Make the Decorating Budget Firm
You dont want to set a decorating budget and then forget about it when you actually start shopping. Keep in mind that you are setting a budget for a reason. You dont necessarily have to get all your decorating done at once. Instead, do only some of the decorating now and then revisit the room and add more items once you have saved some more money. Its best to stick to your budget firmly, no matter what comes up.

You Will Have to Give a Little to Get a Little
With a firm budget in your hand, youre going to have to be flexible and willing to compromise in some areas. If you want the more expensive items that you absolutely have to have, then youll have to go the cheaper route for certain less crucial items. So if youre adamant about adding that coffee table that costs about a third of your budget, then youll have to compensate elsewhere, perhaps spending less on window treatments or picture frames for the wall.

Dont Worry What Other People May Think
Its so easy to get caught up in what other people will think and say. After all, if the figurine you find is perfect for your dcor, does it really matter if you found it at the local discount store? First of all, unless you tell them, nobodys going to know what you paid for items in your room. You need to keep in mind that not everything in your room needs to be of the highest quality. So dont worry about what others may or may not say. If you like something and its inexpensive and it fits in your budget, then go ahead and buy it. Many people find that their least expensive item will garner the most positive attention in a room.

Invest in Quality for the Big Items in the Room
When creating your budget, you need to be sure that youre allocating the majority of the money toward the larger items like a arts & crafts bed in a master bedroom or a dining room table. This way, youll be able to afford quality that will last. Window treatments or other dcor just dont need as much money put into them as items such as wood  furniture, flooring, and artwork. By investing in quality for the larger items like a , you can ensure that those items will last longer and look better. In the end, you might have a high end sofa with inexpensive decorative pillows on it, but as long as you have kept to your final budget, then that will be just fine.

It can sometimes be tempting to throw your budget away and spend more than you can afford. But if you do that, youll remember the debt every time you walk into your redecorated home or room. In the end, negative thought might lead to you not being able to enjoy being in the space. If that becomes the case, then what was the point of spending all that money? Sticking to the budget will not only save you money, it will bring you peace of mind as well.

Shop Garage Sales and Flea Markets
When you go to garage sales and flea markets, you dont always find exactly what youre looking for, like file cabinets to keep your things organized or a pair of wooden dressers for your bedroom,but you might just come across d cor items that will work just as well in your home. With a little creativity, there are lots of ways to take an item and completely change it to fit your needs, so you need to keep an open mind when you shop at these types of places. You can easily take your flea market and garage sale finds, and turn them into your own personal items for your home if you are crafty or even just creative. You do need to make sure that any items you acquire are safe and structurally sound, as these are things that you wont be able to change or fix.

Shop Seasonal Sales at Department and Discount Stores
If you like to switch up your dcor with the changing seasons, you can always find inexpensive items for this by shopping after the season when they go on extreme clearance. For example, department and discount stores need to make room for winter and holiday items and thus will clearance out their fall dcor items around October or November. You can simply shop clearance sales and then store the items away for the next year. Certain seasonal items can even be displayed year-round as part of your dcor.

Trade Your Dcor with Family and Friends
There may be certain items that family members and friends are willing to trade with you so that everyone gets a fresh look in their home. Not only are you able to get rid of something that you may not have a use for anymore, but you also get a new free item for your home. Just be sure to ask the family member or friend before you take the dcor item from them!

Reinvent Your Old Dcor Items
Whenever you are decorating, whether you are simply changing up the dcor or trying to decorate a new home, dont just toss your old items into the trash but take the time to go through them first. Your own old items can be changed with a little creativity, just like things from garage sales and flea markets. If you find an old vase, you can polish it or paint it to look like new. Likewise, that old picture frame can be repainted to match the new color scheme in the room. If you want to stick to your decorating budget, reinventing old dcor items is the best way to save money.

A little creativity can help you save money when you are working within a budget to decorate your home. This involves coming up with ideas on how to reinvent items as well as taking the time to shop wisely. Why spend thousands of dollars on your homes dcor when you can stick to your budget and really save some money with these simple tips?

In feng shui the kitchen is where the heart is and it represents nourishment and prosperity so you have good energy (‘chi) in your kitchen, which is very important. Believers in feng shui feel that how you decorate and design your kitchen can influence the prosperity and health of all living in that home.

Something to bear in mind when decorating or taking feng shui advice, is that there are many different schools of thought and it is a complex practise, so some recommendations and ideas will vary from school to school and from one practitioner to another. The advice may also differ according to who lives within the home and according to the home itself.

With that being said though, there are some basic feng shui principles that apply to all kitchens.

