The other week I was looking around our home and was thinking of how different our home looks from when we first moved in. However, none of it has been from any huge projects or remodels. In fact, the kitchen is the first big remodel we’ve done and that clearly isn’t finished yet. So today I wanted to share some easy and affordable ways to totally transform and elevate your space that won’t break the bank.

1. Paint This is probably the easiest and biggest impact. You can see below what our home looked like when we moved in. We painted everything in the color Simply White by Benjamin Moore and everything instantly looked more updated and fresh. We also painted over the tiles on our fireplace which totally transformed the space as well.

2. Update light fixtures & hardware So admittedly this is one that we did not do a ton of (hence the old ass fan in the photo above lol) but we were waiting to see what other furniture we would choose for the space as we wanted to make sure the new light fixtures were the same style/vibe. However, we did swap out the ceiling fan in our bedroom and light fixtures and hardware in our primary bathroom and that made a big difference. Also, you can find really reasonably priced lighting options at places like Lowes or Home Depot that will likely still look 10x better than what you already have! No need to invest a ton on new fixtures if you’re unsure of what you want, or you’d rather spend your budget elsewhere.

3. Upholster Upholstering (or I should say reupholstering) can be a quick fix for a piece that you love but that just needs a little refresh. For us, we have a couple window seats in our house so we reupholstered the cushions and added some pillows for a totally new look. These photos below are another example of how paint can work wonders!

4. Luxury Vinyl Plank If you have (older) carpet somewhere, (luxury) vinyl plank can be an easy replacement. It’s way less expensive than hardwoods and very easy to install. To give you an idea, we had luxury vinyl plank (which is a little thicker so a little more expensive) installed in our bedroom and closets and it was less than $3K for materials and installation. So while it’s not as affordable as these options options, it makes a huge impact for the smaller investment (compared to hardwoods or any big remodel projects). The only photo I have of carpet in our bedroom is from before we moved in so I’ll share that below, and then you can see what it looks like now! I also have a blog post that talks about why we chose luxury vinyl plank, what exact one we chose, etc. here.

5. (Peel & Stick) Wallpaper My office has been our first experience with peel and stick wallpaper and let’s just say Stephen and I got through the project in one afternoon and we didn’t want to kill each other. So that, plus the fact that it’s a pretty budget-friendly update, I’m all for it! It really made all the difference in my office. You can read the full blog with all the details plus the specific wallpaper here.

6. Artwork + Mirrors Speaking of artwork, you can see above what a difference it makes in a space! In addition to artwork, mirrors can be a great addition too. Aesthetically they look great and can also help a space appear bigger.

7. Drapes Another simple add on that you can get really budget friendly with or you can invest some. Either way, it’s still overall a pretty inexpensive update that you can do yourself. We hung drapes in our bedroom from overstock, and then invested a little more in the drapes for my office (more on that here).

8. Staircase Update Last but not least! This one is probably the most involved however, labor and supplies were still right at $3k and we have a pretty large staircase/balcony area, and it only took 2-3 days to complete. So in the grand scheme of projects, it’s done quickly, it’s no where near the cost of a kitchen or bathroom renovation but it makes a huge difference. Just look at the before and after photos below! I also have a full blog on our staircase remodel here if you’re looking for more details.

Hope this helps give you some ideas for easier ways to update and upgrade your space! If you can share anything else you all have done in your home, please comment below for the rest of us 🙂