We’ve been spending more time in our homes than ever before, during the past year and a half of Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions.
For me personally, having lived in share houses for many years, I think I’d forgotten how important having a space you love to be in is. In those late-teen and early adult years, when you live in a share house of three plus people and you’re busy studying and working late nights, home can feel more like a place to crash than a place to hang out.
With share houses there’s also always this feeling of it being temporary — it doesn’t belong to only you and you probably won’t live there forever, so you feel less motivated to put effort into decorating it how you like.
But much like how a good outfit can make you feel better on a rainy day, coming home to a house that feels like you and is comfortable and aesthetically pleasing actually lifts your mood more than you’d think.
Re-decorating can be pretty expensive (if you have good taste), but it doesn’t have to be.
Here are seven tips on how to make your home look better for cheap.
Add plants
Plants can be expensive, it’s true, but if you buy the right ones or you’re resourceful, they don’t have to be. Indoor plants may seem like a trend, but they’re more than that. Not only do they add (literal) life to a room, they’re aesthetically beautiful and bring good energy into a space.
If you want to buy a store plant, Peace Lilies are the way to go. They’re low maintenance, bring good vibes and are only $14 a pop from Bunnings. You can buy one here.
You can also try flower markets, second-hand plants on Facebook Marketplace or plant sales (which pop up everywhere, you’ve just got to keep your eyes peeled).
Throw rugs change everything
This is such a mum thing to say, but honestly, a throw rug just makes everything look effortlessly chic. Whether it’s on the end of your bed or on the couch, a throw adds texture and warmth to a room and makes it look more liveable and cared for. You’ve got to get creative with your throw. You might already have something in your cupboard that could work, like a fluffy blanket or even a large shawl with a pattern on it can also look cute.
If you don’t have anything you think could work, go to an op shop. People go op-shopping for clothes and not much else, so you’d be surprised by the things you can find. Anything woven, knitted or with texture (like fur or frills) can work depending on your space, but the chunkier, the better. Just make sure you tumble dry it to kill any mites, bugs or germs, and get it smelling fresh before you drape it over your chosen piece of furniture.
Fill up a wall with floating shelves
A great way to decorate a wall is with floating shelves. They look especially great in bedrooms above your bedhead, or in a living room above the couch or a chair. Not only do they look great, but they’re also super functional. They can hold books, plants, candles, cute decorative knick knacks etc. They can really show a part of your personality and give a mood to a room, as well as filling up some of that empty space.
If you live in a rental, just be sure to flag with your landlord or real estate agent before popping them up. You can always use adhesive joinings instead of having to drill a nail into the wall, which is definitely best if it’s not your house. It also makes the whole DIY process less intimidating.
You can browse cheap floating shelves here.
Use your books or magazines as a bedside table
If you’re a nerd for a good book purchase or at one time you were addicted to buying magazines, put them on display. One of my favourite uses for my books is to pile them up next to my bed, and use the pile as a bedside table. It looks rustic and gives character to a space, while also keeping your books out, which may inspire you to pick one up that you haven’t read in a while.
Books and magazines show signs of life and interests that we have, which is a great way to add personality throughout a house. Pop a nice selection on your coffee table, next to your bed and even in the kitchen if you have room. Books can make a room look more colourful, characteristic and lived-in, which gives a really cosy feel.
Fairy lights
Okay, bear with me. Fairy lights might give you high school Tumblr vibes, but they really do have their place. If you have an outdoor space in your home, whether it be a balcony, a courtyard, or a fully formed backyard, incorporating fairy lights will make it look warm, expensive, thought-out and Instagrammable. They also have this wow factor, like as the sun goes down and you turn fairy lights on, you might hear an audible gasp.
There’s no such thing as “in fashion” with fairy lights. Fairy lights are forever.
Add fun cushions
For colour, texture and a bit of a pop moment, fun cushions work super well. You can add them to your bed — a bed can never have enough pillows — or to your couch, and along with your throw, they’re guaranteed to give you added comfort and colour.
My favourite type of cushion is one with texture, such as a furry pillow, velvet pillow or knitted pillow, or one with a crazy pattern or a bold block colour. Again, op shops can be your friend. But if you’d rather buy new, Spotlight has some cute decorative pillows that you can buy online here, as do Kmart, which you can find online here.
Use rope baskets for storage
You may not have heaps of storage and that’s okay. Instead of having to find ways to neatly stack things in corners of the room or on the floor, grab yourself a few rope baskets to pop your things in. You can use them for storage, as a bin, or even as a washing basket, to eliminate the dreaded floordrobe. Not only do they look stylish, but they also make your mess look purposeful and give your things a home, which clears up the floor space as well as your mind!
You can browse a whole range of cute and cheap rope baskets here.
