Before we get into it, let’s get something straight: you don’t need fancy decor in order to become more creative. Yes, inspiring interiors can definitely aide in feelings of happiness. However, overly precious spaces can also stifle your creativity by making you afraid to experiment (like taping things to the wall when you are brainstorming) or even make a mess. With a little resourcefulness and enthusiasm, you can create a budget-friendly creative home environment. Fostering creativity requires a thinking space. This will obviously vary from person to person but it applies to both living and work spaces at home. Ultimately, you’ll benefit from designating comfortable thinking spaces for problem-solving and idea generating.

Pro Tip: Explore creative problem solving by asking the following questions: What do I know & what knowledge do I currently possess? What information do I still need? What resources or materials do I have access to? What can I create with What I have?

So while creativity and innovation can happen anywhere, even a garage; if you like the idea of curating your space and boosting your imagination, we’ve got you covered below. Read on to learn how to make an affordable creative home that inspires you.

What’s Your Style?

Before you start decorating, think about how you would define your style. What inspires you? Create a mood board (we love a good mood board) of your favorite styles, colors, patterns, textures, and vibes. This a good way to focus and find things around you that fit into those categories long before you hop on Amazon or wander around a home goods store. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. Maybe you’re a mid-century modern with a dash of Pop Art. Maybe you’re a little bit Gothic Style and Bohemian.

1. Fill Your Space with Color

Color affects moods and creativity. Choose a set of colors for your space that make you feel energized, happy, and inspired (they don’t have to bright colors if you’re not into that). Think about your favorite colors and look for inspiration in nature, art, or on the internet. Experiment with different color combos until you find some that really speak to you and your creative spirit. Depending on what your budget is these colors may inform paint buying or simply be colors that you pull inspiration from when you’re digging through old boxes of crafts or artwork. Remember picking a color palette for your apartment or home doesn’t necessarily mean you’re committing to painting, it’s simply a way to organize the colors that speak to you so you can stay within those parameters a bit to create some fun and cohesive spaces.

2. How to Use Your Colors

Once you’ve picked out your color combos it’s time to start incorporating them into your home. You can start by painting an accent wall, adding colorful cushions, and using colored fabrics and textures to give your furniture some more personality. You don’t have to spend a fortune on these items either! Get creative and try repurposing old items in new ways. Sometimes a plain gray couch can come to life with throw blankets or unexpected make shift covers and become way more interesting.

Think about color blocking your space in fun and creative ways. Color blocking really helps to create imaginary visual spaces within a room. You can do this by putting up artwork with specific colors on a wall and adding a touch of paint to only part of a wall instead of the whole wall (pro tip: sometimes places like Lowes or Home Depot have paint cans on clearance that were not bought once they were mixed. It’s worth checking out if you’re already in the stores just in case there’s the perfect, unwanted, color just waiting for you).

Design a Budget-Friendly Creative Home Through Dedicated Creative Spaces

In order to really nurture your creativity or imagination you should consider dedicating a space in your home where you can focus without distractions. It doesn’t have to be a big space but it should be intentional. A space you can step into and immediately get into a different state of mind.

1. Find the Perfect Spot

Is there a quiet corner in your home where the sun hits just right? Is there a small desk in your bedroom? Maybe a cozy nook in your kitchen? Don’t be afraid to be unusual. A living room can look like whatever you want. Maybe you just bought your new home and instead of a traditional dining room set up that you know you’ll never use you get creative with that space. Or maybe you live in a studio where one area plays the role of many; hone in on one particular side of the room that you dedicate as your creative area.

2. Setting Up Your Creative Space

Make your space your own, but leave room to make a mess! Brainstorming can be chaotic so make sure your space can take it. Organize your supplies and tools so they’re easy to grab (consider making them a part of the decor rather than just tucking them away ie: dry paint brushes in fun containers can be fun and decorative as well as accessible whenever inspiration strikes). Create an inviting atmosphere with comfy seating spots, good lighting, and even artwork that you find inspiring. Here you can really reflect your personal creative style in a way that’s uniquely you.

3. Make the Most Out of Small Spaces

Even in a small studio apartment you can cultivate creative space. Consider a budget-Friendly creative home accessory like room dividers, or make the most out of your wall real estate by using floating shelves, or consider furniture that can be used for more than one function. One way to implement cost-effective home decor is to use the furniture you already have in interesting ways. Experiment with the layout of the furniture in a way that separates the creative space from the rest.

Fun Meets Function: Redefine Your Workspace

It’s important to dedicate a space where you work in order to be productive (read more about creating a productive workspace here) but don’t forget to add some personal inspiration to your work areas as well. This can be a balancing act since no two spaces are the same. The key is to create a place where you can do some thinking. Let some of what you curated for your creative space(s) bleed into your work space. This can come in the form of an accent wall, as well as unexpected colors, or textures.

