How to Decorate a Bedroom on a Budget

Decorating your bedroom to suit your ideal aesthetic is a must for your happiness and mental health, but it can be prohibitively costly. 

No matter the budget, you can achieve your ideal sanctuary by understanding which elements are worth spending money on. Check out our inspirational list below of budget-friendly ways to decorate your bedroom!

1. Make the Wall Decor Yourself

Original artwork and prints for above your bed can run you anywhere from fifty dollars to thousands of dollars, making it one of the least affordable bedroom embellishments you can purchase. If you’re on a tight budget, the solution lies in making your wall decor yourself. 

Canvases of any size can be purchased from your local art supplies store. If you’re artistically inclined, you can hang your latest masterpiece or paint something new with your space’s color scheme in mind. You can also macramé wall art or craft a hanging wall quilt, both of which are relatively simple DIY projects.

Making your decor yourself isn’t just cost-effective—it’s also more meaningful and personal than a canvas print of the Eiffel Tower. It makes your room a little bit more “you,” even if it’s a far cry from professional quality.

2. Put Up Pictures

Posters and collages aren’t just for college dorms. If you truly shudder at the thought of producing artwork, print out or gather some of your favorite photos! 

Make any picture, print, or poster look instantly classier by framing it. Even something as inexpensive as a magazine poster gets a leg up when it has a well-fitting frame with thoughtful positioning in your room. Again, choosing wall imagery that speaks to your personality is what makes your room truly yours. Don’t just hang up any old poster, map, or paper on your wall.

3. Shop Reused or Refurbished Furniture

New furniture is an expensive investment that will eat up your bedroom budget. In the days of fast fashion and brand-new everything, we tend to consider used furniture as a final resort, but that’s neither realistic nor sustainable. 

Truthfully, a well-made piece of furniture can and should last a lifetime. Opting for used furniture helps keep pieces that have plenty of life left out of the landfill, making it a more environmentally-friendly choice. Buying unwanted used furniture can also cost you mere pennies and look far better than the expensive, average-quality furniture you find at big retailers. Plus, combing through online shops or thrift stores for a hidden gem can be fun and rewarding in and of itself.

4. Add Greenery

Never underestimate the power of plants when it comes to transforming your home or bedroom! When you’re struggling to figure out how to fill a space, add greenery. 

There are so many easy indoor plants to choose from. Cacti, including the useful aloe vera plant, are low-maintenance and gorgeous options. Peace lilies need relatively little sunshine and an average amount of watering, and they’re great for air quality. Spider plants are also good for air quality, and they also look beautiful when hanging from your ceiling. All of these plants and more are both budget-friendly and will keep your space looking lively.

5. Choose Lasting Bedding

Yes, you’re on a budget, but if there’s one thing you shouldn’t skimp on, it’s quality bedding. This isn’t to say you have to choose silk sheets made for royalty, but selecting bedding that lasts is going to be the thing that saves you a lot of money in the long run.

If you opt for cheap polyester sheets, you’ll most likely notice a difference in your sleep quality. You’re also going to have to replace the sheets and duvet when they’re inevitably damaged or torn in just a few years. 

The cost may seem like a lot now, but purchasing a duvet and sheet set designed to last for at least ten to twenty years means you have one upfront cost and that’s it. Your bed set will wash easily and look wonderful many years later. 

6. Clean Up Clutter

The number one thing you can do to make your space look neat and decorated is by organizing it. Interior organization skills are what can take a space from “dorm room” to “adult bedroom” in a flash. 

Just remember: everything needs a place. Having piles of clothes or clutter lying around will undo any hard work you’ve done decorating and contribute to a stressful environment. Do your research and consult gurus like Marie Kondo who kindly help you organize by keeping what’s important and tossing what isn’t.

Why You Should Embrace Concrete In Your Next Home Renovation

The next time you’re scrolling through Pinterest on ideas for your next DIY home renovation project, pay attention to how much concrete you see. It’s everywhere! Instead of sidelining concrete as a construction material that’s just for roads and bridges, interior designers have embraced concrete as the perfect aesthetic for the modern age.

But using concrete in your home has many more benefits than simply being visually appealing. Concrete as a construction material provides homeowners lots of benefits. Here are six reasons why you should incorporate concrete everywhere in your home. 

1. It’s Strong… And Gets Stronger

Compared to traditional building materials like wood or bricks, concrete is able to hold much more weight without breaking. And the best part? As concrete hardens (often referred to as curing) up to several years after it was created, the bonds between the materials actually get up to 10 percent stronger. This makes your home even stronger with age, and who doesn’t want that?

