A DIY expert's 5 easy tips to style your home on a budget.

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to decorating and styling a space is that what you want (or, what you pin on your Pinterest boards) rarely matches up with the amount of money you have to spend. That’s where a bit of creativity comes in handy! 

In our home, both when we renovated and how I have styled it since, I’ve always focused on creating a bespoke, unique feel without blowing the budget. So over time, I’ve learnt lots of great tips and tricks for this. Read on for more!

1. Declutter.

A beautiful space needs a fresh, blank canvas. So when in doubt, edit! 

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This is a great place to start when you are restyling a room or a corner and helps you see the space for what it is and what it needs. 

By simply decluttering a little bit, you create negative space in a room and can truly focus on what would make it look nicer and feel more like you.

2. Get crafty.

Getting creative with your decor is one of the most satisfying things, not least because it allows you to create expensive-looking items that won’t blow your budget. 

As part of Spotlight’s Make It Month, I created a really sweet DIY Lion Toy Cart for my daughter, something that might have cost a lot in a store but I managed to make it with just some craft supplies and a little bit of elbow grease.

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The best part is, I was able to customise it and personalise it in a way that I hadn’t seen for sale, making it truly unique and one of a kind.

3. Consider upcycling.

Honestly, you’ll be amazed how many things in your home (or, say, in your parents' shed) could benefit from a little life breathed into them.

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The best thing about this is that all the love and care you’ve put into it will make you appreciate and feel it's worth even more than if you bought it.

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4. Mix up the textures.

One thing that can make your space feel more expensive? A mix of textures and materials that gives a space depth and personality.

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I like to choose a simple colour palette for a room, and then focus on adding lots of different textures in the form of textiles, rugs and curtains.

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5. Hack off the rack items.

Another great way to get creative is to take simple decor items and use paint or other updates to hack them to look different or suit your personal style more. 

In early 2020 I created the trend #trashtoterracotta which uses a baking powder paint mix to hack simple vases into ceramic beauties. These truly give my space personality and style, all without breaking the bank!

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Read more home articles here:

• Share Your Space: An interior designer's beachy bungalow that she's renovating on a budget.
• Ask a plant expert: The 5 simple things you need to do to keep your plants alive in 2021.
• Right now, there are precisely three interior trends you need to know about.

For more tips from Geneva, follow her on Instagram.

Feature image: Instagram/@genevavanderzeil