It doesn’t take a major remodel to beautify your home. Decorators and DIYers writing for WiseBread.com suggest five great ways to upgrade, freshen and modernize your home for $100 or less:
Paint. It may sound simple, but many homeowners just don’t realize how much impact fresh paint can have. Go bold, go beachy, go ombré cool. For the price of a few gallons of paint, you can perk up a room and/or some tired furnishings. Rearrange the furniture, hang some artwork and give your space a whole new look.
Declutter. A neat, clean and minimally furnished home looks more modern and stylish than one bogged down with too much stuff. Go through your home with a keen eye and get rid of old knick-knacks, dusty flower arrangements and other pieces you don’t need or use. Open the drapes and let the light in. Get rid of those drapes altogether. Edit your belongings, display only the best and see the difference it makes in your home.
Upgrade the lighting. Poor lighting and old fixtures are more than ineffective. They can make your home look dated and ugly. Invest in a couple of sculptural lamps and quality lightbulbs, some track lighting and/or a new chandelier that will cast a warm glow on your space.
Frame your photos. Print out some of your coolest digital photos, such as portraits and your best scenic studies. For $100, you can get those photos enlarged and printed. Pick up a few frames from a discount home store and hang them in a group for bigger impact. Hanging photos makes your house seem homier, cozier and more personal.
Hang a mirror. You can get large-scale mirrors at great prices at consignment stores or discount home stores. Hanging a mirror over a buffet, console table or over a sofa is a great way to bring more light into a room and make it seem more spacious.