While it would be a lot of work to build and maintain a magazine-worthy home, you’d be surprised at the impact a few small design updates can have on your space. These quick decor fixes and timeless pieces are proven to create a designer-approved home – and guess what? You can do them yourself!
1. Have a Vision in Mind
Before you start decorating, think about how you want your home to look and feel. If you’re lacking inspiration, remember places you’ve visited and loved, and aim to recreate those feelings in your home.
The key to a cohesive home is decorating with a clear vision in mind. There should be a purpose behind the placement of furniture and decor. Be mindful of everything from throw pillows to artwork and your home will instantly look more put together.
2. Clear the Clutter
Have you ever noticed that opulent homes are rarely cluttered? Take some time to clear off your bookshelves, mantels, and other surfaces. Not only is this a great way to free up some extra space, but you’re also likely to find pieces you had forgotten about. Keep the pieces you love and show them off on freshly cleaned surfaces.
Rooms can become cluttered with furniture too, so take some time to go through your pieces, especially in high-traffic rooms like your living room and kitchen. Remove or sell those extra chairs that no one ever sits in, get rid of extra side tables and make space for furniture you love.
Designing with intention is also a great way to save money. Keeping your home clutter-free means you’ll be less likely to buy impulse items that do not fit your vision.
3. Art Appeal
Art is a great way to add personality and visual interest to a room. One of our favourite design hacks is to create a gallery wall. Gallery walls have become increasingly popular over the past few years and for good reason. They’re simple to create and are much less expensive than they look.
Try it two ways: create a cohesive look with matching frames or paint your mismatched frames the same colour to give the wall a gallery look. If you’re going for an eclectic look, keep your mismatched frames as is. When it comes to the art inside, swap out pieces regularly to keep it feeling fresh, just like a real art gallery would.
When it comes to placement, a gallery wall can be added anywhere. Awkward space above your couch? Gallery wall. The bare wall next to your stairs? Add a gallery wall. Why not the bathroom too?
4. Remember Your Floors
We walk on our floors every day, but do we ever really look at them? The answer is yes, yes we do. With so many unique and interesting options out there these days, floors are quickly becoming art on their own. Flooring is a good investment, but it’s also a time-consuming project and can be expensive.
If your floors have seen better days, add an area rug as a quick fix. Area rugs add another layer of visual interest, warm up a room, and hide damaged floors. Try digging around your basement or vintage shops for rugs that have character and charm and come in at a lower price point.
If you’re feeling really ambitious, a fresh coat of paint is an easy way to cover up and enhance the style of your unsightly floor. A quick search online will show you countless tutorials and design inspiration.
5. Little Details Add Up
A lot of small changes can add up to a big difference in the look and feel of your home. When you’re going around your house, take a look at small details to see if they can be upgraded.
Take a look at your:
- Light switch & outlet covers – Are they cracked and broken? Do they not match? Switching these out for matching or visually interesting ones is an easy and cost-effective way to make your house seem like all details are in order.
- Air vents – Are they looking a little worse for wear? A quick coat of spray paint can help them look like new, or better yet, make them disappear completely.
- Doorknobs – Consider updating the doorknobs around your house to instantly add charm and character.
- Kitchen cabinets, knobs and pulls – Much like doorknobs, a quick trip to the hardware store can make your kitchen look like it’s undergone some work at a fraction of the cost of a remodel.
Try a couple of these tips and watch your home transform before your eyes. Do you have any tips when it comes to making a home look better while on a budget? Share them with us in the comments below!
Updated June 2022.
