Designers Always Turn to These Items to Pull Off a Low-Cost Home Refresh

On the one hand, the start of a new year is an excellent time to update your home. With fresh eyes and your goals for the months ahead in mind, you can assess your living space and see how you can make it better. On the other hand, though, upgrading your home can quickly become expensive—especially after the excess of the holidays.

If you love the idea of a home refresh but don’t love what it might do to your budget, you’re not alone. Luckily, giving your space an update doesn’t have to break the bank.

We turned to a few of our favorite design pros to find out their top tips for refreshing your home affordably. Not only did they reveal their favorite items to use in an affordable home refresh, they also shared how to get the most for your money, too.

Accessories You Already Own

One of the best things you can do, according to Laura Chappetto Flynn of Element Design Network, is to ‘shop’ from your own home.

“You’ll really be surprised how different your own items look in a new space,” says Chappetto Flynn. Of course, it could be as simple as moving things around, but you could have more fun with it.

To do this, simply gather all of your small accessories in one spot. Chappetto Flynn recommends your dining room or kitchen table as one option. Then, ‘shop’ from your table and replace the items in their new, stylish homes around your space.

“You’ll get a whole new look without spending a dime!” she says.

Sleek and Stylish Organizers

If you want to instantly breathe life into a room, a simple declutter and re-organize session can do it in a flash. That’s why Chappetto Flynn says buying organizers is one of her top tips. Best of all, these don’t have to be expensive, or even for every area of your home.

“Search out the perfect organizers for your biggest pain points,” she says. Then, tackle those exact areas and watch how your room transforms.

A Stunning Gallery Wall

Painting or wallpapering isn’t your only solution if your walls are feeling dull. Chappetto Flynn says a gallery wall could be the answer.

“Adding a fun gallery wall to your space can add a ton of life while covering up some less-than-perfect walls,” she says.

Interior designer Benji Lewis agrees, noting it could be as simple as rearranging what you already have.

“Perhaps you've enjoyed displaying everything in a symmetrical arrangement but it's time to re-think things and go for more of a gallery wall-type effect,” he says.

The same goes for framing. Work with what you already have, or invest in a set of matching frames of varying sizes. Fill accordingly with photos, mementos, and artwork.

Soft Goods in a New or Bold Color

While a home refresh might imply new fixtures, walls, or hardware, Chappetto Flynn points out that soft goods like new pillows and throw blankets can work wonders, too.

“Introduce a new accent color or bold pattern to really get a good bang for your buck!” she says.

Whatever you choose, Lewis says you should make sure to style your pieces with intention. For example, if you’ve always put a square pillow in each corner of your sofa and one rectangle in the middle, change the balance.

“By moving the two squares to sit overlapped beside one another [on one end] and the rectangle to the opposite end you'll change the look,” says Lewis.

Peek-and-Stick Wallpaper

If you love the idea of wallpaper but don’t love how permanent it is—or how expensive it can be—then Hannah Reach, Marketing Communications Coordinator at WallPops, says peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great solution.

Along with being both low-cost and renter-friendly, peel-and-stick wallpaper also isn’t just limited to walls. It can be used on any clean, smooth surface for a transformative effect.

“Add a textural piece in a window niche for added dimension, a subtle botanical pattern to the ceiling for an unexpected decorative element, or a neutral-toned graphic pattern to a surface in need of some refurbishment,” says Reach.

Read the original article on The Spruce.