10 Cheap Interior Design Tips

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Happy Tuesday, my creative friends :)
Today, I've got a submission from Renee about how to decorate your home without paying a pretty penny. Without further ado, take it away, Renee!


I’m excited and honored to be hanging out at Carly’s Createlive today. I’ve been following her blog for quite a while and she’s just great! 

I’m Renee, author/speaker and blogger over at http://Renee-joyjourney.com. My passion is to help women live in balance, purpose and victory through The {Mommy Makeover} Project … and coffee. 

So today, I’m really excited to talk about how you can make any room pop and NOT pay an expensive designer. I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on my living room. My talented sister-in-law helped me complete it. I learned a ton in the process. But here are my Top Ten Tips! 

1. Choose your focal point. We chose the center window. The bold drapes and furniture grouping around the window draw the eye. Build everything around the focal point. { I was clueless about focal points until this room project … so don’t feel bad if you’re just getting this too.} 
2. Select a tight color scheme. A combo that always works is 3 neutrals and 2 accent colors. Okay, let’s see how good you are. Take a look at my room. What are the neutral and accent colors? Where are they located? {Feel free to share below.} Stick to your color scheme and delete the things that don’t belong. This is no-time to get sentimental. 
3. Flooring. The area rug over the wooden floors pulls the furniture grouping together. Which leads me to number 4
4. Furniture groupings. You can make a room feel cozy by creating seating areas. A couch doesn’t have to be against the wall, by the way. Oh yeah, don’t forget to actually sit there and chat once you have it arranged. 
5. Lighting. Add lighting so that you can … see. That’s really important. 
6. Balance. You want to make sure your room is in balance. My baby grand {my dream come true}, a heavy piece, is balanced by a corner entertainment center, another heavy piece in the opposite corner. You get the idea. 
7. Pattern. Choose wisely. I had a vision of a room in black and white with swirl patterns. The damask fit the bill. Patterns show up in fabrics and rugs. 
8. Purpose. What are the different activities that will go on in this room? My living room serves several purposes: reading {book shelf with all my lovely books}, entertainment {movie and wii night}, musical enjoyment and of course conversation and drinking coffee. 
9. Organization. Store like items in their designated activity zone. The piano books are in the piano bench. The wii games are in the entertainment center. 
10. Accents. I saved the best for last. Add art and floral accents to your room. Notice that my accents are the red geraniums and the red textured, silky pillows. I also have black and white tulip sketches and a candlelabra. Accents should reflect the “amazing you”. 

Renee, Author/Speaker and Blogger at Http://Renee-joyjourney.com is dedicated to helping women live their dream through The {MOMMY MAKEOVER} PROJECT, a free 20 day ecourse. Her newest book, Total Home Makeover, will be in bookstores May 20, 2012. Learn more at Http://Renee-joyjourney.com.