Tips on Renovating Your Home Without Draining Your Bank Account

Contrary to popular belief, renovating your home doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

Here are some simple, budget-friendly upgrades you can make that will result in a big difference.

18 BUDGET-FRIENDLY RENOVATION IDEAS

Kitchen

If the cabinets are in good shape but just appear tired and worn, a coat of paint can do wonders to brighten up your kitchen. There are videos you can watch to achieve a professional finish.

How about those countertops? Are they stained and marred from constant use? If you have a small working surface, it won’t break the bank to replace them. Budget alternatives to marble countertops include materials like polished cement, wood and granite.

Think about adding a faux island. This can be achieved simply and affordably by adding casters or splash of paint to any piece of furniture with a bench top.

Lastly, a new backsplash will finish the look you want. There are many materials such as tile or stone that will fit into your budget.

Tip: Always ask to see the ‘seconds’ or the ‘remnant’ section before making a decision.

Bathroom

If you are short on storage space, why not add some shelves. Open shelves eliminate the cramped feeling in a particularly small bathroom. If you have the room though, a cabinet with drawers will hide all of your personal items.
Refresh the walls with a coat of paint and add an accent wall while you’re at it.

The easiest and cheapest upgrade would be to change your tapware and the hardware on your drawers. With so many styles to choose from, it will be fun and inexpensive.

Tip: Play around with lighting options including lighted mirrors.

Bedroom

Let the fun begin here! This is your special place and therefore, you have free reign to make it as formal or as quirky as you choose. Start with the walls. Whether you choose wallpaper, paint or a large mural as an accent wall depends only on your preference.

Revamp the headboard by either changing it, painting it or even padding it using inexpensive batting and a colourful material.

Splurge a bit on some new bedding. A down-filled pillow is so much more comfortable that those cheap poly-filled ones. Coordinate your bedspread or quilt to complement your walls, or to add a ‘pop’ of colour if you’ve decided on more neutral shades.

Finally, create storage space by hanging shelves or repurposing an old buffet or armoire.

Tip: If your bedroom is on the small side, consider underbed storage.

Living Room

This Is the room you will spend the most time in, whether relaxing or entertaining guests. You can make it look cosy or formal by simply arranging the furniture and adding throw rugs to define the different areas.

Window treatments are also important for the ambience of a room. If you are going for luxurious, try hanging curtain rods close to the ceiling and using long flowing drapes to the floor. Indoor shutters will give your room a cosy ‘farm-house’ feel while blinds [whether wood or cloth] will add to a fun and functional décor.

If windows are in short supply, you will want to create lighting with lamps or overhead track lighting. Use dimmer switches to create the mood you are looking for in the moment. If you’re sticking to a budget consider upcycling old lighting. The retro look is very popular these days.

Tip: Without spending any money, you can transform your living room simply by decluttering.

Outside

Your yard is the first thing you or your guests see when pulling into your driveway. A freshly mowed and tidy front yard adds curb appeal to any home. Combine that with some beautiful flowers or plants and you have a home right out of a magazine.

Is your front door chipped and showing its age? A fresh coat of varnish or paint will remedy that with very little money spent. Or perhaps you are inspired to replace the door to coordinate with the new interior. There are many styles to fit your budget.

A deck or patio is a great asset for any home. If you’re not lucky enough to have a composite timber deck, wooden decks can be sanded, stained and brought back to their original beauty for very little cost.

Outdoor lighting is both functional and necessary for safety and security. With all of the inexpensive solar powered lights to choose from, you can add as many or as few as you need.

Tip: Make sure any improvements you make outdoors are weather resistant so they can be enjoyed for many years.
Before starting any renovations, have a plan and a budget and stick to it. Prioritise the tasks that you feel are the most important and keep in mind everything doesn’t need to be done ‘today’.

Try to recycle or repurpose things you remove, and think about selling the other things. This will add money to your budget. At the end of the day, you will have the knowledge that you did it yourself and didn’t break the bank.