The placement of the kitchen is particularly important. It should ideally be at the back of the house and the back or front doors should not open into the kitchen as this affects the ‘chi’ or energy of the kitchen. If the kitchen is in the front of your home and facing a front door this is believed to kill any positive energy from entering into the home and this can bring illness and misfortune to those living in the house. However, if the kitchen is in the front of the house, there are some things that can be done to help take care of this. Try hanging some beaded curtains or sheer curtains over the kitchen door.

The kitchen should face to the east so that the morning sun and positive energy or ‘chi’ can filter through and be absorbed into house in the early hours of the morning. This will also promote the element that is represented in the kitchen, this being the fire element.

Some other things to consider when doing your kitchen according to feng shui are:

•Don’t place the sink or the refrigeration beside the oven and the water element (from the sink and the refrigerator extinguishes the beneficial fire energy from the oven.
•Keep pantry doors closed at all times.
•The cabinets must be free of clutter as a disorganized, cluttered cabinet symbolizes extra problems and burdens in your home.
•Don’t place the kitchen underneath an upstairs bathroom or facing a toilet as the water and waste will destroy the energy.
•Make sure the living room, dining room and kitchen are on the same levels.
•Don’t let dirty dishes pile up.
•Don’t leave brooms or mops out store these in a closet with a closed door.
•The shape of the kitchen layout should be rectangular try to avoid having a rounded shaped kitchen.
•Don’t hang a towel through the oven handle.
•If there is a laundry area located in or next to the kitchen, do not allow dirty clothes to pile up.
•According to feng shui,filling the kitchen with fresh food will give you emotional and nutritional health, so have some fresh fruit in a bowl on the counter to help gather good energy.
•All knives and cutlery should not be seen, unless you are using it. Anything sharp represents the cutting of good energy in the home and therefore should not be on display at all in the kitchen.
•By providing a sitting area in the kitchen this symbolizes the support from your friends and family and where ever love and support is there is always good energy that is attached to it.
•By hanging mirrors in the kitchen so that their may appear that there are more burners is believed to increase wealth and finances.
•Copper pans and pots are also said to attract positive ‘chi’ or energy.
•Potted plants or herbs put out facing south or east is believed to bring prosperity.
•Colors to use in the kitchen according to feng shui are red, yellow and green.
•The stove location should face the living room or dining room when using it. In feng shui, it is believed that the frequent use of the stove symbolizes potential growth in all aspects of life.

In feng shui, it is believed, that the more your kitchen is clean, welcoming and warm, the more well rounded and healthy you are.

Platinum author Jennifer Wezensky is editor of www.BudgetDecoratingOnline.com, a popular resource on home decorating on any budget. She leads a team of top interior decorators in providing the latest trends, tips and ideas for every room in the house. Wezensky also created and manages the growing Facebook Fan Page, Decorating on a Dime.

Elegance without Expense
Most people believe that in order to transform the look of a room they must spend a lot of money on new furniture, carpet or other flooring, wall hangings, accents, and so on. You’ll be happy to know that it doesn’t cost tens of thousands of dollars to create a dramatic impact in your décor. Rather, you can create a look that rivals any home decorating dream house for just a few hundred.

Make It Your Own
The first step is to put some of your own personality into the décor. When deciding on a décor, many people either go with the latest trends or what they think others will resonate with. Unfortunately, they typically end up with the isn’t really the look they were looking for.

Without any personal touches, the whole look is going to seem contrived. What you end up with is bland-colored walls, pictures that don’t really have any personal ties, and windows without any impact. Just because you have all that “stuff” there to make your home look exquisite, doesn’t necessarily mean that the design’s going to work.

Create a Bold, Dramatic Look
So what else can you do, beyond incorporating some of your own unique ideas? You can create the atmosphere you’re looking for with paint. If you’re looking for a bold, dramatic look, choose a color scheme consisting of up to 5 shades of burgundy, forest, and navy. You’ll be fine as long as you pick a color scheme that blends with the color of your existing furniture. Use the darker shades to paint the baseboards, and the lightest shades to paint the walls.

You can make some rich window coverings and wall hanging yourself for almost nothing. You can make gorgeous swag curtains yourself, for instance, using satin bed sheets. If you’re looking for some unusual pieces to use for accents, flea markets are a great place to start. You might even ask your children to do some finger painting. Have them use colors that blend with and complement the décor. Mat their work, and you’ll end up with some abstract wall hangings that are wonderfully colorful.

Let the Energy Flow
You might also go for a look that’s lively, energetic, and altogether refreshing. Choosing electric colors, you can use several shades of paint as in the previous description. Mix together bright greens, peach shades, and burnt orange, for example. Find a straw-colored woven rug for the floor. You might also want to choose some simple botanical groupings to display on the walls or even on a mission dresser.

