When it comes to decorating do you have champagne taste on a beer budget?
Consider working for your favorite home store or boutique. Many of the larger
home stores (like Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel) will offer up to a 40%
discount to their employees, even for part time employees who only work a few
hours a week. Check with stores in your area to find out what kind of discount
is offered to employees and ask for an application.
Shop the Deals.
Check the Sunday paper to see which stores in your area will be having sales
on what throughout the week. If you find something you can’t live without, ask
an employee if it will be going on sale anytime soon. Also, many stores (Bed,
Bath, and Beyond and Linens N’ Things to name a few) will honor their
competitors’ coupons, so don’t be afraid to ask. Also, many stores offer
clearance sale prices on items only available through their website and will
sometimes offer free or discounted shipping.
When You’re in a Pinch
If you’re budgetary belt has been tightened past the last notch and you still
want to update your living space, use inexpensive accents to change the look of
a room. Candles and cheap candleholders can give a space a whole new feel. So
can a few green plants (live or fake depending on the level of green in your
thumb). Try Rearranging the furniture you already have to spruce up a room.
Instead of pressing a couch or love seat flat against a wall, try “floating” it
a few feet away to add depth to a room. Hang an inexpensive mirror to reflect a
piece of art, and double the effect of your favorite picture.
Don’t let financial constraints scare you; decorating on a budget is easier
than you may think. It’s all about knowing what you like and where to find it at
the lowest price possible. Start by deciding what you want to accomplish in a
room, and then, with just a little effort, you can transform any space from
bland into beautiful.