Shoestring Budget & Home Decor

• For a particular look such as retro, minimalist and contemporary, colonial, American, country, art deco or funky 70s, search local flea markets and antique shows thoroughly or go for machine-made reproductions.
• Add molding to your ceiling for the traditional look. Layered moldings can simulate the look of richly carved crown moldings.
• Fake ceiling medallions, made of molded plastic compounds but look like plaster, are quiet cheap and interesting too.
• Try baseboard moldings to make your room ooze elegance and sophistication but keep away from plastic moldings here.
• Used panels to hide ugly walls or wainscot them 9paneling the bottom half of a wall) to add warmth to the room. You can also use bead boards for narrow slats placed evenly. Go cheaper with chair rails, painting the bottom half of the wall in a contemporary color and add a wallpaper border to it.
• Wall-to-wall carpeting can add color, warmth and texture to a dull and boring room and a thicker synthetic carpet can soundproof your apartment from nosy neighbors.
• Nylon floor carpets last longer and are easier to clean.
• Area rugs on a hardwood floor are less expensive and offer more decorating variety than wall-to-wall carpeting.
• Laminated floors can look like hardwood floor too.
• Floor tiles can make your floor look much more beautiful and you can also use it on countertops.
• Tiles come in different varieties such as clay based ones that are handmade, glazed, slippery, hard to clean but can last much longer; porcelain tiles that are hard and are colored well; terrazzo tiles made by setting marble or granite chips in concrete and polishing; terracotta tiles that are water and stain-resistant and are available in myriad of colors and styles. Choose ones that suit your purpose and budget.
• Sheet vinyl sheets and tiles can simulate almost anything and are thus very popular. They are easy to maintain too.
• Floating installation of laminate flooring are easily removable, scratch-resistant and easy to maintain but are not repairable and can get damaged by water.
• Cork tiles are inexpensive and warm but can be damaged by water too.
• Unlike sophisticated and expensive linoleum floors, concrete floors look earthy and rustic.
• Choose window treatments according to your privacy and light needs and you windows may be bare or have simple blinds and sheer curtains, if you have a great view outside.
• In bedrooms, you may want window treatments that block out light. Drapes and curtains with thermal linings keep rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
• Mini-blinds are very cheap. Other types of blinds are wood blinds, faux wood blinds, metal, vinyl and fabric blinds and may be horizontal or vertical as you choose. There are shades too such as Roman shades that you can go through and coordinate with valances painted and sewn at home for the elegant look you desire.