As winter wears on and our same four wall seem to close in on us, we find ourselves longing for a change of scenery. Spring’s natural reawakening is still a couple months away but in the meantime, we can renew our spirits by freshening up our indoor environment.
While a total home – or even room – makeover would be ideal, even smaller, economical changes can make a significant difference in sprucing up our living space. Here are 19 very affordable ideas to perk up our homes, all under $100 – and some cost only time and effort.
- Paint – Experience the power of color! A change of hue (even on one wall) can change the whole feel of a room.
- Wall Treatments – Wallpaper, borders or stencils can add character and a custom vibe to a plain wall.
- Replace or repaint/restain baseboard/moulding – These architectural features often fade into the background. Show them some attention and they can add lots of character to a room.
- New hardware – Replacing kitchen and bathroom hardware works like a facelift – revitalizing even older or unremarkable cabinetry.
- Decorative film – Add personality and distinctive light play to a room by covering a window with decorative vinyl film.
- New shades/globes for lamps or fixtures – Completely change the look of your lighting by replacing shades or globes on lamps and wall or ceiling fixtures.
- Rearrange furniture – Make a room seem bigger – or more intimate – simply by moving furniture around. The change in traffic flow will make the space seem new and inviting.
- Rearrange/redistribute accessories – After a while, we fail to see the items that populate our living space. Bringing vases, photos, statues, wall hangings, candles and other decorative items from one room to another provides an opportunity for them to be appreciated in completely different surroundings.
- New fabrics – Pillows, pillow shams, throws, table linens, towels, chair covers and shower curtains are all examples of how fabric accessories can add a new and exciting splash of color, pattern and texture to your home.
- Houseplants – Never underestimate the power of living things to revitalize our environment. Distribute a little bit of nature here and there to add warmth, color and life.
- Display an existing collection – Instead of them languishing in storage, use your collections and memorabilia for a new and meaningful decorative experience.
- Area rugs – Add color and pattern while tying a color scheme together and defining a space.
- Window treatments (curtains, blinds, shades, valances) – Changing your windows’ “dressing” updates a room dramatically.
- Change one piece of furniture – Pick a piece – any piece – and paint, distress, stain, stencil or cover it in fabric.
- Fragrance – Change is more than visual. Freshen the air with potpourri, pinecones, scented oils, candles, eucalyptus…
- Organize it! – Pots and pans, clothing and shoes, tools and household supplies… Homes are subject to clutter accumulation and poor storage. Organizing something significant can make it feel like a new home.
- Repurpose items – Using existing items in new and different ways gives them new life. Think outside the box to see your household items in a new light.
- Repurpose an area – This is a challenging idea but, could you switch the use of a couple of your rooms, like, dining room and family room? It’s sure to give you a fresh perspective!
- Do a deep clean – When all else fails, clean it! Steam clean your carpets or have your window coverings or area rugs professionally cleaned. It’s amazing how refreshed it will make your home feel – and appear.
It’s not costly to refresh your environment while you wait for spring!
How do you renew your living space inexpensively?
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I’ll be going over this list with my husband as we are in the process of refinancing and want to do a few things to spruce up the place without going broke.