Home makeover on a super tight budget

amother

Ghostwhite

Mon, Jan 17 2022, 12:06 pm

From what you're saying op, you have the walls and floor, it's the little touches that make it into a home that you're missing. Your best bet is finding a friend/family member who has a good eye for these things and asking for some help.
I don't have an eye for these things and I err on the side of caution. My sil has a great sense of design-she has these gorgeous unique quartz countertops that look perfect in her kitchen. If I would have chosen the color she did, it wouldn't have looked pulled together, which is why I stayed with traditional more classic styling.

I would pick a color and theme your room around it. I bought a really plush throw on sale, then bought cushions to match it. One day I will even buy curtains that will match, except it's a full length and width french door so it will cost me a lot of money.
In my bedroom I started with my curtains, I matched the light fixture and then added a couple of cushions in the same color.

chili-n-cholent

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 7:58 am

You can easily make your own headboards.
Buy a piece of plywood and saw to the right size, buy vinyl leather like in the color you want, stuff it with stuffing from underneath and and staple gun it on all around and then add little nail heads around the border. You can also do a very thin piece of molding all around the border spray painted gold.
I know this doesn't sound so clear but it's really really super simple to do and its fun! It ends up coming out really nice, you can probably find tutorials on Youtube.

amother

Mustard

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 8:18 am

amother [ Ghostwhite ] wrote:

Do each room individually so you don't get overwhelmed. Look around the room and make a list of all the things you would ideally like to improve on. Pick a couple of manageable aspects to transform the room.
I bought a couple of lampshades for the bare bulbs hanging from my ceiling. Cost me less than $10 and it makes the room look much better, and is much cheaper than proper fixtures. Try thrift stores for all different household items-this can include curtains, cushions and other small things that can make a room look better.
I did in my old house a feature wall with jigsaws. I made a stack of different pictures and mounted them on the wall. It didn't cost me very much and it was a great conversation piece when I had anyone come to see my house. You can also frame pictures that the kids have made. Covering the wall with these sorts of things helps disguise a wall that could do with redecorating.
The one thing I did recently was to save up and I finally redid my flooring downstairs. I had old carpet that used to drive me nuts, it was always dirty and stained. I put in light wood laminate and my rooms are transformed. They're bigger and airier and I can't get over the difference. But it wasn't cheap.
If you want to post specific rooms and the sort of thing you're after, I'm sure people will be happy to try and offer suggestions.

What a fabulous idea!

Can you post some shades that worked for you? I need 3 that match for my hallway between the bedrooms, where I only have plain bulbs.

amother

Mustard

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 8:23 am

$5 Below sometimes has nice throw pillows and fur foot stools.

Burlington has great canvas paintings for the walls. If you're doing it yourself don't buy one with a heavy frame as you need extra support and can ruin the walls. The lightweight canvas paintings look amazing and modern.

Definitely sign up for the NJ furniture giveaway chat! You need to be quick and reserve pieces you like immediately otherwise they get snapped up. Sarah Sasson runs a few such chats including one in NJ. 917-361-8268

amother

Azalea

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 8:59 am

LR sounds easiest, start there

try watching some youtube videos and make some modern art pieces on canvas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....auhan

try a gallery wall with some family photos - maybe in black and white

Do you like your couch?
What style is it?
There are tons of ideas on how to "pimp out" cheap light fixtures, but if you have a style idea I can help you with specifics

Look at goodwill, yad shniya, facebook marketplace for side tables. even outdated ones can be updated

Dining Room -

Paint breakfront (maybe remove doors?) and change hardware to "update"
check out this channel and others like it for what you can do
https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....acher
or take pics and upload and we can advise

Look at goodwill, yad shniya, facebook marketplace for chairs and accent pieces, they can also be updated and re- upholstered

amother

Dimgray

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 9:09 am

Join a FB "buy nothing" group. Look under "free" on Craigslist. There's also a fb group where people post furniture that they spot on the curb. We got a gorgeous Pottery Barn kids toy storage bookcase like that.

We have beautiful fully framed art from Homegoods and everyone asks us what gallery we got it from Laugh

amother

Azalea

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 9:50 am

master bedroom
diy tufted headboard - I'd do 1 huge, but you can do 2

put some cheap stick- on wallpaper for contrast

even really ornate furniture can look way better with paint, but if you can get something with cleaner lines for free and update it will look even nicer. Just replace the mirror in something flat, rectangular with clean lines

ornate exmples

cleaner lines examples

nice rug

solid linen, accent pillows to match headboard, nice throw blanket

amother

Blonde

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 10:04 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I have very wide Windows so the curtains aren't cheap in those sizes anymore...

We just bought several ready made curtains for the wide windows. When they are pushed together, you can't tell they are separate units. Much much cheaper than buying custom, and unless you are a professional seamstress, much better looking than homemade.

We aren't in the US so I don't know what stores you have there, but these kinds of curtains can be ordered from Next or Aliexpress. Or Ikea.

amother

Snow

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 12:10 pm

I’ve decorated on a budget.
It’s my favorite thing to do.
I browse on Amazon, Walmart , h&m, wish, Ali express, Zara, for home decor stuff. Also ikea.

You can get big framed art pieces for cheap.
You can get a nice inexpensive buffet type of piece. Inexpensive chandeliers.
Decorative vases on little shelves add a lot and could be switch out when styles change.
Rugs can add a ton to a room
And can be bought inexpensively.

amother

Beige

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 12:51 pm

amother [ Snow ] wrote:

You can start a business.

amother

Brown

Tue, Jan 18 2022, 12:57 pm

amother [ Snow ] wrote:

Can you post some links? In looking everywhere for a large chandelier . And a buffet

Thank you!

amother

Azalea

Wed, Jan 19 2022, 10:05 am

amother [ Brown ] wrote:

Can you post some links? In looking everywhere for a large chandelier . And a buffet

Thank you!

I'm not Brown but I'd love to search for you

What's your budget?
What pieces do you currently have in your dining room?
What style do you like?

amother

Brown

Wed, Jan 19 2022, 10:34 am

amother [ Azalea ] wrote:

I'm not Brown but I'd love to search for you

What's your budget?
What pieces do you currently have in your dining room?
What style do you like?

Wow thanks! I like contemporary/could be glam too.

Would need something with a gold type of finish because my dining room chairs are a tan) goldish vinyl on the inside and a blush/mauve velvet on the outside. I would like to repaint my walls to a white or off white. Currently they are Smokey Taupe which clashes with the chairs.

These are the chairs I have:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW....._link