Recently I relocated to Dublin, Ireland. Thankfully, most rentals in Dublin come furnished, so our apartment was already equipped with the essentials: bedroom furniture, living and dining furniture, and small kitchen appliances and dishware which our landlord kindly purchased new for us. We’d already spent a small fortune since the move from San Diego to Dublin, so it was crucial to try and keep the spending to a minimum, especially since we won’t be able to take any of it back with us to the states.

– here is how we managed to decorate our apartment without breaking the bank –

Take Pictures

The first thing I did is take photographs of each room/space. This aids as a visual reminder for later when you are at the store. Scrolling through each picture will help you remember what the space looks like, and what you need for it. It will also help prevent you from buying unnecessary items and save you money.

Create a Concept Board

This can be done via Pinterest, and is probably the most effective way to trigger design concepts. Search different ideas and save them so when you head to the store you have a reference guide.

Choose a Theme / Color Scheme

(Our Master Bedroom)

You want your home to have a nice flow, which means each space needs to tie together somehow. The easiest way to do this is to choose a color scheme. Try to stay away from too many bold colors and prints, it can look overdone and tacky, and stick to more classic options. This will also make your furnishings look more high end and expensive, even if they are not. Some of the best color schemes are whites, neutrals and grey tones. You can add pops of color through plants, decorations, art, and accessories. This way it won’t too be overwhelming, but also won’t be too bland either.

Choose Your Design Based on the Architecture

(Our Living Area)

Look around you, is your home older? Is it a high rise? Does it have antique fixtures? All of these things play into how you want to design your living space. In my case I live in a high rise in the city, with very contemporary furniture and features. This means I would want to continue with that modern/contemporary feel, but if my building was older then maybe I would choose a more traditional theme.

Have a Focal Point

(Our Guest Room)

In each room, pick something that you want to be the main focus and work around it. This is usually something of visual interest, such as a painting, a bedspread, throw pillows, etc. Whatever it may be, use it as the inspiration piece for that room, and start selecting everything else based on that item. For example, the first thing I picked out for the guest bedroom was this tribal print duvet. I really loved the pattern and colors, so I decided to use that as my focal point. From there I chose everything else around it, but kept that pattern and color scheme in mind. The rest should compliment this item, not compete with it. To tie it all together, I used white throw pillows with the same texture as the duvet in the master bedroom. This way both rooms flow together, even though the colors are slightly different.

Accessorize

This is where you can get creative, it’s all in the details people! Since my apartment was so masculine and brown(wood everywhere and beige furniture and drapes), I wanted to break it up a little. Check out your local dollar store or thrift store for unique pieces like glass vases, candle sticks, old books, and fake plants. Create center pieces for your tables and coffee tables. I like to keep my accessories in groups of 3 or 4, with variations in height. This instantly adds visual appeal to an otherwise bare area. Make sure your accessories compliment each other and go with your color scheme/theme. Keep it clean and simple, and don’t over do it. When in doubt, fake plants are always my go-to. You can also utilize things you already own such as books, and stack them on a side table like I did. It adds some visual interest, and doesn’t even seem like you tried.

Final Price Breakdown of Everything Purchased

Decorative accessories: All under €10.00 each ($12.00) many as low as €1-3

Pillows & blankets: €20.00 and under ($25.50)

Faux fur rugs: €60.00 total for both ($73.75)

Master bedroom lamps: €20.00 total for both ($24.60)

Guest room duvet cover: €10.00

Guest room duvet: €25.00 ($35.73)

Master duvet cover: €90.00 ($110.62)

Master duvet: €40.00 ($49.00)

Obviously the master bedroom duvet was on the expensive side, but we searched high and low for something we liked that was also good quality, and this was our best option. For what we spent, it turned out really nice. The decor doesn’t look cheap (even though it was!), and the overall look is clean, simple, and contemporary which is exactly what I was going for. Remember, the best way to keep your home looking spacious and welcoming is to not over clutter, especially if you live in a smaller space like we do. Using a lighter color scheme will also make your rooms look larger, and help keep your space bright and inviting!

Check out my blog for more posts like this! Xx Alya