Trendy Home Decor And Design Hacks That Don’t Break The Bank

Your home is a place where you spend a ton of time, and the state of your home can even influence your moods. Magazines, TV shows, and Instagram accounts might make you wish that you had a beautiful, trendy home. But, you might not have the budget or space in your schedule to completely renovate your surroundings. It’s never a bad time to elevate your spaces, and the good news is you don’t always need to completely renovate an area to make it feel new.

Here are some ideas for easy, trendy decor hacks to give your home a trendy look on a DIY budget.

Fake Hardwired Lighting

Sconces and wall lighting are very on trend. But, hardwiring a light fixture where there is not an existing light can be an advanced DIY project. So, hack the look! Instead of wiring a light in place, just screw it into the wall and add a peel and stick puck light into the light bulb socket. These puck lights can either be push-on or come with a remote control. This option is much more budget-friendly – and more temporary – than hiring an electrician.

Wood Accent Walls

Wood accent walls are a great way to add interest and texture to a space. You can leave them natural or paint the wood for a more paneled look. You can nail tongue-and-groove boards, push on peel-and-stick boards, or even spread on wallpaper that looks like wood boards. This is a project that can get expensive quickly, so measure your space and price out the materials before committing to the project.

Creating Built-Ins From Cabinets And Molding

Built-ins are a gorgeous upgrade to any room, but building a built in from scratch can be expensive and intimidating. One great hack is to use off-the-shelf base cabinets as the base of your built-in and add shelves above it. You will want to use base molding around the base of the cabinets to give them that built in look. This can also be an expensive project, so, if you are on a budget, consider shopping at Habitat for Humanity ReStore for lower-cost cabinets that just need a coat of paint! 

Wainscotting

Molding treatments are in right now. You can add traditional wainscotting, or use molding to make a design on the walls. First, go to your hardware store and look at the options for molding types and their prices. Then, create your design. You may want to layer multiple types of molding together for more of a picture frame look. Once your project is done, you can paint it an accent color or the same color as the wall, depending if you want more of a tone-on-tone textured look or a pop of color.

Paint An Accent Wall

Accent walls are very trendy and easy to DIY hack. Think beyond the classic solid-colored wall and consider painting a mural or simple design on the wall. Arches, for example, are all the rage and easy to draw by tying a pencil to a string and tracing a half-circle shape. Painting projects have the benefit of being super inexpensive and easy to re-do when trends change, making them a great way to transform your home!

Rearrange Furniture

Rearranging your existing furniture is a 100% free way to change the feel of a room. Take an afternoon to try a new layout. You might just be able to make your space feel fresh, open, and inviting simply by moving around what you already have and creating a better flow!

Swap Out Your Art

Wall art can get boring over time. You might not even notice it any more when you walk by! Consider swapping out photos or art for something that is currently more inspiring to you. If you display prints in frames, you can even keep the older art in the frame behind the new art, in case you want to switch it back seasonally! 

Upgrade Your Lighting

Lighting can have a huge impact on the way your home looks. First of all, aim to have at least three light sources in each room. This could include an overhead light, can lights, pendants, wall sconces, under cabinet lighting, a table lamp, or a floor lamp. Having a variety of lighting keeps a space feeling layered and interesting. Consider adding statement lighting to your home. Having on-trend lighting can really make spaces feel more current, even if not everything else has been updated.

Paint The Unexpected

We’ve already talked about paint being a budget friendly way to upgrade your home. But paint is not just for walls! Consider painting something unexpected. Doors, for example, can be beautifully painted a bold color. It is very trendy to paint window frames and casings black. Painted ceilings instantly make spaces feel cozier. Finally, if you have a room with white walls, consider painting the trim a bold color. This is the inverse of a typical paint job, and is a great way to make a room feel unique and interesting.

Look Up At The Ceiling

Most people wouldn’t ever consider touching their ceiling. Usually, your ceiling stays a smooth white for the entire time you live in a house. However, you can do something bold to your ceiling fairly inexpensively to make a huge impact on the space. The easiest way to do that is to paint the ceiling the same color as your walls. Other ways to change the look include adding a focal point, such as putting tongue and groove wood panels or a faux coffered look with beadboard and molding. Think outside the box and turn your ceiling into a feature!

Update Your Finishes

Hardware finishes go in and out of trend quickly. Having a dated finish can make a space feel out of style. Swapping out knobs and pulls is a great way to update a space. If you have a small space with a lot of hardware all together - such as a bathroom - consider using spray paint to give it a cohesive look.

Hide Your Clutter

A cluttered, messy home will never look trendy or put together. The best thing to do is purge unwanted items. You can even list them for sale online to help fund your mini makeover! If there is clutter you need to hold on to, store it in baskets, bins or drawers. This will give your home the appearance of being more minimalistic and streamlined, without having to get rid of all of your things!

Trendy homes are not just for celebrities! You can do small projects and make your home feel beautiful and current without breaking the bank. If you decide that you want to do more extensive updates, you could consider a personal loan from Rocket Loans^SM to fund your renovation.