8 Ways To Update Your Home Decor On A Budget

I have a confession.

One of my favorite types of stores to visit is the home improvement store. I can spend a good hour or two in Lowes or Home Depot looking at all of the various ways I can upgrade different rooms in my home. This has become a more frequent occurrence since I became a homeowner.

I have a list of upgrades and changes I’d like to make to freshen up and enhance the look of my home. The kicker is, doing everything on my list would cost more than my budget could take so I’ve had to find ways to make changes that don’t cost a lot but have an impact.

Related read: My New Living Room Furniture

(This information is not meant to be financial advice and is just for educational purposes. This post may include affiliate links. Should you click an affiliate link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

If you’re looking to freshen up or upgrade some rooms in your home you’re in luck. I’m sharing some tips I’ve discovered and some I’ve done myself.

1. Change up your textiles

Add some curtains to frame your windows. If you already have curtains you can switch your current ones for new ones that are a different color or have a different pattern.

Add or swap out some decorative pillows. You can find lots of great ones at places like HomeGoods and Ross. If you happen to be good with a sewing machine, another option is to make an envelope pillow cover and recover your pillows. I did this with a few pillows I have using this tutorial from Melanie Ham.

Get a new bedspread or comforter for your bedroom. To really give the room a change go for one that is quite different than your current one. As a bonus, try to find one that is reversible so you get two looks for the price of one!

Layer in a rug. Whether you have carpet, hardwood, tile, or laminate adding a rug can bring so much additional personality and style to a room. I think that rugs can be a safe textile to go a bit bolder in color and have a funkier pattern because a lot of it tends to be covered up with furniture.

2. Do some painting

This is probably one of the cheapest ways to upgrade or freshen up a room. There are multiple ways you can use paint. Such as

• Painting an accent wall to add some contrast

• Painting all of the walls with a different color or shade

• Painting the trim with a new color or with the current color to freshen it up

3. Swap out decor

Changing a few pieces of decor can add another feel or look to a room. But it can also be expensive. To do this cheaply there are a few things you can do

• Shop your house and move decor pieces from one room to another

• Swap decor pieces with a friend or family member

• Go to yard sales and pick up some new decor pieces for a couple of bucks.

Related read: How To Add Personality To A Room (With A Small Budget)

4. Rearrange or change your wall art

Sometimes all it takes is moving some things around to give a room a new look and feel. That isn’t limited to furniture. It also extends to wall art and decor. If you have a gallery wall move some of the art pieces around or create a gallery wall if you don’t have one already.

Change up your wall decor or art by using art that you have from other rooms, and make your own by printing out and framing pictures from your vacation or inspirational sayings you found online. You can also paint existing picture frames to give existing art a new look.

5. Update hardware and light fixtures

The little details count for a lot when it comes to home style and decor. A lot of houses have contractor-grade or builder-grade hardware and light fixtures. Believe me, I know because my house is full of it. Changing a few or all of these items can give that area of the house a facelift.

Change the pulls and/or knobs on your kitchen and bathroom cabinets with ones that have a different finish or shape.

Same with your cabinets try changing door handles and hinges with ones that have a different finish or style.

Put up new curtain rods or new towel rods with ones that are slightly elevated or have a different finish than the original ones. I changed the towel rods in my master bath to ones that were a couple of steps up from the builder-grade ones my house came with and let me tell you my bathroom feels more elegant.

When it comes to light fixtures you may have some in your house that look a bit cheap or just plain outdated. Find light fixtures that have more of a modern touch and better fit your style.

6. Remove clutter

This probably should have been the first tip because it’s one of the easiest places to start. Until you start re-organizing and removing clutter from surfaces you don’t realize how different it can make a room feel.

For items that you don’t have a place to store get some stylish baskets or containers. I did this in my laundry room with some cute baskets at Ross that I use in my laundry room. I found it it’s a great way to hide clutter and add to the overall decor.

7. Repurpose or freshen up old furniture

You may have some furniture that you’d like to use or would use except it doesn’t fit your overall decor anymore. There are some easy ways to make that furniture usable again such as painting it, changing the hardware, or reupholstering.

I bought a couple of small side tables at some yard sales that I was able to clean up, patch up, and paint so I could use them in my office space. It only cost me about $25 for the two tables and materials plus a few hours of my time to work on them.

8. Add some plants

Yep, plants. Bringing plants inside can add some color and texture to a room without having to spend much or any money at all. Bring in fresh cuttings from your yard or move plants you already have to different rooms.