How to Decorate Like a Designer on a Budget

Redecorating is an investment, but it doesn’t have to drain your bank account. We spoke to designers who found affordable statement pieces on Facebook Marketplace and accessorized using products from their favorite retailers. Below we have all the details (and all of their juicy on-budget-decorating tips).

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April 10, 2019

By: Caroline Alkire

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Photo By: Kimberly Graydon

Photo By: Dana Dore

Photo By: Diana Blinkhorn

Photo By: Oscar Bravo

Photo By: Jessica Nickerson

Photo By: Kimberly Graydon

It's Time for a Makeover

So, you’re ready to redecorate. You get on Pinterest, start clicking around and find some pretty cool inspo. Excitement? Check. It’s not until you start really doing your research that you realize: Redecorating is expensive. Sigh.

Revamping any space is always an investment, but it doesn’t have to drain your bank account. HGTV.com spoke with a few designers who redecorated using Facebook Marketplace—an extension of Facebook where users can buy home accessories from people in their community (think the social platform you know and love, but with a plethora of furniture deals). These designers opted to buy statement furniture pieces for lower prices, then accessorized using some of our favorite, popular retailers. Here, they tell us exactly how they did it and give you all the home-makeover-on-a-budget tips you need.

More Ideas: 30 Best Decorating Ideas for Anyone on a Budget

Something New, Something Used

Dana Dore—interior designer, Adored House blogger and avid flea market shopper—lives in a newer house she fills with vintage pieces and antiques.

"For my entryway, I wanted a big, dramatic, vintage mirror," she tells HGTV.com. She found one that matched her aesthetic for $20 on Marketplace and paired it with a Facebook Marketplace chair—going the DIY route, she added the "Time Out" lettering herself. Greenery gives the space a pop of color. The flowers, pot and brass cricket are all from The Herbary at Bear Creek.

Follow Dana on Instagram.

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Tall Hunter Boots

Metal Wall Hooks

Canvas Apron

Hip + Historical

Diana Blinkhorn, blogger for The Gray Ruby Diaries, lives in a 117-year-old farmhouse. Her secret to decorating? "It's really important to maintain [the] historic feel of my home while adding in my own modern style," she tells HGTV.com

She found the dresser (pictured) on Facebook Marketplace, and immediatly knew it possessed all the historic charm and character she was looking for. She accessorized with some pieces from Target and an antique typewriter. The finished result is a light and bright foyer with a modern-farmhouse feel.

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Column Lamp Base

Round Wall Mirror

High Style, Affordable Prices

"I'm definitely drawn to the high style home decor items I see in my favorite shelter magazines, but those come with an equally high price tag that I just can't afford," explains Oscar Bravo, interior decorator and blogger of Oscar Bravo Home.

Oscar knew he wanted a Chesterfield sofa for his living room, but they usually retail for thousands. He found a subtle gray one (pictured) on Facebook Marketplace for $100, and paired it with DIY modern art and a funky paint-dipped portrait from Etsy.

"When shopping for furniture and decor, both style and price are very important," he explains.

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Black Malmsta Coffee Table

Altered Art Portrait

Velvet Throw Pillow

Plaid Curtains

Vintage + Modern

Pairing modern, on-trend purchases with vintage finds is how House Homemade blogger and DIY-er Jessica Nickerson stays on-budget while redecorating. "The large armoire at $40 gave me all the heart eyes," she tells HGTV.com.

Abstract art from Minted gives the space a subtle boost of color.

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Abstract Print

Murphy Task Lamp

From Found to Refinished

Jessica also found the focal point of her TV room, a cabinet, on Facebook Marketplace. While she knew the cabinet would work well in her home, it wasn't perfect until she refinished it. Then her husband mounted it for a more modern look, and voila!

"I love it because it looks like it was made for this wall," she says. A variety of greenery decorates the space, while additional artwork (including burl wood frames from Frame Bridge) adds color to the walls.

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Burl Wood Frame

Selling + Decorating

As for her living room, Jessica used Marketplace to sell an area rug and some other accessories she wasn’t using. She then thrifted the coffee table and decorated it with a golden cowboy boot, books and a plant. The new oriental rug is from Overstock.

"I was able to refresh our living room and come out even," Jessica tells HGTV.com.

Boho With a Twist

Sarah Lyon, lifestyle and interior design blogger for DC to a T, can’t resist a peacock chair. "I just love how funky and stylish peacock chairs are in general ... they're such statement pieces," she says.

Sarah found this one on Facebook Marketplace for $100 and did some rearranging to fit it into her space. A small, bohemian pillow adds layered texture. The stool is Serena and Lily and the chunky, gold mirror is from Soft Surroundings.

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Dip-Dyed Stools

Stylish Seating

It’s amazing what a stylish chair can do to a room’s aesthetic. "While I probably didn't need additional seating, I couldn't say no to this affordable find," says Sarah, who purchased this faux bamboo Chippendale chair for $25.

A decorative blue seat cushion complements her bedroom decor, as well as the chair, while the gold floor mirror—found on Craigslist—adds glam to the space. The pillow is from TJ Maxx and the artwork is a framed placemat she purchased from Etsy.

Patience Makes Perfect

Sarah had lusted over pharmacy lamps for years and was ecstatic when she found one for free on Facebook Marketplace. "It's the perfect height for my little sitting area upstairs," she says. The Lucite nesting table to the right of the couch (originally from CB2) was also a Marketplace find.

"Because I like to change around my decor so frequently, I prefer to bring home pieces that are inexpensive and versatile and can easily be moved to another room," she explains. Sarah purchased the black wall sconce from Urban Outfitters and the dipped stool from Serena and Lily. All other accessories were thrifted.

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Double Sconce

Dip-Dyed Stools

Mix It Up

Sarah grew weary of her workspace and decided to revamp it—bistro style. She picked up the table and chair set on Marketplace (a lookalike table can be found at World Market).

"The marble table reminds me of a Parisian cafe, and the cane chairs really sealed the deal," she says. She went with a poster from School House to complete the look.

How to Decorate Like a Designer on a Budget

Related To:

Shop This Look

It's Time for a Makeover

Something New, Something Used

Shop This Look

Tall Hunter Boots

Metal Wall Hooks

Canvas Apron

Hip + Historical

Shop This Look

Column Lamp Base

Round Wall Mirror

High Style, Affordable Prices

Shop This Look

Black Malmsta Coffee Table

Altered Art Portrait

Velvet Throw Pillow

Plaid Curtains

Vintage + Modern

Shop This Look

Abstract Print

Murphy Task Lamp

From Found to Refinished

Shop This Look

Burl Wood Frame

Selling + Decorating

Boho With a Twist

Shop This Look

Dip-Dyed Stools

Stylish Seating

Patience Makes Perfect

Shop This Look

Double Sconce

Dip-Dyed Stools

Mix It Up

Shop This Look

Framed Print

Bistro Accent Table

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