The key to a well-spent stress-relieving getaway is having a beautiful and tranquil setting of both the indoors and the outdoors. So, if you’re planning to spend the next family holiday at your lake house, make sure to have the house décor ready. Here are decorating tips and lake house decorating ideas on a budget to help you achieve the perfect lake house of your dreams.

Lake House Decorating Ideas on a Budget

Repaint

Perhaps the easiest visual update you can do to a lake house is to repaint it. If you haven’t been there in a while or you just purchased the property, check for cracked or flaked paint that needs to be removed and repainted. If you wish to change the exterior and the interior appearance of the house, you can repaint it with the paint color of your choice. The ideal lake house paint colors are wood tones – a pale cream to yellowish-brown. You can also opt for calming blue and gray tones. Repainting can be an overwhelming task especially when it comes to figuring out the appropriate color scheme. It might also not be a task that you can do yourself. However, it’s definitely worth the effort and investment. Not only does repainting increase the aesthetic look of the house but it also protects the house from the elements.

Use Refinished and Reupholstered Furniture

Another budget-friendly update you can do is to refinish or reupholster your furniture pieces. If you have old furniture, don’t throw them away. Gather all the old pieces in one area and look for creative ways to add a contemporary finish and bring them back to life. Re-upholstering is a sustainable way to restore furniture and update the style. Instead of buying new ones, try researching furniture flipping ideas and grab an inspiration photo you can follow to successfully restyle your furniture upholstery. You can also dismantle and reassemble antique wooden chairs and then paint them with a paint color that compliments the color palette of the interior design. 

Budget-Friendly Décor Finds in Flea Markets

Don’t stress yourself out with buying expensive home décor items. There are a lot of thrift stores, flea markets, and even affordable online shops where you can find lovely pieces that would be absolutely perfect for your lake house. But first, you need to figure out the design style that you want to achieve before purchasing décor items. If you want to go for a rustic-chic interior, opt for wooden or vintage-style lampshades, lighting fixtures, vases, trinket bowls, and mirrors. For a warm and cozy appeal, infuse a more contemporary approach by adding wooden geometric décor pieces, handmade or woven accessories like a macramé wall hanging, candles, glass flower vases, and books.

Decorate with Art Prints from Local Artists

Of course, interior décor and accessories are not complete without artwork. Somehow, a house does not look fully furnished without framed artwork hanging on the wall – whether small or large. Artwork is a great way to add your personal touch to your space. You don’t need a million-dollar painting to create a million-dollar-lake house interior design. You just need a brilliant concept and an eye for creativity to find that great piece that would be perfect for your wall. Support the locals and purchase original paintings and sculptures from them. It’s another creative way to incorporate a little dose of culture and community into your lake house interior design.

Update the Hardware

This is probably the simplest yet most overlooked budget-friendly design hack. Updating or switching the hardware of your cabinets and drawers can make a huge difference in the overall appeal of your lake house. When it comes to decorating, little details matter. Try to check for old rusty hardware and consider replacing them. It will give your interior a more stylish and refreshing look. Check kitchen sink and bathroom fixtures as well. A well-decorated lake house needs to be functional as much as it is visually appealing.   

Incorporate the View into the Design

Lake houses typically have floor-to-ceiling glass windows. And this is because, in lake houses, it’s all about the view. Everything that you actually need to create a stunning interior design of your lake house is just right outside the window. So, if you have huge windows, leave them bare or apply little to no window treatment to maximize the view. You can also repaint the interior window trim to make a clearer outline of the window and to highlight the view. Use the outdoor scene as the primary concept of your design scheme. Frame your furniture layout in complement to the view to create a focal point.

Add Indoor Plants

Decorating with plants is by far the most cost-effective way of bringing an interior space to life. No matter what design style you want your house to look, you can almost always add plants. Plants in vases are a beautiful addition to spruce-up console tables, coffee tables, and dining tables. Whether you like small potted succulents, indoor plant cuttings, or charming florals, such greeneries are a great way to add vibrancy and a pop of color to your home. Indoor plants also purify the air. Aside from that, there are numerous studies that show the psychological health benefits of plants. It is proven to relieve stress and anxiety and keeps us healthier and happier. However, if you’re not much of a green thumb, you can always opt for faux plants that look unbelievably real so that you can’t even tell the difference. The goal here is to decorate the space and make it a beautiful and comfortable home.

Now, you’ve got no excuses. If you think lake house decorating is expensive, think again. We’ve just outlined our top lake house decorating ideas on a budget in order to make that dream getaway a possibility. So, make it happen! Start the process of decorating and don’t forget to have fun in the process.

