Decorating a home can be a little expensive, but if you are creative and patient it doesn’t have to be.  No matter which part of the house you are planning to redo, there are ways for you to save money and make a house into a cozy home that reflects you as a person. With some DIY techniques and budget planning, you can upgrade the look of your home without having to spend anything on professional interior design. So, are you prepared to get your hands dirty?

Let’s get you started with these 8 home decorating ideas on a budget.

1. Prolong the life of your furniture

Bring your leather furniture back to life by using olive oil. Use carpet protectors under the legs of chairs, tables and other furniture to help distribute the weight. Make sure you keep your carpet clean, it will last longer. Most sofa cushions are reversible, and can even be repositioned on the sofa as well as just being flipped. By doing so the wear will spread evenly. Prolong the life of your kitchen chairs with new fabric for reupholsters. Look for cheap solutions to get stains out of your wooden furniture and bathroom tiles.

2. Repaint

Just by splashing on some fresh paint on the walls will give your house a new look and be budget friendly. All you need is a paint brush, paint of your choice, inspiration and patience. You can even call your friends over to help you out. If your current wall color is eye catching, go the other way and look for more muted shades. Or refresh your current paint and add some ornament or geometric drawings. Not sure how to decide on colors? Ask your home improvement store to mix quart or sample sizes for you.

3. Accessorize

Another easy way is to rearrange the existing furniture, then accessorize it to bring in a new look. Just by rearranging furniture pieces you can make your space look bigger or smaller. Decide what your centerpiece will be and rearrange around it. Add some new pillows, blankets, area rugs and lamps. Cover your worn floor area with a funky new rug. If you don’t have plants already, get some. They will be with you for ages to come and the air in your house will be cleaner.

4. Upcycle

There are many benefits to upcycling – saving money and reducing landfill waste. Upcycling is turning what you consider trash into new and reusable items. You can literally upcycle everything you don’t need around the house: old silverware into artwork, old doors into new furniture pieces, old car parts into sofas etc. This is a great way to declutter your house and stay on the budget while adding unique pieces to your interior. The world of home improvement is at your fingertips with online tutorials.

5. Use accent lighting

Highlight your favorite paintings, pictures or even plants and add a completely new look to your room with accent lighting. The interior will look warmer and depending on the light it can appear bigger or smaller. Go with wall lights, ceiling lights, floor and table lamps. There is a huge variety of shapes, styles and fabrics to choose from nowadays, and prices vary to suit every budget.

6. Make your space look bigger with mirrors

Mirrors can be installed just about anywhere. They come in a variety of styles, sizes, designs and even customized shapes. Randomly group mirrors of various shapes and sizes, featuring different frames or borders for a collector’s look. Put a mirror in your fireplace and some candles for nice lighting. Hung a mirror to reflect a window for the illusion of another window in the room. The space will look bigger and brighter.

7. Don’t discount the possibility of owning second hand furniture

There are lots of good quality second hand furniture that you can buy at a very low price, without scrimping on quality. Not spending a lot on a piece of furniture allows you to get another one when the old one starts to annoy you. Plus your style is changing over time and you don’t want to end up with an unwanted overpriced piece. Even if the color clashes with your existing home decor, you can repaint or stain it, and change the elements you do not like. Make sure that the second hand furniture does not have water damage or bad odor.

8. Invest in multi-functional items

There are plenty of multi-functional furniture pieces that you can invest in to save money when decorating your home. Ottomans are a good way to start as you can never have too many when your friends are coming over. Plus, they can serve as storage. Or get a side table than can split into two seating units. Fix a plank onto a wall and pull it down to make it a working desk.

Damian Wolf is an entrepreneur and a writer. He mostly writes about technology, business and useful everyday living tips. He is also a contributor to several authority online magazines and very active on the main social networks. Besides writing, Damian is helping startups and small business to reach their potential through developing most efficient strategy. When he’s not at work, Damian loves to dive or enjoy sports.