Simple Tricks To Make Home Decor Look More Expensive Than It Was

If you ever get tired of the way your house looks, there’s not better way to do it than by redecorating or renovating. A small renovation can completely transform the look of a room. Many people are afraid of change, but sometimes a simple and small change can help you home feel completely refreshed. It’s also important to update your home every once in a while, as of course it will increase the home’s value as well.

Unfortunately, many times even a small bit of renovation or decor can certainly add up and seem completely out of the question. While it’s true that a lot of changes can get pricey, that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank when you do want to make some changes. Here are some tips and tricks that will help you achieve the decor looks you’ve been dreaming of without having to come up with a whole budgeting plan.

Stair Runner

A nice and simple way to transform your plain staircase into an elegant one is by incorporating a runner onto the steps. These will instantly transform your staircase into a luxurious addition to your home and will certainly give it a Cape Code feel.

You can start out by staining or painting your steps to freshen them up. After that, you can install the fabric runner. If you choose a nautical pattern, you can achieve the New England cottage look that is always elegant.

Fireplace Update

Having a fireplace in your home does not necessarily mean it is in great shape. If you have an old fireplace, it may actually be quite an eyesore. You can easily remedy this by giving it some new life.

Using molding, new laminate tiles, and paint in the color of your choosing, you can make an old dingy fireplace look brand new. It’s good to update an old fireplace in order to make sure it doesn’t end up taking away from your home’s decor.

Batten Wall

A batten wall is a perfect way to take a plain and ordinary room and instantly transform it into a more elegant space. You can also do this yourself, and it works especially well as a headboard if your bed doesn’t already have one.

Purchase any type of wood you like and choose the design you like the most. Paint the wood and then lay it out on the wall. With a few planks if wood you can easily add interesting design into the room.

Repurpose Sheets

If you live in a home with many windows, you know that installing curtains is absolutely necessary. The only issue with curtains is the fact that they can quickly become incredibly expensive. If you have lots of windows to cover, this can quickly add up.

However, just because you’re on a budget, it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice. Instead of purchasing brand new bespoke curtains, you can always repurpose old sheets to make your very own curtains. That’s what people did back in the day!

Sponge Paint On

A great way to add some creativity into your living space is by having an accent wall. While you can accomplish this with some wallpaper, you can easily add interesting textures on your own without paying for a pricey wallpaper.

Marble-style paint looks upscale and is easy to accomplish. Mix acrylic and latex paint, one in the color of your choice and the other in white. Next, dip a sponge into the paint and use it as a brush to create the marbled look.

Batten Entryway

While you can add a batten and board pattern in any room, a great way to add elegance to your home is to add one into your entryway. They say first impressions are the lasting ones, so why not wow guests with this piece?

A batten wall panel can cover any unsightly seams in the wall and will automatically make your home look more upscale than before. While it is usually made of wood, you can get creative and experiment with metal or even fiberglass.

Bathroom Update

A lot of people neglect redecorating a bathroom. Perhaps it’s because of the fact that we don’t spend a majority of our days there or because they don’t think that it will make much of a difference if the bathroom is nicer.

That couldn’t be father from the truth! You can make minor changes that will make your bathroom looks instantly better. You can keep it as simple as painting the walls a new color or reorganizing by adding in shelves.

New Light Fixture

Even if your room looks amazing and the decor has been absolutely nailed, nothing will look the overall look of a room than an outdated light fixture. Unfortunately, it will draw attention to itself immediately and you definitely don’t want that.

While light fixtures can be quite expensive, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a little bit creative. You can use a mason jar as a light fixture, which will cost a fraction of a new fixture and will immediately look more modern.

Veneer Wall Accents

If you haven’t gotten around to decorating any of your walls, then that is a really simple way to immediately change the look of the room. A veneer wall accent will easily elevate the room without needing to be expensive.

This is a perfect DIY project and with some patience and dedication, you can create something truly beautiful and elegant. Choose your medium (we prefer stone) and cut and place according to how much of the wall you want to cover, and voila!

Easy New Flooring

Nothing will date your bathroom quite like tiles from the 70’s. You can try to hide them under rugs, but you’re much better off covering them up altogether. Don’t worry, you don’t even need to tear them up at all.