2. It’s Durable

If you’re looking for a building material that will hold up no matter what you throw at it—whether that’s a natural disaster, dropping something heavy on it, or just years of kids running around wreaking havoc on your home—concrete’s durability makes it an attractive choice for homeowners. 

Since the bonds between all of the materials within the concrete are so strong if properly mixed, the final product is surprisingly resistant to weather, impact, stains, and time. If you’re still not convinced, consider that the roads the Roman Empire built out of concrete are still around—and being used! 

3. It’s Better For The Environment

Lowering your environmental impact is very important for a growing number of homeowners. For people who want their home renovations to be environmentally friendly while still being aesthetically attractive, concrete checks off both of those boxes. 

At its core, concrete only has five ingredients: cement, water, sand, gravel, and air. These are all-natural ingredients that can easily be recycled and reused for other projects. When you compare that to wood—a building material that more and more people are avoiding due to deforestation, concrete is a great alternative for sustainability.

4. It’ll Save You Money

For homeowners who want to make their home more energy-efficient, incorporating concrete into your home’s foundations, walls, or floor can lead to substantial energy savings over time. Compared to wood-framed homes, the high mass of concrete slows down the movement of heat inside your home. This keeps your home warmer for longer—lowering your home’s energy bills while also lowering your environmental footprint. 

5. It’s Safe

Traditional homes built with wood are constantly in danger of burning down—even an unattended candle can cause a home to easily go up in flames. Since concrete isn’t flammable, it’s a safer option for home construction and gives homeowners more protection against accidents.

Houses with wooden frames also pose a danger of rot and mildew building up and making the entire structure unsound. Concrete has a low water permeability, which means it’s much harder for water to get inside. This makes it more resistant to bad weather than other materials, keeping everyone inside the home safe and warm no matter what’s going on outside. 

6. It’s Trending

The industrial design aesthetic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon—it’s a timeless design choice that gives homeowners and designers the perfect base to make their home look and feel the way they want. 

Concrete can have a variety of aesthetic looks to fit every home style. Whether you like the matt, brutalist concrete vibe you see in parking structures, or the smooth and polished look that’s everywhere in modern designs these days, concrete’s versatility makes it perfect for any design preference. 

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re looking to build your next home from the ground up or are simply looking for your next DIY home renovation project, concrete is a great addition to any home. Since it’s the most widely used building material in the world, there are lots of great resources out there to help you get started on your next concrete project. For some of the larger builds, you may have to bring in contractors who are familiar with handling large-scale concrete needs—but don’t be afraid to try out some smaller DIY home improvements yourself.

6 Tips to Decorate Yoga Room at Home

Peace of mind means a relaxed body and soul. When relaxed, you are capable of getting a lot done. Yoga is one of the oldest body and mind practices currently practiced across the world, designed to help the body relax. There are various yoga postures any person can try out to help with meditation and relaxation. Just the way people have been investing in home gyms, others are designing their homes with space yoga. Previously people depended on yoga instructors to fully benefit from this ancient practice. However, due to tech advancement, people can find various tutorials and publications on yoga for beginners, as well as the basic requirements for a yoga room. Here are a few decorative features you can consider for your yoga room to get it in shape for yoga practice.

1. Carefully Select the Yoga Room Essentials.

The most basic thing you will need for the room is a yoga mat. Choose a mat that fits your needs and complements the décor of your choice, from the paint on the walls to the curtain on the window. Other things you can consider adding include yoga blocks that will help lengthen your reach when working on flexibility. For yoga wear, you can go for yoga straps to increase the challenge when you take on certain postures. Fit in a bolster to help with restorative poses while transforming the room into a meditation haven.

2. Set the Mood with Warm Lighting and Soothing Hues

Yoga combines various methods such as meditation, physical postures, and breathing techniques to bring out the best results. All these are practices that need to de practice in a safe space with the right lighting and toning to support peace of mind. Most yoga spaces are bathed in the soft cream shade to bring out a calm and comforting feeling with a subtle and warm feeling to rule out a dullness. Install dimming bulbs that can be controlled either through a switch or control panel to your specific lighting needs.

3. Plants and Terrariums

Being close to nature is one of the most calming experiences, according to various therapists and experts. Getting an indoor plant you can nurture to grow good for emotional stability and mental health, things you need to maximize your yoga routine. A yoga room is definitely a safe space. You need to make it purposeful, a place where you can relate and unwind. If natural plants are a no-go for you, opt for the plastic ones.

