Our homes are our sanctuary and naturally we like to have them looking good. It is great to have personal possessions that we have collected over the years placed around the home, identifying it as our nest. However, sometimes, a home can start to feel ordinary and in need of an uplift. When that happens why not change it.
People spruce up their living quarters for a variety of reasons. Some remodel just for the sake of change and rejuvenation, others remodel to reflect their style, and some renovate to lower their utility bills. Whatever the reason, there are endless sources of affordable ideas on how to smarten up your home.
At first, the task might seem daunting, so it is best to take it in small stages. Assess each room and find things you no longer need that could sell, and remove any clutter. Now, rearrange the furniture in each room to change the environment. Another simple way to improve your home affordably is to take a trip to the nearest thrift store. You will be pleasantly surprised at the amount of vintage decorations and pieces you will find. If a retro style is not your cup of tea, you can still find many newer items and appliances there. Look for some coffee table books. These large books look great in the home, but they are quite expensive when new. Maybe you can find some interesting coasters, unique trinkets, and vases for the coffee table. Find a hanging lantern if you can. The hanging lantern would look great outside above your front door for a vintage and exclusive look!
Moving on to more drastic changes, such as in the kitchen. Paint your cabinets a bright color and fit some modern or vintage knobs. The brighter cabinets will transform your kitchen creating a positive atmosphere. If you want to change the appearance of your appliances, but your budget doesn’t allow for such extravagance, buy some stainless-steel finish contact paper that goes on your appliances like a sticker. Viola! Congratulations, you have a new looking stainless steel refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher for little cost.
Rooms always look better if the windows are dressed well. Curtains are expensive and they reduce the amount of light coming into space. Shutters are a better option because they are completely controllable, blocking out extremely bright sunlight when required and filtering the incoming light to give a very pleasing effect. New affordable shutters allow in more light and make the room feel generally fresher and more stylish.
The bathroom is heavily used so it needs decoration and renovation on a regular basis. You could re-glaze your tub instead of buying a new one for a fresh look and save a lot of money. Put new caulk around the tub and sink. Change out old soap dispensers and toothbrush holders for new ones that will match a new shower curtain.
In the living room, update your couch by fitting a new slipcover. You could also make some changes to the walls by installing crown molding. You can buy a lightweight polystyrene foam coated molding that is affordable and easy to install. Your walls will look better immediately. Also, repaint your baseboards white. For a new look, paint the ceiling a darker color and paint the walls white. Also, you can mount wooden tiles or indoor bricks for some texture on the walls. These elements are easy to install, but they will cost a little more than the paint. Lastly, invest in one splurge item to make the room pop!
As for other rooms, change your lampshades. You can make new lampshades by using fabric glue and a material of your liking to cover the old lampshade. You can also glue twine over an old shade for an immediate rustic look. For the little ones, add a cascade of paper hearts or butterflies to a shade to create gentle and original lighting.
You could also consider changing the flooring. Take up the old linoleum or carpet and put down some new wood effect laminate. Suddenly, you have the look of real hardwood floors you always desired. Before you put down your new floor, add some extra insulation beneath the floorboards if possible. You will be rewarded by the investment because your heating bills will reduce.
Renovating your home should be an enjoyable task. If you cannot make all the changes immediately, pace the renovation project. As you can see, improving your pad doesn’t have to be expensive. Be creative and you will save a lot of money, and your home will be more representative of you as an individual.
