Our Top 5 Tips to Transform Any Room on a Budget
Do you have a room that just looks unfinished? Maybe the furniture is good, but you are not quite sure how to pull it all together? Or maybe you are overwhelmed by what you think it may cost?
We are here to tell you that with our "Top 5 Tips" you can easily achieve a finished "designer" room all while staying on budget. Not only are we sharing the how to but also where to find the good deals! Let's dive in!
Area rugs are at the top of our list! Not only do they ground your furniture, but an area rug is a great opportunity to introduce color, pattern, and texture in a room. If you are unsure on what size to get, bigger is better...especially in a living room! Ideally, you would like the area rug to tuck beneath your furniture feet at least half of the overall depth of the chair/sofa. A few of our top online resources for area rugs include: Rugs USA, Overstock, Rugs Direct, and Wayfair. If you are longing for a vintage rug, we highly recommend that you browse Ebay... yes, we said Ebay! One of our go to vendors is Rugemporium240. It can take some time find finding the perfect rug, but it is so worth it. We have shared one of our most recent Ebay finds below!
If you need more guidance in selecting the right sized rug for your room One Kings Lane has a very helpful guide, be sure to check it out!
Drapery panels are next on our list! We are still amazed at how much a room can transform simply by adding drapery panels. "Drapery panels are expensive." We often hear this, and yes they can be but they do not have to be! Readymade panels OR adding a trim detail to readymade panels for "semi-custom draperies" can still achieve a designer look. Our go to sources for draperies include Anthropologie, West Elm, and Half Price Drapes.
If installed properly, draperies will heighten a room, make your windows appear bigger, and add texture, pattern, and color to a room. Emily Henderson has the perfect diagram showing the good and the bad ways to hang your curtains.
Let's talk pillows! Switching out your pillows is the easiest way to spruce up your sofa and make it look new again! We recommend some of our top throw pillow resources on our Pinterest page! Be sure to follow us!
If you do not have an allergy to feathers, we recommend down inserts! Pillows will look fuller and place better on your sofa or bed.
To chop or not to chop, that is the question. We do believe in the "karate chop!" Giving a pillow a soft karate chop can create a lived in feel, while too deep of a chop can look staged. Note that you will need down fill inserts to achieve this look!
When it comes to accessorizing and shelf styling, we recommend larger items and less of them. This will achieve a finished look without getting cluttered. We also tend to favor odd numbers, especially with floral stems in arrangements. We do use pairs if we are looking to add some asymmetry. Keep in mind, you will need an element of texture, not like old school faux ivy, but rather something more simple...faux succulents and ferns work great! These subtle touches of green add life to your room and soften the hard surfaces. When placing items on a shelf remember to layer and utilize books for height variation. Above all else, don't overthink and HAVE FUN!
Last but not least, paint. Paint is the least expensive way to transform a room. Whether it is an accent wall, trim, or an entire room, paint can do wonders to change the overall look and feel of a room. For walls and ceilings we recommend a satin/ eggshell paint finish while semi-gloss is perfect for trim. All of these finishes are easy to wipe down and clean if necessary. Below are a few of our favorite Sherwin Williams color recommendations! We are seeing a shift this year with many requests for dark paint colors as accents or full rooms and we are loving it!
We hope these 5 tips have encouraged you to tackle a room in your home. You can do it! If you implement any of our 5 tips, we would love to see your beautiful finished room! Post your photo with the hashtag #dovetailstudiooktop5tips
Happy styling!
