At Budget Decorating, we love the kind of decorating tips that save money, make a home look pretty and are really easy to follow. You know, helpful and practical decorating advice that real people can use.
We've put together a vast resource of top home decorating tips to make it easier for you to find quick decorating advice and basic guidelines that can help you create a home that you love.
So enjoy these home decorating tips, use them in your own home, and bookmark them for future reference because we’ll be adding to this list constantly.
Have you ever committed a faux paux while decorating? Me, too! Share it with us here.
- Most people make the mistake of hanging artwork too high. Unless you are unusually short or tall, hang art at eye level. Most galleries stick to the 57-inches-on-center rule, meaning the middle of the picture is at 57-inches. This will require a bit of math to figure out but is worth the effort.
- If you are really having problems choosing color for your home or space, choose one, favorite color and build your color scheme around that. (Use a 4-6 single-color paint chip strip for reference.) Select furnishings and decor in various shades and textures of your chosen color. You could also add a white or ivory as a neutral. I swear this works every single time.
- If you can’t combine or mix patterns well, no matter how hard you try, choose one bold pattern that you love and use it on an accent piece as a focal point. Decorate the rest of the room in solid colors that blend with or match that pattern. Done!
- When entertaining, remember three things: Candles. Candles. Candles. They provide a soft scent and hide all sorts of smells, dust and dings.
- For a great rug on a budget, you can’t go wrong with sea grass. It’s cheap, durable, doesn’t shed and looks fabulous. For a more luxurious look, you can layer more comfortable rugs on top of it as budget allows.
- The best rule for furniture arrangement? Choose furniture that fits the space, and don’t try to squeeze in too much.
- When arranging furniture, move some of it away from the walls. Nothing makes a space look more uncomfortable than trying to smash all of the furniture straight up against the walls.
- Allow around 18-inches between the coffee table and sofa edge to give enough leg room but to be able to reach items easily.
- Coffee table heights vary greatly, but a good rule is to keep the table height and seat height within 4-inches of each other.
- An end table should be approximately the same height as the arm of your sofa or chair.
- A sofa length of 65 to 72-inches is a good size for a small room, while 81 to 96-inches will work in a larger area. The best rule of thumb for height is 30-37 inches. (Height should depend on your size and what is comfortable for you.)
- A dining table functions best with at least 36-inches of space between it and any walls or other furniture. This also allows seats to slide out easily.