What does "decorating on a dime" mean?

"Decorating on a dime" is an American idiom meaning to decorate a room on a tight budget. The objective is to get a quality look with a very limited amount of money. Limited funds is a common motive for budget decorating, but some people have a thrifty decorating hobby.

People decorate on a dime using various strategies. Some go to thrift stores to find brand name materials and furnishings at rock bottom prices. Others go to garage sales and sift through classified ads. Another approach is to purchase faux materials that have a similar look to luxury items but at a fraction of the price or to reuse and repurpose used items.