Whether you’re decorating your first apartment ever or re-inventing the style of your fifth apartment, one thing remains true – throw pillows and wall art are a great way to liven up and give your space a whole new look. But you know what else is true? Both of those things are usually not very budget-friendly (seriously, the average throw pillow costs $30 and up and great wall art can cost a pretty penny, as well). I don’t know about you, but I don’t have an extra couple hundred lying around to use on frivolous, but cute decor. So, I’ve had to get really inventive when it comes to scoring these two things on a minimal budget. If you find yourself in the same situation — broken but in desperate need of a room makeover — below are some thrifty, creative ideas for snagging these on the cheap.
Throw Pillows
DIY: There are lots and lots and LOTS of throw pillows in the world, and one quick Google search will almost always help you find the exact throw pillows you’ve dreamed up for your space. But, I can promise you that you won’t find them for cheap (unless you’ve managed to find an amazing, and I mean AMAZING sale). So, my advice is to never purchase brand new throw pillows. Instead, I always purchase dollar store or yard sale throw pillows (they’re ugly, but you can find them for a fraction of the price of pretty pillows). Once you have the pillows themselves, the difficult part is over. Now, all you have to do is re-cover them, and luckily, pillow covers are way cheaper (seriously, scoot on over to Etsy and you’ll find some great finds for around $10 or less. Or, if you can sew, even better!). Recently, I took some old dollar store pillows my mom bought me for my first apartment out of storage and made covers for them out of linen napkins that I found on a dime (they’re the perfect size and all you have to do is sew around the edges!). See the before and after shots of my lovely creations below.
Before
After
Light In The Box: If you don’t know this website, acquaint yourself now. It’s one of the few places on the world wide web where I’ve been able to find decently cute throw pillows for a steal.
Big Box Stores: I don’t care what anyone else has to say, there’s a time when you can’t do better than Walmart or one of the other big box stores. And this is one of those times — you can always snag cheap throw pillows here!
Wall Art
DIY: When it comes to wall art for your new place, one of the easiest ways to procure cool pieces without spending a fortune is to make the pieces yourself. And, the best news of all: You don’t even have to be a super skilled artists to whip up some great, conversation-starting pieces. From wooden letters (pick them up at Michael’s!) you’ve painted and added to a gallery, to your favorite Instagram photos collaged in one big, cheap frame, to up-cycled yard sale art finds, to printed typography/quotes you jazz up in Word, there’s truly no limit to what you can whip up for less than $15 for your walls. For literally 100 great ideas for DIY wall art, check out this nifty blog. And, for good measure, here’s a a few favorites of my own:
- Framed postcards
- Empty Frame Collage (that’s right, take empty frames, up-cycle them with fun paint colors, and create an art gallery!)
- Washi Tape (you can use it on canvas or the wall itself and create your own designs!)
- Stationery (stationery is so pretty these days that it definitely deserves a place on the wall!)
- Wall poems/quotes (to avoid damaging the wall, write the poem on a sheet or several pieces of scrapbook paper and hang!)
Etsy: Let’s go ahead and get it out of the way: Yes, sometimes, items on Etsy are ridiculously, crazily over-priced. But, that’s usually more of an exception rather than a rule when it comes to scoring fun, unique art for your walls.
Art.com: Don’t mind replicated pieces? Good, then Art.com is a perfect place for you to shop for great art on a budget. From prints to tapestries, they have thousands of pieces to choose from that won’t require you to break open your piggy bank.
What your favorite way to snag throw pillows and wall art on a tiny budget? Share with us below!
When decorating your home, it’s the little touches that do make a huge difference. Something as simple as swapping out your throw pillows for something new can definitely refresh the room! Also, it costs much less to swap out the pillows or wall art than it does to purchase new furniture!