With the average home price rising drastically, and interest rates continually escalating, there has never been a better time to jump in quickly and purchase your first home. Unfortunately, getting into the market now means that you may be paying more than you budgeted, leaving you with no wiggle room to renovate your new-to-you home. If there are parts of your new home that you must change and you don't have a big budget to do so, here are a few ideas that will help you keep a few dollars in your bank account.
Home renovation stores often carry premade cupboards and have overstock of hardwood flooring and tiles. If you choose the premade items, you will save a significant amount over custom ordering. Premade cupboards will not always look exactly how you want them to. For example, if you favor dark cupboards and the premades are blonde wood, you will have to weigh the pros and cons of saving the cash over getting the exact items you were looking for. A great alternative when saddled with cupboards that you don't like? Stain or paint them. This works well with light wood, and using gel stain and high gloss paint can help you obtain the exact shade of cupboard you were looking for.
Any room can be improved by adding moldings, and at under $1 per square foot, this is a good, inexpensive investment you can use to make your walls stand out. If you have a tray ceiling, accent the light fixture with a molding as well. It will make your ceiling pop.
Mixing and matching high-end furniture items with low-end accessories can help you obtain a trendy look that will fool anyone. Most people starting out don't have the budget to buy an expensive wood bed frame, but if you have an antique armoire given to you by your grandparents you can couple that with a self-made headboard and high quality bedding. The look will fool anyone into thinking you spent thousands on renovating your bedroom.
Bare walls will make your home look unlived in. Plan to fill up your walls space creatively. If you have a run of 8 x 10 prints that you'd like to display, choose oversized frames for them. The mat background will make the images stand out on the wall, and the larger frame size will take up more space.
If your couch comes from a discount home store, add some flash with expensive throw pillows and blankets. A cuddly cashmere or sheepskin blanket and some throw pillows with bling can really add to a plain, neutral couch. Choose bold colors like stripes or luxurious materials like velvet. Another area to add an expensive touch is your windows. Wooden blinds or pricey curtains really show their worth when framing your windows, and can translate as a touch of luxury in your room.
Decorating like you have unlimited funds is simple with some creative thinking and a little elbow grease. With an open mind, you can have the home of your dreams on almost any budget.
Fran is an expert contributing author writing about home decorating on a budget. She loves using shag rugs and oval area rugs on floors to bring a dash of panache to the room.
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