunk to any living room. Choose fresh flowers and arrange them in a clay vase. If you don’t have one, just paint an old pot in dual-tone. Very chic! You could also opt for artifical flowers but make sure to pick colours and patterns that don’t look tacky. If your room is bigger, you could use indoor plants. Adding green brings about a refreshing change to the room.
Telephone stands needn’t be boring. Add some colour by using a glass vase stocked with fresh flowers, photo frames or candles.
Instead of blowing up a small fortune on paintings, make your own frame for that boring wall. Collect photographs of your family and friends, make a collage and frame it. It is cost-effective, colourful and so much more relevant.
Pull out an old saree, cut out a 50” x 30” square or stitch together small square patches to make a beautiful wall-hanging. Make matching cushion covers with the same saree!
Small spaces can be visually modified to look bigger. Add a large mirror to one of the walls, preferably the one that’s adjacent to your seating area. A beautifully carved mirror adds oomph to the dullest of rooms.
Children’s room is almost always too bright and cluttered. So start off by clearing the mess. Invest in a simple basket to keep all the toys in place. Use a rubber stamp or make a customized one using foam pieces and wood. Hearts, flowers, or Mickey Mouse, experiment with various shapes. Dip the stamp in solid colours and trail across the walls. A couple of prints on the curtains will complete the look.
A terrarium is a fantastic decoration for your balcony. It can also be placed near the window. Make a simple terrarium with a glass bowl, soil, pebbles, mini-plants and probably a pet turtle!
Pimp your refrigerator with magnetic memoirs from your travels.
Cut out panels in thick walls and use them as bookshelves. That way, you save on space and money.