It seems the whole world is on a cost cutting exercise right now. It’s official – the consumer bubble has finally burst and everyone is tightening their belts. That’s easier for some than others after the Christmas binge.

2008 feels like its going to be a year for economising which is no bad thing. In our world of home furnishing that means glamming up your home without going for a total re-furbishment.

You can liven up your dining room just by changing the curtains or transform your living room with new tailored loose covers on your suite. Even wallpapering a feature wall in one of this season’s new large print styles can make an amazing difference.

It all helps with making your home feel fresh and interesting again without spending thousands on big items such as new sofas.

You can also achive the same effect in this roomset with our fabrics without the usual high costs.

Here are a few more money saving tips that can help give a fresh feel to your home in the New Year:

• New table linens can change the look of a room instantly. Check out your local thrift store for tablecloths at a fraction of the price of department store linens.
• Purchase old wooden furniture such as chairs, toy boxes, and shelves at rummage sales and thrift shops. Paint it in fun colors that match your kids’ rooms.
• Paint is cheaper than wallpaper. Use paint effects such as sponge painting, rag rolling, and stenciling to add pattern and interest to your walls. The stencils only cost a few pound. You can use acrylic craft paint instead of the oil based stencil paint because it is brighter and easier to clean. Stencil your designs on tables, bread boxes, shelves and other accessories to match your border.
• Use a medium to dark color palette to paint your room. As a general rule, the darker the color the more distinctive the room will be perceived by others. Marketing experts use this trick all the time – you can too!
• Use a wall to display family photos using frames purchased at thrift stores and garage sales. Paint the frames to match furniture, curtains, etc.
• Plants can make a room come alive… literally! Put them in interesting containers such as baskets and crocks. Don’t buy plants; take clippings and regenerate roots. Ask your friends and family if you can take clippings from their plants in exchange for clippings from yours.
• Spray paint willow branches white and secure them with floral foam in a weighted pot. Place Spanish moss over the foam, and drape the branches with small white lights.
• Instead of buying decorative soaps, either melt soap you already have or buy a block of soap (5.99) from a craft store. After the soap is melted, add to plastic cookie moldings for fun shapes and add things such as dried flowers, small toys, food coloring or fragrant soaps.