You want your furniture to be light, not bulky or oversized. Furnishings, like a  wood coffee table or a solid oak sofa table, should be light-colored and basic and design. Use a sheer material to create your own curtains or use something simple, such as wooden shutters. You want to concentrate on a look that appeals to you and imagine the possibilities.

Add Some Contrast
Contrast makes things much more interesting in any décor. It used to be that you wouldn’t consider mixing those floral patterns with stripes and plaids, but now it’s become the thing to do. If you stay within your color boundaries, you’ll be able to achieve a real “wow” factor in your décor that cannot be ignored.

Creating a one-of-a-kind look on a shoestring budget is completely within the realm of possibility. With a little imagination and some of your own unique personality, you can create a fabulous décor in your home.

Make the Decorating Budget Firm
It doesn’t make sense to set a decorating budget, only to forget about it when you start shopping. Keep in mind that you are setting a budget for a reason. It’s not necessary to do all your decorating at once. It might be better to do some of the decorating now, and then once you save some more money, revisit the room to add more items later. It’s best to stick to your budget firmly, no matter what comes up.

You Will Have to Give a Little to Get a Little
Sticking to a firm budget requires you to be flexible and willing to compromise in some areas. You’ll have to go the cheaper route for certain less crucial items, if you want any more expensive pieces that you just have to have. For instance, you might have to spend less on the window treatments or picture frames if you’ve fallen in love with a coffee table or lamp that takes up a third or so of your budget.

Don’t Worry What Other People May Think
It’s so easy to get caught up in what other people will think and say. After all, if the figurine you find is perfect for your décor, does it really matter if you found it at the local discount store? It’s not likely anyone’s going to know what you paid for items in your home unless you tell them. You need to keep in mind that not everything in your room needs to be of the highest quality. So if something is inexpensive but you like it and it fits your budget, then don’t worry about what others may or may not say—go ahead and buy it. It’s funny, but sometimes the least expensive item in the room will garner the most positive attention.

Invest in Quality for the Big Items in the Room
When you plan out your budget, it’s best to allocate the majority of your money toward the larger items like a wood bed in a master bedroom or a dining room table, thus making sure that you can afford quality that will last. You might need to put more money into things like wood furniture, flooring, and artwork, rather than window treatments or other décor. Investing in quality for the larger items guarantees that they will last longer and look better. In the end, you might have a high end sofa with inexpensive decorative pillows on it, but as long as you have kept to your final budget, then that will be just fine.

It can sometimes be tempting to throw your budget away and spend more than you can afford. Unfortunately, when you do that, then every time you walk into your redecorated home or room, you are going to have negative thoughts about that debt. In the end, negative thought might lead to you not being able to enjoy being in the space. If that becomes the case, then what was the point of spending all that money? Sticking to the budget will not only save you money, it will bring you peace of mind as well.

Shop Garage Sales and Flea Markets
You don’t always find exactly what you are looking for at garage sales and flea markets like a wood file cabinets to keep your things organized or a wood dresser for your bedroom. Yet often you come across décor items that may be just as nice for your home. As you’re shopping at these types of places, you just need to keep an open mind. You may just find that there are a lot of ways that you can completely change an item to fit your needs. You can easily take your flea market and garage sale finds, and turn them into your own personal items for your home if you are crafty or even just creative. You do need to make sure that any items you acquire are safe and structurally sound, as these are things that you won’t be able to change or fix.

Shop Seasonal Sales at Department and Discount Stores
If you like to switch up your décor with the changing seasons, you can always find inexpensive items for this by shopping after the season when they go on extreme clearance. For example, department and discount stores need to make room for winter and holiday items and thus will clearance out their fall décor items around October or November. Thus, all you need do is shop when the items are on clearance and then store them away for the next year. Certain seasonal items can even be displayed year-round as part of your décor.

Trade Your Décor with Family and Friends
If you’re looking for a fresh look in your home, there may be certain items that your friends and family members may be willing to trade with you. Not only are you able to get rid of something that you may not have a use for anymore, but you also get a new free item for your home. Always be sure it’s okay with the family member or friend before you go taking the décor item from them!

Reinvent Your Old Décor Items
Be sure to go through your old items before tossing them into the garbage whether you are simply changing the look or a room or decorating a new home. Your own old items can be changed with a little creativity, just like things from garage sales and flea markets. Polish or paint an old vase to look like new, or repaint a picture frame to match the color scheme of your new décor. By reinventing your old décor items, you can really save money and stick to your decorating budget.

A little creativity can help you save money when you are working within a budget to decorate your home. This can mean shopping wisely, or it can mean coming up with some creative ideas on how items can be reinvented. There’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on home décor when by following these simple tips, you can stick to a budget and really save some money.