Finance Friday: 8 Tips for a Low-Cost Home Makeover

Have you ever looked around your home and really wanted to make a change, but your budget was considerably strained? If so, try thinking outside the box to give your home a low-cost home makeover. By looking for low-cost ways to bring warmth, color, and atmosphere to the living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms, families should be able to carry their residences into the modern age. Below are eight tips that will help homeowners achieve this lofty goal.

Image License: Creative Commons.

Home Maker Tip #1: Develop Some Amateur Carpentry Skills

When looking for ways to turn the living room into an elegant place to relax, most property owners should consider their own woodworking skills. Even if they do not possess the talent to build a wonderfully crafted chair, they can save money in other ways. By buying dilapidated tables and cabinets at yard sales, for example, they will be saving quite a bit of cash. With a bit of sandpaper, they can smooth down the rough edges. Subsequently, they can choose to either stain or paint the wood. When done with care, these items will be indistinguishable from pieces that are available at retail stores for much higher prices.

Home Maker Tip #2: Use Plants to Jazz Up Empty Wall Space

Bare white walls can make a house look empty. One of the easiest ways to fix this is by buying a large floor plant, which can be used to make the room more pleasant. With their broad leaves, ferns are typically excellent choices. To care for the fern, it should be rotated on a regular basis so that each side receives the proper amount of light. Old leaves that have fallen into the soil should be quickly thrown out so that the plant can remain as visually appealing as possible.

Home Maker Tip #3: Paint One of the Walls in a Bright, Vibrant Color

When it comes to coloring the interior walls of the house, families should spread their wings and think boldly. Though pale colors are safe and traditional, it sometimes helps to leave one’s comfort zone. By painting one of the walls in a flashy color, property owners should be able to change the whole feel of the house. In some cases, only one wall may need to be painted. A fiery red tone, for example, can be used on one of the living room walls. The rest of the room can then be decorated to match this wall.

Home Maker Tip #4: Don’t Be Afraid to Use Knick-Knacks and Wall Ornaments

The smallest accessory items often have the biggest impact. In fact, knick-knacks and wall ornaments can give most rooms a whole different aura. Cuckoo clocks that have been hiding in the attic for years, for example, can be mounted on one of the walls in the living room for some extra flavour. One can even also use family photographs, ceramic figurines, and sports memorabilia to make the room look warm and lively.

Home Maker Tip #5: Utilize Exotic Lamp Shades and Lighting

Lighting has a great impact when it comes to bringing a new look and feel into the room. For example; different types of lamps shades are available in a range of colors, sizes and shapes to choose from. Lamp shades themselves can be purchased in a broad array of styles and textures. Lamps are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased from any of second-hand stores. For some interesting ambient light, some renovators might want to try multi-colored lamp shades, which will cast a variety of interesting shadows on the walls.

Home Maker Tip #6: Consider the Power of Bed Linens

When people are looking for cheap ways to overall their sleeping quarters, they should consider the power of bed linens. Instead of tearing down walls and hauling in multiple pieces of expensive furniture, simply changing out the comforter on top of the bed will make a world of difference. Elegant comforters, when combined with some lacy pillows, will improve the aesthetics of the bedroom.

Home Maker Tip #7: Show Off Books

Some people might also wish to consolidate their books onto one bookshelf. As a general rule, bookshelves are not all that expensive to find. In fact, shelves made of cherry or maple can be located for decent prices. Bookshelves are also a great option to bring in a change to the otherwise boring space.

Home Maker Tip #8: Celebrate Holidays with Vigor

As one final outside-the-box idea, property owners should try to decorate their houses to fit in with the approaching holiday. For example; Valentine’s Day, the Fourth of July, and Thanksgiving all offer different opportunities. Individuals who are excellent at arts and crafts might even create some homemade decorations.

In the end, there are many different ways to makeover a house on a budget. By being creative and learning how to scour yard sales and thrift stores for diamonds in the rough, people should get what they need. They can shortly thereafter declare their house the envy of the neighborhood.

This guest posts was provided by Richard Campen is owner of ArchwayPress Garage and House Plans, a website with 1000’s of custom house plans and garage plans available for purchase from leading architects around the country.

Reader Response Question: Have you done any changes to your home’s decor that gave it a full facelift? Are there any tips that you would add to this list?

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