This has been the summer of refreshes for us. Refresh in the living room, refresh in the breakfast nook, and I’ve been eyeing our master bedroom lately thinking just maybe I can get away with a super cheap, big impact focal wall idea.
Refreshes ROCK! And we’re no strangers to them around here.
Because what HGTV and a lot of the big home improvement networks seem to have forgotten lately is that you don’t have to spend thousands and go all demo day on half of your house just to make a big change!
If you’ve been needing inspiration, I hope this list of ideas from our past refreshes helps you.
Change the wall color.
It’s probably an obvious one but it’s definitely the biggest for not too much $, especially if it’s a smallish room. (We went with Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee walls and Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron windows/doors in our living room and have never looked back.)
Swap your light fixture
See our past DIY and budget-friendly lighting ideas here.
Play musical decor and rotate items between rooms
When you have a super versatile “capsule wardrobe” of decor, you can basically shop your house for room refreshes at $0.
Add a wallpaper focal wall.
Wallpapering an entire room can get pricey, but a focal wall makes a great statement, can be done inexpensively, and won’t overwhelm the room. Win/win/win. (Here are some of my favorite low budget wallpapers and they’re gorgeous! And here’s a how-to if you’re a wallpapering newbie.)
Change your shower curtain
Orrrrrr hang a shower curtain in front of your shower door if you don’t love the look of it and can’t fully remove it because of water splashing concerns.
Add window treatments
Bonus: hang curtains floor to ceiling to make rooms and windows feel larger. Or hang these $5/pair ones outdoors.
Incorporate vinyl floor decals
They’re still cheaper than a full tile demo/install. Our vinyl decals have held up for over 2 years and are still going strong!
Swap your bathroom mirror
That one little change can add a ton of drama to your bathroom. These are some of my favorite low budget mirrors.
Add plants or flowers.
One little plant can add a ton of life to a space.
Update throw pillows
Swap the pillows between your living room and your bedrooms. Or make them out of these unlikely sources.
Hang up dynamic art
It’s amazing what one piece of large scale art can do. Here are some of my favorites. Or even better, get sentimental with it.
Swap rugs with another room
Got 2 or more 8×10 rugs in your house and want a new look? Switch them! See what happens.
Simplify
Walk through your already decorated room and remove a few items. Letting a room “breathe” is a transformation itself.
Try a new furniture layout
Move your bed to a different wall. Reconfigure your living room. New perspectives are fun!
Got any refreshes currently on your to-do list?
Can’t wait to share a couple of them with y’all really soon later this month!
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Great post! Where did you get the fan that is in the living room?
Where did you get your white shower curtain, please?
Thank you Lauren! I’ve literally only read to the 3rd paragraph, but I had to say it! The big home improvement channels have lost their way for sure! Who wants to watch a show about pools that cost more than our house!? They’re just not geared towards DIY home improvement and decor anymore! Thank goodness for blogs such as yours! Keep up the amazing work,everything you guys do is an inspiration!
Now, I’m going back to read the post, admire your hard work and ingenuity, and get some inspiration!
X
Karen
Another good one is to update your cabinet hardware.
Yes! That’s a great one! Same for furniture too.
Thank you for this! I don’t know what happened to decorating blogs or shows on HGTV but they are missed. I loved seeing a room come together with furniture and decor. Not everyone can tear a house apart and rebuild.
I noticed that your breakfast room table appears to be natural wood and wondered how you keep that clean if there is no finish on the wood. After struggling for days removing the finish on my table and painting it with clear finish, the woods changed color and texture. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
Where did you get the white coverlet on the bed with the amazing wallpaper?
Thank you for always keeping it real and attainable! I agree about the blogs and shows that seem to only do entire gut jobs and extensive remodels! I like seeing the refreshes on the room that make the room pretty on a budget. I also appreciate how you and Robert explain how you do your projects and only hire out for the really big stuff. I hope you always keep your blog like this. God bless!
Curtains on the porch…so pretty. Could you please mention where you purchased the white upholstered dining chairs, an are they wearing well? Thanks!
🙂 Thank you Jillian. The chairs are from Pier 1. https://rstyle.me/n/dcb8tib5ky7 IKEA also have some similar here. https://rstyle.me/n/dibyp8b5ky7 The IKEA ones are at a better price.
Anoher great post! Thank you! I love it!
Lauren,
Great Tips!
I have used many of your big impact tips in my own home decor.
Thank you for sharing through this gorgeously photographed post.
Pat
This is incredible, so many creative ways to do a home makeover! I’ll definitely experiment with lots of ideas you shared here. I also have to say that your home is breathtaking and your unique style is is clearly seen. Every room has character and every piece of furniture and detail are perfectly combined. Thank you for this post, I really enjoyed reading it!