4. Install Mirrors

Aside from complementing the beauty of your space, mirrors are a practical addition when you are trying out yoga for beginners. Yoga, most of the time, aims to increase your self-esteem, make you feel comfortable in your skin. However, it does not hurt to look at yourself as you do your routines. Other people may find full-size mirrors distracting when practicing. When you find yourself in this position, go for a smaller and decorative option that appeals to your taste.

5. Crystals

There is a lot of chatter when it comes to crystals and yoga practice. In yoga, people use crystals to control the energies in them, amplify their intentions and promote their inner strength. At least, that is what most people in the yoga community believe. Regardless of your opinion on crystals, these gems are beautiful and decorative and could just be what you need to boost the ambiance of your yoga room. Set them strategically across the room to complement the rest of the décor and bring your desired look.

6. Inspirational and Educational Posters

Like any other exercise or workout routine, practicing yoga needs a little boost of confidence and words of encouragement. Seeing the right words at the right moment can give just enough push to get to where you want to be. A few words of encouragement on the walls can help remind you and inspire you to concentrate and believe in your efforts.

Aside from inspiration, the educational posters can help with a guideline on how to do some moves or techniques to get the best out of practice. They also come in handy when you forget a few moves, especially if you’re at the beginner level.

One thing you should keep in mind is less can be more. You do not have to fill the room with decorations to get the best out of it. Keep the room simple with a few essential decorations that help set the mood.

Guest Post - How to Make the Most Use Out of Your Balcony

If your apartment has a balcony, it is the extra square footage that you probably severely underutilize. Using this space as nothing more than storage for things you rarely use is a huge waste of potential. A balcony, no matter how small, can have a myriad of different functions. Also, it can become your favorite part of your home, only if you devote enough attention to it. From a pleasant outdoor lounge area where you can chill and enjoy your afternoon coffee to a full-fledged home office, you can choose from simple to more expensive projects. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.

Create a simple reading corner

It doesn’t take much to make your balcony functional. Start with clearing it of all the clutter that has accumulated and giving it a good cleaning. Then, you can get started by rearranging it and creating a cozy reading corner where you will be able to enjoy the sun while getting immersed in your favorite book. First, pick comfortable furniture! A stylish rattan egg chair you can nestle into is a perfect choice. Make sure you add some cushions that you will keep indoors when they are not in use. You can also pick cushioned furniture as long as it’s weatherproof and you can wipe it of dust. Complement it with a small table to place your mug and book on and decorate with plants.

Convert it into a sunroom

If you are particularly concerned about bugs and weather conditions but you still want to maximize the amount of time you can spend on your balcony, you can look towards the idea of turning it into a sunroom. Installing retractable screens will give you the best of both worlds: you can enjoy the fresh air while still having privacy. However, using glass would give you the true sunroom experience. You can use a sunroom for many things; it will provide you with extra space with plenty of light to use however you want. Leveraging this will even help you save electricity and be more eco-friendly!

Turn it into a home office

The next creative way to make the most of your balcony is turning it into a study area or a full-fledged home office. It’s the perfect spot for it after all: you get plenty of natural light to work productively all day long. It is not a one-afternoon project. There will be some construction involved, but it will pay off in the long term. You can install a bar counter along with the windows that will give you enough space for your laptop and stationery. However, you can also use it as a breakfast bar as it would be nice to enjoy the view while having your meal. Install folding ones if you want a multipurpose space to save room!

Use it as a garden

The next and certainly one of the best uses for your balcony would be turning it into a mini garden. Adding plants to your balcony is a must no matter what you decide to convert it. Plants are going to turn a boring balcony into a real oasis. However, you can take it a step further and dabble into gardening even without a garden space, thanks to this small outdoor area. A balcony is a perfect spot to grow herbs to always have them fresh on hand. If you're more into flowers, you can get hanging planters and cover your walls and railings in beautiful colors. You can even grow vegetables despite the limited space. You can try hydroponic farming in vertical planters and make the most of every square foot you have.

Create a nap spot

An afternoon nap on warm summer days is best when had outdoors! Just because you don’t have a garden, you don’t have to forget about napping in the fresh air. You can turn your balcony into somewhat of a second living room and use it for lounging. A built-in couch would be a seamless way to bring in comfort, and it's also the most space-efficient way. However, if you want something that has a real wow factor, consider installing a hammock. A comfy hammock paired with a few tropical plants will make you feel like you’re in a completely different place. It’s a good idea to think about sun protection and privacy if you want to go this way, though. Retractable awnings, roller shades, or anything of the sort will work!

If you have an unused balcony, you could improve your living space by miles if you found a use for it. Think about what you need and allow your balcony to reach its full potential!

Author bio:

Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a writer and designer, but her ultimate passion is design and creation. She is also a bibliophile and her favorite book is "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.