Summer Home Beauty at a Starter Home Price

Building your first home can be so exciting. You dream up the blue prints, go on a scavenger hunt for the best piece of land on the block and before you know it, little by little you watch as your dream home rises up from thin air.

Then, once the key is in your hand . . . something happens. You unpack your things one by one realizing that while you have the home you always dreamed of you have little more than your college lava lamp and an old futon to fill it.

If the house is up and the piggy bank's bare, don't worry. Just read on to find our favorite, super simple ideas for creating big summer home impact on a small starter home budget.

The Through the Looking Glass Mirror

Here is a great economical way to create an intriguing mirror for the entryway. All you need is a large unframed mirror, an old window frame, a small can of your favorite paint and an antique finishing tarnish.

If you aren't the demolition type, head over to your local salvage yard where old window frames pop up by the dozens. Many of these already have the glass removed. Simply take home, clean well and give the frame a good coating with your favorite hue. Once dry, apply the antiquing varnish. It will crackle the paint, making for a perfect shabby look to compliment any girly girl's quilts and handcrafted tables.

Last but not least, use a mirror kit to attach the mirror to the frame. Hang and enjoy!

The Open Door Coffee Table

Need a coffee table to grace the living room of your new place? Here's a cool twist on this essential accent piece.

Start out with a simple door found at your local salvage yard and four table legs found at your local home improvement store. After giving the door a good wash, paint or stain both the door and legs to match your already existing pieces. Once dry, simply use the proper tools, screws and wood glue to attach the legs to the table.

Viola! An instant place to rest your feet or your favorite summertime read.

Whimsical Dime Store Dressers

One of the most expensive items in any bedroom is the dresser and let's face it; the ones that are affordably packaged are often not made very well and resemble bad condo furniture from the 80's.

Lucky for us budgeting designers, today's modern world is taking a shine to retro vintage pieces with whimsical accents. In fact, the popular brand Anthropologie prides itself on the quirkiness of vintage.

Here's how you can steal the retro look for less . . .

Make it a Saturday morning outing with your sweetie and go treasure hunting at your local thrift stores. Don't worry about the color or pulls on the dresser. Just pay close attention to the shape.

Once you find the dresser you want to take home, head over to your local home improvement store and pick out a few interesting pulls and your favorite shade of paint or stain. If you like all things artsy and whimsical opt for a solid white dresser with different colored drawers. It will give a nice modern look to your piece.

Once home, simply give your dresser a fresh coat of paint, allow to dry and add the pulls. It's an instantly adorable storage space for fewer than one hundred bucks!

Instant Va-voom for Ten Bucks or Less

When all else fails and there is little money for wall décor in your tight budget, stretch your dollar and your design with a paint pen and a steady hand. If you are a romantic at heart, scribble your favorite Shakespeare quote above the bed in your room. More of a modern mama? Border white walls with your favorite life changing mantras. We especially like quotes pulled from Dr. King's "I've Seen the Mountaintops" speech.

All in all, when it comes to design on a dime, all you need is a little creativity and a bold sense of adventure. When you combine the two you are sure to come out with a look that will remodel your design blues and paint your new neighbor's green with envy.