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We are all looking for cheap and easy ways to update our homes, aren’t we? We get a little restless with our current design and find ourselves wanting big impact with minimal cost and effort. Well, kindred spirit, today I’m showing you the best budget home updates you can do any time!
As an interior designer, I’m cursed with wanting to change my space up constantly. It used to be a joke (and kind of still is) between my fiance and I that when he comes home from work, something will be different. A room will be painted, accessories rearranged, and his personal favorite: new holes in the wall! And obviously by favorite I mean the thing he dreads the most, just so we are all on the same page.
And while those updates are all well and good, today I want to dive into the best budget home updates that will have a bigger impact than just hanging a new piece of art. Today, we are looking for ways to enhance your space through architectural detail. We are going to update your home in sneaky and specific ways that will elevate the entire space. The best budget home updates are all in the details. Let’s get started, shall we?
Best Budget Home Updates
1. Update your door knobs with matte black
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Matte black is uber modern and sexy. Your door knob is kind of a non-negotiable when it comes to your home, so why not make it shine? Believe me, there is nothing cooler than a white or glass door with a matte black door knob. UGH, SO GOOD. Just look at all the amazing designs of Amber Interiors (above). There’s a reason her designs resonate with so many people. The space is tied together with every single detail styled to perfection, but you can’t pick out one thing that stands a part from the herd. She’s a master at nailing the details. Again with the details, I know.
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Black hardware with iron French doors is quintessential to a modern, California-cool vibe. You can replace interior door knobs and better yet, give your exterior knobs a face lift like this gorgeous entry of HGTV dream home designer, Brian Patrick Flynn. His home in Georgia is bursting with color, pattern, and both modern and traditional styles. Every detail plays a supporting role, leaving the space impactful.
2. Get a unique and modern shower curtain rod
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Much like your curtains, your shower curtain will look the most high end and luxurious the closest it is to the ceiling. This is the new modern trend in bathroom design and it will instantly amp up the quality of your space. This design was from an HGTV dream home, designed again by Brian Patrick Flynn. I love him. SO much. Better yet, he’s not even trained as a designer! His background is in television! Further proof that anyone can do anything.
PS: Every year I enter to win the dream home, but I never do. I live with that failure daily.
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This design, featuring Semihandmade cabinetry, is spot on. You have the awesome floor tile, the classic white tile, matte black finishes, a high shower rod mounting, and an awesome octagonal window. See what I mean by details? This window could have been a simple rectangle or circle, but the designer chose to add interest in the mundane. This is what I keep preaching. Details, friends!
You will always have a great design if you take what is necessary and replace it with what is extraordinary.
3. Install modern cabinet pulls
Drawer pulls for cabinets are definitely at the top of the best budget home updates list. They are affordable and transform the entire look of your kitchen. Most people have decent sized kitchens with ample cabinetry, so this small update makes a huge impact. These half moon shapes above? Absolutely brilliant. They are simple yet impactful. You can buy them here if you’re interested.
Excitingly enough, master interior designer, Sarah Sherman Samuel (she’s designing Mandy Moore’s home, btw), has a line of hardware (like the half moons above) with Semihandmade. Semihandmade is a company that customizes your run of the mill Ikea cabinetry and makes it look realllllly expensive and nice. Cool, right?
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This is Orlando Soria’s new kitchen that was remodeled by Semihandmade. These awesome cabinet pulls are from Park Studio. Park Studio is also a favorite source of mine for awesome light fixtures. This could be your kitchen, guys.
4. Install cool light bulbs
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Switching out your old boring light bulbs is one of the best budget home updates, especially since the trend is exposed bulbs. You’ve seen the Edison bulbs, but now decorated globe bulbs take the cake. My favorite options are from CB2.
This update is especially important if you live in an apartment and don’t really have a choice as far as your hardwired fixtures go. You know those old school bathroom mirrors with the globe bulbs surrounding the mirror like you’re in a Hollywood dressing room or something? Well, if you switch out your plain bulbs for the gold or silver tipped globes, it would look SO much better. Even replacing boring bulbs with Edison bulbs (bulbs with visible filament) would be a really affordable update. My favorite source for really really cheap bulbs is 1000 Bulbs. They even have high end lookalikes, FYI.
5. Add wall sconces
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While we are on the subject of lighting, adding wall sconces is one of the best budget home updates that you can do in any room. Now, I know what you’re thinking: BUT I CAN’T HARDWIRE A SCONCE. No worries, friend. There are plenty of awesome options (like the West Elm one above) that are plug in. Both Ikea and Build have some great affordable plug in options so you don’t need to worry about hardwiring. Install them flanking your bathroom mirror, bed, sofa, or table and your room will instantly look elevated and expensive.
Pro tip: flank your sconces on either side of a large piece of art.
6. Upgrade your wall light switch plates
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Another example of taking a non-negotiable aspect of the room, and transforming it from eye sore to I ADORE. Yeah, that was super corny; I regret saying that. But still, the lesson stands. How much better (and more expensive) would your room look if you got rid of those builder grade shiny white wall plates? THIS, my friends, is how you make your space look like you hired an interior designer. This is how you cheat your way to a better home!
Updating your generic wall plates just requires a trip to your local hardware store and is one of the best budget home updates you can make. It takes no time at all, but makes your home look much more pulled together. Any time you update a simple detail that is otherwise overlooked, you’re adding instant value and appeal to your space. It shows you care about even the smallest details and aren’t willing to settle for generic, builder grade finishes. I’ll say it again: details matter SO much.
