Start with style

Style doesn't have to carry a high price tag. If you arm yourself with information from museums, galleries, fine furniture stores and publications, you'll be able to recognize well-designed furniture pieces no matter where you find them.

Experts advise that you dream your rooms before they happen. While you might not be able to afford every item at once, the fun is in the hunt as you search for pieces on your wish list.

Start with one great piece, such as the bed in your bedroom. Then look for budget-conscious extras to fill in the spaces. In a living room, you might opt for a good couch, then add accessories gathered over time to achieve the look you want.

Have fun in the search. Scout out specialty shops, flea markets, garage sales, estate or tag sales and auctions for interesting but affordable pieces. Be patient, however. You don't have to do it all at once. Let your style evolve over time.

For a few dollars and some time, you can add to your style and scheme with a simple technique -- painting. Adding color gives vitality to your rooms. There's power in paint.

What look do you want to achieve? Neutral and serene, cool and restful, or warm and vivacious? If you have some interesting windows or architecture, perhaps paint can help define them. For mismatched furniture and accessories, sometimes paint can help unify the total look.

With so many painting techniques available -- ragging, sponging, striping, stenciling -- any look can be yours. If you don't like the results, paint is reasonable. Just cover it up and try something different.

These cheap chic ideas can get you started:

Check out superstores for inexpensive, serviceable furniture. Team an unfinished table and chairs with framed posters, an interesting rug and colorful walls for a "together" look.

Roller shades, ready-to-assemble small furniture pieces and comfy bedding available in discount stores and catalogs can give new life to a guest room.

Collect porch chairs from family members or look at import stores. Spray-paint them to coordinate or make matching chair cushions to tie them together for your kitchen or dining room.

Bring outdoor furniture indoors for a garden-style room. Add watering cans and plant accessories.

Simple folding chairs are perfect for small spaces. Plus, when there's a crowd, they can go anywhere.

Use books as decorative pedestals to elevate and showcase objects on a table.

Pure and simple old usable items give a good feeling to a home. Benches become tables, and baskets can hold myriad items, from books to knitting supplies.

Don't discard old tureens or sugar bowls without lids that show up at garage sales. They make great planters.

With a pared-down look, it's easy to combine rustic pieces and still take a modern approach.

Using fabrics is a way to get style by the yard. Even if you don't sew, there are many no-sew ideas.

Display utilitarian items as art, such as old pottery bowls and colorful platters on open shelving.

Ideas from Better Homes and Gardens "Style on a Budget."