Cheap Chic: 5 Interior Style Tips for the Recessionista

Everyone deserves a fabulous space!! If the economy has your pocketbook in a pinch, here are 5 easy tips to gussy up your place while still keeping a Recessionista budget:

Contain Yourself
The quickest, easiest way to stylize and polish a space is to create groupings of things by placing them in lovely trays, jars, and baskets, which make wonderful catch-alls for items that would normally be left loose to wander. Gather books, remotes, and coasters in a luxe tray on the coffee table, corral kids' toys in baskets, and collect mail, post-its and pens on a beautiful dish, and the grouping looks like a well-thought arrangement. Add a fresh cut flower in a jar and voila! Instant style.

Keep It Interesting
While any well-designed room will have a stunning focal point that draws attention upon entering the space, keeping the attention is the real trick. Shiny surfaces, bright splashes of color, and graphic prints create huge impact in small doses. These small touches really make a room pop.

Table Lamps are Your Friends
Lighting, or lack thereof, can make or break a space. Well-designed overhead lighting in the average apartment is rare. Fortunately, table lamps, floor lamps, and task lights are affordable, and their soft, indirect light creates intimacy and ambience like no overhead light will ever do. Find lamps with built-in dimmers to create instant atmosphere. Plus, stylish lamps will accessorize your space, and you can take them with you when you move.

The Well-Lived Life
A little decadence goes a long way. While budgets may be tight, nothing dresses up a space like elegant details. Splurging on small items can make all the difference. Luxurious hand towels in the washroom, a plush throw, and of course, fresh flowers are little indulgences that say 'wow'.

Quality Not Quantity
There is nothing like mess and clutter to ruin an otherwise delightful interior. When better a time to organize, declutter, and eliminate unneeded belongings? Whether it's your high-school jeans or an unsightly gag gift, now is the perfect time to unburden your space so those pieces you really love can shine. Plus, donating the items to charity helps out others and can often help your tax write-off - that's a double score!