Big budget renovations can easily transform any home. But let’s say you’re an average citizen who wants to redesign their home at a fraction of the cost.
It’s possible to upgrade your home without going broke, so if you wish to learn more about low budget home renovations you can do yourself, continue reading.
Fresh Paint
Painting your home yourself is a budget-friendly idea, but it can also make such a drastic difference by making the room appear fresher and more put together. Don’t worry if you have never painted a room on your own before. It’s simple with these tips.
How to Paint a Room
Selecting the perfect shade is the first step to upgrading your home with something as simple as paint. There are several methods that interior designers swear by. First, you can paint over the original color for a simple upgrade. However, if you want something bold, turn to the color wheel for inspiration. Also, think about the color of the furniture within the room. Do you want the wall to contrast against the furniture, or would you like for it to match?
Next, make sure to clean your wall for a solid paint job.
Additionally, start with a primer before adding your paint on top.
When painting a room, make sure to keep a wet edge. Not doing this process will cause the paint to dry unevenly and leave you with mismatched bands on the wall. To keep a wet edge, start by painting near the corner of the wall. Roll the roller up and down the full length of the wall. Make sure you’re going back over the area where you started. If you notice that it’s starting to dry up, dip your roller and go over the spot again with paint.
Next, you should also mix all of your paint into one large bucket before starting. Each can of the same color can vary slightly. However, to blend all of these colors, and ensure a perfect finish, buy a large bin that can accommodate several cans of paint at a time.
For a perfect paint job, you’ll also want to paint the trim first. Once the trim has dried, you want to use painters tape for a clean and sharp edge.
Painting the Exterior
You can also paint the exterior of your home for an improved and polished look. Paint tends to peel and fade after a while, so give it a fresh coat if you’re looking for ways to make a big impact on a smaller budget.
When painting the exterior, make sure to ask your lawn care contractor to stay home, as you’ll need the entire area to lay down your tools. You should also watch your local weather station for signs of rain and storms. When you see a sunny day in the forecast, mark your calendar. Protect the windows, doors, light fixtures with tape. Residential interior painting can be dangerous on your own, so if you’re concerned about your safety, hire a service instead. Getting hurt is not worth sticking to your budget!
Add Wallpaper to Smaller Spaces
Low budget home renovations aren’t synonymous with boring!
If you’re looking for something with a bit more flair, consider purchasing wallpaper to add to smaller spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms.
Add something vintage-inspired, funky, or clean and modern. There are countless designs to choose from. If you’re a renter, opt for peel and stick paper. However, if you own your home, select something with more longevity.
Redecorate With New Furniture
This tip can be as cheap or as expensive as you’re willing to make it. You can purchase secondhand furniture and upholster it yourself if you want to save some cash. However, if you’re willing to spend some more money, purchase investment pieces that will make your home feel like a million bucks.
Buy a few of these timeless pieces for your home.
- Area rugs
- Arm chairs
- Side tables
- Sofas
- Lighting arrangements
- Decorate pillows
All of these items can be spruced up with a fresh coat of paint if you wish to buy them from a consignment store. Make sure that the pieces are in good shape before putting any money down. They may look flawless to the naked eye but open cabinets, sit on the chairs and check the feet on the tables to make sure they will last the test of time in your home.
Replace the Carpet
It doesn’t matter how nice your furniture is. If your carpet is covered in stains, it’s all anyone will be able to notice! Take the carpet out and opt for hardwood floors instead. Hardwood floors look classy and will match nearly any style of decor — whether you love the rustic look or the modern chic look.
Update the Light Fixtures
Need more ideas for low budget home renovations? This one is easy since you don’t have to be an expert in design or installation. New lights can spruce up the area. If you’re on an even smaller budget, spray paint your current fixtures, so they look like new.
Fix Up the Landscape
You may not have the funds to tear down walls and add rooms, but you can add more functionality to your home by focusing on the landscaping. When you create an outdoor space that can function as a place to entertain, read, write, watch movies, and spend time with family, you won’t even need to expand the interior of your home. For this step, focus on the greenery first.
