How to Improve the Look of Your Home on a BudgetEUGENE CHRINIAN

How to Improve the Look of Your Home on a Budget

Many people often think that interior design projects will end up breaking the bank, but this is not always the case. Whether you are looking to simply add color to a room or reinvent a whole space, there are a wide range of inexpensive options that will give your home a boost in design and function. Here are a few of the ways in which you can improve the look of your home while staying within budget:

Build Your Own Occasional Table

Instead of purchasing a pricey rolling occasional table (one that fits over your bed so you can use it to eat on or as a laptop table), you can easily build one of your own. Start by determining the height of your mattress so you can create a table that seamlessly fits above the bed. Then, you will only need a few simple supplies to begin the building process. Using wood screws, assemble three cuts of wood into a u-shape. Then affix rigid locking wheels to the bottom of the table so it can smoothly roll from the foot of the bed to the headboard. You can make this low-cost solution fit into the color scheme of your room by adding a coat of paint.

Image courtesy U.S. Dept of Agriculture | Flickr

Create an Office out of a Closet

If you have unused closet space, you can transform it into a small home office. After removing the door from its hinges, use brackets to set a deep shelf inside the closet. Above your new desk space, you can also install a second, shallow shelf that can serve as extra storage space. Spruce up your new home office with a whiteboard, vases, and decorative lighting for a completed look.

Add Storage to Your Kitchen

A blank space on the walls or in the corners of your kitchen provides endless opportunities for you to get creative. One way to make use of empty space is to put up a shelving unit. Even if you use simple shelves, you can explore your creativity and make the space more interesting by hanging them with embellished brackets. For an even more interesting decorative aspect, you can adorn your new shelves with eye-catching accessories.

De-Clutter Your Foyer

The foyer of the home is often one of the most cluttered areas. However, you can create order while also bringing a unique design element to this space in a number of ways. Perhaps the best DIY solution to a clutter problem is to create a comprehensive storage unit. For example, you can build a padded storage bench that doubles as shoe storage and as a seating area. You can even add a shelving unit to hold your keys and other daily essentials. It is also important to bring an element of style to this area, so you can try adding a pop of color to help make an impression on your incoming guests.

Bring in Modular Shelving

Modular shelving can make an exciting and useful addition to any empty area in your living room. Not only are these units highly adaptable, but they also provide ample space for you to add storage and decoration. If you use white modular shelves, you can bring a bit of color into the room by filling them with vibrant books. Alternatively, you can complement a more minimalistic aesthetic by filling the shelf cubbies with storage bins and baskets that will help mask the clutter and provide a clean look.

Image courtesy betiiita | Flickr

Find a New Use for an Armoire

For little to no cost, you can turn an old or unused armoire into something completely new. Perhaps one of the best ways in which you can find new purpose for this furnishing is to transform it into a kitchen beverage stand. All you need is a can of whatever paint will best suit your kitchen’s color scheme. To use the armoire as a drink surface and create a more finished look, you can fit the lowest shelf with countertop that matches the rest of your kitchen. You can then decorate your completed piece with cork art and your best wine glasses.

Install a Kitchen Backsplash

You do not need to hire professionals or spend a great amount of money to create a polished, professional-looking backsplash in your kitchen. Beadboard paneling is not only inexpensive, but it is also easy to install yourself. You can purchase it in large cuts and affix it to the wall using only adhesive and a nail gun. After filling in the nail holes, you can stain the wood. Another great way to bring some flair and uniqueness to your backsplash is to use adhesive decals, which are easy to remove if you ever change the theme of your kitchen.

Inject Life into a Bookcase

When looking to add brightness and texture to a room without committing to an entire wall of wallpaper, you can opt for a more subtle approach. The back panel of a bookshelf makes a perfect canvas for whatever pattern or texture you wish to see in your room. You can use wallpaper, fabric, or even scrapbook paper to create a unique piece of furniture at a cost of next to nothing. To create a more temporary option, you can adhere the colorful paper to a piece of poster board and fit it onto the back of the shelves. This enables you to easily swap designs out for other options should you change the room’s color scheme.