Rented Homes: 10 Ways to Make Your Bedroom Bold on a Budget
Create a beautiful and budget-conscious bedroom with these simple tips and tricks
For many of us, our bedroom is our sanctuary, so it’s worth personalising it to create an enjoyable, relaxing space. That doesn’t mean forking out a fortune, though – there are many ways to furnish a bedroom on a budget – and without damaging a landlord’s décor. Whether you’re renting and don’t want to invest too heavily or are just looking for some simple ideas to refresh your space, here are some ideas to create bold statements without breaking the bank.
Have faith in your crate idea
Crates are wonderful items. They’re timeless, easy to find, can be used in many ways and are usually available for free.
If you decide concrete isn’t for you, but like the idea of an alternative bedside table, why not give a crate a go? You can leave it exposed for a more rustic look, or paint it to tie in with your colour scheme. Just remember to give it a thorough clean if you find it on the side of a road – no-one wants bugs in their bedroom.
We recently found an amazing wooden wine crate in a bin cupboard, which we adopted very quickly, but if the freebie gods aren’t looking down on you, then market places, fruit stalls and florists will be your best bet. Just be sure to ask before you take! If you’re not in the mood for hunting, crates can be easily purchased online or on the high street.
Check out ways to use other salvaged items
Crates are wonderful items. They’re timeless, easy to find, can be used in many ways and are usually available for free.
If you decide concrete isn’t for you, but like the idea of an alternative bedside table, why not give a crate a go? You can leave it exposed for a more rustic look, or paint it to tie in with your colour scheme. Just remember to give it a thorough clean if you find it on the side of a road – no-one wants bugs in their bedroom.
We recently found an amazing wooden wine crate in a bin cupboard, which we adopted very quickly, but if the freebie gods aren’t looking down on you, then market places, fruit stalls and florists will be your best bet. Just be sure to ask before you take! If you’re not in the mood for hunting, crates can be easily purchased online or on the high street.
Check out ways to use other salvaged items
Get a handle on it
A very simple and cost-effective trick for reinventing a dated piece of furniture is simply to swap the old drawer or wardrobe handles for fun new ones.
High street home stores will have some beautiful ones, but if you’re looking for something a little cheaper, head to markets and boutiques – you’ll find tons of interesting handles you can mix and match to suit your style.
A very simple and cost-effective trick for reinventing a dated piece of furniture is simply to swap the old drawer or wardrobe handles for fun new ones.
High street home stores will have some beautiful ones, but if you’re looking for something a little cheaper, head to markets and boutiques – you’ll find tons of interesting handles you can mix and match to suit your style.
Make a transfer
There’s no need to commit to wallpaper to add a little pattern to your room. Not only can wallpaper become costly, it’s also a hassle to apply, and not allowed in many rented properties unless you get rid of it when your lease is up.
Wall stickers are great alternatives for creating a feature wall, and they can really transform a bedroom. There are plenty of grown-up designs on the market, from birds to branches. They’re also easy to remove, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the paintwork.
There’s no need to commit to wallpaper to add a little pattern to your room. Not only can wallpaper become costly, it’s also a hassle to apply, and not allowed in many rented properties unless you get rid of it when your lease is up.
Wall stickers are great alternatives for creating a feature wall, and they can really transform a bedroom. There are plenty of grown-up designs on the market, from birds to branches. They’re also easy to remove, so you don’t have to worry about damaging the paintwork.
Get comfortable with concrete
Although flatpack furniture is on the more affordable side of the spectrum, if you’re a bit strapped for cash, it can still be a stretch. It always seems a shame to shell out for a piece of furniture you don’t really love when there are so many other options out there. Why not try something a little more alternative?
We love the idea of using breeze blocks to create a bedside table. Not only are they practical, with their built-in cubbyholes, they also bring that fantastic texture you can only get from concrete. They’d be ideal in a bedroom with a slightly industrial edge.
Keep an eye out on Gumtree and Freecycle to see what you can find. Bear in mind that they will be heavy, though, so it’s best to find a local source if you’re going to be collecting them. If you don’t have access to a vehicle, consider a wheelbarrow – it will take the strain!
Although flatpack furniture is on the more affordable side of the spectrum, if you’re a bit strapped for cash, it can still be a stretch. It always seems a shame to shell out for a piece of furniture you don’t really love when there are so many other options out there. Why not try something a little more alternative?
We love the idea of using breeze blocks to create a bedside table. Not only are they practical, with their built-in cubbyholes, they also bring that fantastic texture you can only get from concrete. They’d be ideal in a bedroom with a slightly industrial edge.
Keep an eye out on Gumtree and Freecycle to see what you can find. Bear in mind that they will be heavy, though, so it’s best to find a local source if you’re going to be collecting them. If you don’t have access to a vehicle, consider a wheelbarrow – it will take the strain!
