Good news! You can surround yourself with the fine things you love without breaking the bank. Affordable home decorating is possible. With a little thought and planning, and by considering some of these 7 ideas and handy hints, you can create (or recreate) a look you’ll love – in every room of your home.

1.Find your focus

It’s always a good idea to focus on a particular feature in a room. It might be the colour scheme, the great view from the window or, more often, a statement piece that draws the eye and sets the tone. This is where you will choose to invest. An artwork or furniture item that tells a story of value, craftsmanship and quality will last will reward you for years to come. Nothing does this better than an exquisite bone inlay piece, from Zohi Interiors’ signature collection.

And, once the centrepiece is in place, you can highlight, and complement, each unique item with other décor possibilities.

2.Divide and conquer

You don’t have to spend thousands on restructuring spaces in your home – especially as your needs might change from one year to the next. Screens and room dividers are flexible and cost-saving alternatives.

They can:

• Create cosy, private, or purely practical spaces within a larger room
• Effectively act as ‘clutter concealers’, when skilfully positioned, and replace permanent storage units
• Act as a feature wall, for an instant room makeover or a seasonal facelift
• Be moved from room to room for ultimate versatility.

3.Add imaginative accessories

Just as you can dress up, and transform, a classic outfit with some well-chosen accessories, you can do the same for any room in the house.

For an instant new look that won’t blow your budget:

• Add pillows and cushions. Choose fabrics and colours to reflect the changing seasons. It’s a makeover for your bed or sofa
• Capture attention, create atmosphere and lift the mood with new wall art
• Have you considered movable wallpaper? It’s a game-changer that produces a stunning effect
• Highlight a treasured piece you already own. Spotlight it or literally put it on a pedestal. Change the focus from time to time and give your other precious possessions their time to shine.

4.Be-tray your tabletops

Side tables, coffee tables and even dining tables can be transformed by adding an eye-catching tray, holding a collection of favourite objects. There’s strength in numbers but, rather than a random assortment, a themed group of items will attract interest and add charm.

You might choose beautifully crafted pots, snuff boxes, photos, mementos or candles. Creating a display on a tray also means that your treasures can be easily and safely moved to another surface when the table is needed for another purpose.

5.Indoor? Outdoor?

Blur the boundaries between inside and outside.

• Extend the relaxed outdoor life into your indoor spaces with easy living furniture pieces. Nothing does that like cane and rattan
• Bring nature in with landscape or wildlife art prints
• Be generous with natural foliage; green is good. But if you aren’t the green thumbs type, faux plants are better than they’ve ever been (and guaranteed to be impossible to kill).

None of these ideas costs the earth but they will make your little piece of earth a little nicer to live on.

6.Make a splash with colour

Colour is a language of its own. Colour creates mood and style in a way that little else can. Change your colours and you change your rooms. Start with a neutral base and the stage is set for transformation – with secondary theme colours, subtle tone variations or bold highlights.

Whether you use soft furnishings, throws, decorator items or artworks, a (changing) colour palette is a cost-saving way to keep your living spaces fresh and inspiring.

7.Repurpose, reuse, recycle

Retro, rustic or rickety? Lucky finds in garage sales and antique or bric-a-brac markets are popular showcase pieces. You can also look at ordinary items in a new way: an old window frame as a picture frame or mirror; your old stepladder repainted to serve as handy shelving; an old-school suitcase (or two) as a quirky coffee table (with bonus storage) ... the possibilities are as vast as your imagination.

For real luxury, nothing beats the look of natural materials. And there are lots to choose from.

If your budget, or your preferences, rule out some natural products, then it’s fine to ‘go faux’. It’s even more of a plus when the products are made from recycled or rescued materials.

• The bottom line is that home decorating that includes repurposed items is about using resources ‘to the max’, minimising waste and pollution and respecting the craftsmanship and skills that went into those items.
• Try some of these easy, cost-saving ideas. They’re good for the planet, good for your pocket and good for your home’s individual ‘look’.