If you want to decorate a tired old bedroom but don’t have hundreds of pounds to spend, it can be tricky coming up with inventive ideas to get it looking its best. Whether you need to budget to decorate an entire house because you want to sell up or you’re saving for something else and don’t want to spend all your money on your bedroom, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best low-cost ideas to keep your bedroom looking its best without it costing the Earth.

✽ Stencil art

If you don’t have the time or budget to paint the entire room, why not try some elegant stencil art? This can take the form of a border or some small prints, such as floral sprays or geometric patterns. This means you can buy a small sample sized tin of paint. Alternatively, if you don’t want to try it out on the walls, stencil some patterns onto your wooden furniture.

✽ Rugs and throws

Updating a bedroom doesn’t have to mean replacing the carpet or all your bedding. If you want to subtly alter your colour scheme, try adding a matching rug and throw to the room for an injection of colour and interest. Scatter cushions can have the same effect, especially if you layer them in lots of different designs and in subtle colour variations.

✽ Lighting

Sometimes the ambience of a room can be completely changed by simply manipulating the lighting. This can be in the form of fairy lights [which could even be recycled from the Christmas tree] for a flickery glow, a collection of small lamps scattered about the room or some flattering wall-mounted lights. Harsh overhead lighting can make a room feel stark and unwelcoming, so this can make a surprisingly big difference.

✽ Furniture tweaks

Your furniture might be starting to look a little dated. If this is the case, embrace it and make it look deliberate. Some vintage-looking handles on a cupboard or chest of drawers can be all it needs to make it look better. Alternatively, consider sanding down any flaking paintwork to create the shabby chic look.

✽ Personalised art

If you consider yourself a bit of a photographer or are a dab hand with a paintbrush, why not create your own art to put up in your bedroom? Even if it’s not your best work, it doesn’t matter as long as you like it as it will only be seen by you. This means that you will get a completely unique piece of art which is tailored perfectly to the style of your room.

About the author: Claudia Engelman is an interior design fanatic who's never happier than when creating a new space.