PS: how adorable is the white one above? It would look perfect in a farmhouse style home because even the wall plate looks a little country. Both of the plates are from Home Depot and are like $5. If you don’t want to replace the plates, I suggest painting them the same color as your walls, especially if you have a dark wall color. A dark wall and a white awkward wall plate? Not on our watch.
7. Spray paint outdoor light fixtures
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Have you ever toured a home and the realtor says, “these are the original finishes”? That phrase is meant to be a good selling point; what is old is precious and special, and yet, in our modern society, we want to toss everything away and replace it. I sometimes wonder if our generation will ever get to experience “these are the original finishes” since every day we are erasing our home’s history.
If you have something that is quality, please consider keeping it. This post is about making your home more personalized so you love it, and loving your own home is definitely worth swapping out builder grade finishes for something you will want to keep for a long time. But if something can be revived, do that instead of replacing.
One of my favorite things to do is to update existing finishes with a coat of paint. Often, existing outdoor dated light fixtures are brass, and the best way to give them new life is with a coat of spray paint. My favorite colors would be matte black (duh) or an oil rubbed bronze finish. I think traditional outdoor lighting (that is revived) makes the house look more like a home with history, as some modern lighting can make a house look cold and uninviting. Traditional fixtures give a sense of nostalgia, so if your fixture is in good shape, just paint it!
8. Add decorative moldings
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When looking at apartments in NYC, one of my absolute favorite touches is the addition of decorative wall moldings. Notice in the design above, how such a simple thing adds so much architectural interest to the space. Bonus points for the ceiling medallion.
This is a super simple DIY, by the way. You can purchase the wood pieces for mere dollars and get out your nail gun to attach them to the walls. I bet this would be something you could even get permission from your landlord to do, because it adds value to the apartment.
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The design above was The Makerista’s submission for the One Room Challenge. She redid her daughters’ room into a super girly, vintage inspired, Parisian paradise. Do you see what I mean about the wall moldings? They make the room!
HGTV has a great tutorial on how to hang decorative moldings as well as crown moldings. If you’re itching for a big room upgrade that won’t break the bank, adding architectural details is one of the best budget home updates you can make.
9. Peel and stick backsplash and wallpaper
First up, backsplash…
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Since we are going for big impact with minimal effort, you can’t go wrong with a peel and stick backsplash. Both homeowners and even renters (if you get permission from your landlord) can update their space with removable (and wipable) peel and stick backsplash. What I like most about this white subway tile option by Home Depot is the gray “grout”. That just adds an extra DETAIL (see, I keep coming back to that) and makes it look even more realistic.
Sure, the photos online look good, but how does peel and stick backsplash look in real life? You tell me! Check out the kitchen transformation below.
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This is a great transformation that my friend Kate did to her kitchen last month. Doesn’t it look great? She painted her cabinets, got a new countertop, and installed peel and stick faux marble tile backsplash. She installed the tile by herself and said it was super easy. So there you have it.
The tile she purchased is from Wayfair and for the entire kitchen, she said it only costed $175! She lives in Indiana, so you know this is a normal size kitchen. If you’re interested, here are the tiles she used with this trim. Good job, Kate!
DIY network shows you how to install your own peel and stick backsplash with an instructional video. Maybe give it a go this weekend?
Now wallpaper…
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Adding peel and stick wallpaper is a great idea for both homeowners and renters. If you’re wanting a DIY with instant gratification, this is one of the best budget home updates to make. Even better? It’s removable! We all know how much of a pain normal wallpaper is to remove, so now you’re free to experiment. This particular pattern is from Target’s new Opalhouse collection and is styled by the ever lovely, Emily Henderson.
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You could wallpaper an accent wall, book shelves, a powder room, or even the ceiling of a child’s bedroom (I LOVE doing that). Create architectural detail by installing wallpaper below the chair rail or even better, install your own chair rail (tutorial in # 8) and then put up your wallpaper. Easy peasy!
This beautiful floral wallpaper is also part of the Opalhouse collection. How beautiful would it look as an accent wall in a child’s room? Or a college dorm!
Apartment Therapy was kind enough to share the best sources for removable wallpaper if you’re wanting to see some options. DIY Network has its own list as well.
10. Add floating shelves
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Do you have that weird little space that you’re not sure what to do with? Floating shelves are your answer! Floating shelves can be an affordable project you can do on the weekends and is one of the best budget home updates because it adds architectural detail and value. This might seem like a pricey build, but I can assure you, it doesn’t have to be.
Sourthern Revivals shared this tutorial of her DIY floating shelves that only costed $5 per shelf. Pretty good deal if you ask me!
Floating shelves would be great above a desk, in a nook, the bathroom, or instead of upper cabinetry in your kitchen. Bonus points if the wood is reclaimed–Chip and Joanna would be proud of you. Floating shelves are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they add function to the space. Be it another organizational point, or just a place to style, it’s a great room accessory.
The shelves above are by Semihandmade–remember, the company that makes your Ikea finds more grand? But you could just as easily purchase lumber from Home Depot (just make sure you have them cut it in store), standard Ikea shelves, or if you’re a more daring DIY enthusiast, you might want to visit a lumber yard and get reclaimed wood. This wood might need sanding in some spots (watch for splinters!), but it will be aged, weathered, and beautiful. Plus, reusing is better for the planet (I just figured I would be a pal and remind ya).
And there you have it folks, my best budget home updates! With a little elbow grease (and maybe a willing weekend warrior partner), you can affordably upgrade any room in your home. I would love to see your own DIYs, so feel free to tag me @obliquenewyork on social media.
How’s that for sweat equity?
-Kristen
