Changing your home decor style on a budget

I have gotten the question quite often lately about how I changed to a different style or vibe in my home but one recent comment on my blog really made me think about actually writing a blog post about it. A lot of you who have followed me since the beginning of my blog have noticed that my home has evolved over time from a colorful more glam style to a more subtle and neutral style. I hate labeling styles because I don’t think there are decorating rules and I don’t like being pushed into a box. I decorate with items in my home that I love even if they don’t match a certain label.

My transition happened gradually without me thinking about it. I still love colorful styles a lot but I feel a lot comfier how things are decorated now. I always compare my home to my fashion and the way I decorate now is also reflecting the wardrobe in my closet, so I think this is a big reason why I feel more comfortable with my home the way it is now.

I believe that the turning point for me was when our home appeared in BHG’s Do it yourself magazine (which you can see HERE). When I saw the pages in the magazine it struck me as “wow this is so not me at all”. The graphic designers and editors for these types of publications crank up the saturation of colors on top of the fact that the accessories are already pretty colorful. The stylist also added some things that weren’t mine and added even more color.

From that moment on I started to slowly remove the really colorful items of my home and transitioned to a more “serene to me” decor. This is certainly something different for every individual.

I was lucky to have always decorated with a very neutral base which means the more pricey items were all versatile and neutral in color which made them easy to use in a home decor style transition.

As you can see above the key pieces are still the same in our living room and I didn’t even change the wall color which is seashell gray by Valspar by the way. All that changed is the area rug, curtains, artwork, pillows, lamp, and accessories.

I’m currently sticking to muted blue tones and black and white patterns which I have loved since I was a child.

Here is my neutral base in our living room (click on arrows to scroll through):

 

Our bedroom is another example where the key major pieces of furniture have stayed the same and only accessories have changed. It’s like playing a game of “I spy” where you circle the things that have changed. (The wall color is rocky bluffs by Valspar the sun shining into the room makes it look different but it really is the same wall color)

Our fireplace area is an example where everything has changed but it is still a subtle change.

And in our dining room pretty much everything has changed as well and I’m currently changing it again.

 

Changing your home decor style on a budget

 

But what if you don’t have a neutral and versatile base like myself where you can just change out the accessories?

Transitioning from one style to another isn’t as hard as some people might think and it certainly doesn’t and shouldn’t go overnight. It’s ok to start the process slowly so you can incorporate items that you truly love because that is the most important thing when decorating your home.

Remove Accessories

Usually, I suggest removing everything out of the room to start fresh but in this case, I suggest leaving the major pieces of furniture to see how they feel. Do remove the rug, curtains, lamps, and accessories and see what you have as a base. Sometimes items you thought you hated, look differently again in a new light.
For example, my coffee table is Hollywood Regency and not what people would place into a home with distressed leather and weathered wood chairs but it works anyways. You really don’t need to throw everything out.
But don’t put pieces back in the room that you really dislike, make it a mission to replace those pieces.

Always remember that you don’t need to follow any decorating rules. See how something feels to you.

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Sell to have spending cash!!!

This is one of my favorites and most important tips and a no-brainer to me when trying to find funds for changing the style of your home. I love reselling some of my pieces on Craigslist or Facebook so I can have the cash to spend on some other home decor pieces. I recently sold my tulip chairs and put that cash right back into my home.
Don’t be a quick donator. Give it a couple weeks or months on Craigslist, you’ll be happy you did. And don’t aim too high, price the items well.
Right now I actually want to sell my brass dining room chairs. They aren’t working with the height of my dining room settee at all.

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If you are buying new…

Invest in key pieces that are neutral

Stick to buying neutral and classic pieces that can transition to a new style easily. My bed, sofa, and tables are all classic pieces and can be decorated to look completely different with accessories.
I would love to buy a fun printed and unique sofa at times but I know that I don’t have the budget to change that piece should I grow tired of it.

Another neutral base for me that ads character and can transition are architectural details by adding molding. My simple fireplace surround makeover wasn’t expensive but added so much to the overall look. (click HERE) I have previously added crown molding and am currently adding wall molding to my dining room.

Find my favorite classic two-tier glass coffee tables HERE, my favorite sofas HERE, my favorite neutral and versatile rug HERE (mine is the ivory option) and my favorite black and white curtains HERE.

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Make lists

I love the power of a good list and the goals they create.

Make a list of items you want to sell or donate.
And also make a list of items you want to acquire, like certain pillows and accessories. This list can extend into a Pinterest board for each room with inspiration photos. In my mind, a Pinterest board is a list and can help you achieve your decorating goal.

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PILLOWS!!!

I feel like that is something everyone expects and knows already but my thing is to buy Ikea inserts and then just buy covers either on Etsy or at H&M because I can store them much easier and they are usually more affordable. Although I have splurged on some beautiful pillow covers on Etsy which I have not regretted at all. You can see my favorite handmade Etsy pillow covers by clicking HERE.
Pillows always make the biggest impact when changing to a new home decor style.

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Shop your own home/attic

I’m a hoarder and not afraid to admit that. I’m glad that I keep my favorite pieces and store them in our attic and when I feel the itch to redecorate I visit my attic first before buying anything else. It has helped me more than once. I know it contradicts a little with my first point of selling things. My number one deciding factor is always by deciding if an item is sentimental or not. If it is, I keep it, if it’s not then I sell.

 

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Frequently visit discount stores

For me, it’s a no-brainer again but I don’t think most people see it that way because you need patience. It’s key! Like I said above it doesn’t happen overnight and I relentlessly visit my favorite stores. Remember that you have a list and inspiration but you can also be flexible. Sometimes I think that I know exactly what I want but then I see something at HomeGoods or Goodwill that I didn’t even know I wanted but I end up loving so much. That piece changes the direction I had planned initially. And guess what? That’s ok!
I love being flexible but I also know it stresses other people out because they struggle with making a decision.
The nice thing about places like HomeGoods is that you can buy things, try them out at home and return if it doesn’t make you happy the way you thought it would.

 

I hope I can help any of you who are struggling with a transition in their home decor. If I forgot anything and you have more questions please ask in the comments below so I can update my post. And as always, share on Pinterest so others can see and add to the conversation!

And if you have any other questions or ideas for posts please let me know. They help me a lot when trying to figure out what to write about.

One more thing, you can also see how versatile our living room is in a post I wrote about the different furniture layouts I have tried by clicking HERE. There are 4 different ways and looks. Or you might like my post about how I decorate on a very tight budget HERE, my bedroom budget decorating ideas HERE, my Ikea decorating tips HERE or decorating with a teenager on a budget HERE. 

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Tschüß,