7 Simple & Budget Friendly Ways To Start Your Room Makeover

Do you have a room in your house that needs updating? Let me share with you 7 simple & budget friendly ways to start your room makeover.

Need to do it on a budget? No problem!

You can apply these budget friendly tips to any room in the house. We wish money were no issue and grew on trees. With one a slide of that credit card, everything you need for your room would be well on its way to your home. If only that was true!

For some of us, we need to work off a budget. Good advice is to define your budget first. Will this room be a full makeover? Do you want brand new more modern furniture pieces? Or will it be a simple refresh? It is important to set your budget.

How about doing your project in phases? You can decide if phase one would be furniture; and the second phase lighting and accessories. It is a terrific way to spread it out over a period of time.

ONE – Update lighting SPLURGE or save

Lighting is an important accessory item for any room. Chandeliers can be pricey too.

Our new home had builder grade lights throughout it. It pays to shop around. You will need to decide if you are going to splurge or save.

These black iron chandeliers look very similar in style. The big difference is the price. You will need to decide if you want to splurge or save some money. The extra savings could be used toward some other accessories.

We like the casual feel of this chandelier in our dining room. It coordinates well with the lighting in the kitchen.

TWO – repurpose an item

Shop your house for items that can be moved in other rooms to create a new look. The original frame on the mirror was an ivory color. The color was washer out against the light gray walls.

A little paint and voila a new mirror! This project saved me money from purchasing a brand new mirror.

You can see the painting technique and the supplies used in my tutorial here.

three – Make your own art

You can create your own art work to personalize your room. My friend Leslie, Feet Under My Table created these beautiful pressed fern wall art. How clever and beautiful!

She used ferns from her garden and created these beautiful pieces of art. You can lean them against the wall or hang them on the wall. You can check out her full tutorial here.

four – Add a rug

A rug under the table helps to anchor the room. By adding a rug, it will make the room warm and cozy. It can also help you to add a pop of color to the room.

You can find great deals on rugs through Wal-Mart, Wayfair and Amazon. I recommend to look at the rating for the item. Read the reviews from the customers. You can find some beautiful rugs at a reasonable price point.

Here are some of my favorite blue and white rugs.

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If you like neutrals, here are some of my favorite rugs.

I have the one in the middle in the family room. It’s of great quality, soft, high pile and affordable. It is perfect for the grandchildren to lay on the floor.

five – Paint it!

There are wonderful vintage furniture pieces online at Facebook Market Place, yards sales, thrifts stores, on the side of the road or in your basement. Paint it! If your dining chairs are looking out dated, paint them!

You can really find some well made old furniture. This buffet/sideboard has dove tailed drawers and the entire piece is solid wood.

My mother is about to paint her dining room set to give it a fresh new look. It can save you a lot of money. The quality is better. To replace would be out of her budget for something of equal quality.

six – Make your own draperies

The biggest chunk on my dining room budget was draperies. I had my heart set on 100″ wide linen panels. I caught them on sale. It was worth waiting for the sale price.

You can make your own draperies from canvas drop cloths or bed sheets. Drop cloths are washable and a great heavy material.

My friend, Do with Do Dodson Design has this great post about drop cloth curtains and how to hang them. You can check out her post here.

seven – remember less is more

Sometimes less is more! You do not have to fill every space in the room with furniture. The same holds true with art. Every wall in your home does not need art. Sometimes a beautiful piece of art over top of a buffet is all you need in the space.

Accessories look good in a room to add texture and visual interest. Every surface does not need to be overflowing with items.

My buffet has more decorative items. The dining table is kept clear with a plant in the center. Sometime I will have a vase filled with fresh flowers.

Try to keep it where the room is not looking cluttered with “stuff”. It will give the room a cleaner, crisp look.

I hope you found some of the 7 simple & budget friendly ways to start your room makeover helpful.

Other decorating tips:

14 Great Ways To Add Function and Style To A Mudroom

Twelve Decorating Tips for Making A Front Porch Cozy and Beautiful

Beautiful Dough Bowls: Where To Find Them & How To Style Them

Hope you have a wonderful day, friend!