Interior updates that won't break the bank

Do you ever find yourself sitting in your home, looking at your space and wondering how you could give it a makeover? Maybe you’ve even found yourself lost down the rabbit hole of endless Pinterest inspiration boards, only to discover once you come up for air that your budget is possibly more lean than your Pinterest-dreaming persona led you to believe?

We’ve all been there, and I am here to share with you some simple style updates that won’t cost the earth and can be achieved with relative ease!

Define your space

Many homes in Australia have beautiful open plan spaces; these are wonderful to create flow in the way we live our lives. However, it can at times leave our rooms feeling a bit bare. A simple update is to anchor your furniture with a rug; this defines the areas of your home and can add variety and warmth to your space.

Don’t be afraid to use texture or colour when choosing a rug, but make sure you think about overall functionality and fit. If you are putting a rug in after you have furniture in place, make sure you tie the carpet into your existing colours or use it as an accent piece. For example, if you have a lot of artwork on your walls or patterned wallpaper, a more subtle rug will be suitable. However, if your walls are plain and you’re looking to add some vibrancy to your space, a bright or patterned rug could be just the ticket.

Don’t forget your windows

A fresh pair of curtains or blinds is a simple way to update the look and feel of a room. There are many pre-made options on the market these days, or you can, of course, look at custom made if your budget allows.

Consider the light coming into the room, how you use the space, and whether you need some extra insulation before choosing the window furnishings. Curtains don’t have to be thick block-outs; you could add visual interest with the introduction of linen curtains or some soft sheer fabric. Curtain tiebacks and finials can also add to the overall look of your window furnishings and complete the look.

From the windows to the walls

Artworks or mirrors are a great option to add a stylish touch to any space. Mirrors will allow light to bounce and create the illusion of more space; great for small spaces. However, be careful what your mirror reflects; place the mirror somewhere it will reflect something you want to look at, i.e. not reflecting back into a bathroom or blank wall where possible.

Artwork for your walls doesn’t have to cost a small fortune; many art prints are available online that can be purchased as a poster. Use a simple frame, either pre-made or custom, that compliments that artwork and hang it on your wall so that the centre of the piece is just above eye level.

You can cluster a group of smaller prints for large walls to create a gallery-style installation if you can’t find an individual image that is large enough.

And of course, PAINT! The power of a fresh paint job can transform a room immediately.

Light it up

Updating or adding lighting to your space can be a fast way to change the room’s ambience. Replace old lighting with LED’s or even a pendant light. There are pendant lights in the market that can fit on existing light fittings if ceiling access doesn’t allow for a complete changeover.

Please make sure you look at how you use the space before adding a pendant; you want to ensure the height of the pendant is suitable and won’t have people bumping their heads or ducking down to look under it. A table lamp or floor lamp can add colour and pattern as well warmth as evening settles in.

Go Green

Quick, inexpensive and good for you – the addition of indoor plants to any room instantly adds life to the space. You don’t have to be a green thumb to make indoor plants work.

We love adding height to rooms with greenery. Tall floor plants in boring corners can instantly update a space.