Who wouldn't want one of the rooms featured in glossy interior magazines - but how many people can afford them? There is, however, a viable solution that won't break the bank. It's called "shoestring style" and it's easy once you know how.
The vital ingredients are a generous dollop of imagination, a little effort to re-arrange furniture, and a modest splurge on some seriously affordable treats from the well-designed home ranges in stores.
The material things in life cost money, but style is free. Smart people achieve stylishness through a combination of prudence and panache and turn high street into high fashion and second-hand into swish and swanky.
So if you're putting together a home on a budget, start looking out for cheap alternatives and bargains, but try to stick to one design - say Art Deco or vintage style - which will give rooms a coherent look. Cutting back on costs doesn't mean lowering your standards. So don't rush to throw things out or buy new ones. Cast a critical eye over what you have and pick out the best. Add one statement piece of furniture and add some fashionable new accessories and you'll find you have rooms that are not only easy on the eye but also easy on the pocket.
Four stylish shortcuts
• Turn a boring wall into a giant scrapbook - the perfect place to display cuttings, postcards or photos. Follow a theme or colour to give it order.
• Building a collection of treasures slowly over time lessens the likelihood of impulse purchases and mistakes. If in doubt, don't buy.
• Transform vulgar repro - say cheap French-style decorative furniture - by rubbing it down with wire wool and repainting it in sugar almond shades such as soft pinks and greens.
• DIY stores and furniture chains sell low-cost solid wooden-lidded boxes which, when painted or varnished, work well for storage or seating. Line them up to echo an expensive modular unit.
Smart accessorising tricks
You don't have to start from scratch - a few accessories will make the most of what you've got, or draw the eye.
• Disguise a tatty sofa with a cashmere throw or a silky fringed shawl.
• A stunning piece of art, ceramic or sculpture will add zest to a simply-furnished room.
• A second-hand leather chair, footstool or even just a cushion gives an impression of quality in a room.
• Hide an ugly bedstead and improve comfort by covering it with a quilt or a throw. Alternatively, paper the wall behind the bed with colourful maps or posters, or wallpaper snippets.
Chic shortcuts to style
• Old-fashioned hall stands add character to a hallway and are great for storage.
• Pick up decorative door handles or drawer knobs and use them to enliven furniture.
• If you've got armchairs with wooden arms, simply freshen them up with a tie-on cover.
• Small cupboards or shelf units can be repainted and displayed in pairs or threes to great effect.
• Create a welcoming atmosphere - light a few inexpensive candles or display a few fresh flowers to make your home appeal to all the senses.
If your home needs a few new purchases to liven it up, you needn't raid your rainy day savings. Flea markets can be a mine of treasures, but if you don't have time to search out the best of the bargains, investigate the best of the high street as well.
And forget any style snobbery - supermarkets are gathering as much praise for their home departments as their food and drink.
The vital ingredients are a generous dollop of imagination, a little effort to re-arrange furniture, and a modest splurge on some seriously affordable treats from the well-designed home ranges in stores.
The material things in life cost money, but style is free. Smart people achieve stylishness through a combination of prudence and panache and turn high street into high fashion and second-hand into swish and swanky.
So if you're putting together a home on a budget, start looking out for cheap alternatives and bargains, but try to stick to one design - say Art Deco or vintage style - which will give rooms a coherent look. Cutting back on costs doesn't mean lowering your standards. So don't rush to throw things out or buy new ones. Cast a critical eye over what you have and pick out the best. Add one statement piece of furniture and add some fashionable new accessories and you'll find you have rooms that are not only easy on the eye but also easy on the pocket.
Four stylish shortcuts
• Turn a boring wall into a giant scrapbook - the perfect place to display cuttings, postcards or photos. Follow a theme or colour to give it order.
• Building a collection of treasures slowly over time lessens the likelihood of impulse purchases and mistakes. If in doubt, don't buy.
• Transform vulgar repro - say cheap French-style decorative furniture - by rubbing it down with wire wool and repainting it in sugar almond shades such as soft pinks and greens.
• DIY stores and furniture chains sell low-cost solid wooden-lidded boxes which, when painted or varnished, work well for storage or seating. Line them up to echo an expensive modular unit.
Smart accessorising tricks
You don't have to start from scratch - a few accessories will make the most of what you've got, or draw the eye.
• Disguise a tatty sofa with a cashmere throw or a silky fringed shawl.
• A stunning piece of art, ceramic or sculpture will add zest to a simply-furnished room.
• A second-hand leather chair, footstool or even just a cushion gives an impression of quality in a room.
• Hide an ugly bedstead and improve comfort by covering it with a quilt or a throw. Alternatively, paper the wall behind the bed with colourful maps or posters, or wallpaper snippets.
Chic shortcuts to style
• Old-fashioned hall stands add character to a hallway and are great for storage.
• Pick up decorative door handles or drawer knobs and use them to enliven furniture.
• If you've got armchairs with wooden arms, simply freshen them up with a tie-on cover.
• Small cupboards or shelf units can be repainted and displayed in pairs or threes to great effect.
• Create a welcoming atmosphere - light a few inexpensive candles or display a few fresh flowers to make your home appeal to all the senses.
If your home needs a few new purchases to liven it up, you needn't raid your rainy day savings. Flea markets can be a mine of treasures, but if you don't have time to search out the best of the bargains, investigate the best of the high street as well.
And forget any style snobbery - supermarkets are gathering as much praise for their home departments as their food and drink.