5 High-Impact Home Updates for Any Budget
Sometimes the best style tips are free.
Itching to reimagine your home this new year? Make your humble abode your sanctuary with updates that prove you don’t need to spend a lot to up the value (and style ante) of your space.
If Your Wallet's Drained: Redo the Layout
Design: Natalie Myers
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/img-98--photo-id221737
Start from square one: Take everything off your walls and move all the furniture to the middle of the room. Then, with fresh eyes, reimagine the placement of your furniture, art, and décor. Challenge yourself by letting your furniture float—avoiding the tendency to push pieces flush against the wall. If you find that something no longer works, transition it to another room and start the process over again.
Design: Common Bond Design
https://www.wayfair.com/Shop-The-Look/Photo/President-Street-2-%7C-Vignette-P207605
If You Have $50: Implement Organization
Design: Common Bond Design
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/wyckoff-entry--photo-id214146
Taming the disorder of inevitable clutter in your living space can feel just as transformative (if not more) as a full-blown renovation. Give every homeless item a place to land with stylish storage: leather storage bins, woven baskets, and mounted coat racks are just a few of our favorites.
Looking to tidy every corner? See our organization tips for every room of your home.
Design: Common Bond Design
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/irving-place-residence-book-cubes--photo-id102962
Design: Decor Aid
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/new-canaan-living-room--photo-id232826
For instant polish, privacy, and warmth—and the illusion of a larger space—accentuate your windows with curtains, blinds, or shades. For an airy feel, turn to breezy fabrics like linen or cotton, which will let soft light through or thicker materials in darker colors for a cozy, intimate feel. If structure is more your style, turn to roman shades or blinds, which also offer plenty of privacy.
No matter the window treatments you choose, find everything you need to know, from measuring to install, in our Ultimate Guide.
Design: Thread by Lindsay Bentis
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/sylvan-kitchen--photo-id207131
Boost the color and ambiance of your space in the flick of a switch by installing new lighting fixtures or refreshing your lamps with new shades. Illuminate your entryway, kitchen, or dining room with an eye-catching chandelier or hanging pendants. Then swap out dusty shades for ones in a new shape, color, or pattern.
Not sure what the best fixture is for your space? Learn how to layer lighting like a pro.
Designs: Decor Aid
https://www.wayfair.com/shop-the-look/slp/living-room-with-art-gallery--photo-id232841
Design: Chango & Co.
https://www.wayfair.com/Shop-The-Look/Photo/Old-Westbury-Neoclassical-by-Chango-Co-34-030-P100458
For an instant home facelift, give the following a splash of paint: the trim, like baseboards and crown molding, doors (both interior and exterior), or the backs of open shelving. If you're feeling up for more, tackle above chair rails in a dining room or bathroom, or ground any room by painting a colored stripe around the base. And while you have those paint cans open, you can also try reviving lackluster décor accents or transforming any dresser into an ombre statement.
