RENOVATION
MONEY-SAVING DECORATING
STRAPPED FOR CASH? HERE, THE IDEAL HOME TEAM SHARES WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LIVING SPACE FEEL NEW, WITHOUT THE BIG SPEND
H owever much we love browsing our favourite homeware stores and vintage warehouses, we shouldn’t let easy ideas to redecorate homes for free slip from our minds.
For example, interiors expert Laurence Llewelyn Bowen’s ‘furniture therapy’ involves placing everything in the middle of the room before putting it back in a new way. So take a morning for a furniture reshuffle, some shelf restyling and perhaps using leftover paint to make things feel brand new.
Check out these tried-and-tested thrifty refreshes from the Ideal Home team, and other décor experts, to help you refresh your space for free.
1 GET CREATIVE WITH FRAMES
Ideal Home’s editor, Heather Young’s favourite budget idea involves framing anything and everything. ‘I like to get creative with what’s displayed in my home,’ she says. ‘I save things like cards, giftwrap and allpaper watches (even food packets!) so that if I want to change up the art on the walls, I don’t have to buy new prints. I’ve even popped a favourite T-shirt my son grew out of in a frame because I loved the design so much.’ You could also collect flowers and foliage to make into artwork. Frame and display pressed seasonally appropriate blooms to give your home an update every few months.
2MOVE ARTWORK AND ACCESSORIES
‘Have a swap around with your favourite items,’ suggests Ideal Home’s content editor Holly Walsh. ‘You might be bored of a print on the wall of your living room, so how about hanging it in the bathroom? Or a cushion on your sofa might look better on your bed.
3 SOURCESECOND-HAND FURNITURE FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY
‘I love scouring Facebook Marketplace and freecycle apps to see if I can pick up furniture or accessories to update my home for free,’ says Ideal Home’s digital deputy editor, Rebecca Knight. ‘But, it’s also a good idea to spread the word among friends and family if you’re looking for a specific item. I needed some new dining room chairs and it just so happened that my mum’s friend had a set of four she was throwing out. She let me have them for free.’
4 BROWSEYOUR OWN HOME
‘To beat clutter, I pack old accessories in a box and stash it in the loft,’ says Heather. ‘Then when I fancy a new look, I get it down and it’s like having new things to choose from for free! I love rediscovering accessories and get the thrill of shopping without the price tag.’ If you’re about to pack seasonal clothes away, why not also make a box of homeware to save for a rainy day.
5 USE LEFTOVER PAINT
Millions of litres of paint end up in landfill each year in the UK alone, so use any leftover paint from previous projects for an eco-friendly, purse-friendly
