As any home makeover fan knows, our homes are more than just the four walls we live in. Living in a beautiful space that reflects our unique style can dramatically improve how we feel and function. Think about where you like to spend the most time in your own home. Chances are it’s the room that feels most like ‘you’.

So if your apps are full of gorgeous interiors inspiration images but you’re not sure how to successfully recreate your dream interior in your own home without spending a fortune, we’ve got some professional tips that really work and will help keep costs down.

1. Plan and prioritise: Focus on your end goal and create a room design plan that will help you makeover your room in achievable stages. There’s no point wasting money on a quick fix that you’ll get easily bored of and won’t love long term. Spend a little time thinking about the types of interiors you are drawn to time and time again, then strip this style back, and figure out what the key ‘building block’ elements are. For example, if you love rich maximalist interiors, focus on a star piece that will transform your room for years to come (maybe a luxurious richly-coloured sofa, or decorative wallpaper), and prioritise this over everything else. Working to a plan in stages means costs are more manageable, the process of transforming your home becomes less overwhelming, and you’re less likely to waste money on impulse buys that won’t serve your space long term.
2. Declutter: As well as adding in new elements to create your dream space, think about what items you could remove from your room that will help you achieve the look you’re creating. Try to look at your room objectively, with fresh eyes. If it’s not useful or inkeeping with your new look, then consider re-homing it. Even 30 minutes spent decluttering can have a huge impact and make your home look more spacious and pulled together. Be as ruthless as you can!
3. Consider your layout: Sometimes reworking your layout can have a transformative effect on your space, and cost nothing. Again, this is all about focusing on your end goal and approaching things with a fresh perspective. Try to imagine your room as empty and be open-minded to new possibilities. Quite often we let appliances or large items dictate how we use our spaces, for example where we position a TV or large sofa. But if you come at it from the perspective of where your ideal focal point should be (usually one that supports the primary use of the room), it can lead to a more natural feeling flow and make your space look and feel radically better. For eaxmple, to make a living room feel cosy and social it’s a good idea to organise your layout in a way that celebrates a beautiful central feature like a fireplace, or a centrally placed coffee table. There’s usually a clever way to incorporate the functional elements (like your TV), but in a way that doesn’t necessarily make them the primary focus of your room.
4. Shop smart: Now you’ve figured out the main ‘building block’ pieces that will help you create the look you love, get smart with sourcing to save budget without sacrificing style. Find less expensive dupes of your star pieces by shopping the same look for less from quality online brands like Dusk, Wayfair, or TK Maxx. Or identify key items in your ideal brand and colour, and search for nearly new versions on eBay or facebook marketplace. You can often find new outlet sale items or ex-showroom pieces that way, and save hundreds of pounds. Lastly, consider ‘shopping your own home’ – look at the furniture and accessories you may already own elsewhere in your home, and see if any could work as part of your new design scheme. It’s amazing what reshuffling your furniture can achieve.
5. Paint: Repainting your room is the single most effective and inexpensive way to start bringing your new design to life. The right paint colour can make or break a room design, so consider what type of mood you want to create, and whether your space needs warmth adding or could benefit from some calming cooler tones, as well as what type of aesthetic you are working towards.

Our game-changing online virtual makeover and shopping service takes the guesswork out of transforming your space into the home you’ve always wanted. Take our short style quiz and get a full design plan for a room of your choice. With stunning photoreal 3D visuals tailored to your ideal design style and your room’s exact dimensions by a professional designer, and including a custom shopping list to bring your design to life effortlessly. All for just £265 per room, delivered within 7 days. See some of our customers’ real room transformations here and start visualising your space’s potential.