Use your belongings as ornaments
A little mess can be annoying, a big mess can be infuriating – but an organised mess can be a work of art!
If you have some lovely pieces of vintage clothing or special items jewellery, why not hang them up as pieces of art? The same goes for books and DVDs – try organising them to create a colourful statement. Whether they’re stacked in a corner or colour blocked on shelving, if you style them right, they can look fantastic.
Displaying your possessions like this is the perfect way to inject personality into a space without having to go out and buy trinkets.
A little mess can be annoying, a big mess can be infuriating – but an organised mess can be a work of art!
If you have some lovely pieces of vintage clothing or special items jewellery, why not hang them up as pieces of art? The same goes for books and DVDs – try organising them to create a colourful statement. Whether they’re stacked in a corner or colour blocked on shelving, if you style them right, they can look fantastic.
Displaying your possessions like this is the perfect way to inject personality into a space without having to go out and buy trinkets.
Craft your own canopy
A four-poster bed is the epitome of luxury in any bedroom, but a new one will set you back a fair amount, and you’ll need a decent-sized room to house it.
If you can’t quite squeeze in a full four-poster, but love the idea of creating a little sleeping cocoon, you can create a similar look and feel with a little DIY. Consider hanging a curtain rail above your headboard and draping some of your favourite fabric down from it, or attach four corners of fabric to your ceiling to create a canopy.
A four-poster bed is the epitome of luxury in any bedroom, but a new one will set you back a fair amount, and you’ll need a decent-sized room to house it.
If you can’t quite squeeze in a full four-poster, but love the idea of creating a little sleeping cocoon, you can create a similar look and feel with a little DIY. Consider hanging a curtain rail above your headboard and draping some of your favourite fabric down from it, or attach four corners of fabric to your ceiling to create a canopy.
Put it on a pallet
We first saw this idea for lying a mattress on a pallet when a friend was living in an unfurnished house – it’s an easy and cheap way to get around buying a bed frame.
Pallets are fairly easy to find around supermarkets and – with permission – you can usually just take them. From there, it’s quite simple to create an industrial-style platform bed that can look fantastic in a bedroom. Depending on your style, you can cover the base or leave it exposed.
We first saw this idea for lying a mattress on a pallet when a friend was living in an unfurnished house – it’s an easy and cheap way to get around buying a bed frame.
Pallets are fairly easy to find around supermarkets and – with permission – you can usually just take them. From there, it’s quite simple to create an industrial-style platform bed that can look fantastic in a bedroom. Depending on your style, you can cover the base or leave it exposed.
Fashion your own headboard
When it comes to buying a bed, a headboard can be an expensive addition. We love the idea of reclaiming pieces such as doors, shutters or screens and turning them into a statement headboard. They will anchor the bed and be a real talking point. Your best bet is to keep an eye out in skips and at salvage yards for items that could be used for a DIY headboard.
Check out ways to make your headboard work harder
When it comes to buying a bed, a headboard can be an expensive addition. We love the idea of reclaiming pieces such as doors, shutters or screens and turning them into a statement headboard. They will anchor the bed and be a real talking point. Your best bet is to keep an eye out in skips and at salvage yards for items that could be used for a DIY headboard.
Check out ways to make your headboard work harder
Lighten up
Lighting will make a big difference to the feel of your bedroom, so go for something that’s fun and playful during the day, but that will be calm in the evenings.
Play with the lighting to add style to your room – update lampshades and consider their size, height and colour. If you can’t find something you like, try upcycling one you already have. There are many tutorials online describing how to re-cover shades with scrap fabric, fringing and ribbon.
TELL US…
Do you have any quick and easy tips for updating a bedroom on a budget? Please share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
Lighting will make a big difference to the feel of your bedroom, so go for something that’s fun and playful during the day, but that will be calm in the evenings.
Play with the lighting to add style to your room – update lampshades and consider their size, height and colour. If you can’t find something you like, try upcycling one you already have. There are many tutorials online describing how to re-cover shades with scrap fabric, fringing and ribbon.
TELL US…
Do you have any quick and easy tips for updating a bedroom on a budget? Please share your ideas and photos in the Comments below.
From our experience, landlords like to keep their properties nice and simple, and many renters will find white or magnolia walls are the norm. So how can you make your room more interesting?
Accessorising is the perfect way to bring in some character. It won’t get you in trouble with the landlord and it means you can take it with you when you move. Not only is it temporary, it’s cheaper than redecorating and, if done right, can create almost as much of a statement.
Think bright and bold bed linen and cushions to introduce colour to the middle of the bedroom, creating a palette you can change as your tastes develop. Also work in a propped up notice board, which can form an ever-changing display of images.