You have moved into your first place, and now you are faced with the task of decorating. While the first priority is, obviously, furniture and the other necessities you didn’t know you needed, there is no reason that you can’t infuse a bit of style into your new home. Wall decorations don’t have to cost a fortune, so why wait?

While your budget may be limited due to all of the expenses involved with living on your own for the first time, you can add a lot of style with a just a few well-chosen accessories.

Even if your sofa was a flea market special (and looks like one), you can dress it up by adding some inexpensive and colorful throw pillows. Pillows are a great way to add color and quickly and easily change the look of your room for the seasons, or just because you’re bored.

For you walls, consider metal wall décor. Because many of the choices are very detailed, you won’t need to purchase a lot of wall decorations. One or two pieces will stand alone.

For example, the Salzburg Round Iron Wall Decor is visually interesting enough to be the focal point of the entire room. It will look great hanging over a sofa or in the bedroom or dining room. For a large wall, center it between two wall sconces for a complete look.

Just because your budget isn’t huge, doesn’t mean your new place has to be small on style. With a little planning, your home will look great, and you’ll be proud to show it off!

• November 2007