Upgrades can make an enormous impactful statement about you and your home – be they for selling it or simply keeping up appearances. Plus, many can be done yourself.

Painting old light fixtures is a cost-effective and quick way to update the look of any room, while replacing dated hardware is another cost-saving upgrade option.

Paint

Paint can be one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can make on a tight budget, brightening up any room while unifying disparate pieces into a cohesive whole. Plus, painting gives new life to old items such as candlestick holders, picture frames, small furniture pieces like crocks and wreaths!

Do not replace old outlets, switches, and light fixtures; but using paint can give them an update. Plus, using trim as an opportunity can add an upscale touch. Use color to highlight specific elements. For instance, on a budget try painting house numbers on your front door in bright hues so they stand out against their surrounding environment.

Window Boxes

Window boxes are an excellent way to bring plants, flowers and herbs into the front of your home and increase curb appeal. Easy to swap out seasonally for something new every season brings fresh looks all year long!

Consider planting your window box with colorful plants of various hues and textures for maximum visual impact. In this image, spiky cordyline serves as a spectacular statement plant next to white bacopa and coral twin spur for filler plants; while ‘Aaron’ caladium and pink phlox add eye-catching accents that draw visitors’ eyes around the box.

Building window boxes from pine boards and trim molding takes only 30 minutes, or you could transform a galvanized tub into an edible herb planter by drilling drainage holes and adding a liner.

Light Fixtures

Lighting can make a major impactful statement about the home you own or are trying to sell; whether that be through staging for sale, giving it an update, or simply freshening it up with modern fixtures. Switching out outdated ones for modern ones will instantly refresh a room; adding accent lighting such as small halogen spotlights above paintings or dining tables will draw additional focus to that area of interest.

Pendant lights hung from a chain or metal rod are an ideal way to provide ambient lighting in any space, as they come in various styles to complement most decor styles.

Gantri offers stunning and contemporary light fixtures from independent designers and studios – everything from Himalayan salt lamps to macrame pendant lights can be found here. Additionally, YLighting provides another source for purposefully designed contemporary lights.

Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper

Peel-and-stick wallpaper makes DIY decorating simple for even novice DIYers; all it requires is some surface prep, reading of instructions and patience – you could transform any room with removable wallpaper in no time at all!

Rees suggests priming your walls with “a premium eggshell, satin or semigloss paint,” as this type of surface allows peel-and-stick products to adhere more securely and will also help eliminate gaps or bubbles that might mar the aesthetics of your completed project.

Rees recommends using your thumb to work down and smooth any bubbles, rather than trying to pop them with pins which could stretch the wallpaper further.

Ceilings

Ceilings are often neglected when decorating rooms, yet they can have a huge impact. Painting your ceiling can bring it alive if its colors pull from those found elsewhere in your room – especially if your wallpaper or area rug includes them!

Enhancing your ceilings with unique trim pieces or murals is another cost-effective way to add style and value to your home without breaking the bank. You can find various kinds of trim at local hardware stores or use old pieces that already exist as they will be recycled into something beautiful!

Beadboard is an economical and straightforward way to add some style and texture to your ceiling, creating unique patterns or painting it a different hue for added depth and dimension.