Pro Tip: Allow some creative overlaps in your workspaces to make your workstation more comfortable and personal. This repetition of elements helps to build a budget-friendly creative home and is also a great way to get the most out of products like: paint, stencils, or DIY projects. By repeating elements you create a flow throughout your living space really bringing it all together and feel cohesive.

When you’re trying to solve a problem you need to be able to focus. In order to focus you need to be in an environment that helps you think. Consider investing some time in thinking about what helps you concentrate. Maybe it’s music or ambient sound? Maybe it’s things you can fidget wh? Is it snacks? Maybe it’s organizing? Whatever it is consider implementing it into your workspace in a surprising way. If you’d like some tips on quirky office supplies check out this list.

Showcase Your Purchased Art Next to Homemade Creative Projects

1. Show Off Your Work and Rotate Your Collection

Your home should show off your creativity. Don’t be afraid or shy about displaying artwork you’ve made in the same space as art that you’ve purchased. One way to keep your space feeling fresh and inspiring is to rotate your art collection. Keep your home feeling creative while also giving you a chance to enjoy different pieces and maybe even encourage you to create new works of your own to fill any empty spaces.

2. Cost-Effective Home Decor: Display Friends and Family Made Art

Connecting with other creative people can help you stay inspired. Surround yourself with inspiration by showcasing and celebrating the creativity of your friends and fam by displaying their artwork and projects in your home. This creates a super unique and personal vibe but also reminds you of the community you have around you.

Your Home Can Reflect Who You Are

1. Proudly Show Off Your Heritage

Cultural items can add a unique and personalized touch to your home decor and also creates an opportunity for storytelling. Infusing your living space with the warmth of your culture and heritage not only enhances the visual appeal but also serves a celebration of the rich tapestry of your ancestry. You can display them in so many ways: wall hangings, table accents, or even integrate them into functional aspects of your decor like using traditional textiles as throws, cushion covers, or curtains.

2. Go Ahead: Display the Weird Stuff

If you’re looking to decorate your living space but you aren’t quite sure where to start just think of who you are. Look for ways to infuse your personal touch into every room. You can do this through artwork, furniture, or even quirky decorations. The smallest details can really bring a room together. Is there something you randomly found at a flea market or craft fair that’s been tucked away? Put it up! Surround yourself with past adventures and fun stories. Make a gallery wall of old prints or pages from old books (thrift stores are a great place to find super cool and weird stuff).

3. Budget Home Creativity: Embrace DIY Decorating

Another key to creating an affordable creative home is to add a personal touch through creating your own decorations. You can paint or stencil designs on your wall or try making your own cushions with old t-shirts, or refurnishing thrifted furniture. There are so many online tutorials that can guide you through projects. You might even discover a new creative hobby along the way.

Stay Inspired and Clutter-Free

In order to stay inspired make sure you dedicate time for creativity. This can even be just a few minutes a day. Having a set time for creativity can help you establish a routine, making it way easier to stay motivated and inspired. Sometimes it’s not about what you can add or buy to help you create, but rather what you can store and organize so that you can have the space to create. A cluttered space can make it really hard to focus on your creative projects. Aside from regular tidying up you can also look for affordable options, like using baskets or repurposing old furniture to create functional storage that’s also visually appealing or interesting.

1. Build a Budget-Friendly Creative Home: Avoid Delicate Furniture

A key to staying inspired in your space is the ability mess things up a bit. Pick out furniture that is sturdy and can take a bit of a beating. Something sturdy enough that you can lean on, place drinks on without a coaster, or even spill on. Or you can go for furniture that’s easy to move and rearrange whenever you want. Point is to avoid museum quality furnishings that need protection and instead find pieces that get better with age and some wear and tear or are easy to move out of the way. This creates a space that encourages experimentation which is a great way to get your creative juices flowing.

2. Get Physical and Have Fun In Your Space

Make physical activity easy to do where you are. Whether it’s yoga or random dance moves make sure you have the space to be as active as possible. This also allows you to have room to play around and be silly too. Maybe invest in a hula hoop and proudly lean it on a wall or let your yoga mat hang out in a way that’s easily accessible rather than in a closet.

3. Introduce Plant Life

One way to really level up your space and make a budget-friendly creative home while helping you stay inspired and develop good routines: buy plants. In fact, one of our favorite plant companies, The Sill, wrote a super informative article about exactly why you need plants in your life. Nature is amazing and it’s also soothing and calming. Best thing about plants is they quickly change the vibe of any room. Plants also require some small routine and maintenance commitments that can definitely inspire keeping a clutter-free environment.

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Following some of these simple, budget-friendly creative home tips can help transform your home into a space that feeds your creativity and nurtures your imagination. Bottom line: don’t be afraid to experiment and find the unique touches that make your space truly inspiring to YOU.

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