The Insider: How to decorate on a budget

Turn things you already have - books, magazines, vintage cutlery - into something decorative with some thought to their arrangement

Holly Becker is the queen of interiors blogs. Her hugely popular website, Decor8 (decor8blog.com), has already spawned one bestselling book. Now she has a second out: Decorate Workshop (£25, Jacqui Small), a step-by-step guide to grappling with your own interiors project, beautifully illustrated with inspiring pictures. I asked Ms Becker to share her best tips for small budgets…

Look around you

"Shop around your own home before heading to the high street. Go from room to room and list what may work better in another space. Often, swapping round curtains, throws, a lamp, some pillows and a few decorative objects can make a huge difference. You may not need to buy anything new at all."

Spruce almighty

"If you are bored, embellish: stitch some trim to your plain linen curtains or paint your curtain rod a fun colour – hot pink, say. If your bathroom doesn't excite you, create a focal point through a beautifully patterned shower curtain, rugs and towels."

Don't pay, display

"Turn things you already have – books, magazines, vintage cutlery – into something decorative with some thought to their arrangement. Perhaps your teas could go into glass jars arranged on a shelf above your counter. Maybe those bath products would look nicer poured into dispensers or see-through bottles to create a spa-at-home vibe. Perhaps your linens are too pretty to keep in a closet – stack them in a cabinet with glass doors instead."

Another fine mess

"Embrace happy accidents… maybe you'll hang the wallpaper upside-down (I did this once). Stepping back, you may prefer the pattern upside-down and even find it a great conversation piece. Often the wonky bits bring personality and charm into a home.

Find Kate's blog on affordable interiors at yourhomeislovely.com