My Shiny Things

You may drool over the beautiful fashion spreads in home decorating magazines, and you may lust after all the luscious fabrics, furniture, and decorating accents that are enjoyed by the wealthy and famous. However, you may not realize that you don’t need a ton of money in order to generate a beautifully styled home. In fact, you can decorate your home for less than you imagine while still enjoying stunning surroundings.

The secret is to shop around. Rather than shopping at home decor stores, look for sales, online catalogs, online auction sites, yard sales, estate sales, and newspaper ads. All these sources can sell you antiques, furnishings, and accents for far less than you would expect to pay. Buy unusual items that attract you, and then paint, refinish, and touch them up to suit your exact style. This way, not only will you get beautiful pieces for far less than you expect to pay, but you also get customized items that fit with your overall color scheme and decor style perfectly. In fact, you may find that people ask you where you got your decoration ideas and decor items!

One of the best places to shop is online. Browse online sites in stores to see what is available, what attracts you, and which pieces would best suit your home. Once you have browsed a bit, start a scrapbook detailing which pieces attract you, which styles you like, which items you wish to buy, and what items you need. Keeping a scrapbook full of paint chips, fabric samples, and inspirational ideas will ensure that when you do find that perfect piece, you will easily be able to snatch it up at a great price.

Don’t overlook the possibility of using inexpensive illusions in order to create a wonderful home. While many people focus on that gorgeous sofa, chandelier, or stained glass window, you can start achieving a beautiful home right now with inexpensive accents such as candles. Simply clustering some beautifully colored candles on a plain tray can make your room look far more alluring and mysterious. Using candles rather then your overhead lights in your dining room or kitchen while you dine is another way to introduce beautiful living to your home. Don’t overlook paint, either. For just a few dollars, you can buy enough paint to touch up a wall, floor, or makeover to desk. And be sure to use your nose, as well. Introduce beautiful fragrances, perfumes(Christina Aguilera perfume for example), scented candles, and incense into your rooms in order to create an attractive atmosphere. Fragrances make your room seem fresher and far more welcoming.

With decorating, the important thing is not to delay. Start implementing some subtle changes today. Move around some furniture, add a few candles, spray a few spurts of a favorite fragrance into a room. You will immediately start to see the effects of decorating and you will enjoy living in your home far more. This will keep you motivated and interested in your home decor as you pursue all the decorating projects in your new scrapbook.

Article source: http://www.myshinythings.com/blog/live-well-on-less-minimalist-home-decoration-tips/