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Buying an older house can bring home ownership within reach, but it comes with its own extra costs. Even a home that’s only a few decades old may desperately need some interior design updates.
Before you move in, these interior design tricks can help you refresh your home’s look and feel on a budget. Make sure you feel comfortable in your dream home by giving it a light, inviting interior that reflects your personality.
Define Your Style Preferences
While redecorating can feel like an overwhelming project, it helps if you start small and personal. Write down the styles you love and that you would want to see in your own home. If a specific style doesn’t come immediately to mind, it’s time to start exploring. Start with design magazines or even Pinterest.
As you do your research, try creating a mood board. A mood board is a curated compilation of images, photos, and other content that will inspire you and guide your design decisions.
Use Light and Neutral Wall Paint
Older homes can often feel too dark and gloomy. They often have more walls and corners than today’s open layout designs, and the effect can feel cramped.
One way you can combat the shadows is to stick with light and neutral paint colors for the walls, in particular on the first floor. Using the same color from one room to the next will also avoid jarring transitions and create a sense of continuity. You can add variety by moving up or down a shade, but the effect will be subtler.
Check Out Used Furniture Options
When you’re redecorating on a budget, it makes sense to buy things in stages rather than all at once. With furniture, it can even help to live in your new home for a few months before you make any purchases (as long as you move in with enough to get by). Spending time with the space can help you determine what you really want and what you should prioritize.
You can also save money if you buy used furniture. Buying used is a great way to save cash. You can go online to find nearly new furniture from major brands. Often you can get even better deals if you can pick up the furniture yourself.
Bring in Natural Light
When it comes to your kitchen, go light on drapes and blinds. You’re likely better off with no drapes at all than something too heavy, although a kitchen with west-facing windows can heat up on long summer evenings. Lightweight fabrics and light colors are less likely to fade.
Refinish Fixtures
Replacing fixtures like chandeliers, kitchen cabinets, and countertops can get expensive fast, but you may not have to rip out the old ones just to refresh your home’s look. You can often find affordable refinishing kits that can give fixtures a quick coat that will enliven bathrooms and kitchens.
There are counter-coating products that allow you to bring new life to kitchen countertops without having to pay to replace them. It’s a great money-saving trick that will make a big visual impact.
You can give your home a brand-new look and feel with a few quick design tricks. With a bit of natural light, new paint, and some updated furniture, you can reinvent your home.