How I Decorated my Living Room on a Budget

I waited for sales

When I added in the desk area to our living room, we got the desk for $200 on a President’s Day sale when on Amazon, it’s usually over $300!

lamp (no longer available) / desk

We shopped thrift stores

I love using old oak frames from the thrift store for $1 and giving a fresh coat of paint. Sure, it takes time, but it is by far the cheapest way to buy frames. We also got an old beat up shelf for $3 and gave it new life with paint. Lastly, I redid a $2 bulletin board and gave it a whole new look

I decorated with books

I got most of the books I use to decorate with for gifts (aka they were free) and guess what, they are fun to read too :). They are a subtle way to add color. If you love pink too, here is my dictionary of pink books.

 

We used inexpensive art

The large botanical wall hanging was only $2! I go over the details here, but it was a free printable and I printed it as a $2 engineering print and put it in a frame I already had on hand.

We saved up our money, and then shopped when we found a good deal

I got the drapes for around $20 when I found them on sale at Down East Home. These are originally Pottery Barn drapes for $178! Make sure to put a note in your phone the length of curtains you are looking for so when you are out and about you can buy the correct ones if you find an awesome deal!

I got my DIY on by making a table runner

It’s super simple and made out of outdoor fabric so I don’t have to worry about ruining it when I over water my plants 🙂

I use pillow covers

I love them because I can change up when I get bored of them and they’re way cheaper than buying decorative pillows. These are Caitlin Wilson knockoffs and are $14 each instead of $60 each (here’s a whole list of inexpensive places to find Caitlin Wilson look alike pillows)

I used items I already had around my house

The cameras on my desk were just in a closet before and now they can shine!

Those are the 11 ways I have worked to slowly turn my living room into my favorite place. I had to work hard to get my look, but it is totally worth walking into a room that inspires me and is the backdrop for our family. How have you decorated on a budget? Any awesome ideas I am missing?