We’ve spent a lot of time at home in the past six months between stay-at-home orders, working from home and social distancing. Translation: We’re tired of looking at the same four walls and want a “new look” without spending a lot of money.
So we came up with tips to freshen your space without breaking the bank. Included are quick makeover ideas that are easy to change for renters and the indecisive as well as some more permanent changes for those ready to take a deeper dive into fixing things — or desperate for something to do this weekend.
Easy fixes that won’t pound your wallet
Backsplash. Add a backsplash to your kitchen with removable wallpaper, or if you’re feeling adventurous, with peel and stick tiles. Each can be cut with a utility knife or scissors. Get tiles with a raised texture to make it feel ultra-realistic.
Smart lighting. Good lighting is absolutely essential in any space, but why stand for lighting that doesn’t make you feel calm when you’re relaxing at home? With new smart bulbs, you can change the color of your space to your mood, time of day or the weather. (We started out with one bulb and ended up with six more.)
For the shower. Changing shower heads is easy, even with minimal tools. Adding a new rainfall or multi-function shower head gives you a spa-like experience every time you change out of your pajamas to shower… to get back into your pajamas.
Plants and more plants. House plants make people happy, and luckily we have some great nurseries and shops around Charleston with incredible, knowledgeable staffs. We’ve written about Charleston’s ‘grammable plant stores before and recommend making a day of it. Getting out of the house, strolling through the lush aisles and bringing a new life (or three) home? Sounds like a great day to us.
Paint. Reinventing your existing furniture for a new look is a creative way to use what you have. A coat of paint on an old dresser or sanding down your scratched up kitchen table and restaining makes a world of difference with how your space feels.
Some bigger projects
Focus on windows. Window trim is the eyeliner of a window. It’s incredible how much a little trim can improve the overall look of a room as well as make a window appear larger. By adding simple trim to each window, the room feels much more complete and polished.
Treatments. Install board and batten or wall treatments — it’s an inexpensive way to add clean lines and texture to any room. With all straight cuts (and cutting the same length over and over), this is a simple project anyone can complete with a few tools, including a saw (miter or hand), tape measure, level, pencil, nail gun, caulk and paint.
Walls. A fresh coat of paint could be all an environment needs to feel brand new. Did you know including Sherwin Williams offers color consultation services to help choose the best colors for your space? The company will come to your home and help you choose the best colors while keeping existing lighting, furnishings and flooring in mind. For example, staffers will notice yellow tones in floors and suggest something that will balance out the yellow or help you find the exact right shade that will look just as good on the wall as it did on the chip.
Tile. Speaking of paint, did you know you can paint your tile? While a full-blown renovation of replacing floors might be daunting, you can still change up dated beige tile with a little time and effort.
Shelving. Replace ugly wire shelves (we’ve got our eye on you, laundry room) with open shelving in utility rooms. It’s a cheap and pretty way to update your room. Not only does it add storage, but it also visually heightens your room significantly.
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