Get the look for less

Home-Dzine is all about affordable home decor and DIY... about giving your home a makeover for less. Here are a few tips on decorating a home on a budget and saving yourself some money in the process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your upholstered furniture is starting to look grubby and a good cleaning won't help, avoid reupholstering altogether by making up your own slipcovers. This slipcovered chair got a facelift - fast - with a folded, lightweight cotton rug. The crisp white cover is easily removed for cleaning and the added rug ties the chair to existing elements in the room, namely the side table.

 

 

 

 

Give dark or dated furniture a quick and easy makeover with a coat or two of paint. Today's paints are designed to be easy to apply and durable. Home-Dzine offers all the advice you need on various painting methods using a selection of paints and products. If you are giving old furniture a new look, change the hardware. New handles and knobs make a big difference, and your local Builders Warehouse has a wide selection to choose from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We know that paint is one of the most affordable ways to give any room a makeover, and you don't need to paint the whole room. Save yourself some time - and money - by choosing a colour to paint a feature wall.

 

 

 

 

This living room was given a budget makeover that included painting the focus wall in a duck-egg blue. Add some sheer white curtains and a lighter hanging option and you have a completely new look. If you're a DIY Diva, knocking up a couple of coffee tables and making frames for an ottoman or two is simple. In fact, both the coffee tables and ottomans are made exactly the same way. Cover the ottoman with a removable cotton slipcover... and voila!

 

 

 

 

Save a bundle by making your own artwork or arranging a display of collectibles in a new and unique way. Simple picture frames - repurposed or made - mounted onto a wall are a fun way to dress up a plain space.

 

 

 

 

While you can still pick up throw cushions for around R50 each, check out the scrap bin at your local fabric store and you can make and change your pillows as and when you like simply by making your own. Fabrics like cotton and linen, burlap and canvas are inexpensive and a cheap way to add texture and interest to a room. Embellish them with your own personal touches.

 

 

 

 

Nothing gives a room a quicker and more affordable makeover than a change around. Moving furniture around and swapping out pieces from other rooms won't cost you anything - and you might be pleasantly surprised at how it changes the look of a room.

 

 

At the end of the day any makeover is possible without spending a bundle. Shop around for bargains, but what you need at your local Builders Warehouse, and make what you can't afford to buy. By equipping yourself with a few basic skills; learning how to sew, acquiring a basic knowledge of DIY and woodworking, a home makeover becomes more affordable, plus you empower yourself in the process.