19 Budget-Friendly Home Renovation Ideas for Every Room

When you mention “home renovation,” many people immediately think “too expensive.” However, remodeling your spaces doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are 19 cost-effective home remodeling ideas for improvements and additions.

1. In the Kitchen: New Countertops

A five-figure kitchen house makeover plan may be created by adding cabinets, worktops, and fixtures. However, if your cabinets are in reasonable condition, you may improve one of your home’s most-used surfaces with brand-new worktops. Your costs will be reduced if you have a smaller area to cover, therefore you may be able to use a more expensive material. To save even more money, inquire about seconds or remnants at your neighborhood stone and tile store.

2. In the Kitchen: Change the Backsplash

Replace a worn-out backsplash with one that brightens your kitchen and provides visual intrigue to offer a punch of design. Tile, stone, glass, ceramic, and beaded board are just a few of the alternatives available. There are also many other options that may fit your budget. Another cost-effective choice is to just install a backsplash where it will offer the most level of protection, such as behind a range or close to a sink.

3. In the Kitchen: Add a Faux Island

For a kitchen without an island, standalone cabinets or tables might be a practical and affordable addition. All you need to do to move the component at will is install rolling casters. If a super-low budget is your objective, start with a basic table since the more frills you add (for instance, a cabinet with drawers), the more this home improvement plan will cost. Unless you already possess a piece of underused furniture that is prepared to be transformed into an island.

4. In the Kitchen: Upgrade Cabinets or Cabinet Doors

Old cabinets may be given a fresh look using paint, wallpaper, or peel-and-stick wood treatments, all of which are excellent choices. For a traditional, built-in appearance, corbels can be put below cabinets or beneath free-standing shelving. Without having to build extra shelves, you may create easily accessible open storage by taking the doors off some top cabinets. In addition to fitting your budget, look for ways to update your house that will also improve how you utilize the area on a regular basis.

5. In the Living Room: Update Flooring

Many peel-and-stick flooring options are thin enough that you don’t have to remove existing flooring to give your room a budget-friendly upgrade underfoot. Even if the floor must come off because you just can’t stand it any longer, a new floor can be a long-lasting project that, on its own, isn’t too expensive. Plus, plenty of DIY options exist to help you save on labor for this home renovation idea.

6. In the Living Room: Change Window Treatments

An attractive makeover for a living room may be achieved by using new fabric, new hues, or a mix of the two. Older windows can be effectively hidden using a variety of do-it-yourself choices (although doing so would be an expensive restoration undertaking). To save a little more money, try to utilize the curtain rings and rods that you already have.

7. In the Living Room: Install Dimmers

You could struggle to get the ideal lighting balance if your home doesn’t have enough overhead lighting. In older homes with fewer outlets accessible for floor and side lights, this is even more true. Installing a dimmer switch in these situations may be your quick and simple home improvement project; keep the light bright when working but reduce it for softer ambient lighting that’s cozy for relaxing.

8. In the Bathroom: Add a Medicine Cabinet

An easy, cost-effective alteration you can make to your bathroom is installing a new medicine cabinet. This will add flair and storage. Change a conventional wall-mount mirror for more storage and a fresh appearance. For daily reminders and affirmations, place a corkboard or blackboard inside the door if you’re feeling creative.

9. In the Bathroom: Wallpaper an Accent Wall

Wallpaper is a great home improvement option if you’re on a limited budget because it has gotten easier to do, even for a beginner DIYer. Wallpaper is an easy way to add pattern and color, and keeping it to one standout wall is good (and keeps the cost down). However, if you’re not yet prepared to work with real wallpaper, consider the temporary, peel-and-stick variety. You don’t have to worry about trying out a current design trend because you can remove it quickly if your décor style changes.

10. In the Bathroom: Add Storage

If you lack built-in storage, adding a bought cabinet or open shelves might make all the difference. To optimize vertical space, look for off-the-shelf storage alternatives in a variety of designs, such as stacked carts, leaning ladders, and apothecary cabinets. You may use them to display baskets or other decorative accessories, and they’re a lovely and useful storage solution.

