Eight imaginative home interiors created on a budget
In this lookbook, we collect eight residential interiors that were put together with limited funds but still have a certain richness.
Featuring exposed structures, simple materials and sparing use of finishes, these budget interiors prove that adventurous design doesn't have to be reserved for the very wealthy.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors made with reclaimed materials, inviting entrance halls and industrial-but-cosy living rooms.
Renovated on a material budget of only 10,000 euros, this Barcelona apartment takes raw, pared-back aesthetics to extremes.
Leaving traces of dismantled fixtures visible, Spanish studio Takk chose not to apply coatings to the floors and walls, while utilitarian medium-density fibreboard features throughout.
Find out more about 10K House ›
Binh Thuan House, Vietnam, by MIA Design Studio
Simple white curtains divide spaces inside the Binh Thuan House, designed by MIA Design Studio for a family of four using limited resources.
An exposed steel frame lends a distinctly industrial feel and is also an easily adaptable means of fitting windows, curtains, furniture and pictures.
Find out more about Binh Thuan House ›
Segal House, UK, by Fraher & Findlay
UK architecture studio Fraher & Findlay avoided using specialist trades and bespoke products to keep costs down in the renovation of this house in south London that was originally designed according to Walter Segal's self-build methods.
Extensive use of plywood meant there was no need to hire a plasterer, for example, while other materials and products were chosen for being widely available off the shelf.
Find out more about Segal House ›
Casa Nakasone, Mexico, by Escobedo Soliz
This small, simple house on the outskirts of Mexico City was designed by Escobedo Soliz for a retired teacher.
Cheap structural materials were left exposed in the interiors, such as brickwork walls, tiled floors and pale wooden beams on the ceilings.
Find out more about Casa Nakasone ›
Minimum House, Tokyo, by Nori Architects
Minimum House, in Tokyo, was designed by Nori Architects as a prototype for a low-cost, low-waste, adaptable model of urban housing.
Ductwork and wiring was left exposed with only simple light fittings, while the timber structure is left uncovered on the walls and used for kitchen and storage units.
Find out more about Minimum House ›
105JON, Spain, by Vallribera Arquitectes
Simple materials feature throughout this house in Vallès, Spain, modernised by Barcelona studio Vallribera Arquitectes.
Chunky chipboard is a recurring motif, contrasting with blue linoleum flooring in the bathroom and with exposed brick party walls in the living spaces.
Maison Pour Dodo, UK, by Studio Merlin
Studio Merlin incorporated an abundance of storage in its revamp of this Stoke Newington flat to ensure that the available space could be kept luxuriously serene and clutter-free.
Touches include a large floor-to-ceiling shelving unit in the living and dining area, and a wall of deep-set IKEA cabinets with smokey blue door fronts from Danish brand Reform in the kitchen.
Find out more about Maison Pour Dodo ›
UpHouse, Madrid, by CumuloLimbo Studio
Completed on a shoestring budget of $39,000, this extensive renovation of an apartment in Madrid by CumuloLimbo Studio prioritised using inexpensive materials such as salvaged plywood.
The kitchen area features a simple open shelving system with a black-tile backsplash, while the counter forms part of an unusual staircase leading up into a newly inserted mezzanine.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors made with reclaimed materials, inviting entrance halls and industrial-but-cosy living rooms.