Make the most of your limited space and budget with these 10 tips:
1. Look up. If maximizing space is important, try reaching for the top. You can extend bookshelves to the ceiling, and even use a stripe of color or crown molding to draw the eye upwards.
2. Make connections. You can use color and texture to connect or contrast. By painting shelves the
same color as the wall, for instance, they achieve a built-in feel. Bringing in furniture of a complementary color can create a sense of order. You can also add decorative moldings to link unmatching pieces.
3. Vision first; budget second. Create your dream design, and then prioritize to figure out what you can afford to realize. There may be certain pieces you can’t live without: Snatch those up, and figure out where you can cut corners in the rest of the budget to accommodate the necessities.
4. Mix and match. Some folks like to wear expensive suits with sneakers; so I would recommend you not to be afraid to add a little IKEA to your collection of antiques.
5. Touch the color, see the texture. Textures can make as much difference as color or pattern. Make sure to investigate the feels and impressions of textures—you can use the same color, but different textures, to create subtle shifts.
6. Speak with color. There are 1.6 million colors out there, and finding the right one can change everything. Colors alter and even create emotions: pink can be soothing, orange invigorating. Especially when painting, try purchasing a small amount of the color, painting a swatch of wall, and live with it for a few days before you decide if you’ve got the right shade.
7. Fries with that? Some decorators suggest seeing your home as a butler: it should serve you, and your needs. Design in terms of what will make you most comfortable in your own space.
8. Value the small things. Items you might not think matter—window treatments or lighting—sometimes have huge effects. A tiny makeover is still a makeover. Sometimes adding a vase of fresh flowers, changing a slipcover, or even rearranging the furniture can make you feel like you’ve got a brand new room. You don’t have to undergo a massive renovation to reinvent your space.
9. Don’t forget to DIY. 
There are many changes, repairs and replacements you can do yourself. Put together a tool kit with the basics: screwdrivers, pliers, hammer, picture hanging paraphernalia, pushpins and tacks, wood and crazy glue, and anything else you—or your local hardware store owner—think you might need on a semi-regular basis around the house.
10. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. As handy and crafty as you might be, there are times when you need a professional, and it’s good to know your limits. Try scheduling weekend projects that you know you can finish.