11 Instagram accounts to follow for affordable decorating ideas

Love it or loathe it, Instagram is one of the most accessible sources of interior inspiration. There’s a solution to almost every design conundrum, readily available in the palm of your hand. Wondering what a new shade of white paint looks like in a north-facing room? Someone has probably paved the way for you. Contemplating making your own skirt for the bathroom sink? Oodles of other accounts will have made one already (and recorded a step-by-step guide).

Often, the most useful Instagram accounts aren’t run by professional designers with limitless budgets. Of course, money buys beautiful things but glossy grids filled with expensive swag aren’t the most relatable when it comes to implementing ideas in your own home. The most inspiring accounts are often curated by people who demonstrate that the impossible is possible and you don’t need deep pockets or a qualification in upholstery to decorate and design an impressive home. Patience, experimentation and some encouragement from a community of enthusiasts will get you a long way.

It would be madness to attempt an exhaustive list of ‘the best’ people to follow – Instagram has more than two billion monthly users – but the below accounts are a great starting point for creative advice, wise buys and give-it-a-go hacks, as chosen by this writer and self-confessed Instagram hype woman (it’s me, hi).

@nads_bacchus

Nadine Bacchus started her renovation journey of a south London house under the handle @rona_renovation, which puts a pretty good timestamp on how long she's been doing up her house. It's now finished but there's always a DIY project on the go and Nadine is brilliant at coming up with nifty, thrifty ways to make ends meet. She's so well-known for her affordable approach to creating a lovely house that her sponsored content also centres a lot around this theme. For longtime followers, we've seen the engagement to her long term boyfriend Jules (a hilarious cameo also will make you chuckle now and again) and there's soon to be a baby in the house so the nursery is Nadine's current project.

@kilahgram

For a dose of humour amongst the rubble, dust and general grimness of renovating, there's no one better to follow than Akilah Cohen, who has been renovating her north London house slowly but surely by herself. There's less tip-based content here but a realistic look at what it's really like to live in a renovation and do it all pretty much single handedly. The house was derelict when she bought it in 2022 and took two years to become habitable, but a year on and it's still a work in progress, albeit with paint finally being a consideration. Follow along, and expect to wholeheartedly be put off ever renovating anything in your life.

@lifeatbluebell_

This account documents the daily life of mum-of-two Amy, who lives in a lovely little cottage with her family. While most of the daily content centres around her current time on maternity leave, there is a lot of decorating in there too and if you scroll back, you can find videos on what they've already done to make their cottage as lovely as it is. Up next are a kitchen extension with a total overhaul and adding a downstairs toilet, while gardening is currently Amy's new venture. It's a lovely bucolic account full of real life decorating tips and great affordable buys.

@a.modest.semi

A Modest Semi is exactly what it says on the tin – a lovely but not overwhelmingly large Edwardian home transformed by crafty DIY projects that make you think, ‘I could have a go at that’. Daniel, who runs the account, shares step-by-step guides to encourage followers to try their own version of the couple’s design-led, money-saving hacks. Recent projects include a budget version of a stair runner, and all the tools you'd need to follow along.

@townley_terrace

Jessie Cutts is a textile artist and a woman who isn’t easily deterred by the scale of a project. She owns a mammoth family home by the sea and generously shares its steady but inspiring renovation with her 35k followers. From floorboard restoration to decorative schemes, you can gather a wealth of advice and styling ideas from Jessie’s budget-conscious DIY endeavours. See her highlights to watch the house’s progress so far.

@hanbullivant

Interior stylist and consultant Hannah Bullivant runs a dedicated series of decluttering e-courses but she’s incredibly generous with advice on Instagram too. Hannah is a passionate advocate of shopping second-hand and avoiding waste. She’ll never try to talk you into spending money on things that you don’t need. In fact, she’ll guide you through parting with the excess that isn’t serving you or your home, helping you create breathing space for the decorative pieces that deserve to shine. Her story highlights are an archive of projects to browse through.

@swike

US-based interior designer Sarah Weichel, founder of Swike Design, doesn’t take herself too seriously as she delivers tongue-in-cheek, honest opinions on overdone decorative trends. Sarah offers the kind of insider content that we all hope to find on Instagram, such as tips on how to source unusual vintage alternatives to high street pieces (including search terms), her Facebook Marketplace finds, how-tos and favourite shops to bookmark.

@jessalaviellis

Journalist Jess Alavi-Ellis (formerly known as Clueless Renovators) is clearly not clueless anymore since her feed and saved highlights are full of creative DIY and decorating ideas. Jess’s posts such as ‘best kitchen decisions’ are genuinely useful. Plus, there are guides showing you how to set a table, make a wreath or even create a unique footstool with giant ball feet. The way Jess shares advice means her home is aspirational but many elements feel achievable and accessible if you’re willing to roll your sleeves up and tuck in for some eBay bargains. She's also launched her own range of designs, which is currently very small but follow her and keep your eyes peeled for new arrivals.

@alisoncoldridge

Lifestyle editor Alison Coldridge owns a lovely home in Winchester and her Instagram account is worth a snoop for general interiors inspiration and to gather tips on everything from shelf styling to decorating a baby’s room and how to successfully mix print and colour. Alison doesn’t profess to be running a reno account but she has documented some successful money-saving hacks along the way, such as painting their hall floor in a chequerboard style.

@katherine_ormerod

Editor and journalist Katherine Ormerod is a must-follow for affordable decorating tips, as she lives in a rented house that she has single-handedly transformed from a drab white box to a characterful family home. She's so well known for her tips that she's even now written a book and gets requests for content people want her to cover, such as making a blanket into a tapestry you can hang. Head to her story highlights for the warts-and-all insights into the DIY overhaul of her rented London home, with all the hard work done by Katherine herself and most of it on a limited budget. It’s wild what you can achieve with vinyl stickers and the determination to transform your landlord’s kitchen.

@thejollytownhouse

Welcome to a joyful sanctuary for maximalists and makers, where Tash and Ben, the home renovators and talented crafters behind The Jolly Townhouse will inspire you to be bold and brave with your decorating (they painted their sweeping hallway bright red and it looks fantastic). The couple’s Kent home is packed to the brim with colour, pattern and antiques – many of which were sourced for a song. See their highlights for handy tutorials for (amongst other things) a patchwork quilt, a skirted lampshade or DIY paper stars.