How to Furnish Your Home on a Budget

Choosing furnishings for your home on a tight budget can be challenging! So how do you furnish your home on a budget?

Well, there are plenty of small steps you can take to make your home look fantastic without breaking the bank.

The key to success is taking your time, making informed decisions, and not rushing the process.

Love What You Already Have

When you buy a new home, there can be pressure and desire to furnish it entirely from scratch, without considering what you already have.

Often, some of your current possessions just need a little bit of love and attention to leave them looking brand new.

Armchairs can be reupholstered to leave them looking unique and fresh, at a fraction of the cost of buying a new one. Wooden items such as pine tables and old cabinets can be stained, varnished, or painted to give them a new lease of life.

Hunt Down Second-Hand Gems

Gone are the days that second-hand shopping meant spending hours searching charity shops high and low.

Some fantastic furniture pieces can be found online, such as on the Facebook, Gumtree, and eBay marketplaces. Many items sell for way under their market value; some are even given away for free.

Scouring these sites can take a little time, and you should always look with an open mind. People are often giving away items that are as good as new because they simply lack the space to keep them any longer.

However, when second-hand shopping, be sure you are choosing pieces that you love. When you see heavy discounts or even free items, it can be tempting to snap them up without stopping to consider whether you want them, or you are just grabbing it because it’s a ‘bargain’.

Prioritise Your Purchases

Contrary to what you might have seen on social media, furnishing a home fully can often take many months, sometimes years.

This is especially relevant when you are working with a tight budget.

To get your home looking great, you must not rush the process. Otherwise, you could end up making unwise decisions and being disappointed with the final look.

When on a budget, it is vital to prioritise key pieces that you or your family simply cannot live without. Basic items such as a sofa, beds and a dining table are probably top of your list, with other items capable of waiting for a few months.

Try to remove the pressure from yourself to furnish the whole home, or entire rooms at once. It is perfectly normal to dress your home piece by piece, and it can be gratifying watching everything come together.

Mix ‘Pricey with Inexpensive‘

A handy tip for furnishing a property on a budget is to vary your price points. Choosing one staple luxury piece for a room and mixing it with inexpensive items can help transform any space.

When choosing your luxury pieces, try and stick to neutral shades which will work with your budget pieces. For example, choose a neutral sofa then add pops of colour with inexpensive cushions, throws and rugs.

Neutrals are Best

Choosing neutral furniture is a must for those on a budget. With neutral pieces, you can move them around your home, switching and changing rooms as the year’s pass.

This can be particularly relevant if you are furnishing your home in stages. Without a clear vision for each room, neutral pieces allow you to move the furniture around in the months and years to come.

Paint is Your Best Friend

Painting rooms might seem straightforward, but the impact it can make on your home is huge. Fresh paint, using excellent quality materials will lift a room and bring it all together.

Whilst bright whites will accentuate the natural light in your home, dark colours add the wow factor. Do not be afraid of using black, navy and deep green to add an extra element to every room.

You might also consider using removable wallpaper. This is a great option for renters or those on a budget who prefer to wait until funds are available for a full refurb.

Cohesion is Key

The key to elevating your home, and making it look more luxurious, is cohesion. There should be a consistent theme running throughout the house, showing you have put consideration and effort into your styling. For example similar textured fabrics in each room.

This does not have to mean that every room adheres to the same colour scheme, but simple nods to a consistent identity will go a long way towards making a budget home look pricey.