Tips for Decorating your Bedroom on a Budget

I haven’t shared our bedroom on my blog in a while (HERE) and the reason for that is the fact that I loved it just the way it was. I still do but have recently decided to add a little bit more color to the mix. Blue has crept into the rest of our home so naturally, I wanted a little bit more blue in our master bedroom as well. I thought today’s Beautiful Bedrooms Tour blog hop hosted by Tammy at Pink Peppermint Design was the perfect way of sharing the new update and also my tips for decorating your bedroom on a budget.

You might not be able to tell by the photos of our bedroom that we live in a small twin home. You can actually read more about the stark reality of our small home HERE and what I struggle with. To me, our bedroom is proof that no matter where you live you can create something that you feel comfortable in. I didn’t get here overnight but I can truly say that our bedroom is like a tiny vacation for me. Isn’t that something nice to say? Everyone should feel like that in their own bedroom. Am I right?

So today I want to share what has worked for me and what my favorite bedroom decorating tips are.

Tips for decorating your Bedroom on a Budget:

1. Don’t buy bedroom sets!!!

It’s my favorite rule ever and applies to every room in your home. Pick out a bed you love and go from there. It doesn’t matter where it comes from… thrift shop, Craigslist, eBay, yard sale… Now don’t panic or get mad if you already have a set and no budget to buy something new. In this case, try to switch up the nightstands by painting them and adding new hardware (my nightstands are affordable Ikea dressers with updated hardware. Click HERE). Or you could change up your bed by painting it or reupholstering it.

2. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on bedding to get a beautiful look

Once again don’t buy a set at the store. Personally, I only use fitted sheets and a fluffy duvet (from Ikea) in a white cover. I’m from Germany and don’t use sheets on my bed. I know this is preferential but I don’t like having a duvet that you can’t strip from the cover to wash and the extra need for a sheet to protect that duvet. But even if you use a sheet, using a simply covered duvet is the best way to be flexible with your decor and to stay within your budget. I have recently discovered this affordable duvet cover HERE for under $30 and it’s so soft and perfect.

3. Invest in key pieces that you love and change out the small accessories

I wrote a post a while ago that showed how my bedroom has evolved over time. Over that period of time, you can see how the key pieces have stayed the same (click HERE). For example, I purchased that chaise about 18 years ago and it was a brown corduroy fabric. I don’t know why I used to like brown so much and that fabric was so awful with cats. Their claws snagged and ripped it like crazy. So I reupholstered it and voila it’s like new (click HERE). I didn’t do it all myself, just partially.

And even if you don’t have the money to invest in big-ticket items from the store, you can find some great key pieces on Craigslist or at an auction. Key pieces can be found on a very tight budget!

My aunt gave me that chandelier when we got married and originally it hung in our dining room.

4. Add some plants

I overdid it a little in my bedroom but I never thought the plants would grow this huge. Thankfully we have a cathedral ceiling in our bedroom and in the summertime, they will head outside. Can you believe that the banana tree is a faux tree? It stays in here all year round and looks fantastic. I’ve had it for 15 years and still love it. So even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can still add a faux plant, they aren’t shunned anymore. (Check out this similar one HERE or HERE).

5. Change out the pillows

To me, that is the most obvious tip. Keep a good stash of affordable pillow covers and some Ikea inserts and change them out. H&M, Target, Etsy, and HomeGoods always have a great selection and don’t break the bank. The drawers in my nightstands are filled with pillow covers and I can change them all out to my heart’s content without having to buy anything. I still do acquire more of course as you can see in the photos. I bought the new blue pillows (click HERE) and the lumbar pillow (click HERE) but that was all I new purchased for this space. The pillows on the chaise were formerly in my living room, then the dining room, and now my bedroom.

6. Shop your home

I gathered things from around the house, simple as that. The basket and throw were in my dining room. The chaise and leopard pillows were from my downstairs as well.

7. Make your own art

I painted the blue artwork a long time ago and you can check out some of my recent art tutorials HERE and HERE. It’s really not difficult to start making your own.

{You can also check out some of my other budgets decorating tips by clicking HERE and my popular Ikea decorating tips HERE. My favorite tip is how I acquired that beautiful authentic Beni Ourain.}

To me, no personal space is complete without my pets. As a child, it was my dogs and now it’s my cats. They make this bedroom even cozier to me and I couldn’t imagine this space without them. I know that a lot of people don’t feel like me but I just had to add that to the post to show you that you can have a pretty space with your furry friends. Do they ruin things? Yes, they do one occasion but that is ok. My kids occasionally ruin things too and I still love them. That’s life! Kids and furry kids are always welcome in our bedroom.

Full Source List:

wall color is Rocky Bluffs by Valspar | rug is authentic vintage Beni Ourain, find a similar one HERE | similar basket HERE | chaise is vintage, similar one HERE | bed is originally from Magnussen Furniture and not available anymore, find a very similar one HERE or HERE | fur HERE | leopard lumbar pillow HERE | chaise pillows HERE | similar throw not available anymore | bedding HERE | bed lumbar pillow HERE | blue bed pillows Target | nightstands are Ikea dressers HERE with new pulls HERE and you can find similar smaller nightstand HERE | similar lamps HERE | chandelier HERE | black and white art Ikea | abstract art I painted myself | similar faux banana tree HERE | the rest are real trees | DIY tassel HERE | brass skull from Craigslist | floor is Pearl City Click Bamboo from Lumber Liquidators| cats are from the shelter 😉 #adoptdontshop

Here is a photo of my bedroom the last time I shared it. You can see the post by clicking HERE. To me the blue and plants livened the space up tremendously but like I said I really loved it before too.

You can get my bedroom artwork and several other pieces for free when you sign up for my email list!

Check out my 15 channel tufted bed options and my favorite cheap queen platform beds.