Interior Styling on a Budget

design by Rebecca Frost
Simple accessories in a bathroom can instantly add a chic feel.

When styling a space you don’t need to spend thousands to make it look fresh and inviting. With a number of retailers offering designer inspired looks, colourful textiles and framed artworks for less, you can still have a little cash left over to go and spend it on a well deserved bottle of wine when you have finished styling your space!

I was recently asked to style an apartment going out to the property market but the clients had little budget and the base palette needed some colour and life. See my top 3 tips when styling on a budget:

  1. Floor Rugs: One of the easiest and quickest ways to add texture, balance and colour to a space. Not to mention also hide a multitude of sins when it comes to a few carpet stains! I sourced two designer rugs online second hand with the sellers located locally. One rug was brand new and selling for 70% off retail! Bargain.
  2. Keep it slim: If your styling a smaller apartment or room consider your styling selections scale and form. I select pieces that have slim line legs or tables with glass tops to open up the space rather than chunky/solid pieces that can limit the space. I like to hunt around at designer warehouse sales or outlet stores to pick up some well priced designer items for budget jobs. I also look for floor stock in designer stores that can be sold at a discounted rate. Don’t under estimate second hand selling websites as you can find some items brand new for a fraction of the cost. My Tip- Source local sellers! Inspect the items before purchasing, don’t rely on photos and go with cash so you can bargain a little harder.
  3. Art: There are so many options to get great art pieces on a budget. Transform bland, dull walls to be creative and visually engaging. I like works from Designer Boys, The Black list and Matt Blatt. I also like to make pieces myself! FYI I’m not an artist at all!! But I like to work with a colour wheel within the space and that helps me decide on complementary painting or textile colours. Framing makes a big difference to making a piece look more professional. Picking up cheap frames is easy ranging from Ikea, Target, Myer and beyond. I also like to pick up art when I’m overseas. This is a great way to get something unique and well priced.
Carpets sourced from second hand sites are a great way to give floors life and you can find new and near new options.
For smaller spaces look at furniture pieces that have slim lines or tables with glass tops to open up a space.
Art work is essential when styling a space. Look at prints or textured pieces and pre-made frames are cheaper than a custom frame option.
Smaller indoor potted plants are great to add some colour and sculptural form. A cost effective option that gives a great visual impact.
When staging your home for photography, add books and magazines to add interest in the images.
Simple styling accessories can be picked up from markets, online and at discount designer sales.

Leave a comment