10 Budget friendly ways to update your home
Wanting to update or freshen up your home décor but not sure where to start? Or on a limited budget? Not every home project needs to be an addition or total overhaul, things can start small and focus on the details rather than the demolition.
Without breaking the pocketbook, here are some budget friendly ideas that will help elevate your home décor with minimal effort.
1. Paint: It is surprising how much paint can change the mood and feel of a room, or furniture piece, almost instantly. Consider repainting an entire room, or even a single wall, to bring an update feel to your space. Add stripes or color blocks if you are looking for something unique, or just add a fresh coat of paint for a cleaner look.
If your kitchen is needing some color, most cabinets can be easily sanded and then painted or stained for a quick update with a fresh color.
Looking for something small? Try sanding and painting a piece of wood furniture like a nightstand, side table, headboard or chair. Painting your front door can be another way to add some curb appeal while giving your house an instant facelift.
2. Mirrors: Not only are mirrors an easy décor choice, they can create the illusion of a larger room or add more light to spaces. Place a mirror opposite a window or lamp to reflect the light into your room even on a gloomy day. Blend one into a photo wall or place it on its own as a centerpiece to your wall when you are needing a focal point in your room, or where windows are lacking to make it feel open, spacious and brighter.
Another great thing about mirrors is they can be so unique from their shape to their frames, so you can really put your personality and style into it and are a relatively inexpensive addition.
3. Artwork & Pictures: If you are looking for a simple way to upgrade your space that doesn’t involve paintbrushes, electrical wire, or lots of power tools, adding artwork to your walls is a great alternative and can make a house feel like a home. Creating a photo wall or adding a large piece of art can add personality and color to your living room, bedroom or bathroom spaces. Arrange photos symmetrically or eclectically depending on the look you are going for. Whether you choose family photos, personal photography or choose purchasing or creating your own canvas art, be sure to hang your art at approximately eye-level or 57-60 inches above the floor.
A less expensive version can be finding thrifted frames and painting them any color you like or adding molding directly to the wall to frame your artwork. One of the great things now adays is you can instantly download a digital print and print it any size or style you’d like!
4. Changing Out Hardware: Outdated door handles or drawer pulls can really affect the finished look of a room. One of the simpler things, but also very effective, can be replacing old hardware, knobs, or switch plates for something new. Bedroom dressers, tv stand drawers, or vanities are a great place to start and can make an old piece of furniture look brand new.
5. Backsplash: Whether you are looking to update your kitchen or bathroom, a quick peel and stick backsplash tile could do the trick. Place above your sink, behind your stove, or between your cupboards and countertops to help protect the walls and adds a luxurious look to your space. Luckily, there are plenty of elegant and stylish adhesive tile to choose from to match your existing décor.
6. Fans & Light Fixtures: Swapping out rusty ceiling fans or boring light fixtures can give your room an instant makeover, and are fairly easy to swap out, while shedding new light on your space (pun intended).
Switching old lightbulbs for energy saving LED bulbs will not just save you money but also improves aesthetics and gives a modern vibe to your room.
If you are trading out your entire fixture keep in mind the style you’d like to swap it with and which room it will be placed in. Kitchens are great for recessed lighting or track lighting, whereas dining rooms or living rooms are perfect for chandeliers, and bathrooms and bedrooms for pendant lights.
7. Hang Curtains: If you haven’t upgraded your window accessories, now is the time. Curtains can make a room appear taller, create flow, and allow natural light in. Some of the most common mistakes are placing curtains too low, to narrowly, too much or not enough fabric or having curtains too short.
Keep these tricks in mind when hanging curtains: 4-6 inches above the window trim is the ideal height, 8-12 inches wider than your window, enough fabric to have it flow and not feel skimpy, and the fabric should fall appropriately to the floor without too much puddling.
8. Accent Wall: Not ready to take on a whole room as a project? Try a single wall for a touch of accent and focal point to your room. Consider adding removable wallpaper, floral, marble, or other fun prints and patterns, either to an entire wall or above paneling. Shiplap or paneling adds texture and depth to your space and can be painting the same as the rest of the walls or a brand-new color. A splash of yellow or moody black can add drama to a room and can be fun for a bedroom or living room.
Other great ideas can be chalkboard walls, a photo wall, a mural, or a built in to add a bit more personality or storage to your space.
9. Crown Molding: Reasonably priced and fairly simple to install, crown molding can add a finishing touch and drama to a room. Frame a room by adding molding to the ceiling in your living room, bedroom, or dining room, add detailing around your windows, doors or above your cabinets for an elegant finish. Paint the molding the same color or a new one to have it really stand out.
10. Rugs: Not always the cheapest accessory, but always a necessary one, is a rug. If you want to update a room but aren’t sure how, try an area rug. Adding texture, color, and ambiance is most important in a rug, another is size. If you are placing one in the bedroom, make sure to have approximately 2 feet around the sides or end of the bed to let your feet hit the warmth of the carpet when crawling out of bed. The living room rug should allow most of your furniture to sit comfortably on it, and your larger pieces, such as a couch, have its front legs on the rug. Don’t forget about entryways, hallways or kitchen for runners and mats for both comfort and decorative purposes.
