If you’ve ever wanted to upgrade your home but thought you couldn’t afford it, think again. You can add a personal touch to your home with budget-friendly upgrades that are simple to implement and don’t take all day.
Whether you’ve planned for it or not, there will come a time where things in your home will need to be updated. This can be a major project to take on all at once, which is why some people opt for hiring an interior designer. However, not everyone can afford a professional, especially when their fees run anywhere between $50-200 an hour.
The good news is that you can give any room a new look with a few customizations all by yourself. Instead of focusing on upgrading the house entirely, you can work on smaller tweaks that leave a lasting impression. These home improvement upgrades are an easy and innovative way to transform your home on a budget.
5 Affordable Ways to Upgrade Your Home
Technique #1: Focus on the Lighting
Adjusting your lighting is a simple way to upgrade your home. People often overlook the importance of lighting, especially if lights are already installed when they move in. Truth be told, lighting has a major effect on the look and feel of a space. Some studies have even proven that lighting can alter your mood.
When looking to spruce up the lighting in your home, start by identifying all of the light sources already there. Do you have a standing floor lamp by your bed? Are all of the lights in your house installed in the ceiling? Once you know what you’re working with, you’ll know what to adjust.
Interior decorators focus on layering when lighting a room. You should have lights at different levels so that they can be used for different things. There are three main types of light to pay attention to:
- Ambient Light: provides an overall illumination, like chandeliers
- Concentrated/Task Light: light up a specific area of the room, like floor and table lamps
- Accent Light: works as additional decor and shows off specific pieces, like lights for artwork
Each of these types of lighting have a place in your house. Now it’s your job to find out what kind of atmosphere you are trying to achieve, and add lights that help you get there. Simple fixes like adding dimmers and changing the sconces to your porch light are affordable ways to upgrade he lighting in your home.
Technique #2: Repurpose Furniture by Reupholstering
If you’re hesitant to try out sewing, or you’ve tried it and you hate it, no fear. You can reupholster your furniture without the use of a needle and thread.
Reupholstering, or adding fabric and/or padding to your furniture is an excellent way to update the items in your home that get the most use. It’s also super easy to do! You can upholster almost any piece of furniture with a staple gun.
Change the color of your couch cushions or add a pillow-top to a desk chair to give it a quick and luxurious upgrade. You can shop for fabric that fits your style or purchase a slipcover and add accent pillows. Most reupholstering can be done directly on top of the fabric that currently resides on the furniture unless it has been damaged. If you’re new to upholstering, experts recommend starting with furniture that has straight lines, like cushions, before moving on to more complicated projects.
Technique
Technique #3: Make a Simple Change with New Handles & Hardware
Looking for a quick fix with a big impact? Try updating the handles and hardware on your cabinets and drawers.
This is the perfect small project to take on when you are upgrading your house on a budget. Believe it or not, there are so many choices for cabinet hardware. Before purchasing anything, consider the style of your home. You can choose new handles and knobs that flow with it or contrast it. Also remember accessibility. Save the flashy hardware for drawers or cabinets that are used less often.
Technique #4: Add Accents and Contrast with Paint
Painting is one of the most common ways to upgrade your home. But before you start taping off every inch of your house, consider using paint as an accent to accentuate your current decor.
For example, pick out a wall in a bedroom or office to add a new coat of paint to. By only painting one wall, this will add a pop of contrast and look like the stylings of a professional. You can coordinate the paint color with furniture already present or choose a complementary color to juxtapose it.
You don’t even have to paint an entire wall to take advantage of this upgrade. Try painting your front door to add new life to the exterior of your house. Paint the trim and baseboards for a much needed change. If you’re up for it, you can completely restyle your kitchen by painting the cabinets.
Technique #5: Clean up the Clutter by Installing Shelves
When you’re living in a smaller space or with multiple people, it’s hard to keep the floor clear of clutter. Large furniture like bookshelves and tables take up space that you may not have. In this case, the best way that you can upgrade your home and enhance your decor is by adding shelves.
Shelves serve a dual purpose. They will add a new flair to your home while also providing effective storage space. Instead of going for typical shelving, experiment with nontraditional materials like rope, pegboards and crates. You may already have these materials around your house! Shelving can be installed in any area of your home – above the towel rack, next to the television, in lieu of more cabinets – to add a little extra something to your walls.
Update Your Home in Other Simple Ways
As you start to update spaces in your home, you may think of other projects to tackle. There are a million fast and affordable ways to improve your home any day of the week. For example, you can spend an hour filling in scratches on furniture and appliances. These touch-ups can refresh any environment, making your things look new again at almost no cost to you.
You can also invest in inexpensive home products that add an extra level of decor. Upgrading your home doesn’t need to drain you of energy or money. All it takes is a little bit of imagination and a personal touch to make a difference.
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