Need some great money saving decorating ideas? We’ve got tips on how you can give your space a face lift without breaking the bank! Read on for budget DIY decorating ideas:

• Clearance and “As-Is”
  Ever looked at the clearance section of your favorite store? You can find great deals on discontinued items and some “As-Is” merchandise that may have a bit of a scratch. Even if it is missing a knob, you can replace that yourself and save up to 70%!
• Buy from Art Students
  Visit your local college to find art available by art students and save money on original art. There’s even an online web site called Ugallery.com where you can find artwork from colleges nationwide. There’s a large selection available for under $100 or less.
• Hire a Carpenter
  Need a no-frills furniture item like a bookcase? Consider finding a local carpenter to make it for you. If you paint or stain it yourself, you’ll save even more.
• Shop Online for Vintage Deals
  Looking for antiques to complete your look? Instead of scouring your local resale shops, go online and try shopgoodwill.com. Do a search for other web sites for deals on Persian rugs and even pottery.

Wall decals can also complete any look and with a variety of sizes available, there’s sure to be something to fit any budget. Also, depending on how much of your wall you want to cover, you can even find individual wall stickers for under $10. You can save even more by ordering with a friend to share a wall pack or split shipping costs. Happy decorating.

Here’s a little DIY decorating story about our Facebook contest winner, Dani from the United Kingdom. She recently sent us a photo from her room redesign she did using Goth Wall Slicks. Danielle, a young college student, is actually quite a great Do-It-Yourself decorator! Right now, she’s living in a shared house, so, her personal space is her bedroom. She really wanted her room to reflect her unique personality which she calls “not a girly girl but not a tomboy either.”

She painted her walls a lovely light lilac color and kept them mostly plain so it wouldn’t make her small space feel cramped. Just a few pictures and a mirror for accents, and underneath the mirror is a shelf. It was the swirly black metal shelf brackets that inspired her accessories and why the Goth wall decals were a perfect fit and really got her creative juices flowing once she won the contest. With her “swirly” design in mind, she found great bedding that was black and white with swirls and flowers (very similar to the gothic decals.)
“Because the majority of my furniture is dark I wanted to keep the room feeling light so opted for white woodwork - skirting boards, door and the built in wardrobe doors,” Danielle tells us. “The room was certainly lighter but the wardrobe doors seemed so blank and boring I really wanted to spice them up. Looking through your web site I saw the gothic decals and instantly had idea’s running through my head, waiting in eager anticipation I drew up sketches of my room, ordered a few new pieces of furniture (nothing fancy just a bookcase and a bedside table, and a few accessories like a candlestick) then as soon as the decals arrived I set to work and using the decals brought the wardrobe doors to life.”

Here’s Danielle’s photo of her wardrobe doors embellished with wall slicks!

Danielle also went on to say, “I was shocked firstly by how easy the decals were to use, but also how effective they were in transforming the doors. From dull brown wood to magnificent in less than half an hour!”
We’re so excited the Goth Wall Slicks worked for you, Danielle and thanks for sharing your DIY decorating story with us!

If being green in your home and office is important to you, you’ll be happy to know that Wall Slicks, the original wall decals, are Green certified.
Wall Slicks wall decals are a great way to design your own professional look on home or office walls and the vinyl used to create the product has been certified by Det Norske Veritas. This means that the product has met the standards to reduce environmental impact. The raw vinyl, manufactured by Orafol Europe, and its US subsidiary, Oracal USA, has the most green process of any vinyl manufacturer. Plus, they are constantly looking for ways to improve their processes, reduce waste, pollution and offset their environmental footprint.

In addition to the vinyl that the decal is made of, the water-based adhesive used to apply the decals also contains no-odor or volatile chemical content. This is the perfect solution for decorating in kids rooms and baby nurseries. You want to create a healthy environment for your children, even in your decorating. In addition to being happy with how visually appealing it is, knowing that the “Baby Blocks”, “Train” or “Princess” design you chose for their wall is not omitting any toxic chemicals is a good feeling.

If you live a green life, you’ll appreciate this green DIY decorating idea. Want more ideas on how to decorate green? Read this previous post on Budget DIY Makeover with tips on how to re-use and re-cycle what you already have in the house for a new look.

Looking to save money on your next decorating project? You don’t have to buy a store full of furniture to change the look of your room. With a little creative thinking, you can re-use and re-purpose furniture and other things you already have to make that room shine. Follow these steps for some ideas that will inspire you, save money and get those creative juices flowing.

1. Assess
   Take a good look at the furniture you already have, in EVERY room: Tables, chairs, couch… every piece in your entire house. Don’t forget the pieces you’ve hidden away in the garage. Is it working where you have it? Is it the right size for the space it is in now? Would it be better in the room you are re-decorating? Is it worn and needs repairs you can do (ie. Fabric fraying, wood a little dinged, paint chipping). Quick fabric and paint changes can re-fresh tired furniture, so, don’t throw it away!
2. Review
   Look around at the room you want to re-do. What pieces should be taken out? Can you take a piece of furniture and turn in on its side (like a bookshelf)? How about painting? Paint is not just for walls, though that will also help your budget makeover, furniture can also benefit from a paint job too (just remember to sand off the old paint or stain first). And, draping fabric, scarves or table cloths over end tables, chairs or even book shelves can also re-fresh tattered furniture. You can also DIY and recover fabric chairs with a little effort.
3. Swap With Friends
   Can’t quite get the look you want with the furniture you already have? Visit your friends and neighbors and suggest a furniture swap. (Don’t forget to check their garage too). They’ll get a great piece to update their space and you’ll have something “new” to complete your look.
4. Repaint and Rearrange
   Definitely repaint your walls as that is the easiest way to change the look of a room. And, don’t be afraid of color. The room will seem much more professionally decorated if you choose a color that is not plain old white. Then, rearrange by taking everything out of the room and starting over with the new furnishings you’ve discovered around the house or from friends. Place larger items first and fill in with the smaller pieces.
5. Accessorize
   Check you closets for items you haven’t used in years, such as pillows, throws, remnant fabric, even an old skirt can become a new pillow with a little sewing, or, cut the seam and drape it over the furnishings. Rearrange items from another room to the one you’re working on if it’s better suited for the color and style you’ve chosen. Decorating items are everywhere in your house already, even in your clothes closet. You know how much you loved your favorite scarf or skirt when you bought it, maybe you haven’t worn it in awhile and it’s time to re-purpose it and enjoy it in your home decorating!

If you limit yourself to what you can work with, you’ll find you end up with great results. Putting parameters around your decorating project helps you come up with something unique and different, all because you didn’t go with your first choice and just run out and buy it. You don’t have to spend money to end up with a beautiful look. It just takes planning and time to think about the best way to use what you already have. So, be creative, re-use, re-purposing and change it up. Get those creative juices flowing and have fun decorating.