Ally MacDermot from Ally Interiors is sharing her top tips to decorate your home on a budget. In the theme of some recent budgeting blogs, today Ally shares some of her experiences of home decorating on a budget. Please feel free to share you tips as well. If your curtains are looking a little faded where they meet in the middle, try swapping the left hand and right hand curtains over.  You will find that those outside edges hardly ever see the sun and cheaper than replacing them. Jazz up inexpensive plain curtains with a heading of stitched on odd buttons or add a strip of remnant fabric to the leading edge to create interest.  This is great for children’s rooms too. If in doubt, don’t worry about fancy colour paints. White is definitely stylish. Buying an inexpensive carpet?  Look for polypropylene in a short dense material.  Fold the sample over and be sure you can’t see the backing- especially important if it is to be fitted on the stairs. A paper light shade is an excellent and cheap way to cover a ceiling pendant light fitting. Children’s rooms can be expensive to keep trendy. Buy plain dyed curtains and bedding and a feature pillowcase. Use the pillowcase to make cushions or as trim to plain curtains. Chalkboard paint in children’s rooms is also a great and novel idea. Paint the lower half of one wall to keep kids amused. Create your own inexpensive padded headboard. A sheet of ply, some foam , fabric and a staple gun. Fit to the wall using mirror hanging clips. When painting a dark wall a much lighter shade, don’t waste the good paint. Use a cheap, light, trade style emulsion first, and then use your “good” paint. Don’t underestimate what a couple of coats can do to a piece of second-hand furniture. Many decorating stores have reduced tins of paint, or use sample pots. [cta]