Great Budget Decorating For the Great Room
Just because your budget is tight, that does not mean you cannot design your surroundings to be uniquely your own.
There are many places that you can find bargains, and with a little creativity and elbow grease you can use budget decorating ideas to create an amazing great room.
First Things First.
Any great design, regardless of how much it costs, is beautiful to look at and functional as well.
So before you even think about decorating an inch of your room, start by laying out your floor plan.
Use ¼ inch graph paper to draw a scale outline of your room where ¼ inch on the paper represents 1 foot in the room.
Make sure to mark doors, allowing for clearance when open, and windows.
Then trace the back of your design with a transfer pencil and iron it onto a piece of white felt.
Cut furniture pieces from colored felt, also to scale.
On your plan, arrange the furniture that you already have for the room, and then you can see if you need to add any new pieces.
Design with a Vision.
Now you need to think about what you want your great room to say about you and how it will represent your aesthetic.
You may want it to blend into your home, or you may want to juxtapose it against your current style.
But if you have a clear vision of what you want to do with your room, then as you are shopping you can find the perfect pieces to bring your vision to life.
If you take pictures of the furniture and accessories that are already in the room, then when you happen across that perfect addition to your room, you can snap it up immediately.
Bargains are all around you.
While you can always go bargain shopping at garage sales and thrift stores, you may also happen upon someone wanting to get rid of a piece of furniture.
If it happens to be what you are looking for, then for the price of hauling, you have a perfect find.
Remember that a bargain is not a bargain if it does not fit into your room's plan regardless of how cheap it is.
Always Be Ready.
Space is a funny thing, and size is relative.
It is amazing how small a couch looks in a warehouse, and how huge the same couch looks in a small living room.
The best way to solve this problem is to carry a tape measure with you.
If you put together a binder with your floor plan, furniture pictures, some notepaper and a tape measure, then you will always be ready to act on that serendipitous find.
Function is King.
As you are putting the look of your new great room together, remember that you want the room to be comfortable and function for your specific needs.
By having a place to keep everything, you make your room easy to use and maintain.
So if you love to read, re-purpose some old bookshelves with a fresh coat of paint.
If you love watching movies, then showcase your television and DVD collection in a reclaimed corner cabinet.
If you love doing crafts, use a refurbished desk with plenty of storage space underneath.
Think about how you plan to use the room, and make it work for you.
Time is your Friend! When you are decorating on a budget, you may not have a lot of money, but you do have time.
Take your time to find the perfect piece to add to your great room's design, and when you are done you will have a room that would make any designer proud.
There are many places that you can find bargains, and with a little creativity and elbow grease you can use budget decorating ideas to create an amazing great room.
First Things First.
Any great design, regardless of how much it costs, is beautiful to look at and functional as well.
So before you even think about decorating an inch of your room, start by laying out your floor plan.
Use ¼ inch graph paper to draw a scale outline of your room where ¼ inch on the paper represents 1 foot in the room.
Make sure to mark doors, allowing for clearance when open, and windows.
Then trace the back of your design with a transfer pencil and iron it onto a piece of white felt.
Cut furniture pieces from colored felt, also to scale.
On your plan, arrange the furniture that you already have for the room, and then you can see if you need to add any new pieces.
Design with a Vision.
Now you need to think about what you want your great room to say about you and how it will represent your aesthetic.
You may want it to blend into your home, or you may want to juxtapose it against your current style.
But if you have a clear vision of what you want to do with your room, then as you are shopping you can find the perfect pieces to bring your vision to life.
If you take pictures of the furniture and accessories that are already in the room, then when you happen across that perfect addition to your room, you can snap it up immediately.
Bargains are all around you.
While you can always go bargain shopping at garage sales and thrift stores, you may also happen upon someone wanting to get rid of a piece of furniture.
If it happens to be what you are looking for, then for the price of hauling, you have a perfect find.
Remember that a bargain is not a bargain if it does not fit into your room's plan regardless of how cheap it is.
Always Be Ready.
Space is a funny thing, and size is relative.
It is amazing how small a couch looks in a warehouse, and how huge the same couch looks in a small living room.
The best way to solve this problem is to carry a tape measure with you.
If you put together a binder with your floor plan, furniture pictures, some notepaper and a tape measure, then you will always be ready to act on that serendipitous find.
Function is King.
As you are putting the look of your new great room together, remember that you want the room to be comfortable and function for your specific needs.
By having a place to keep everything, you make your room easy to use and maintain.
So if you love to read, re-purpose some old bookshelves with a fresh coat of paint.
If you love watching movies, then showcase your television and DVD collection in a reclaimed corner cabinet.
If you love doing crafts, use a refurbished desk with plenty of storage space underneath.
Think about how you plan to use the room, and make it work for you.
Time is your Friend! When you are decorating on a budget, you may not have a lot of money, but you do have time.
Take your time to find the perfect piece to add to your great room's design, and when you are done you will have a room that would make any designer proud.
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