How to decorate a living room for Christmas on a budget – 5 expert styling tips to help save money

Decorating your living room for Christmas on a budget is all about creativity and using what you already have. It might take longer, but what you spend in time, you save in money – and you'll likely end up with something more meaningful.

We like to think of festive decorating on a budget as an excuse to bring friends and family together to get into the Christmas spirit, from wreath-making evenings with mulled wine to crafty afternoons painting nutcrackers.

It's an expensive time of year, so it always helps to find ways to save. Below, we have gathered some of the best ways to bring a warm and festive feel without breaking the bank. Luckily, there are lots of Christmas decorating ideas to inspire and help you to make your home cosy without spending a lot of money.

How to decorate your living room for Christmas on a budget

Here are some savvy and resourceful tips to transform your space, from using items you probably already have at home to moving furniture around to create a more intimate atmosphere.

To save money You can apply many of the same principles when styling a hallway for Christmas or preparing a guest bedroom for Christmas guests.

1. Begin with a clear out

Give yourself a nice blank slate for festive decorating by decluttering your living room first. It's also a good opportunity to do some cleaning and dusting – 'future you' will be so glad you did when the 5th of January rolls around and it's time to take everything down.

"When looking at your living room, I would try to clear out initially," agrees interior designer Amanda Lucas from Rooted Fig. "So put old toys away and clear any clutter you don't need in order to make space for the Christmas tree and other decorations."

We spend a lot of time indoors through the winter, so having a clear-out before decorating will help to improve the air quality in your home and allow your decorations to really shine.

Amanda Lucas

Amanda Lucas is an interior designer and the founder of Rooted Fig interior design studio. She has worked in interiors for eight years, designing kitchens and homes clients love to come home to.

2. Turn to nature

"When dressing your living room, I recommend going out and foraging!" says Amanda Lucas. "It is free and there is so much you can make with foraged branches, pinecones and berries from the garden or hedgerows and woods in your local area."

You can tie holly, eucalyptus, rosemary and mistletoe stems together with ribbon or twine to hang above doorframes, and weave fresh foliage into Christmas wreaths and garlands, which are lovely outdoor Christmas decorating ideas. Alternatively, you can simply arrange branches and twigs in vases and bowls.

Using fresh foliage will also make your home smell good. What's more, there are lots of DIY tutorials online for creating a hanging branch centrepiece decorated with baubles and fairy lights. This makes for an awe-inspiring display when suspended over the Christmas dining table.

There are a few rules around foraging, such as only taking plants that are in abundance, so it’s a good idea to check the regulations before heading out with your secateurs.

3. Make your own decorations

There are endless Christmas craft ideas out there, so why not get together with family and friends for an afternoon of bauble-making? "There are so many creative DIY Christmas ideas on Instagram and Pinterest to inspire you," agrees interior designer Sophie Clemson. "One Christmas, The Living House got crafty and made baubles using wallpaper. I think it's lovely to make some decorations, as it gets you in the festive spirit, and the kids can join in too!"

You could try making garlands with sliced oranges – slice them thinly and dry them in the oven, pierce a hole near the edge and hang them on twine or string. Go back to basics with paper chains and snowflakes, or repaint old ornaments with nail polish. You can also buy air-dry clay for making tea-light holders or simple Christmas tree decorations.

Homemade Christmas tree decorating ideas add a personal touch and feel more special. "Some retail shops which are budget-friendly are The Range, B&M, and Ikea," Amanda Lucas adds. "They all have good Christmas decorations and you can always add colour, ribbons and lights to create a cosy and inviting space, on a budget."

Sophie Clemson

Sophie Clemson is an interior designer at The Living House, an affordable online interior design company that helps busy families transform their homes easily, online and within their budget. Sophie has worked in interior design for eight years and aside from designing, she loves to find a good bargain or Facebook marketplace find.

4. Move furniture around

Another really simple way to decorate your living room for Christmas without spending a penny is to rearrange your furniture. You might need to move your furniture around in order to accommodate the tree anyway, so try bringing seating closer together to create an intimate and cosy atmosphere.

Squeeze in an extra chair or floor pillows so there are plenty of seats for evenings watching a festive film. And hang as many fairy lights as possible – draping them across your windows, mantlepiece and shelves. If you're decorating a rectangular living room, head to our guide on how to maximise the space you have.

5. Use what you already have

Shop your home for festive decorations and make the most out of what you already have. Alick Burnett from Blooming Artificial observes that there has been a real resurgence in traditional-looking Christmas decorations this year, as people experiment with the "nostalgic maximalism" trend.

"To me, nothing captures the essence of classic Christmas ornaments quite like family heirlooms or handmade decorations," Alick says.

Other thrifty and resourceful ways to add festive flair include hanging up family photos from past Christmases, either in frames or on a string, or repurposing jam jars as candle holders.

You could also use a checkered blanket to cover tables or as your tree skirt, and stack books with green, red and white spines on your shelves and coffee table. Pay attention to lighting, too, as fairy lights, candles and lamps will create a cosy feel – adjusting your lighting is an effective way to transform a living room on a budget at any time of year.

FAQ

How do you decorate a Christmas tree on a budget?

Even on a budget, you can still make your Christmas tree look expensive. "A good piece of advice is to choose inexpensive high street baubles of varied sizes in your chosen colour theme to fill the spaces and make the tree look fuller," says interior designer Ann Marie Cousins from AMC Design. "This allows your more treasured or special hanging decorations to take centre stage."

We also recommend trying the £1 tinsel hack to make your Christmas look fuller and more lush.

Ann Marie tells us that her Christmas tree decorating tradition is to add one or two white Jonathan Adler decorations to her collection each year, as crystal or white decorations will always go with whichever other colours she wishes to focus on. Large multipacks of baubles will fill up your tree and will cost much less than buying them individually.