Instead, you can opt to get some adhesive vinyl tile that can be easily applied and removed. Choose the design you want and lay the vinyl tiles directly on your existing floor. It’s a perfect way to instantly elevate your bathroom.

New Fixtures

Have you ever walked into someone’s home only to be blown away with a statement fixture? These are truly one of the most exciting ways to elevate your home’s decor, but the only drawback is they tend to be very expensive.

This is where DIY comes in again. You can take some old microphones (you can usually thrift these) and spray paint them to a bold color like gold and attaching them to a dome. Nobody will ever guess that these are old mics!

Wooden Floors

Redoing floors to either be newly wooden or even revamped wood can be very expensive, not to mention time consuming. That’s why when laminated tiles with a wood grain design were invented and will easily solve this decor issue.

Laminated tiles that mimic the look of wood will require some steps to install, but nothing compared to installing a wood floor. Another fantastic benefit is the fact that these floors are much easier to clean and maintain than wood floors!

Closet Barn Doors

Another oft neglected part of the home is the lowly closet door. Most people barely give it a second glance, let alone consider updating it. But this is another great way to easily add some style into your home without a ton of effort.

Be on the lookout for some barn style doors, and with one quick switch, you’ll update the look of any room or hallway that will add some barnyard rustic charm into your home.

Updated Floor

Redoing your floors can be a simple way to completely change the look of the entire room. Once again, the only issue is that many times these changes can get very pricey. However, if you put some effort in, you can do it yourself.

You can find a pattern that you like using a wallpaper and stick it to the ground. Next, pour glue all over it and let it dry. Lastly, pour a layer of polyurethane and let dry. Apply several more coats to full seal the floor in.

Updated Counters

Many older homes will have pretty outdated countertops that can make your home look out of touch. This is especially the case in many people’s bathrooms. A great way to do make your bathroom look much more modern is to redo these.

You can do it yourself by sanding down the sink and then painting over it. Next, you’ll want to paint over the countertop as well. Lastly, finish the counter with an interesting texture like white limestone to make it look polished.

Faux Baseboard

If you feel like your dining room is looking rather plain, then there are some simple solutions. One of these is adding baseboards to the room to give it a more elegant finish. By simply adding trim and moldings, you’ll transform the room.

You can even opt to do it yourself and save some money in the process. This is especially true when you’re already working with a small baseboard that you want to extend, as was done here.

Add Trim

Nothing makes a bathroom look incomplete like an unfinished mirror that’s just been stuck onto the wall. You can add a trim to make it look nicer, but you can also actually add in a whole frame in order to make it look more sophisticated.

In addition to a frame, if you’re already in the DIY mode, you could also add a shelf in order to give yourself even more storage space. If you don’t want to make your own, you can always install a pre-made shelf as well.

Plinth Block

Have you noticed that there is no natural flow between your door frame and your baseboards? If there’s an awkward gap in between them, it can not only look bad but also instantly makes your home look like it’s out of date.

Luckily, there is a simple solution for this problem. You can purchase a plinth block in order to cover the unsightly gap. Not only that, once it’s been added on, it will actually look like a decorative extension of the molding and trim.

Elevated Electronics

Trying to think of a good way to elevate the look of your living room without spending too much on accessories? You can actually frame your TV on the wall to transform it into something more sophisticated than just a TV.

Simply choose a material that will compliment the rest of the room and create a custom frame that will fit around your TV. It was give it a more polished look and really take your living room to the next level.

Roman Shades

Usually, the generic blinds that will be put in place in a home are not the most attractive addition to any home’s decor. They’re typically made of plastic and are pretty flimsy as well. By replacing these, you’ll elevate the room instantly.

You can incorporate Roman shades into your windows for an elegant look. You can even use your existing blinds. Just cover them up with a nice piece of fabric and sew them up for beautiful, sophisticated windows.

Cabinet Facelift

Kitchen remodeling is usually quite the project that can not only cost a lot of money, but can also be very time consuming. This also means that while your kitchen is being redone, you won’t be able to use it properly.

The best way to give your kitchen an updated look without scrapping the whole thing is by replacing old cabinets with newer, more modern ones. You can also keep your existing cabinets but choose to paint them a fresh color.

