Carry on Beautiful!

We’re still at the start of a brand new year, which means we’re all thinking of ways that we can change our lives. I don’t think that the best sorts of resolutions are the ones where you have to give things up – not eating chocolate for the rest of the year doesn’t seem very likely, and it’s important to decide to do something that’s actually possible. Maybe you want to change your lifestyle to get fit, or you want to start going to a new class to make some friends. One thing that you could do to improve your general standard of living is to start slowly updating your home. Here are some tips on how to do that without breaking the bank…

Check Out Antiques Stores

A lot of antiques stores and shops are full of very old, beautiful pieces, which are wonderful to look at but which have quite hefty price tags that the more thrifty shopper might want to avoid. But the truth is that you might get some good bargains – and at least some great interior design ideas! Once you’ve looked at the fancier stores and taken some ideas from them about what you want for your home and what’s likely to be worth some money, go to market stalls where you’ll get some good deals.

Open Your Mind

Remember that home decoration doesn’t have to be traditional. Not all the pictures on the wall have to be framed and hung up or old ratty posters like in student rooms. If you’re into fashion, then take a look online at websites like eBay and go for some old antique bags or shoes that might not cost much but that still look beautiful – you can display them like art on the walls. Make sure that everything you have on display is something that makes you happy whenever you walk past it.

Upgrade Your Furniture

There are stores out there like Direct Furniture Land where you can buy new pieces of furniture without cleaning out your entire bank account, so make sure that you’re aware of them and that you look around particularly when the sales start! If you aren’t looking to buy any new furniture just yet, but you still want a new look in your home, why not make what you have look even better? If you don’t like the polished pine chests of drawers, chairs and tables, then you can sand them down and paint them or stain them another colour. If you don’t like the way a chair looks then you can get it reupholstered, and if your kitchen cabinets are bland and boring then why not add new handles and knobs for a little decorative flair? You could also add some interesting lighting for another cool touch.

Make Your Home Comfortable

There’s really no point in being at home if you aren’t comfortable. Make sure that your living room is cosy – add a colourful, pretty rag rug to the floor so your toes don’t get cold and throw a cosy blanket over the sofa so you can curl up underneath it while you’re watching TV over the winter. Invest in some plants in pretty pots to improve the air quality.

-Dana