Beige-to-Designer Budget Dining Room ($1000 transformation without renovation!)

Boehmian Budget Dining Room

Beautiful spaces can be affordable if you have design rules and a few DIY tricks up your sleeve. Scroll to the end for a full project cost breakdown. $1000 rooms are possible, and I’m your decorator if you want some help and guidance along the way.

The Brief and the Solution

Zone 1: Tulip Dining Table and Leather Dining Chairs

Zone 2: Dresser Zone for Entry Drop and Storage

Cost and Time Budget

Redefining Spaces, One affordable dining room at a Time

Question + Answer

The Brief: Dining Room / Entryway

1. Create a dining area in a dark and oddly configured space.

2. Designate an entry drop.

3. Provide overflow kitchen storage drawers.

4. Ensure enough walking space to access both the adjacent living area and the kitchen.

Ambitious? Yes. Achievable? Absolutely.

The Solution: Crafting Two Distinct Zones for Functionality and Style The design addressed all these needs, added layered lighting, and incorporated texture through a rug and wall art. It creates softness, color balance, and appropriate scale to establish the zones and prevent them from floating into the abyss of an undefined floorplan.

Bohemian Affordable Dining Room Apartment Small Space

Zone 1: Tulip Dining Table and Leather Dining Chairs

To define the dining area, a chic tulip dining table took center stage. Anchored by a luxurious cowhide rug, this zone became a visual delight. A pendant light and basket/plate wall create a backdrop, enriching the views into this space from surrounding areas. The cost breakdown for this zone includes:

1. Table: 40.5” white tulip table from IKEA (thrifted)

2. Chairs: White leather dining chairs from IKEA (thrifted, discontinued item) - black version still carried by IKEA, more expensive equivalent from World Market

3. Cowhide: 6 feet by 8 feet off-white cowhide from World Market (thrifted)

4. Basket/Plate Wall: White plates and baskets (all purchased from thrift stores)

5. Pendant Light: Pendant from Home Depot (much prettier equivalent), basket shade from IKEA (spray painted), ceiling hook from Home Depot

Bohemian Apartment Dining Room

Zone 2: The Dresser Zone for Entry Drop in a Budget Dining Room

Adjacent to the dining zone, a dedicated space emerged for entry drop essentials and overflow kitchen storage.

The elements in this zone, along with their costs, are:

• Dresser: 60” French-style dresser (thrifted)

• Vase: Purchased from a consignment store (equivalent linked)

• Greenery: Cut from a tree in the backyard

• Basket: Thrifted (24" basket similar to one I used)

• Paint: Behr chalk paint in the color Farmhouse White from Home Depot

• Canvas: 2 feet by 5 feet canvas (thrifted), primed and painted using paint purchased from Michael’s (artist's canvas in a similar size)

• Trash Can: Trash can from Wayfair, primed and painted using Behr chalk paint in Farmhouse White from Home Depot - I actually didn't love the quality of this trash can and wouldn't recommend. Here's one with a similar look.

• Sconces: Purchased from IKEA

• Dimmable light bulbs with wireless remote: Purchased from IKEA. I had some issues using the remote, but the remote looks different now so that issue may have been resolved. Whatever brand, I highly recommend dimmable lights to change up the vibe in your space.

Boho Dining Room for Smalll Space or Apartment

The Cost Breakdown: Affordable Meets Aesthetic

Let's delve into the nitty-gritty of the costs involved in this transformative project:

1. Dresser: $75

2. Vase: $60

3. Greenery: $0

4. Basket: $7

5. Paint: $70

6. Canvas: $20

7. Trash Can: $75

8. Table: $100

9. Chairs: $150

10. Basket/Plate Wall: $90

11. Pendant Light: $60

12. Cowhide: $200

13. Sconces: $40 Total Cost = $947

This project was completed over 6 months, so the cost per month came out to less than $200 a month.

1. Painting the dresser – 6 hours

2. Refinishing the dresser hardware – 2 hours

3. Painting the trash can – 1 hour

4. Painting the IKEA basket pendant shade – 30 minutes

5. Hanging Wall Sconces – 20 minutes

6. Hanging Overhead Pendant Light – 1 hour

7. Securing the rug with rug tape – 1 hour

8. Transporting furniture – 3 hours

9. Basket Wall – 3 hours

Project Time = less than 18 hours

(3 hours a month for 6 months)

Redefining Spaces, One Budget Dining Room at a Time 

As we conclude this journey through the transformation of a dark dining room into a functional and stylish haven, remember that beauty and affordability can coexist. With a keen eye for design rules and a dash of DIY creativity, any space can be elevated. Let this project inspire you to reimagine your own space, and may your future design endeavors be both cost-effective and visually stunning. Until next time, happy designing!

The interior decorating and design space is saturated with high-end, high-budget, full-renovation-focused projects. Balm Decorating is an inclusive new model that seeks to bring beautiful design to low- and mid-budget clients. At Balm Decorating, we believe you deserve a beautiful space no matter your budget. We are experts at sourcing furnishings second-hand, eco-friendly, and incorporating DIY.

Kelley Dowling founded Balm in 2023. A girl whose parents let her choose Pepto-Bismol pink as a bedroom wall color. Then a 20-something newlywed, Kelley saved $700 to decorate her first apartment but watched the sum dwindle to nothing, with no more than some plants and a kitchen table to show for it. Then a new mom, who used the baby crazies to take free courses on decorating and designed their tiny apartment to stay sane through the doldrums of a colicky baby. Then decorating spaces for friends and family…just for fun at first, and then for more. Now for you.

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Whether you’ve been through a lot or a little, or maybe you’ve never had a home you’ve loved, we’re all going through something. We'll be your trusted home friend. We want to help you learn your own design instincts and cultivate a space you love on whatever budget you’re bringing to the table. Seriously, if your room budget is $200, let’s get started

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Can I decorate my dining room for $1000? 

Absolutely! Decorating your dining room on a $1000 budget is not only possible but can result in a stunning transformation. The key is strategic spending, incorporating thrifty finds, and DIY touches. Check out the blog post for an inspiring example of how I achieved a beautiful and functional dining area within this budget.

How much is reasonable to furnish an affordable dining room if I’m thrifting? 

Furnishing your living room through thrifting is not only budget-friendly but also environmentally conscious. I would estimate around $1000 for a completely finished and fully thrifted room. The costs can vary based on the items you find and their condition. In the project mentioned above, I thrifted a 6 feet by 8 feet off-white cowhide from World Market, a 41” white tulip table from IKEA, and white leather dining chairs from IKEA, among other things. Thrifting allows you to get unique pieces at a fraction of the cost, contributing to an affordable and stylish space.

How much should I expect to pay for dining room furniture shopping through Facebook Marketplace? 

Facebook Marketplace is a fantastic resource for affordable furniture. The costs can vary widely depending on the type, condition, and location. In our budget-friendly project, we found discontinued white leather dining chairs from IKEA and a 60” French-style dresser through thrifting, creating a stylish and functional living space. Keep an eye on local listings and be patient to find the perfect pieces at a great price. This space cost $1000 all-in.

Can you give me an estimate for decorating and finishing my affordable dining room, affordable living room, affordable bedroom?

If you're intrigued by the possibilities of turning your space into an affordable masterpiece using thrifting and DIY, we've got something special for you. For an industry-accurate, 2024-updated quote tailored to your preferences and space, head over to balminteriors.com/calculator. Taking the free quiz is all it takes, and the only cost is your email. Uncover the potential of your space and embark on a budget-friendly design journey with me. I provide eDesign services across the U.S.