I post a lot of room makeover blogs I design around our house, and every time I do, amazing people who follow the blog message me to say, “Come and make over my house!” Of course these messages are flattering, but I never really take them seriously. One day Brie messaged me, who I know through a friend. She has a wonderful space in a heritage house, but needed some help to give it a little more style. Our goal was to revamp the room on a budget, my favorite thing to do, of course!
The original budget was $100, but throw pillows and new artwork can add up quickly. We upped the budget to $150. The space didn’t need a total overhaul, we were simply looking to bring a little more colour and character to the space. The functional couch would stay, as would the almost new rug.
3 TIPS FOR A ROOM MAKEOVER ON A BUDGET
RESEARCH
The key to decorating your space on a budget, is to price everything out before you start. Do some research online, write down how much each piece costs, you’d be surprised how quickly it adds up. Make sure you account for every little piece. Do the pillows come with inserts, or do you have to purchase them separately?
SET A BUDGET, AND STICK WITH IT
It can be very easy to splurge while shopping for a room makeover. All of a sudden you’re in Home Sense and they have a gorgeous painting on sale, but you are already using some art you own, so don’t really need it. Buying on a whim or in the moment can be disastrous for your budget. Make sure you have saved the list of the decor you’d like to purchase on your phone so you can always reference it.
RETURN THE ITEMS YOU DON’T NEED
We’ve all been there, you think you need a dozen throw pillows, when in fact your sofa can only handle seven. Don’t keep those throw pillows, just in case or try to use them in another room. Return them! Keeping unwanted items increases the budget and also creates unwanted clutter.
Here is the after! With the addition of a few throw pillows, a nice blanket and a gallery wall, the space really came together. We used the wicker ottoman and some books Brie already owned next to the couch, since they don’t have a coffee table with small kids. This creates a space for books or a drink and is not in the middle of the room.
For the gallery wall we reused a few frames Brie already owned, as well as some art. We also bought a few new prints and frames, but made sure everything tied together in terms of colour. The wave print and the forest are new additions.
What do you think? It only took an hour to pull this space together and for under $150, I think that is pretty good. I know it’s not a major renovation or total room makeover, but it is amazing how adding a few key pieces of decor can make a huge difference. The total cost of this room makeover was $142!
Thanks to Brie and her little helpers for having me over for this room makeover on a budget! This was a really fun project to work on and it’s nice to get out of my comfort zone of black and white!
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