After cleaning up the landscape, adding flowers, or, you can focus on adding lawn furniture. A hammock, for instance, is a great option if you want to relax after a long day of work. If you have a slightly bigger budget to blow through, add a firepit!
A firepit outdoors is a great way to add visual interest to your yard, and not to mention, it can keep you warm during those long winter nights.
Think of the outdoor area as an expansion of your entire home. Then, you’ll have even more fun with these low budget home renovations.
If you consider yourself to have a green thumb, consider planting a garden as well. Growing several fruits and vegetables will also eliminate the need to go to the supermarket every week, which will also save you hundreds in the long run.
Upgrade Your Fence
Your fence keeps you, your family, and your pets safe. But, it’s also a significant part of the landscape. If you wish to upgrade your home for a reasonable price and implement more low budget home renovations, consider making this change. An old fence can turn guests off. Not to mention if it falls down during a storm and leave your home exposed. Decorative fencing adds some charm to your home.
Adding a gate also allows you to easily transition from your yard to the outside world. They are perfect for gardeners and families with children.
Add More Storage
A clean home is a gorgeous home. Therefore, make sure all of your household items have an organized place of their own. Adding more storage space is an easy and affordable way to make your home look classier. You can start by adding more kitchen cabinets if you find that you’re always running out of space for all of your bowls and cooking gadgets.
In the living room, add a better entertainment center. Look for something that can house your television, gaming consoles, and all of your movies too!
Replace Your Kitchen Counters
If you’re living in an older home, it most likely doesn’t have those nice and shiny marble countertops in the kitchen.
Replacing the countertops will transform the kitchen, so you won’t need to spend thousands on modernizing the entire space.
Get Brand New Shutters
Shutters last anywhere from 10-20 years. Therefore, if yours are starting to look worn down, replace them as soon as possible.
High quality shutters will also help insulate your home better, for a lower energy bill.
Refinish the Floor
If you can’t afford to replace the flooring with something more up-to-date, consider floor refinishing instead.
This is one of the many low budget home renovations with the biggest impact since the flooring is one of the first things people notice when stepping into your home.
Adding Artwork
Adding artwork takes no skill and is so cost effective. Not to mention it can take any apartment or home from boring to stunning.
Your artwork or photos should be no larger than two-thirds of the size of your couch. Oversized paintings can make your home look tiny, so choose the proportions wisely. Essentially, you have these sizes to choose from when narrowing down your artwork for the home.
- Mini artwork — this is meant for smaller spaces like countertops
- Small artwork — like family paintings
- Medium artwork — is meant for large walls
- Large artwork — this is meant to be the focal point of the room, it’s also a bold choice
Next, look at the colors of your selected artwork. Will it look nice next to the furniture and walls?
Try Open Shelving to Change Your Kitchen
This is a great DIY project you can do on a random weekend. Open shelving looks great, so consider pulling the doors from all of your kitchen cabinets if you’re interested in implementing more low budget home renovations.
Bathroom Renovations
Now onto bathroom renovations.
Since the bathroom is a much smaller space, it’s easier to stick to a budget. Aside from painting the room or adding wallpaper, consider switching the fixtures out. You can also paint your bathtub so it
Lastly, install adequate light fixtures — no one likes to shower in the dark!
Customize the details too if you’re looking for low budget home renovations. Buy new bathmats, change the doorknobs, and add more storage in the shower for all of your products.
Hire Help When You Need it
Sure, DIY projects can save you money. But what if something goes wrong? You’ll end up paying significantly more to fix it. Pick and choose your battles! If you’re unfamiliar with low budget home renovations, bring in an expert to help you call the shots. For instance, a countertop contractor can help you pick the best design for your space. They can also help you with the installation process so that you can get back to your other budget-friendly projects in the home.
Conclusion
Have you ever watched those home improvement shows and wished you could transform your home like them? Here’s the good news. If you’re tired of your space, there’s nothing stopping you from giving it a gorgeous makeover — yep, not even your budget!
If a lack of inspiration has also been stopping you from creating your dream home, implement these tips and make these low budget home renovations.
A smaller budget forces you to be more creative, as you’ll soon come to realize.
