How to Decorate a Bedroom on a Budget

Decorating a bedroom on your own can be very rewarding, and accomplishing it on a budget only adds to your sense of pride.

The first thing you need to do is select a plan (or a theme). Being well prepared in the beginning will help everything come together more rapidly and with much less stress. Check out the various color palettes at your local paint store and take your time selecting a color. Browse through magazines or check out web sites for theme ideas if are unable to come up with one on your own. At berhpaint.com there are a multitude of paint swatches, and you can even do a virtual room to a feel for how the colors work together.

When selecting your paint there is no given rule that you have to buy the most expensive. You can buy a brand of paint at Wal-Mart that will work just as well as a pricier one purchased at a paint store, and they will mix it to match your color selection. If you go to behr.com, they have a program where you can play around with different rooms and colors. For a small fee, you can even use a photo of your actual room.

"Shabby Chic" decor is a poor man's dream. It literally means that you can take any old piece of furniture and decorate a room with it. There are a number of paint kits available for crackling, marbleizing or antiquating old furniture, so don't be afraid to use your imagination. Thrift stores and flea markets are always abundant with old furniture, and in many cases, no refinishing is required. This is a case of "the shabbier the better."

Headboards are no longer an essential, nor are they standard. A couple of lengths of 1 x 2's and some lattice will make a nice summery headboard for that cottage type room. A sheet of plywood, some batting, a few yards of fabric and a staple gun, and you can design your own. If you are particularly crafty, you could paint a mural in place of a headboard. Being unique is a good thing.

Dressing windows can be fun, especially when you wander away from the norm. Shower curtains are generally cheaper than curtains and work just a well. For an easy valance (and a fantastic focal point), place a shelf over the full length of the window and attach the valance to it with either staples or Velcro. This could hold cars (in a boys room), dolls (in a girls room), or some large seashells in that cottage room. Use your imagination and mix and match to suit your mood.

Accessorizing is not what it used to be. Thrift stores always have a bountiful number of framed pictures available to add a cozy feel to your bedroom. See an interesting shirt or sweater? Sew up four sides, add batting, and you have yourself a marvelous throw pillow. The same is true of old curtains or bed sheets. Look for things that match your decor, rather than things that make sense.

Using the above suggestions, you can easily redo an entire room for under $100.00. The important thing is to "think outside the box" and have fun!