We have all seen the perfect pictures of dream homes on Pinterest, television, YouTube videos, magazines, and on pretty much every social media platform that there is. And while some of those images of perfection may not be within our budget, or skill set, for the DIYer, we still want our homes to look amazing! The good news is that you don’t have to drain your bank account to make your home look beautiful. There are many affordable ways to make your home look impressive, and they are all things you can do yourself. Here are some simple DIY home decorating tips that can turn your humble abode into the home of your dreams.
Home Decorating Ideas on a Budget
Make Your Front Door Look Fabulous
Your front entrance is one of the first things that your visitors see when they walk up to your house. The front door should look attractive and inviting so your guests will feel welcomed. A simple way to make your door look attractive is by giving it a fresh coat of paint. We recommend that you not paint your door the same color as your home’s exterior. Pick a color that compliments your home’s exterior and adds a pop of color whether it be soft or bold. For front doors, consider an accent color like navy blue, black, or red. If you have natural wood, consider stain over paint to allow the lovely grain pattern of the wood to show through.
Give Your Home’s Interior A Makeover
Now it’s time to step inside and breathe life into those tired-looking walls by adding a fresh coat of paint. If you’re not sure you can handle painting your home’s interior on your own, check out Summit Way Realty’s tips on how to paint like a pro. We recommend choosing classic paint colors with a neutral tone because they provide the best flexibility when you decorate your walls. To get some added inspiration, take a look at your favorite home magazines. Try to avoid trendy colors unless you don’t mind repainting your rooms when the trend fades. For trim, choose a color that compliments your walls and keep in mind the temperature of the wall color. If you select a warm color for your walls, consider a warm color for your trim. If your walls are blue or gray, consider going with a clean white to add a more modern feel. You want the colors that you choose to make you feel relaxed and happy when you walk into the room.
Declutter Your Rooms
One of the best tips we can give you for decorating a house is to declutter. A room crowded with stuff does not create a relaxing atmosphere. The chaos of the things around you can make you feel stressed out. If you have shelves filled with trinkets and memorabilia, store away half of it. Rotate them back in every now and then so you will have something fresh to look at. Use the same approach with shelves full of books. Instead of packing every inch of the shelves in your bookcase with books, just use half of each shelf for books. For the other half, display a photograph or a favorite figurine. This will make your room look less cluttered, and without even purchasing paint or decor, you’ve renovated your interior.
Brighten Your Kitchen
A bright kitchen is Summit Way Realty’s favorite way to make a home more cheerful. Avoid heavy materials for the kitchen curtains. Go with sheers and light fabric that allow sunlight to shine through. Or you can go without any window treatment at all and see how that looks. To bring in even more light into your kitchen, you can hang a mirror if you have wall space for it. If the space between the bottom of your kitchen cabinet and your kitchen counter is dark, add under-cabinet LED lights. They have an adhesive backing and operate on batteries, so you just stick them on. This simple addition can give your kitchen a brighter and upscale feel. If your kitchen cabinets have an old wood-tone that is somewhat tired or drab, consider painting the cabinets white and adding new knobs or handles to the drawers and doors to give them a finished look. All of the above-decorating tips and tricks can be done with just a few supplies and 1 or 2 days of work!
Adorn Your Walls with Artwork
Artwork that is properly placed can transform a room. When you choose artwork, consider the size of your wall space. If you have a large wall, you will need something large to complement the space. If you do not have a large painting to hang, you can go with a collection of smaller artwork or black/white photographs that are framed in the same style frames. Hang them, evenly spaced with several inches between them, in a gallery-style. If you have smaller wall space and are hanging one picture, align the middle of the picture at your eye level.
Arrange Your Living Room Furniture to Encourage Conversation
Next up for our home interior design ideas are furniture placement. The living room is usually a place where family and friends gather to talk or just spend time together. You want to create an environment that encourages closeness. To start, pick a focal point in the room. Your focal point can be a coffee table where you display a pretty pictorial book, your fireplace, windows, or any number of things. Avoid the common mistake of placing your sofa against the wall, unless your sofa has a flat back that is not finished. Float your seating instead.
Arrange your furniture in a way that will allow people to face each other when they sit and talk. Use an area rug to define conversation areas. When you choose a rung, be sure to use one that is big enough so at least the front legs of the sofa and chairs can sit on top of it. Next, accessorize your furniture with attractive decorative pillows to add a little bit of luxury to the whole look. Rearranging can go a long way and your home will start to feel brand new by just moving a few pieces around.
Make More Use of Mirrors
Using mirrors is the best trick in the home decoration book to open up and brighten a tight space. Just like how you can use a mirror in the kitchen, you can add a mirror to each room in your house to bring more light into the room. The light coming in can bounce off the mirror onto the other walls. However, do not hang a mirror on a wall that is directly opposite a window because the light will bounce right out. Hang the mirror on a wall adjacent to the window instead.
It’s the Little Things
Last, but not least, our simple home decorating tips, is to add small enhancements where you can. For example, every room has outlets and light switches. Instead of using the plain outlet covers and switch plates that are typically found in every house, replace them with matching attractive decorative ones. Change out old light fixtures, bathroom fixtures, and doorknobs. And place fresh flowers in rooms that you use most often. These small enhancements can make a big impact. It’s all in the fine details.
These are just a few suggestions on how you can decorate your home like the professionals at just a fraction of the cost. Experiment with different ideas and transform your house into the dream home that you have always wanted. Summit Way Realty is full of advice and tips when it comes to owning a home and more. We hope our home decorating tips inspire you to try something new in your space. Happy Decorating!
