Want your home to look updated and expensive but don’t have the budget for a full remodel?
There are tons of home improvement projects and diy decor options available to update the look of your home to take it from drab to fab.
Check out all of the ways you can instantly update the look and feel of your home and incorporate up to date decor trends to glam up your space!
P.S. Some of these updates can increase the value of your home or make it sell faster if you’re looking to sell!
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A Fresh Coat Paint
It’s reasonably affordable to have the interior and exterior walls of your property repainted. Painting high traffic areas such as exterior doors, window frames, casing and baseboards can also quickly update the look and feel of your home.
A fresh coat of paint is the best way to refresh a home and depending on the colour palette you opt for, you may even be able to have small spaces look larger or make dark spaces look brighter. Looking for more drama? Consider adding a deeper, bolder paint colour instead.
Repainting is a pocket-friendly way to boost property value and refresh the look of your home, especially if you can diy this task. Even if you’re relying on a professional service like Euro-Men Painting, this home improvement project won’t cost you much at all.
What colors make a house look expensive? To give your home a luxurious feel, choose sophisticated colors such as soft grays, muted blues, and elegant whites. Add opulence with rich jewel tones as accents, and introduce metallics like gold or brass for a touch of glamour.
Landscaping & Greenery
Landscaping can increase home value by as much as 77%! This makes for an enormous return on investment, as landscaping is also one of the most affordable property enhancement projects out there.
Moreover, you can also do your own landscaping to save even more – just be sure to devote ample time towards maintaining your yard. There are tons of straightforward and low-maintenance landscaping designs to consider that will reduce yard work while making your land look manicured and grand.
Incorporate greenery into your home as well by adding some green plants and florals into your space.
Hang Wall Mirrors
The right wall mirror acts as a great decor anchor and quickly takes a space from boring to fab. Consider adding a wall mirror over a console table, fireplace mantle or dresser to reflect more light and add instant glam.
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Budget Friendly Kitchen Updates
Kitchen upgrades can be pretty expensive, although you can effectively give your kitchen a makeover on a budget if you’re money savvy. Instead of buying new cabinets, you can repaint or re-varnish your existing cabinets and can replace the handles to more updated finishes.
In addition, you can also install new lighting, open shelving or an accent wallpaper wall for an entirely new look. Hate your old backsplash? Consider painting it or trying stick-on backsplash options (like the gorgeous white and gold option below) to upgrade it in a hurry.
SHOP BACKSPLASHES: WAYFAIR
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Bathroom Improvements
You can also use the same money-savvy approach when it comes to updating your bathrooms. Instead of replacing everything, you can choose to replace the faucets and fittings or wall hardware, like towel bars or shelves. Install a new vanity or just replace the vanity top for a new, modern vibe.
For some drama, add a feature wall using bold wallpaper or a wood feature wall and/or some floating shelves to show off your bathroom decor.
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Replace The Flooring
Replacing the flooring in your home is another relatively affordable way to make a massive impact on property value and the overall look of your home’s interior.
If your home’s flooring currently consists of dusty carpets and shabby tiling, opting for hardwood flooring or super affordable tiling or luxury vinyl flooring options throughout your home is the best decision for quickly adding value to your property and updating your surroundings.
No matter which flooring option you choose, updating the floors in your home to more modern looks and styles is definitely a great idea to upgrade your home value on a budget.
Invest In Fabulous Lighting Fixtures
Lighting fixtures are functional decor items, as they serve as accent features in your decor plan. Consider swapping old or builder grade lighting for newer options such as pendant lighting in the kitchen, a glamourous chandelier fixture in the dining room and dramatic floor lamps in the living room.
These small items can make a massive difference to the look of a room and are an affordable diy home improvement project that can quickly make your home look expensive. Personally, I’ve purchased several stunning fixtures from Amazon, which usually has knock-off lights from more expensive manufacturers.
Incorporate Area Rugs & Runners
Area rugs and runners give new dimension and texture to any living space and are a must for the living or dining room, in my opinion.
Whether your home is done in a farmhouse style, modern chic, bohemian patterns or traditional elegance, there is an affordable area rug option for you to glam up your floors for a more stylish looking home. I personally love the look of My Texas House rugs as per below.
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Go For Drama With Wallpaper
Wallpaper is a great way to change the look and feel of a decor space in a short amount of time and can be done as a diy project if you are handy and have a bit of patience.
Bold florals, damask, trelis or geometric patterns will instantly transform your space to reflect your updated style.
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Consider Chair/Sofa Covers
If you can’t afford to change your outdated chairs or sofas, consider ordering an expandable cover in a colour that you like to cover your outdated items. Amazon has some great chair covers (I’ve ordered some myself for my outdated kitchen chairs that has started to tear on the seat!).
Chair covers make it super easy to cover up that old sofa pattern or stained seat that you aren’t yet ready to fully replace. They’re also easy to wash and great for keeping clean if you have kids or pets.
Update Your Curtains & Blinds
There are so many affordable curtain options available that you don’t need to go to a high-end custom option to upgrade your windows. Amazon is well-known for having great, affordable curtains and blinds, along with Ikea and Wayfair as well.
I personally prefer lined curtains, as I find they hang better and look more expensive than the thinner, unlined curtains, which also wrinkle faster. Look for faux silk fabrics or velvet curtains for a glam upgrade! Also stay away from patterned curtains, as solid curtain colours have a more modern feel and won’t get dated as quickly.
Another item to consider for window coverings are roman blinds or shutters. They look great for kitchen windows, bathroom windows or sliding/French doors.
Install Wainscoting Or Wood Trim
Woodworking such as wainscoting and pin molding instantly elevates a space and can be painted in traditional white or all the same colour as the wall. Consider installing wood molding to frame artwork or photos or on a blank wall to add depth.
Woodworking on dark coloured walls can be especially dramatic! If the boxy design of wainscoting is too traditional for you, consider a wood feature wall with more geometric lines.
Add Artwork
Artwork is a way to reflect your personal style in your space and add some character. Create a diy piece of art if you’re talented or shop for affordable art pieces to personalize your home.
Use larger scale pieces to fill larger wall space and grab the eye, while grouping smaller pieces to feature similar artworks together. Artwork is a quick, budget friendly way to make your home look expensive on a budget!
Tip: Add an overhead lamp that has a battery powered light from Amazon to finish the look! No electrical required!
Install Additional Storage & Declutter
One effective way to make any room seem larger is to ensure there is enough available usable space. Having a clean, decluttered space means it’s less likely for rooms to become messy and cluttered. A storage project is also a great time to determine which items you want to keep, donate or toss so you’re not storing more than you actually need.
Storage solutions are also relatively affordable; shelving and other forms of installed storage can be budget-friendly depending on the storage options you select.
Moreover, you can easily install storage with a DIY approach (Ikea has great affordable storage options!) and the small spend will boost property value through improving the interior layout.
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Install A Gallery Wall
Fill a large wall space with a symmetrical gallery wall. Whether you use family photos, travel photos or purchased prints, a gallery wall makes a wonderful focal point that instantly takes a room to another level.
Use Trays For A Decor Niche
Trays are chic decor accents to create a decor niche in any room of your home. From a coffee table, kitchen counter, foyer console table or end table, add some decorative items onto a marble, wood or mirrored tray to make your home look expensive fast!
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