Updated Rustic Walls

Another great decor addition to any home is an accent wall. While you can accomplish this with a new coat of paint or some wallpaper, you can get even more creative if you wish and add in a textured accent wall.

This can be done with some wood or old pallets. You can customize the wooden planks by staining them to whichever color suits your home and then mounting these on the wall. You can arrange these in straight lines or patterns too.

No More Brass

There was once a time where brass (or any other metal) fixtures were considered to be in vogue. However, as time has gone on, these have faded and are no longer considered stylish, which can make your home look quite outdated.

Luckily, this issue can be easily remedied. While you can replace the fixture, if you want a more cost effective solution, you can actually spray paint the brass portion with a matte metallic paint. It’s like you now have a totally new light fixture.

Industrial Design

One of the components of a kitchen that can either make or break the whole look of the kitchen is the countertop material. Linoleum was a very popular medium to use, but quite often, it ends up looking very drab.

You can redo these by stripping off the linoleum and coating the countertop with concrete. Once it’s dry, sand it down and make sure it’s even, and then top with a coat of staining finish. You’ll have a brand new, modern countertop.

New Wood Stain

If you’ve got a wooden staircase in your home, you already have quite an elegant start. Maybe it looks a bit rough after the wear and tear of life, or you just want a bit of a fresh update.

You can accomplish this by either repainting or re-staining the wood so it becomes a new color. Mahogany is always an elegant option and will take light wood and instantly make it look more sophisticated. This way, you won’t have to redo the whole thing.

Updated Coat Closet

Not many people think about it, but a coat closet is a great opportunity to create more space in your home. Though it will take a bit of work, it will certainly be worth it, especially if you want more space.

Start by removing the doors and then adding shelves and add some hooks for hanging. If you can, you can extend the closet so it is even bigger. That way, you can add a small and cozy reading nook as well.

Wooden Touches

Replacing cabinets can get very pricey and quite the hassle. However, there are ways of updating the look of plain cabinets without having to spend a fortune. One way is by replacing the handles into more modern and chic hardware.

Next, you can add wooden legs, even if they’re not functional, for a more upscale and finished look. You can glue on wooden legs to the bottom and then paint it to match the cabinet in order to make your cabinet more stylish.

Wallpaper Effect

A great way to give a room and accent is wall is by adding in some wallpaper. However, wallpaper can get a bit tricky and also quite expensive. Luckily, you can mimic the wallpaper look with a bit of time and patience.

Once you paint the wall the color you’ve chosen, stencil on a pattern and paint it on. Though this is a painstakingly meticulous task, the final result will absolutely be worth it. This way you can also choose the exact pattern you want.

Removable Wallpaper

One of the best simple home decor solutions is removable wallpaper, as it can completely transform the look of a room, but it also easy to get rid of. By carefully placing contact paper on the walls or cabinets, you’ll transform the room.

You can do both, and by covering up any unsightly cabinets that have come with your home, you can easily customize them into a more modern and attractive piece of furniture in your house.

Update Furniture

Another great way to add some interesting details to your home without spending a lot of money is by upcycling furniture that you either find or buy inexpensively, usually by thrifting. This also gives you a chance to be creative.

If you find a nice piece of furniture that just needs a change of hardware and a fresh coat of paint, you’re one DIY project away from some brand new looking beautiful furniture. This way you can also customize your furniture to match the rest of your home.

Reupholster Chairs

Are you tired of your old dining room chairs with their old and worn out fabric seats? Instead of tossing them out, you can completely redo the look of the chair by buying new and stylish fabric and reupholstering the chairs.

Flip the chair over, remove its seat, and then get rid of the old fabric. Apply the new fabric onto the seat and staple it on. Once you’re done, you’ll have a fleet of brand new looking chairs to freshen up the look of the whole room.

Embellished Closet Door

If you’re starting to feel like your bedroom needs a bit of decor TLC, there are several things you can do to update the room. One of those things is upholstering the closet door and transforming it completely.

You can make your closet door go from being a plain old door to a totally luxurious upholstered statement piece. Once you’ve done that, if you want to take it to the next level, you can add a fancy door knocker in the middle instead of a regular handle.

