It’s okay, I’ll admit it. I’m cheap, very cheap. I love to decorate, but I don’t like to spend money. A professional decorator once told me that I know all the cheap ways to decorate. Then sue me. I decorate more with found objects than with money. It seems a bit outdated, but the results make me very happy and also attract buyers.

I still want things to look good, but I don’t want things to cost a lot of money. A professional decorator could never promise that his large outlay of cash will pay off in resale. Appraisers hate hearing the dreaded phrase “custom paint” because it usually means the entire home will need to be repainted in order to sell it.

A lot of times I go to DIY stores, like Lowe’s and Home Depot, and look at things that are rejected or returned or things that are a little imperfect. Painting is one that really appeals to me. I can work with almost any color. A can of basic white paint is likely to change a color that’s a reject to one that will work well in your space. There is a big difference between muddy brown and light tan, yellow and lighter yellow, paler yellows or charcoal gray and dove gray. Clear paint is the only type that people like on resale.

Other rejections can also work. I once found a beautiful 12″ X 3′ piece of oak that was a little lopsided. I added some molding, some decorative brackets and some hooks and turned it into a functional pot rack. It’s wall mounted at one end of my galley kitchen and has made what was once a dead space useful.

Another place I look for useful parts is at junk and antique stores. Many things in these places are damaged or missing parts and can add character and interest to any home. Broken things are also always the cheapest.

We are not big fans of the living room suite or any other room packages. It is too uniform and too expensive. We’ve collected and repurposed a HUGE home full of furniture, whether it’s on sale or second hand.

The creativity of this is half the attraction, plus it’s a much better value. Our personal style tends to be minimalist and contemporary, but we have been able to find many things that we like and enjoy in our space. We want comfort but not a lot of mess.

Old tables are great and can be reused in a number of ways. We have a phone station and a shelf for a surround sound speaker made out of one. They can also be cantilevered to a wall as a dining table, desk or cut in half to make 2 side tables.

Much of our furniture has found its way into our lives through garage sales. Almost all of the occasional chairs we have are $35 or less and just need to be reupholstered, which I do myself. It’s surprisingly easy. Look for fabric at thrift stores.

Another option that anyone can exercise is to choose new things that are cheaper or better value than other things. Do you really need a sink that costs hundreds of dollars or will a classic white porcelain sink be just as good for a lot less money? The fact is that classic ANYTHING always works best in resale, but don’t let it limit your style if you plan to stay put and enjoy the things you put in it.

Thrift stores and salvage stores often have expensive upgrades like marble, ceramic, and stone tile, bathroom fixtures, and windows that can be customized into place for a fraction of what you’d pay decorators and contractors to do the job. It seems that it would be difficult to make a cabinet, but in reality it is not. We have built some. We had the courage to try it because our current house is rustic in nature.

Most cabinets are simply a wooden box with some sort of door and maybe (or not) a front frame. It is not an exact science. If you don’t feel up to building a door, use a window or have someone make doors and drawers for you.

Any home can benefit from these kinds of improvements that just happen because we find something that’s interesting and think of a way to use it.

The great benefit is that your remodeling and decoration will be unique and more economical. The ultimate test is how you do at reselling. If your home sells quickly and for asking price, it’s a pragmatic measure of how well you’ve done.

The best thing is to keep the house that did not cost much to remodel and enjoy it for yourself.