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    6 Inexpensive Ways to Update Your Home on a Budget

    Published: Jul 13, 2020 · Modified: Feb 21, 2021 by Aly @ Iekel Road Home · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · #sponsoredpost ·

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    Update your home on a budget, it seems impossible, especially when you watch all the home reno shows and see them demo every single room of the home. Here are 6 inexpensive ways to update your home on a budget, ways that will not break the bank, but will make all the difference.

    dining room update

    Paint is the easiest and most impactful way to update your home on a budget

    If I could recommend just one way to update a home, it would be with paint! There is so much you can do to your home with just a simple can of paint. Paint can stick to anything, you just have to find the right kind.

    updating your home on a budget  with paint, start with a lime green wall
    updated hallway with white paint and new stairs

    When we updated our basement entryway paint did most of the work! I gave the wall a fresh coat of white paint and added a little contrast by painting the door a grey/green. Finishing the stairs was just an added bonus. See the full renovation of this space on our Basement Entryway Transformation blog post.

    I cannot say enough good things about paint, and have so many more examples of it in our own home. If you can only do one thing, pick paint.

    Wall Detailing will make your home look like a custom build

    Paint can do a lot as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. But sometimes it's nice to take it one step further and add a little interest.

    Wall detailing is a great way to add interest to a space and make it feel a little less mundane. There are many different wall treatments out there.

    update old bedroom brown on a budget by adding wall treatment
    update master bedroom with board and batten

    A simple Pinterest search will get the ideas flowing; try searching for wainscotting, board and batten, beadboard, or shiplap. All these wall treatments can be done DIY style for a fraction of the cost and add so much charm and style.

    We added a simple board and batten wall treatment to our bedroom, it added just that slight bit of visual texture and warmed the room right up.

    update a home on a budget with paint and wall treatment
    board and batten master bedroom

    Replacing plate covers is a simple way to update your home on a budget

    Updating electrical doesn't sound like the most exciting thing to do, or even to spend your money on. Did you know it costs only about $3 to update a light switch or a receptacle? And you can save even more money when buying them in bulk.

    You wouldn't think it would make that big of a difference changing out old electrical plates, but just take a look at this before and after in our family room.

    update a home on a budget by replacing old electrical plate cover
    updated electrical plate covers

    Personally I don't want light switch covers to stand out, so changing them made all the difference.

    If your budget is a little larger you can look at updating light fixtures as well. We recommend waiting on a sale as light fixtures are expensive and styles are constantly changing. We hold our budget for this at under $200 a fixture, and frankly haven't paid more than $150.

    update home on a budget by replacing old light fixture
    dining room with pendant light

    A simple change in lighting will change the whole feel of a room. Light fixtures are such a trend and can date a space instantly.

    Follow our tutorials to do all this work on your own without hiring an electrician: How to Change A Receptacle, How to Change a Light Switch, How to Change a Light Fixture

    Getting a Custom look with Unique Doors

    Doors can be so impactful when you find the right one. When trying to add character into a home a door can be your perfect opportunity, you just need to choose the right location. An office door, basement door, closet door, sometimes bathroom door can all be great opportunities to add some character.

    update your home on a budget with salvaged doors
    Barn door used to update a home on a budget

    In our home, we still wanted the option of a sound and privacy burier, as our bedrooms are down this hallway. But we also needed more light to pass through this space, so a salvaged glass door was the perfect option for us. You can read more about this barn door, and what it used to look like in our post How To Install A Barn Door Without A Header.

    Create Open Concept

    Open concept is all the rage, and it's one thing old homes don't usually have.

    Now tearing down load-bearing walls is not budget-friendly. But if your home has a half wall or a wall that is not load-bearing and all you need to do is remove it, I say go for it!

    update yout home on a budget with  removing half wall
    boho modern living room with shiplap

    In our case, a half wall and an after though closet was all that was stopping us from getting that open-concept we were looking for. By removing the wall and the closet we totally transformed this space, adding a living room full of additional space. You can see more of our living room in our Living Room Update on a Budget blog post.

    Update Window Treatment

    Window treatments can really date a space, and for an instant change, you can just remove them altogether. Given that the room you are focusing on is not a bedroom.

    update your home on a budget by replace curtains

    We were not in the market to buy new curtains or curtain rods for this space as it wasn't a huge need. We needed to remove them due to water stains from a leaky window, the curtains were holding a sent. The windows in these rooms are not directly facing any homes that could see in, so we lived without curtains for almost 3 years.

    empty family room

    After going a few years without curtains we were able to come up with a budget-friendly option. Making our own curtain rods and saving for these budget-friendly curtains really helped us get the look we wanted without the price tag.

    living room updated on a budget with diy curtain rods

    I hope that these budget-friendly ideas for updating your home helped to inspire you are not intimidate you. You don't need a lot of money to make a big change! Just a little effort and a can of paint will get you set on the right path! Happy home updating!!

    More Tips and Tricks

    9 Ways How to Update Your Home Using Paint

    Eco-friendly Kitchen Products Available in Canada

    13 Updates Beginners Can Make To Their Home

    How To Fix An Awkward Living Room Layout

    PIN IT FOR LATER

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    Comments

    1. Nikki Lynn - The Faithful Farmer Momma

      July 16, 2020 at 11:21 am

      ❤️ love these transformations!

      • Aly @ Iekel Road Home

        July 16, 2020 at 4:12 pm

        Thank you, Nikki!

    2. Julie

      July 16, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      These are great tips! And I love all your before and after shots.

      • Aly @ Iekel Road Home

        July 16, 2020 at 4:13 pm

        Thank you, Julie I don't know if I could do a project if I didn't take a before picture. It helps so much to appreciate the in-between stage.

    3. Caren

      July 16, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      Your home is beautiful and you have great budget-friendly ideas. The transformation is amazing!

      • Aly @ Iekel Road Home

        July 16, 2020 at 4:17 pm

        Thank you, Caren. When the budget is tight that's when the creativity strikes!

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    Hi! We are Greg and Aly, DIY enthusiast, licensed plumber and graphic designer, updating our home one project at a time. Follow along for budget friendly DIY home decor ideas. 

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