When you don’t have the budget or desire to do a costly and messy major home renovation, you can still find dozens of ways to upgrade the look of your home. All you need is a little imagination and creativity.
Start With a Deep Cleaning and Declutter
Discover how much available space you have in your main living areas by deep cleaning and getting rid of the junk that you don’t use. Open up the space in each room so your home feels lighter and airier. This can help uplift your mood with a feeling of renewal.
Consider downsizing the décor displayed on shelves and bookcases if they appear overcrowded. Incorporate empty space into your design scheme. Sometimes less is more. You can rotate decorative items by season.
Layer Your Rooms with Lighting
Let in as much natural sunlight as you can during the day which will also serve as an uplifting mood enhancer. You might need to install solar shades, vertical blinds, or eco-friendly natural shades to block the heat while allowing filtered light to stream in.
Strategic placement of mirrors on walls opposite and facing windows helps to further distribute light throughout the room.
If your home doesn't have recessed ceiling light fixtures, you can install track lighting for a similar effect. Track lighting lamps can be aimed in any direction, giving you more control over the room’s ambient, task, and accent lighting.
Floor lamps and table lamps serve a dual purpose as both decorative décor and providing accent lighting or task lighting. Use lamps to eliminate any dark areas for a brighter, well-lit space.
Add Color and Patterns with Accessories
Brighten the room with a colorful area rug. Add a pop of color to seating furniture or beds with accent pillows. Drape a boldly colored throw over an armchair or the foot of a bed.
Pick out one or two of your favorite hues from a pattern in one of the accessories listed above. Repeat the boldest color in candles, picture frames, lamp shades, curtains, art glass, and/or ceramic art. Repetition helps tie a decorating scheme together.
You can also use this technique with wall art that serves as a focal point in a room. If you need help choosing colors that coordinate with each other, get an inexpensive color wheel from a craft store or online to take the guesswork out.
Refresh with New Paint on the Walls
Choose your wall color last because it’s much easier to match or coordinate a paint color to your furniture or accessories than doing the reverse. Repainting a room will dramatically affect the atmosphere without breaking the bank.
Think about a cool, soothing shade of blue for the ceiling. If you want the room to look bigger, use light, cool colors on the walls. Muted colors are easier to work with. For a coordinated pallet, try using your primary and secondary colors in different proportions throughout the home. For example, use one color as a primary wall color in one room and an accent color in the next room.
Don’t be afraid to go bold and deep on an accent wall. Choose a darker shade on the same paint chip sample to keep the saturation consistent. Removable wallpaper is another great option for an accent wall. It’s easy to install and won’t damage the wall when peeled away to remove it.
Replace Outdated Hardware on Cabinets
Here you can break some design rules such as putting sleek, modern stainless-steel pulls on traditional-style cabinets for a chic twist. Or add vintage-style handles to modern cabinets for an unexpected eclectic look in your kitchen and bathrooms.
Matte black and gold are the trending finishes for cabinet hardware in 2023, no matter what style you choose. Gold hardware can range from satin or brushed brass to champagne bronze to rose gold.
Conclusion
Small changes can really add up to drastically improve the look of your home’s interior. Although these upgrades can help increase the value of your home, it's important to note that no home improvement project completely pays for itself. So choose projects that will help you enjoy your personal space as well.
However, if you’re feeling uncertain about how to start and need a little help, Creative Home Stagers would be happy to assist you with room-by-room interior updates. Click on the link to request a quote for services.