Design on a (Young Professional) Dime

The following is an article I wrote for my magazine feature writing class this summer. I complied a list of decorating tips I learned after having to decorate my first apartment. I have also included pictures here of some of my apartment - I hope they prove to be helpful!

Growing up, daughters all across America rolled their eyes when their mothers yelled from the living room, “Come here! You have to see what they’re doing on HGTV! It would be perfect for your room!” as they did their homework in the next room. It seems mothers everywhere are addicted to HGTV, Better Homes and Gardens, and Southern Living.

As eye-rolling daughters grow up they soon must move from home and decorate their first house, apartment or dorm room. It is inevitable that they begin learning how to decorate, often on a budget. Using media outlets like HGTV can give some beneficial ideas that can be brought to a real-world, real-budget level.

Here are some tips and tricks sure to help any first-time decorator learn the art of design on a budget:

Find an inspiration piece. Connie White, an amateur interior decorator from Charleston, West Virginia (and also my mom!) swears that finding a piece that inspires holds the key to decorating, regardless of budget. “When my daughter moved into her first place, we went to a church auction and found a very cool retro all leather black and white club chair that we were able to buy for $10,” White remembers. Finding a piece that inspires and determines a color scheme narrows the search for items that coordinate much simpler.

Below is the black and white leather club chair in my living room! Instead of the Festivall poster, there is now a red Vogue poster there.

Assess current possessions. Using these items when fit your color scheme can save tons of money. It is also a good idea to base color scheme on an item you already have. In my case, my mom saved a dining room table and chairs for me from our house, and I had a black metal futon that I used in the dorms; I also saved my posters that I used in the dorms and framed them so they would look nicer.”

Below is the dining room table and chairs in my kitchen:

Shop at discount stores. White also encourages shoppers to utilize Target, Wal-Mart, Big Lots Gabriel Bros. and similar discount stores. All feature budget-friendly items. With an inspiration piece and color scheme locked down – it’s time to bargain shop! “With a color scheme in my head,” White says, “I combed the discount stores for over three months watching for sales and for new arrivals that were cheap and that fit the criteria.” Garage sales, vintage and thrift shops can also expand decorating options while still remaining budget-friendly.

Create originals whenever possible. Those who sew or with a relative who sews save big bucks by making pillows, curtains or even a duvet cover. My mom made a custom curtain for my bathroom that matched the shower curtain as well as pillows and a table runner for the living room. This created a custom look without spending a lot of money. Fabricate as many items as possible.

The pillows on the couch were made by my mother, she also made the bathroom curtain below out of a shower curtain that matched the one I already had:

Don’t forget paint! While inspirational items and a color scheme remain essential, paint can also be your friend. Although many rental homes and apartments do not allow painting of the walls, especially in college, there are other alternatives. Painting vases all one color and grouping them together can create a pleasing design aesthetic. Also, painting furniture to match the desired color scheme is inexpensive and will prevent the budget-conscious decorator from having to purchase furniture.

Utilizing these tips will enable the amateur designer to create an HGTV-quality on a young-professional budget, without sacrificing quality and aesthetic.

What are YOUR top design tips?