Update Knobs

Home decor doesn’t have to be as complicated as most people think it is. In fact, sometimes it’s about paying attention to the small details in order to make a noticeable difference. For example, you can replace your doorknobs.

If you have plain or outdated doorknobs, this is a great opportunity to elevate the room by replacing these with more stylish and modern piece of hardware. This is a great and inexpensive way to make the room more upscale.

Creative Wallpaper

While using stylish wallpaper can bring the room’s walls to life, you don’t have to stop there. If you are sick of plain old cabinets or even appliances, here is a chance for you to get a little bit creative.

If you can’t replace your appliances, you can cover them up with some wallpaper in order to make them look totally different. Just make sure the pattern you choose matches the rest of the kitchen, and voila! You have new looking appliances.

Faux Marble

Of course, we have already mentioned that updating you kitchen or bathroom countertops is a great way to update the look of an entire room. One of the most popular materials for countertops is marble, but it certainly is expensive.

You can hack the luxurious look of marble without the price tag by getting marble pattern contact paper and carefully covering up your countertops with it. Make sure you smooth it out evenly in order to avoid air bubbles.

Pegboard Decor

An issue that seems to come up over and over again for most people is the problem of lack of storage. No matter what, it always seems like there is not enough space for everything! So why not make more space?

You can make your own shelving unit easily using a pegboard. Not only is it incredibly easy to do, you can also customize it any way you like. Declutter your house and decorate it using these pegboard shelves.

Nicer Air Vents

Even if you’ve spent a lot of effort on making a room beautiful by decorating and renovating it, nothing will ruin the whole look like an old, rusty air vent. Luckily, you can easily remedy this unsightly problem on your own.

You can make a new air vent using wood, which will never rust. Additionally, if you don’t want to put that much effort in, you can thoroughly clean the existing vent and then repaint it so that it looks freshly painted.

Painted Door

Are you looking for a way to spice up the look of your home’s exterior without completely redoing it? A great way to do this is by repainting the front door, as a fresh coat of paint will already make it look much better.

You can even repaint the door without having to remove it. Just make sure that you use painter’s tape to cover up any edges so that your paint doesn’t spill over. With a bold, newly painted door, you’ll surely make a statement.

Hanging Ladder

A simple way to add an upscale look to your home can also double up as a lovely way to store items that otherwise may clutter up your home. Take this blanket ladder, for example. It’s a great way to add a rustic look to your home with added functionality.

While you can purchase ready made ladders, you can also choose to build one yourself. Though it will take some time, partaking in a DIY home decor project is always a satisfying way to beautify your home.

Floating Shelves

Bathrooms will often look very sterile due to being very bare, and that’s the last thing you want. In order to elevate the look of your bathroom, you can simply add in some shelves instead of the towel rod that’s quite standard.

This way, you’ll have way more storage space and it will look so much nicer. You can choose between metal shelves for an industrial look or wooden shelves for a more rustic style. It is super customizable!

Wooden Planter Boxes

Even if your home’s interior is perfectly up to standard, you can’t forget about your home’s exterior. This is the first thing that any visitors will see, so it’s a perfect chance to make a good first impression on them.

A great way to add a nice touch is by placing wooden planter boxes at your home’s entrance. While of course you can buy these, they also make a really fun DIY project that really is not very difficult and looks great.

Spray Paint Update

Nice furniture is of course a great way to add some style into your home. The major downside is the fact that a lot of furniture is very expensive. Even simple furniture can get a bit pricey, so it can be intimidating.

A great solution is to spruce up some less expensive furniture yourself. For example, if you buy something like this simple black metal framed coffee table, you can instantly make it look more elegant by spray painting the frame gold.

Add Sink Legs

A floating sink in the bathroom is purely practical, and it certainly is not the most attractive. Wouldn’t it be great if you could add a stylish touch while also increasing the sink’s overall functionality at the same time?

You can achieve this by adding in some legs to your sink to transform it into a pedestal sink. This way, not only have you elevated your sink, but you’ve also added in valuable storage space, which is always precious in a bathroom.

Wall Sconce

While this trick is simple, it will definitely take a bit of time and work. If you’re not an electrical wiring expert, perhaps consult with someone who is. Still, adding in wall sconces to any room immediately makes it look more sophisticated.

