A home makeover doesn’t have to mean emptying your wallet. With mindful planning and thoughtful choices, you can give your home a refreshed and cozy feel that is inviting enough for you to want to stay in.
Interior designer Chadi Boudar shares a few tips to achieve a personalized makeover while making sound spending decisions.
1. Prioritize and Focus
Determine which rooms or spaces deserve your attention first. Chadi advises focusing on areas where you spend the most time, such as the living room or bedroom.
When you do, ask yourself what needs to change and why. Do you need more light? A new color scheme? Fresh furniture because you’re bored of what you have or because it’s becoming worn out?
2. Define your Budget
Before setting out on a shopping spree, start by laying out your financial boundaries. This will guide your priorities, helping you focus on what’s most important without spending on what you don’t need.
3. Repurpose What You Already Have
Although it could be exciting, before rushing to buy new items, take a closer look at what you already own. The furniture you are bored of can be repainted, reupholstered, or rearranged to feel brand new.
For example, transform your cupboards by adhering to MDF or wall paneling of your chosen design and turning them into customized works of art without having to change them entirely.
You can also use “Printed fabric from clothing items that you no longer need, or doilies, table runners and needlework that have been passed down to you from close relatives” to create colorful cushions for your couch or even art with a story to frame. Not only is this eco-friendly, but it also adds a personal, creative touch to your space.
4. Invest in Little Changes for Big Impact
According to Chadi Boudar, if you feel stuck, small changes could have a huge impact without breaking the bank:
Paint
A fresh coat of paint can instantly change a room’s ambiance. Chadi adds, “Don’t be afraid of color! If you’re not sure it would go with the rest of the items in the space or think that it may darken the room, go for an accent wall. If you’d rather go for neutral or pastels, you could always introduce color through artwork or hanging objects.”
If you want to explore textures, Chadi suggests you limit that to feature walls or inside wall panels – that way, walls wouldn’t be too busy or visually cluttered.
Swapping Accessories and Rugs
Replace cushions, throws, or rugs with new patterns and textures to rejuvenate your room. If you love the ones you’ve got on display, Chadi recommends changing the cushion covers and throwing colors and prints according to seasons and holidays.
Chadi is a strong believer that every room should have a rug; “rugs add patterns, color, and dimensions to the space.”
Lighting
Upgrade any room by hanging a statement chandelier. “Even if you don’t (and you shouldn’t) use overhead lighting, give your ceiling the same attention you give your floors,” Chadi says.
Uplift your space with ambient lighting by placing side and floor lamps in every corner. To create a cozy ambiance, opt for dimmable, warm light. “Lighting instantly takes a home from bare to warm.”
Add Plants
“When you surround yourself with plants, you surround yourself with life. When you care for them, you give life back to life,” Chadi sums it up and also reminds us to choose the right plants that work best with the light environment at home.
Meaningful Art and Photography
Personalize your walls with art pieces or framed photographs that tell stories of meaning to you. Artwork doesn’t have to be limited to pictures; look into adding 3D figures and textiles to walls.
5. Shop Smartly
Buying smarter doesn’t mean opting for the cheapest items. Choose to spend on items you really need and pieces that speak to you. Spending wisely also means you source your pieces directly from artisans or fair-trade shops instead of retail outlets with heavy markups.
Chadi addresses the choice to invest in local brands, especially when buying furniture pieces, tiles, ceramics, and appliances. “You’d be surprised to learn that local doesn’t mean poor quality. On the contrary, you’d be able to find almost anything made out of durable materials, good design, and lower prices because they don’t bear the costs of overseas shipping and customs.”
A home makeover may not always require a massive budget or a complete overhaul. By defining your needs, repurposing what you have, and making impactful changes, you can create a space that feels fresh and reflects your personality.
As Chadi Boudar emphasizes, “Trends are a fad. You shouldn’t be investing in what makes your space look like everybody else’s. Instead, ask yourself what it is that you need to do to make your space more functional and serve you better, and what you could do or bring that reflects your passions and character to make your space your own.”
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