11. In the Bathroom: Swap Out Hardware

With new hardware, bathroom cabinets may be given a contemporary jolt. Choose several designs from the same family (for example, long drawer pulls and little door knobs), or combine various finishes for a more eclectic appearance. If your present knobs may be enhanced with more shapely flare, consider adding backplates.

12. In the Bathroom: Safety Updates

Towel bars and toilet paper holders are often unattractive, but these two ignored fixtures provide an opportunity for you to increase the safety of your bathroom. Nowadays, several manufacturers offer grab-safe toilet paper holders, towel racks, and other accessories that comply with ADA regulations. It’s a wise investment at any moment, whether you’re thinking about someone else or yourself in the future.

13. In the Bedroom: Add Interest to Walls or Ceilings

If your bedroom walls or ceilings are plain, you may easily install wainscoting or trim even without a supply of power tools. Even better, you may create the appearance of wainscoting by painting the wall and trim to resemble the actual thing after putting trim or timber as an outline to a section of the wall. This cost-effective home improvement concept has a high-end appearance. Select prefinished millwork to reduce labor costs; alternatively, finish it yourself to further reduce your restoration budget.

14. In the Bedroom: Add a Headboard

Adding a headboard, whether it be a little, dignified one or a large, dramatic one, is a certain method to modernize your bedroom. When bought brand-new, they may be fairly pricey, but DIY headboards provide a variety of methods to combine design with economy.

15. In the Bedroom: Inset Display Shelves

Kids’ bedrooms pose a constantly-evolving dilemma for home renovations since they swiftly transition from toys and books to collectibles and beyond, and it can be challenging to find a place to store them. Adding thin, wall-to-wall shelves is a straightforward home improvement project that is inexpensive. They are affordable and don’t need a large footprint to fit in different sized bedrooms.

16. In the Dining Room: Install a New Light Fixture

Dining rooms frequently live in a time warp caused by their lighting. However, for a few hundred bucks and a little electrical DIY, you can give your room’s ceiling space—and a focal point—that will change the game. Choose a conventional chandelier or a number of pendants for a more modern look. Check out this installation of a light fixture how-to for support with electrical knowledge.

17. In the Dining Room: Reinvigorate a Built In

The wall or back panel that is concealed by bookcases receives little attention. However, there are excellent places to add colorful accents with paint or wallpaper. Another suggestion is to replace the door inserts with glass or cover existing glass with colored film. These small adjustments can have a big impact on how refreshed a space feels.

18. In the Entry: Create a Mini Mudroom

Even in a small area, a stool, a shelf, and some hooks can be used to create a functional, cost-effective mudroom. You can blend recycled and repurposed parts with less expensive, newer products that function as a whole to create expensive organizers that serve this goal. If you have the room, it helps to create a cubby for each member of the family to simplify everyday tasks.

19. In the Entry: Paint the Stairs

A cost-effective home improvement for the staircase from one floor to another is the imaginative use of paint. Make your steps stand out by choosing a pattern, a theme, or a solid, eye-catching hue. To maintain the finish, paint them with polyurethane when they have dried. You may either enjoy yourself and update it seasonally to keep friends and family amazed, or you can do it once and be done with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do new kitchen countertops cost?
The size of your kitchen and the type of material you select can both affect how much new kitchen countertops will cost. You may anticipate paying anywhere from $500 (for more affordable alternatives like butcher block) to $10,000 or more (for high-quality marble) at the low end.

How much does new flooring cost?
The cost (and kind) of the material, the cost of labor (often referred to as installation), and the size of your home all have a role in how much you’ll spend on new flooring. what is good news? Any budget may be accommodated by a number of flooring alternatives, including natural hardwood and luxury vinyl plank.

How much does it cost to renovate a bathroom?
Complete bathroom renovations can be pretty expensive. However, there are other methods to modernize your home on a lesser scale. Bathroom renovations often cost between $1,000 and $25,000 or more.