If you feel confident enough in your ability to manage the electrical wiring, you can even do this one on your own. The addition of wall sconces transforms a room’s lighting from just functional to stylish as well.

DIY Painted Tiles

Textured tiles, especially in the bathroom, are a wonderful way to add style into what can sometimes be a rather drab room. However, as expected, many patterned tiles can get quite pricey, especially when you add up all the tiles you’ll need.

Instead, you can purchase simple, plain tiles and start getting crafty. Using some stencils, plan the design your want, and paint your own designs onto the tiles. Once finished, cover the floor with a layer or two of polyurethane.

Door To Furniture

This one is especially nice to try out if you’re removing a door and are not sure what to do with it. Why not upcycle it into something beautiful and also useful? Transform the door into a piece of furniture.

You can purchase antique-style hardware and add on some hooks and shelves to create a lovely entryway nook that also has some storage. Paint the door and hardware and sand it to give it that vintage look, and you’re all set.

Light and Paint

A dark, cluttered room is always going to be an eyesore. Luckily, there are several, very simple ways you can transform the look of an unsightly room with solutions that are not only easy, but not very costly as well.

First, make sure you incorporate as much natural light as you can. Next, paint the floor a bright color or fun pattern. Next, add a light color to the walls to brighten it up. Add in some nice fun curtains to finish the look.

Painted Sink

If your bathroom is very old and outdated, chances are that it has been painted some strange color that was once in vogue in the 1970’s. Whether it’s green, blue, or pink, don’t panic. You can actually fix this yourself.

Start out by sanding the sheen from the sink’s basin and removing or temporarily taping up the faucet and handles. Paint the basin whichever color you want and once it’s fully dry, re-attach the faucet and handles. It really is that easy.

Wood and Corbels

If you home features a kitchen island or a breakfast nook island, that’s already a great start. If you feel like it’s just too plain and simple, there are some simple additions you can make to make it look a little nicer.

Using wooden planks, some corbels, and paint, you can take your simple kitchen island and transform it into a stylish centerpiece. Mount the wooden planks along the edge and add corbels. Lastly, paint everything into a nice color, and voila!

Use Rugs

Open concept kitchens have really become not only very popular, but the expected norm in many homes these days. While these are wonderful for making a space feel large and expansive, sometimes it’s hard to see where the kitchen ends and the other rooms begin.

There is a really simple and stylish way you can fix this problem. Why not use some stylish rugs in order to make natural divisions? You can even “create” a room within a room by using rugs to separate different zones of a room.

Mixed Frames Gallery Wall

Nothing says home decor quite like pictures in frames. Whether you’re framing art or photos, these are always a great addition to any space. However, there are some basic rules you should follow to make sure these will look good.

Try to keep the frames different, since all matching frames can look contrived. The best way to do this is to choose an overall style theme or complimentary color palette and to go for different textures that still go well together.

Colorblock Bookshelves

When it comes to organizing bookshelves, there are so many different opinions on just how you should organize everything. Should you organize everything by size? Should you add in decor items that are not books? What is it too much?

We always think it’s best to keep things simple, as that will always yield good results. A nice way to organize you shelves is by colorblocking. This way, anything you have on the shelf will automatically look in place and put together.

Less Is More

One of the main issues that people run into is buying more and more decor items and not having any idea what to do with them. Putting everything together on the shelf is not a solution, as it can quickly look overwhelming and cluttered.

When you feel unsure, follow this one simple rule: keep it simple. If you think there’s too much going on, feel free to undecorate. This is especially true when it comes to knick knacks, so don’t be afraid to just remove them.

Double Duty Furniture

One of the best things you can invest in is a piece of furniture that has multiple uses. What good is a coffee table that won’t really ever hold anything? Make sure you buy something that not only looks good, but is functional.

You can purchase an ottoman that can also be used as a coffee table and can be moved around. You can get a garden stool that can be used as a side table as well. Be creative!

Mirrors Across From Windows

Sometimes, there’s not much you can do to make a room bigger than it actually is without a full on renovation. However, there are some things you can do in order to create the illusion of more than is actually there.

A great way to to this is by hanging a mirror in directly across from a window. This makes the light bounce around the room and creates a brighter, larger-feeling space than it actually is.