When the seasons change, I find myself looking around the house with a critical eye. The stuff that looked great at the beginning of summer now looks boring and dingy. The problem is that in the autumn, I have to start saving for Christmas and I can’t squeeze any extra out of anything.
Here are ten ways that you can update the look of your room without pulling out a credit card.
Buy a Diffuser
Diffusers have a cleaner, more modern look than scented candles and they keep your rooms smelling just as good. Since they are not lit, there’s no need to worry about accidentally catching something on fire. Big plus? A diffuser scents the air all the time, not just a few hours a day.
Baskets or Wooden Bowls
Use baskets and wooden bowls to hold things in your rooms like the remote, magazines, or the book you are reading. You can also fill them with apples, pine cones, shells, or balls of yarn – it really doesn’t matter; bowls and baskets always look cool.
Paint a Chair
Paint a chair or old dresser with the color of your choice. If you go for a cottage style, then Jadeite green or buttery yellow will look great. Prefer a modern look? Go for a high gloss black or cherry red.
Candles
Get some pillar candles in a coordinating color and set them on a saucer. Add river rocks, shells, or unshelled pecans around the candles for instant ambiance.
Paint
If your room is small, you may be able to paint it for under $25, but even if it is large you can update the look with paint. Consider painting the baseboard and other woodwork in a color you wouldn’t normally think of. Keep your own style in mind when you do. Blue baseboards with cream colored walls or dark green baseboard with lighter green walls – the possibilities are endless.
Thrift Store Shopping
You can find decorating items for pennies on the dollar when you keep your eyes open in thrift stores. Remember that banged up items can be painted, recovered, or changed to look new again.
Switchplates
Replace your switchplates with new ones. You can get them in all styles and materials from your local home improvement store. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
Add an Afghan
Drape a soft afghan over the couch or chair and stack a few books up on the table next to it. It will invite people to sit down and relax and give the room a cozy look.
Terra Cotta
Spray paint terra cotta pots in your favorite colors. They can be used to hold cotton balls in the bathroom or kitchen utensils by the stove. There are hundreds of possibilities, and all for a few pennies.
Add Flowers
Maybe the easiest way to update your room is with fresh flowers. Force some spring bulbs, like daffodils or paperwhites. They add color, scent, and beauty anywhere you put them.
Creating inexpensive beauty in your home isn’t all that difficult if you think outside the box. What’s your best idea?
photo credit: Marye Audet
