By Michael Hill
Living in a small apartment or studio can be restricting when it comes to decorating. The limited square footage means a lack of storage space, prone to clutter, and a little room for styling and decorating. However, shift your view 180-degrees and you’ll realize that it can also be a good challenge for you and even beneficial financial-wise.
Even with a limited budget and space to work with, you can give life to your home if you get your creativity flowing. Check out some tips to see how you can maintain your budget properly while transforming your humble abode into a cozy sanctuary. Let’s get to work!
Shop for preloved items
Utilize Facebook Marketplace, buy and sell apps like Carousell or eBay, and check out thrift stores or surplus stores. You can find second-hand yet manageable items you can dust off and use, such as a bookshelf, desk, or other furniture items like a dining table and couch on these platforms.
Take time to search on these marketplaces first before you consider buying brand new items. More often than not, you’ll find home decor and furniture items that are still in good condition. Don’t be afraid to ask and negotiate when you find something you like that fits your budget and vision for your home.
Repurpose old items or furniture pieces
You can rework an old suitcase into a coffee table or a bookcase into a kitchen cabinet where you can display your chinaware. You can also transform a shabby window into a message board using chalkboard paint, scrap plywood, and sandpaper.
You can do these projects with your family or friends. Buying materials will still relatively cost less than purchasing brand new. Repurposing and restoring old items into new stuff may take a lot of time, effort, and energy, but that’s what makes it all the more rewarding than buying new stuff.
Get a houseplant
If you’re looking for a less expensive and simple way to give your small space a touch of life, consider buying a houseplant or asking your plant-loving friends or relatives if they can hand you down one of their own. Houseplants as decoration can add a natural and fresh accent to your space.
Aside from breathing life, a houseplant is also one way to liven up any space and make it an eco-friendly home. Look into air-purifying plants like ferns, snake plants, palms, and chrysanthemums to help increase the oxygen and fight chemical pollutants coming from man-made materials in your home.
Use paint to turn something basic into funky
Another inexpensive way to decorate your home or update your furniture and decor pieces is to use paint. You can paint your thrift chairs or coffee table to make it feel brand new or transform a plain desk lamp into a luxe-looking one by painting it rose gold. Changing their color will give them a completely different look.
If you’re still itching for something new or merely thinking about replacing an item to fit your style, consider this ingenious trick first. Explore different finishes, such as ombre, sponging, and ragging. In a matter of hours, paint can make dingy walls or dull cabinets fresh again.
Design and decorate with washi tapes
Ever since washi tape became a trend for all things scrapbooking, journaling, and DIY, it has never left. Using washi tapes is a surprisingly smart and stylish way to jazz up your space. What’s good with it is it’s an easy material to work with, and you can always change it up whenever you feel like it. It’s also renter-friendly!
Washi tape is one of the most versatile materials you can use to decorate your home. You can use it on cabinets, walls, mirror frames, shelves, doors, and more. You can create a grid accent wall, a mini gallery wall, or give your open shelves a facelift. With washi tapes, the possibilities are endless.
Final thoughts
Instead of seeing having a small space as a disadvantage, think of it as a challenge and an opportunity to exercise your style and creative vision when it comes to decorating. You just need to find the perfect balance for your home to look welcoming, spacious, and inviting. Hopefully, the tips above can help make your room a haven that you wouldn’t trade even for a mansion.
About the Author
Michael Hill is the Marketing Manager at Ayala Land International. He believes that every day is a chance to learn something new. In his free time, he writes about home improvement, personal finance, and lifestyle articles while listening to soul and jazz music.
