Hello dear readers and welcome back to my Interior Decor and Styling series! I am often asked for decorating tips and tricks for creating a welcoming home with a designer look on a budget. Homeowners want to create that “wow” factor from the moment guests reach their front door. There are really just a few simple tricks of the trade that designers use that I have picked up on over the years. Today I am sharing how to make a great impression with your home decor.*This post contains affiliate links and/or sponsored content.
Curb Appeal
Make a great first impression by keeping your yard and porch neat and tidy. Even if you don’t have a large budget for landscaping or painting the whole exterior of your home, just keeping the lawn cut and free of weeds can do wonders. A few potted seasonal flower pots add beauty and curb appeal in an instant. You can even dress up your garage or metal carport with hanging baskets or urns.
Don’t forget to welcome guests with a pretty wreath or basket of flowers to hang on or beside your front door.
Paint The Door!
Your front door should make a statement! Paint it classic black or a fun color like red or teal. Orange and yellow are great choices too, as they express joy and warmth.
Another way to update your door is to replace an outdated screen door with a glass storm door. Storm doors with full-length glass will keep the bugs out but allow your beautiful front door to be seen.
Create a Welcoming Entryway
The entryway sets the stage for your home. When it comes to creating your dream home, a welcoming entryway is one of the primary features your home must have. Designate a welcoming entry with a small bench with comfy pillows if you have enough space. A console table with a few pretty decorative accessories is another option. Don’t forget flowers! Flowers in a vase will always make your home seem more positive and welcoming.
A great thing about the entryway is that you can personalize it. Frame a written quote that you like and hang it on the wall or display a gallery wall of family photos.
Wall hooks for coats, purses and backpacks are essentials for a welcoming and functional entry. Mirrors reflect light and will make even the smallest entryway seem more open. A cluttered home can affect our peace of mind, so keeping the entry clean and tidy is should be a top priority, especially when first walking through the front door. If you have a lot of extra purses, shoes, clothes etc. that tend to pile up then it’s probably time to cut the clutter. You can always sell your outfits online along with misc. accessories or donate them to charitable organizations.
An organized, bright and stylish entry will certainly make a great impression when guests first walk through the front door. Plus, you’ll feel better coming home to a clean and organized space.
Wall colors should be kept light
You can never go wrong with neutral paint colors. White, ivory, taupe, beige and gray tones are good colors to stick with. Neutrals are great for the first floor of your home, where you want to keep the flow and a seamless transition from room to room. Even if you love color, a bright red room directly adjacent to a blue room might be jarring. If you stick to neutral colors, you’ll be able to switch up the style and accessories of the room whenever you want, because almost any color scheme will look beautiful from season to season.
Use a Variety of Beautiful Lighting
Even if you have overhead lights in your home, ambient lighting is a necessity. Ambient light generally consists of floor lamps and table lamps for reading. Be sure to spread these evenly throughout the room so that there’s adequate lighting.
Not only are lamps functional, but they can serve as stylish decorative accessories in and of themselves.
As for hanging light such as pendants and chandeliers, these are best used over low dining room tables, kitchen islands, or in foyers. Make sure you hang them high enough so that you and your guests are not hitting your heads when reaching over the table or island.
Designer Trick: Make Your Ceilings Look Taller
Create the illusion of taller ceilings and windows with curtains. Simply install curtain rods right up to the ceiling trim or as high as possible. Mission accomplished!
Update the Ceilings
If you’ve ever been to a stately home before, you will have probably marveled at the way that the ceilings have been designed. 
Styrofoam ceiling tiles can be found online for nearly no cost, but will produce a very similar effect to the complex vintage ceilings. You can install them yourself, all while hiding unsightly parts of your ceilings which you don’t want others to see. If you need assistance with your ceiling remodel, remember that Residential architects specialize in designing and constructing houses and may be able to make unique suggestions for your ceiling.
Rugs Are Essential Accessories for Home Décor
Beautiful area rugs can really make a lasting impression while adding warmth and texture to any space. The colors in the rug can be great for tying the whole room together when accessories and artwork coordinate.
Always choose an area rug that is large enough for the space. A rug that is too small will make everything look “off.” For example, when creating a cozy sitting area, use an area rug to anchor the space. Be sure that all four legs of the sofa and chairs fit on it.
For the most professional look, be sure that all four legs of the sofa and chairs should fit on the rug. If you can’t place all four legs on the rug, be sure that you are able to get the front two legs to sit on the rug.
Furniture Placement Should Make Conversation Easy
When designing a beautiful and welcoming living room that makes a great impression on friends and family, it’s important to create a sitting area for relaxing while making conversation easy too. The U-shape and the H-shape set up are the two popular options to try. The U-shape requires a sofa with a coffee table in front of it, and two chairs facing each other at the opposite ends of the coffee table. The H-shape requires the couch to sit directly across from two chairs with the coffee table separating them.
The particular size and shape of your room as well as your unique furnishings will ultimately determine which setup will be best.
Even if you don’t have a budget for new furniture, you can always use slip covers or reupholster older tired pieces to give them a new look. Paint outdated wood coffee tables and side tables in neutral tone to update them inexpensively. Remember to clean furniture on a regular basis to keep it looking it’s best. Here are some tips:
Plants, Artwork and Accessories Add Charm and Character
Room accessories are like icing on the cake! Choose artwork and decorative accents that are meaningful to you and tell a story. Create interesting vignettes on your coffee table and mantel that will add interest and rotate them seasonally. Fresh flowers in pretty vases, books, and candles are easy and inexpensive decor items to start with.
Switching out pillows is one of the easiest and fastest changes you can make to give your decor a fresh new look each season. I prefer using throw pillow covers because they are so inexpensive and easy to store. You can find some beautiful covers on Websites like Etsy.
Bring the Outdoors in With Plants
Decorating with house plants is very on trend these days. Adding pops of life through greenery, potted trees, and a variety of plants will brighten up any space while making room feel more organic. Succulents and ferns are great choices. If you are new to plants, you can find more information here.
Beautiful Indoor Plants For Farmhouse, French Country, and Cottage Style Homes
If you don’t have a green thumb, then buying fully-grown might increase your chances of success with houseplants since they will already be established.
If you are on a budget but you still want to make a great impression with your decor, here are a few more tips:
I hope you have enjoyed reading about these simple designer tricks that will help you make a great impression with your home decor. The best part about these tricks is that they fit just about any budget. Don’t forget to shop yard sales, thrift shops, and consignment shops for inexpensive decor too.
What are your favorite decorating tricks and tips? I love hearing from you, dear readers! Thanks for visiting today!
Amber
2 Comments
Wow, I love the photo of the coat hangers above that adorable striped bench that doubles as shoe storage! I just moved into my first home about a week ago, so now I have to decorate it! I want something classy but different from what anyone else has. I will have to follow your style on design but see if I can find some great artwork by P Buckley Moss or a similar artist that fits my style.
April 17, 2020 at 12:59 pmThat is the key to making your home unique, finding art and accessories that fit your own personal style.
April 21, 2020 at 10:58 pmThanks for stopping by!