Filling walls without emptying savings

Kerra Michele Huerta is an interior and event designer and the writer behind the popular design blog, AptEnvy.com, a site dedicated to improving the lifestyles of those renting the American dream. She joined The Washington Post staff writer Jura Koncius on the newspaper's Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.

Q. I have a blank space over my buffet table in my dining room. I'm looking for a piece of art that's affordable and stylish. Any suggestions on where to look?

A. Those big empty spaces can be tricky! There are a few things you can do to fill a large wall space:

1. Check out flea markets, thrift stores and consignment stores for inexpensive vintage art. You can find really big ones (like the one above my fireplace) for cheap, and they're usually framed!

2. Blow up one of your favorite photos! If you're anything like me, you have thousands on your phone right now. Upload them to an online printing service and get them as wrapped canvasses, or have them printed poster-size and put them in a big IKEA Ribba frame. Both are inexpensive solutions. Try Costco (if you have a membership) or Mpix.com for printing.

3. Same as above, but try it with gorgeous fabric or wrapping paper! I often bring home fabric from my travels, and wrapping it on a blank canvas from an art supply store is a great way to display it.

4. Cluster multiple frames together for a grid or organic gallery wall. IKEA is my favorite option for budget frames and, if you get all the same color, you can mix and match art with photos in the same grouping.

Q. I am slowly updating my decor (on a budget), and I have two custom Masland area rugs (formal living and dining rooms) that were great in the '90s but now look dated because of the mauve color. I was thinking of just going with a solid gray remnant to make the space look a little more casual and updated. Should I hang on to my old rugs? Is mauve coming back any time soon? I'm having anxiety about getting rid of them. They don't look awful, but they're definitely dated.

A. I'm personally a huge fan of mixing those vintage rugs with more modern decor. I do it all the time in my clients' homes. To make the mauve more current, mix it with an unexpected color and freshen up the whole room. If you can't afford to get a contemporary sofa (or other large furnishings) right now, try adding accessories in your new bold color. Try celery green as an accent to the mauve — an unexpected and modern combo!

Q. I need to get more organized with small drawers to put my things in. However, I cannot afford those large apothecary pieces with lots of drawers. Do you have any ideas?

A. Whenever I have a storage dilemma, I always go back to my favorite piece of furniture: the dresser. If you've seen my bathroom, you know the vanity is practically nonexistent. For my makeup and small toiletries, I use small gift boxes I've received and saved (bottoms and lids) within the drawers to house my small items to keep them organized. I also use dressers in my clients' homes needing small-space solutions, especially near the front door. They use the top drawer for mail and the other drawers for hats, scarves, grocery totes, etc. Then the top is free for a leaning frame and maybe a bar tray. A vintage dresser is very inexpensive on Craigslist, and you can find them in almost any style.

Q. I dream of having a beautiful home, but it's so daunting and of course, I'm on a budget. Every time I get up the gumption to, say, paint or buy new living room furniture, I start to think of all of the other things I want to do, too — replace closet doors, add closet organizers, upgrade my kitchen, etc. — and then “home improvement” feels too big and I get overwhelmed and abandon it. Do I really need to tackle all of these things (and the decisions involved) at the same time, or is there a good way you can recommend to chunk it up?

A. I feel your pain! It took me 11 months to transform my tiny apartment, so I know exactly what you're talking about. Here's a way to break it down so you don't get so overwhelmed:

1. Make a list of the rooms you want to freshen up.

2. Make a list of everything you'd like to fix/change in that room.

3. Every time you have a free night, day or weekend, take a peek at your list and do a project. There's no “correct” order in which to do it — especially when doing little projects — so just pick things you're in the mood for and check them off the list as you go. It will feel good to see the list slowly dwindle, and seeing the progress will help you stay positive. Good luck!

Q. We really want to show off our photography on our stair wall, but it does not get a lot of natural light, so I don't think it will look great and the photos won't be appreciated. Should we install some kind of light on the wall? Issue 2: We have a large painted portrait of my in-laws that we have to keep on that wall, and the size and style are not the same as anything else we want to hang there. Any ideas to make it stand out less? (We may try spray-painting the huge gold frame.)

A. That's definitely a tricky situation! If it's really not your style but you must keep it hung up, I would say paint or switch out the frame and put it on a different wall. If you have it in the middle of your gallery wall, you will love and appreciate all the other things less. Hanging it on its own in a less conspicuous area would probably be your best bet.

As for the lighting, if you own, I would definitely have a contractor come out and install some simple recessed lights in the ceiling there. If you rent, some wall lamps will do the trick nicely!

Q. I have a red sofa. I'm moving to a new place with aqua countertops. They won't be in the same room, but the floor plan is semi-open so I will need the wall colors to flow between the two. I would really like to avoid white or beige. Any suggestions?

A. I hate to say it, but the red sofa and aqua counters should probably be the end of your color infusion right there. Putting a third color on the walls will probably overwhelm the space a bit too much. Beige walls wouldn't work with that palette, but a nice gray would, if you don't like the idea of white. Try Benjamin Moore's Nimbus; it's one of my favorite pale gray paints. A dark gray could work, too, if you prefer that, but just make sure to try swatches on the wall first to be sure they don't go green or brown.

Q. How would you suggest brightening up a small apartment that has little to no natural lighting? Fun colors, lots of lamps, one huge lamp?

A. My advice to everyone, not just people with limited natural light, is to have several lamps placed throughout the room. At night they create a nice ambience and make us look much better than we do in overhead lighting (which, let's be honest, is super important). Beyond that, I would suggest adding color to punch things up a bit. You don't have to have white walls just because it's a dark, small space. In fact, I generally embrace dark spaces and own it by keeping the palette dark and cozy. But it's really up to your personal style and preference!

Q. Where do you like to find furniture? Accessories?

A. My thing is mixing old and new, so I go to lots of different places to find my goodies. For new things where quality is required (sofas that will see heavy use, for example), I love Room & Board and Restoration Hardware. Both stores offer lots of shapes and styles, and it's easy to customize the fabrics and finishes for each individual client. I also find great deals on Jossandmain.com, Allmodern.com, Wayfair.com, Overstock.com and Amazon.com all the time! For used items … I troll Craigslist.org and Krrb.com daily.

Q. I have a dark entryway in my apartment. I would like to add a dresser with some lighting on it. However, there are no outlets in the entryway. The closest outlet is in the hallway and would be a hazard. I have been looking for cordless lamps, but they are $400-plus. Any ideas?

A. I hate it when apartments have no lighting or outlets! So annoying! I often run extension cords along the baseboard when I need an outlet, and that's probably your cheapest, easiest fix.