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You finally found your dream house. Unfortunately, you don't have the dream budget to fill it with brand new furniture. But how do you make it feel like home without breaking the bank (or using egg crates as a TV stand)? All it takes is some paint, patience and a good imagination.

The following pictures were sent in by Niki and Todd, a couple from Cleveland, Ohio who just bought their first house. Prior to life in the 'burbs, they lived together in a tiny NYC apartment. So their new digs are a big change. To cut costs on decorating, they got creative by shopping for antiques and updating the pieces to fit their style.

This "secretary's desk" was originally a drab yellow-green color. The couple painted it black and then distressed the paint so it looked antique. To get a distressed look, simply sand corners and edges with fine sand paper to remove layers of paint. They also painted the knobs silver (they were gold originally).

Aside from a major color change, Niki's advice is, "Look outside the typical function. I don't use this as a desk. I use it as a display for dishes. So things don't always have to function as what they were originally made for."

Who would have thought?

Niki collects tea kettles and thought this display board, which is mounted to the wall in their front hall, would be the perfect way to show off her collection. It was about $50 and in great condition. She lucked out; no painting was necessary.

This China cabinet is one of our favorite pieces in their home. And it's come a long way. It originally belonged to Todd's aunt. She smoked for years, which actually ended up changing the paint color to a grayish, green. So Niki and Todd painted it distressed white to lighten it up and give it that antique look.

And they found a full (intact) set of gorgeous China at an antique store. A rare find!

You could save thousands of dollars just by checking out what's collecting dust in your family's basement. This antique lighting fixture was Todd's grandmother's. Originally bronze with white flowers, Niki got right to work with a can of metallic silver spray paint. Two coats later, it was hanging in their kitchen.

Niki says, "Be open-minded in terms of what something looks like when you find it. You have to look beyond and envision what you can make it look like. Think of ways to use furniture to bring color to a room and as pretty accent pieces."

Just painting furniture is a great way to work in a piece that's initially not your style. Niki painted her dresser bright blue to bring a funky splash of color to the bedroom. She says, "When shopping for antiques, look at the style and condition of the piece, not the color. You can always change hardware (like knobs) or repaint them. Just focus on the design of the piece."

Start shopping in your neighborhood and do research to find the best bargains. Antique stores in smaller towns may have better prices than their counterparts in big cities.

They found this armoire in practically perfect condition. They loved the style, the color and the price. Depending on the size of a piece, prices will vary. In their search, Niki and Todd found that side tables ranged from $50-$150, while bigger pieces like an armoire or a kitchen table could run anywhere from $500-$2,000.

When we asked Niki if it was hard to dig through and find what she liked she said, "No, I could have bought 70,000 more pieces!"

This corner shelving unit was silver originally. They painted it black and removed doors on the top three shelves to create another area in their home to display knick knacks and vases.

Some final cost cutting tips from the couple:

Always bargain! You can usually get them to lower the price.

To get a better deal, offer one price for several pieces of furniture, rather than buying everything separate.

Remember, a little paint goes a long way.

Good luck in your new home Niki and Todd! 

Get more affordable decorating ideas from iMag's At Home section.