A few months ago, I moved into a new townhouse with my college sweetheart. When I began dreaming of how to decorate our house, I knew I wanted to create a place that felt homey and luxurious…. but on a budget. You see, I’m in the middle of paying off debt, so I didn’t want to invest a ton of money into decorating. Also because we will be moving around every 2-3 years because of our military lifestyle, I wanted to make sure that anything we bought would work in our future homes.
Use a neutral color palate.
I watch a lot of HGTV, and I’ve found that my favorite “dream homes” tend to have a neutral color palate: think greys, whites, tans, and browns. They allow the various textures of the furniture and flooring to shine through. Plus, you can add pops of colors in your accessories, such as pillows, rugs, and artwork. It’s much less expensive to replace minor details than the major ones.
Hang curtains above the window.
One of my favorite things about luxury homes is their high ceilings and abundance of natural light. To emulate this trick in my own home, I buy longer curtains and hang them as close to the ceiling as possible, which makes my ceilings look taller. Also, during the day, I open the curtains and blinds so the sunshine will flood my home. Nothing makes me happier than sunshine!
Ditch the clutter.
You know those HGTV homes? They all have one thing in common: they’re so neatly organized! Now I’ll be honest, it can be tricky to keep things organized, but if you’re able to pare down your belongings, it can make a huge difference! I’ve noticed with bookshelves especially, the less you display the better.
Buy a bouquet of flowers.
I love fresh flowers, but for the longest time I never bought them. I just couldn’t justify spending money on them when they would die in a few weeks. Although I don’t buy them all the time, they look absolutely gorgeous on my dining room table! Two tips I’ve learned: trim the stem about 1-2 inches from the bottom, and pull off all of the leaves that will touch the water. These tips will extend the life of your flowers!
Light a candle.
One of my favorite thing about visiting the spa is how they always have so many candles. It just makes for gorgeous lighting! Some of my favorite candles are Yankee Candles and Bath & Body Works candles, but they can be a little pricey. I sign up for their email lists and buy my candles when they are on sale.
Buy name-brand toilet paper.
Okay, so this one is a little trivial, but I always buy name-brand toilet paper because it makes me feel like I’m in a spa! Nothing is worse than scratchy toilet paper.
We only invested a small amount of money into our house, but it really does feel cozy and extravagant. We love spending time at home; it’s truly a haven for us. I hope that with every house we live in, they will feel as cozy and comforting as the last one!