6 Go big with accessories. Many tiny items make a place look cluttered and cheapy. Instead opt for overscale accessories like standing floor vases, plump floor cushions, pillar candles rather than tea-lights.
7 Use texture: Combine shiny, matte, soft and rough natural textures to add richness to a space. Sparkle always adds a dash of glamour.
8 Don't scrimp on the size of your area rug. Many nice rooms are ruined by the use of a postage-stamp sized rug. Can't find one big enough and don't want to spend the earth: go to a broadloom store and order a piece to be cut and bound (choose a sisal look-a-like in wool or sythetic fibre).
9 Do what I did - decorate with black and white. Just like with fashion, these colours (or non-colours) never look tired and combined can result in dramatic spaces that look like their total price tag was much higher that the actual cost.
10 Buy gutsy lamps. Lighting is often an after-thought when decorating on a budget but spindly, too-small lamps are a common faux-pas. Instead, layer your lighting (overhead, task, ambient), switch bulbs to halogen or natural daylight bulbs and buy lamps that have a sculptural appeal.
Read more in Decorating & Design and Budget
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