Be sure to explore other articles on owning a vacation home, including 8 Easy and Budget-Friendly Tips on How to Decorate a Mountain Cabin.

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Achieving a gorgeous, cozy cabin retreat look does not have to be out of reach. Whether you have a mountain cabin of your own or are looking to bring that cozy style to your home, here are eight easy and budget-friendly mountain cabin decorating ideas for you!

Mountain Cabin Decorating Ideas

Focus on the view

If you want your home to feel like a mountain retreat, there is a good chance it is surrounded by a beautiful landscape or oasis of trees. Make this view outside your windows the star of the show. This mountain cabin decorating idea does not necessarily mean you need to install new, grander windows, but rather reimagine the ones you have now. Make sure there are no furniture pieces or bulky drapery hiding that beautiful exterior view. Opt for simple, sheer window treatments or leave the windows completely bare with exposed wood trim.

Bring the outside in

Once you have achieved the perfect view of the outdoors, go ahead and bring some of those outdoor elements in. The best way to do this is to add plenty of nature’s greenery to your space. Not only do plants add beautiful color and details to a mountain cabin, there are plenty of health benefits to living amongst their stems and leaves. Other outdoor elements that can be brought into your cabin design include reclaimed wood, vases of sticks and stems, or even rocks and stones.

Balance your wood tones

A main focus of mountain cabin interior design is wood elements. Layers of wood tones make a cabin feel homey and inviting. While this design aspect is certainly a main focus, it is important to not go overboard and have your space feeling dark and dreary. Balance the wood tones you use in the space by mixing up the type and shades of the wood. A good rule of thumb is to use two or three distinct wood tones, such as a light oak, dark mahogany, etc., and use them cohesively throughout the design. Make sure each tone of wood has a few separate design features, like a ceiling treatment and a coffee table, that allows them to tie together and feel intentional. Also, be sure to break up the wood tones by incorporating painted walls, stone accents, or even wallpaper.

Layer in comfort

Intentional design is all about the layers and mountain cabins are no exception. Beyond your wall treatments and furniture pieces, it is important to add those additional decor items that finish off your design. These elements should also vary in their texture and function. To keep with the warm feeling, add in throw blankets, pillows, and area rugs. Do not be afraid to layer area rugs for added warmth. Continue your layers by styling the surfaces of coffee tables, console tables, and shelving with vases, picture frames, bowls, books, and other decorative objects.

Use statement lighting

Instantly elevate your mountain cabin interior design with beautiful statement light fixtures. The most prominent location for a grandiose statement light is centered in the main gathering area. You could also add statement pendants hanging in the kitchen or sconces flanking their fireplace. Make sure your light fixtures incorporate that rustic, mountain vibe with either aged wood or distressed metal.

Disguise your storage

Achieving a high level mountain-inspired design means each and every piece in your space should add to the design. This can sometimes be tricky when you have lots of items you need for day-to-day life, but do not want on display. Use furniture pieces with built in storage to keep the focus on your natural design elements and away from your clutter. Consider a storage coffee table, storage sofa, or storage ottman to help hide away some of the items you do not want out and about. If you have open shelving, add baskets and bins to store your technology or kid’s toys.

Add a focal feature

In most mountain cabins, the main focal feature will be the fireplace. A grand, floor-to-ceiling fireplace wrapped in stone, stucco, or metal is front and center when you enter the home. If your home does not have a fireplace, do not fret! There are plenty of other ideas you can use to create a focal feature in your design. A focal feature can be something as simple as a large, unique piece of wall art. You could add a gorgeous iron railing to your main staircase. An inexpensive focal point can be crafted by creating an accent wall with paint, wallpaper, or a patterned wood treatment.

Do not be afraid of pattern and color

Often mountain cabin decorating ideas are all about using neutrals but that does not have to be the only option. A great way to add a little extra flair to your cabin design is to add pattern and color. If you are nervous about adding in color, stick with earth tone shades like green, maroon, rust, amber, and mustard yellow. If you are a little more courageous with color, keep with the earth tone palette, but add color in many of your design elements. Incorporate color and pattern in your textiles, like rugs, pillows, and blankets, and your art pieces to elevate your mountain decor. Decorating a mountain cabin should be an enjoyable experience so have fun with it!

If you plan on sharing your mountain cabin with friends and family, be sure to explore How to Manage a Family Vacation Home the Right Way as well as our additional articles on owning a vacation home, including our budget-friendly tips on decorating a lake house.

