The 10 Best Low-Cost Ways to Refresh Your Home

Home renovating can be a pricey and time-consuming affair. There are, however, a number of cost-effective ways in which to get creative and give your home that much-needed refresh without the costs associated with a major renovation. From updating your kitchen to upgrading your light fixtures, read on for some great DIY ideas to achieve the look you desire without breaking the bank.

Get Creative With Paint

Adding a fresh lick of paint can do wonders for a space, it being one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to make a space feel fresh and sophisticated – whether it be a vibrant feature wall, an all-over treatment in a new-season neutral or some more delicate detailing. Unsure as to what shades to go for? Try taking some verdant inspiration from nature or your favourite art piece to achieve a cohesive look. All-white schemes are also perfect for letting colour and character speak through your furniture pieces and accessories. Don’t forget paint is also not just for walls – it can also make an impact when it comes to updating older furniture. Refreshing tired furniture pieces in a lighter shade can also help to open up a space and minimise the perceived visual weight of heavier, bulkier items.

Say It With Statement Walls
Selecting a wall to become a feature is an impactful way to change up a space with minimal time and effort. Choosing your favourite colour to set the overall tone of your space or alternatively, a playful geometric pattern or trendy landscape narrative in a wallpaper if you’re feeling a touch more adventurous, is a surefire way to embolden a room with something more dynamic than the norm. Textured wallpaper is also big right now, and perfect for more subtle statement-making without having to commit too much. Consider the wall at the far end of your dining table or the one behind the sofa in your living space – feature walls create a zone and draw the eye as the focal point of a room. They also help inform the rest of your decor for a visually attractive, cohesive vibe. 

Give Your Walls Some Extra Love

In addition to trying a statement wall to give a space a new lease on life, there are many other ways to inject some focus and visual interest in terms of the treatment of your walls. The considered placement of a set of floating shelves to showcase your favourite ceramic knick-knacks, adding a large piece of statement art to a wall or even creating your own dedicated gallery wall filled with favourite artwork, photographs and other wall art will do wonders to create a dynamic centrepiece in a room.

Lighting is your Friend

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of a space in terms of setting the mood, its ability to highlight certain features and to make a space feel more spacious or more intimate. Pendant lighting is an effective way to modernise your home on a budget, coming in an endless array of designs that can be hung at different heights to achieve a variety of elegant effects in spaces such as the kitchen or over the dining table. For rooms that are especially lacking in natural light, consider investing in some table and floor lamps for accent lighting. The addition of lamps can really help to define a cosy space with a touch of the dramatic with their shadow-casting effects. Strategically placed lighting can also be supported with the inclusion of mirrors opposite windows to help reflect light and make a space seem more spacious.

Update Your Hardware
Giving your hardware a makeover is one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to elevate the overall aesthetic of your home – elements such as door knobs, drawer handles and faucets, as well as other plumbing and lighting fixtures. The options available are endless and affordable. Consider adding a touch of metal to your design scheme such as an upgrade with some modern brass pulls and matching faucets, or for a softer look, refresh your cabinetry with a new set of ceramic knobs. Materials can also be successfully mixed and matched to add further layering in terms of visual interest. Scouring antique stores for vintage or upcycled pieces is a great way to elevate a space if you are after a more rustic vibe. Alongside new taps and mixers, treat your bathroom to a new shower head and rail as well as some plush new bath towels and floor mats. Splashbacks, mirrors, vanities and basins, if tired and dated, are also items to consider refreshing to bring a stylish sense of sanctuary back to your bathroom.

Get Into Some Greenery

Adding some greenery with live plants is a no-brainer when it comes to giving your home a much-deserved lift. Introducing some plants is not only useful for strategically filling those forgotten nooks and crannies but also in helping to purify the air and even improve your mood. Fortunately, you don’t need green fingers for a lot of indoor plant options such as succulents and cacti. These types of plants are a great low-maintenance way to go as they require little care and attention, or water for that matter. If you are looking to make more of a statement with your greenery, consider elevating a feature wall to one filled with live plants. 

Makeover Your Furniture
Treating old furniture to a makeover is another great way to modernise your home on a budget. Requiring just a little time and effort dedicated to sanding down and either painting or staining, treating tired furniture pieces with a fresh lick of paint can transform the look and feel of a space. If you are new to upcycling this way, there are plenty of DIY tutorials online to take advantage of.

Update Your Window Treatments
Refreshing the elements that frame your windows and in turn, celebrate the view beyond, is a super-simple way to transform the look of a room without breaking the bank. Being a central focal point of a room, you want them to be impactful. Consider roman blinds or sheer, light and airy curtains that hang full height – or even a combination of the two for an extra-sophisticated look. For colder spaces, look at thicker textiles such as linen, cotton and velvet for the look and feel that is cosy, intimate and all things hygge. Even something as simple as changing your curtain rods can help transform your window treatment’s entire look with the addition of wood, iron or bronze. Work the colours, textures and patterns of your window elements into your overall theme of the space to either match or compliment the walls.

Refresh Your Throw Cushions and Rugs

Switching up your throw cushions and blankets is another quick and easy way to help transform a space. Brighten things up with a splash of colour with some throw pillows or a new patterned rug, paying extra attention to the materials and textures. These will help to add warmth and definition to a space, as well as layering in terms of movement and extra visual interest. For furniture with natural earthy colours, consider adding rich, jewel-toned shades such as teals, deep reds and gold for a simple yet striking look. 

Get Gardening

Have a look at your garden. There are many ways to upgrade your backyard on a budget without sacrificing quality or style. You can add “curb appeal” and help set the tone of your home by making a statement before your guests even step inside by incorporating some raised beds, barking, stones or paving some sections and placing some feature plants and shrubs for effect. Your local garden centre is a great resource for getting some free advice on what is low maintenance and what grows best. Create another “room” for entertaining al fresco complete with a shade sail or pergola, a fire pit, some flagstones and a fixed seating area with decking or brickwork. This will not only be a fresh and inviting focal point outdoors that is lovely to look out on but is a surefire winner in terms of adding value to your home.

Get some more inspo for your next home refresh by checking out Lockwood’s stunning showhomes.