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Make Your Home Fancy and Modern On A Budget

  September 26

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Modern DecorI don’t know about you, but back when I had a TV, I could literally spend hours and hours watching HGTV.

I love watching people take their homes and make them fabulous.  I guess I am just feeling the love of writing about budget design again, like the post I wrote on DIY money saving tips.

Today, I wanted to dish out some advice about modernizing your home. I feel like a lot of people want to renovate, but they don’t know where to start. Plus, even the word “renovation” sounds fancy and expensive, so here are some tips on how to update your outdated space on a budget. It is possible to update your home and make it look chic and modern without spending a small fortune( kind of like what we see on HGTV)

Start With a Blank Canvas

It’s amazing how a little paint on the wall can make a room feel fresh and modern. You don’t have to hire a decorator; just start from scratch by doing it yourself. If you find layer upon layer of wallpaper stuck to your walls, you can hire a wallpaper stripper if you have to, or just get pumped up and decide to tackle it in one weekend.

If it’s just a paint job that you need, get a brush kit, masking tape, put some old sheets down on the floor, and go to town!

Color Coordinate

A fresh coat of paint can give any room an instant makeover, and one part of the room that lots of people overlook is the ceiling. If you repaint the ceiling in a clean bright white, it will make the entire room look immediately brighter. You can even paint it a similar color to the walls, just go one shade lighter.

Remember that in order to create a modern and fresh look, bright and light is key. I’m always telling the hubs I want my house to be completely white and neutral (probably somewhat impossible once we have kids, haha!) It may seem boring at first, but there’s something so relaxing, bright, and airy about a crisp, neutral home.

You may not like white and neutral everywhere like me, and that’s okay. With so many paint choices, your best bet is to choose a color that a.) resonates with your personality and palate and b.) a color that won’t make your home hard to sell if the time comes.

Don’t Forget the Floor

If you live in an older house, it’s definitely possible that beautiful wooden floors are hiding under your carpet. If you’re feeling particularly up for the challenge, you can rip up the carpet and assess it. Just keep in mind that you could be causing more damage if the wood is past repair.

At the same time, if it works out, clean, polished floors are a great way to make your house look more modern. To keep it from feeling too drab and cold, try adding cheap jute rugs or some wicker baskets to get some great texture and color in there! I also like really soft, white faux sheepskin rugs to put everywhere too.

Bump Up the Lighting

One thing about old houses is they don’t often have those big, beautiful windows that you see in newer constructions. But, fear not! You can actually manipulate the amount of light in the room without installing a bunch of expensive lights. If you have windows, take away the curtains and replace them with blinds or curtains that are white, soft, and breezy.

You can also install a dimmer to your current light so that you can create a cozy and warm feel in the evenings. Oh, and add mirrors  to reflect the light to check if you have broccoli in your teeth. You could put your mirrors in a pattern, or have them spread out throughout the room to make it feel bigger than it actually is (older homes have such TINY rooms!).

Less is More With Furniture

One fun way to renovate on the cheap is to use the furniture you already have. Except, instead of worrying about rearranging everything, just focus on deleting some items. If you want your home to be crisp and modern, embracing a little bit of minimalism will help you get there. Basically, get rid of the clutter (including your beanie baby collection from 1999!)

If you must get new furniture, choose pieces that are timeless and can be arranged in a multitude of ways. With kids, you may not want to choose white, but the lighter the better. You could always get furniture that is easy to clean, or you could always buy a few slipcovers!

Now, clean off the shelves, and breathe in and out. Ahhh, that’s nice, isn’t it?

 

Simple Decor

Once you have your room looking clean and fresh, you can decorate it with a few pieces of decor. You don’t want a drab and boring room, but make sure you don’t start buying a bunch of clutter just because you have the space! Simple and clean is the way to go. Items like terrariums and white shelves can make a difference in making the home look less cold and a little more inviting, while still being modern. A few of my favorite places to find budget friendly decor are Groupon, Amazon, and thrift stores!

 

Anyone else in a renovating mood? Let me know what your favorite parts of renovation are!

Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

13 responses to “Make Your Home Fancy and Modern On A Budget

  1. We are going to start redecorating our whole home very soon. Right now there is just a lot of random stuff put together and we call it decorated 🙂 I want to make our home look much better!

  2. Awesome post! I’m also in the mood to renovate and redecorate. I tackled bookshelves recently, cutting down on the number of books and tchotchkes in each. I can totally breathe better! I also moved one bookshelf to the opposite wall and it rocks my world. I agree those little changes add up to big style. Now I really want to go home and tackle my living room…:)

  3. I LOVE LOVE LOVE HGTV myself. I don’t have cable but I watch online for free at hulu. I have zero design ability though, so I really admire what other people can do. You’d think after watching for a long time I’d pick up on some tips, but sadly I still lack that ability. The only thing I do right is no clutter. ha ha 🙂

  4. I DO watch HGTV for hours on end! I’m completely addicted. You will laugh because I wouldn’t do this until years down the road but I am measuring my house so I can have our current floor plan laid out and in my head I have these crazy renovation ideas : P One day we will need to convert the basement into a single family home layout instead of a rental suite, and I already planned how the layout will look! It involves basically bringing everything to the studs and then starting from scratch. Yes, I’m a bit crazy…

  5. HGTV is my fav station to watch. I also like the DIY station too. But I like your tips on lighting. I hate to walk into a dark house. Good lighting and light fixture can bring life to even the most dullest of rooms.

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