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What is Staging all About?

Home staging is the process of increasing your home value by doing minor changes to the décor, furniture and appearance. Practically, it involves cleaning the home, removing the clutter, improving the landscaping, painting a room or two, adding plants, changing furniture and buying some unique decorations to sparkle buyers’ attention.

Staging is not decorating, but more like depersonalizing your house. While it can be done all by yourself, you can also hire a home stager to help you out. If you want to save some money and do-it-yourself, you can stage your vacation home for sale using these 7 important tips. Check them out below and get your home ready for sale in 2020 and beyond!

7 Tips on Staging Your Vacation Home for Sale

1. Make the Interiors Look Larger by Cutting out Decorations

Vacation home buyers love to see de-cluttered homes that they can decorate as they see fit. They want to have as much space as possible so they feel relaxed and forget about the busyness of life in the big city. A surefire way to increase the appeal of your home is to ensure it looks de-cluttered and large. For that, you want to remove any needless decorations.

Get rid of everything that might communicate potential buyers that you are the owner of the house. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves in your home.

You should have zero personal decorations, but only add some stylish decorations featuring motifs that trigger relaxation and well-being. For example, a landscape painting or a cheap figurative art piece can enhance the appeal of a room without adding any tint of personalization.

2. Hire a Cleaning Company

When selling a vacation home, it is important to ensure that it looks clean and elegant. If you haven’t visited it in months its even more important to undergo a thorough cleaning beforehand. When potential buyers walk into a home, they want to see a spotless home with no visible signs of recent use.

That’s why it’s always a great idea to hire a professional house cleaning company that can clean your home and make it look exceptional, even if you’re not there. They can clean the backyard, front garden, patios, interior, and even your pool.

3. Create a Unique Bedroom Buyers will Love

The bedroom might be the single most important room for married couples, especially if they want to leave their kids behind when going on vacation. All vacationers want to spend quality time together, including relaxing in the bedroom reading a book, watching TV and sleeping.

The best way to ensure that they will enjoy a relaxing holiday and forget about all of their worries is to upgrade the bedroom. Make your bedroom look as appealing as possible by investing in plush pillows, new bedding and high-quality comforters.

4. Entice Potential Buyers with a Gorgeous Dining Room Table

Most of the time, sellers forger that potential buyers need to be enticed. In order to make a successful sale, you need to ensure that the centerpiece of your home, which is the dining table, looks perfect. Buyers notice everything, including those unopened letters or toys on the dining table.

Put out the best china on the table, add centerpieces, bring in some wine glasses & wine and even decorate it with candles. If you have an outdoor dining table, you can enhance it with bread baskets, flower vases and wine buckets.

After you have finished the presentation, spend some time at the dining table with your guests and drink some good wine. You might just convince them on the spot to buy your vacation home!

5. Patch and Repair

During the home staging process, you need to invest some time and energy into repairing your vacation home. Considering that you may not spend a lot of time in your vacation home, you might not be aware of all the cracks, holes, nicks and scratches inside or outside of it.

Start by removing any scuffs from the walls and continue moving around using caulk, paint, spackle and good old TLC to ensure your property looks at its best.

6. Focus on Being Fresh

Never overemphasize your home décor and try not to overwhelm your visitors with too many features and add-ons. Instead, keep things fresh and leverage the power of well-placed flowers and plants. Space out a few plants and flowers in order to avoid clutter and to maximize space.

A practical thing you can do is to place a vase of fresh flowers right on your kitchen table or dining table. You can also add a few potted plants in your living room, bedroom or bathroom. However, if you are not within close proximity of the location or you don’t have time to prepare for the visit, you can always use fake plants as a replacement.

Another important aspect of being fresh is that there are no odors in the home. Make sure there are no lingering smells that might trigger certain negative feelings in your guests. Of course, the trash bin should be emptied and the sink should have no dirty dishes in it. If you feel a subtle scent inside your home, you can use a small scented plug-in that smells of lilies, frangipani or primrose to cover it.

7. Rearrange the Furniture

Lastly, you can dramatically boost the appeal of your vacation home if you rearrange the furniture in such a way so that there is as much walkable, open space as possible. By putting the furniture together, you’ll not only maximize space and make the home look bigger, but you’ll also enable the buyers to better visualize each piece of furniture.

Ensure that you throw away or hide damaged, insignificant furniture pieces, and only keep those that can leave a good first impression.

Staging your vacation home for sale using these tips will no doubt improve your chances of a successful sale. Be sure to also check out our other resources for sellers of vacation homes here.

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