My husband can always tell when I’m getting a little restless. I start moving things around the house and he can’t find them. We have lived in one of those cute country cottage home plans for about three years now and when we first moved in I decorated it to be perfect. I had a design scheme in mind and with quite a bit of money and hard work our home was picture-perfect when it was done. Now the newness has worn off and I want to freshen things up but we are on a limited budget. I started looking through decorating magazines and sat down at the computer to get some great ideas on how to decorate the inexpensive way.

The quickest way to mix things up is to re-accessorize your rooms. Shake things up a bit and move baskets, vases, photos, candles, etc. from one room to the next. Take those dusty old flowers and decorative twigs out of vases and change them out with a fresh arrangement. Or just dust off the flowers, spray paint the twigs a bright colorful shade, and you will be amazed at how different the arrangement will appear.

Since we are on the subject of accessorizing, look into changing out things in your home as the seasons change. That way, your home will never look drab and dull but fresh and fun. At the end of each season go hit the sale racks to “stock up” so you are ready when it rolls around next year. This is especially easy to do if your flooring and furniture are somewhat neutral in color. In the spring splashes of pastels, in the summer bright and bold, in the fall warm pumpkin and okra and in the winter rich cranberry and forest green – with these colors you can’t go wrong and have definitely created a compelling design scheme no matter what season.

For the next move – move it. Rearrange your furniture as long as it still fits functionally in the room. Try angling pieces of furniture and mix and match pieces to create a whole new look. Don’t go as crazy as putting the couch in the bedroom but take the end tables, book cases, nightstands, lamps and shades and mix and match to come up with a truly unique look. I have found that moving some larger pieces really did transform our country cottage home into a vintage-style cottage with a lot of character.

Some of the furniture pieces I even painted. I left the overall color but painted the drawers and shelves and replaced the pulls and knobs. They look like new pieces of furniture. Paint really changes furniture but can make a bigger impact if used on larger spaces. Try taking a dull boring entryway or hallway and adding a bold fresh color. If you don’t want to paint the whole wall use painter’s tape and paint only the bottom or go wild and add accent stripes.

In the kitchen you can paint your outdated cabinets or get new fronts if it is in your budget. Another way to add a new look to your kitchen is to take the front off of a couple of your cabinets. Paint the shelves and display your dishes in an attractive manner. Group like dishes and bowls together, hang a rack for wine glasses or display your grandmother’s china. Whatever you choose to do just make sure it appears to be organized and not just haphazardly placed for all to see.

A great way to add new life to any room is to add a colorful area rug under furniture arrangements. This will add a cozy feel to the space and pull it all together. Floor runners are also very popular and can definitely add a bright new atmosphere to a long, dark hallway.

Moving to the outdoors it is important to take the time to update the exterior of your home as well. Add some bright colorful sculpture pieces to your garden or simply paint the ones you have. Add a fresh new coat of paint to your doors or if you feel daring go bold, then change the color completely.

Take a look at your outdoor living space and make sure all the pieces are in good shape, wash the cushions and add some bright outdoor throw pillows to liven up the space. There are so many outdoor ornaments to decorate with that no outdoor space should be boring. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Go hit the local thrift store and purchase items that are slightly used and then with a little scrubbing a possibly a coat of paint or stain you have created the perfect accents without breaking the bank. Accessorize your outdoors as you would your interior so when you want to relax the space you have created will be perfect.

After I do all these updates my husband will be so confused he won’t know what room he is in. But we all know that turning a house into a home requires time, energy and money and with the cost-saving tips I’ve listed above money is not an issue so he can’t complain. Rather than get rid of outdated items just re-purpose and reuse and your design scheme can take on a new look of its own. It is true that your taste will change as you change. By changing things up your home will once again appear freshly decorated and ready for the entertaining family and friends.

Looking for more design inspiration? Visit House Plans and More and their Resource Center.