Home Upgrades Worth Every Penny: Smart Buys for Every Room

Spend your time (and budget!) wisely with these simple, high-impact updates that are totally worth it.

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June 22, 2015

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Bedroom: Add a Headboard

Whether your partner with a designer for a completely custom piece, buy a pre-fab option or create your own DIY version, a dramatic headboard draws in the eye and ensures your bed takes center stage. Design by Jamie Herzlinger

From: Jamie Herzlinger

Bathroom: Graphic Wallpaper

Simply adding graphic wallpaper brings dimension to a small powder room. Designer Jennifer Jones enhanced the bold design with a vintage-inspired, decorative mirror.

From: Jennifer Jones

Bathroom: One Bold Accent Piece

Adding one bold piece to a neutral, soothing color palette is a budget-friendly way to update a bathroom. Here, a bright blue vanity serves as a colorful, interesting focal point in this neutral bathroom.

Bathroom: Spa Bath Amenities

Whether it's a sleek, modern marble shower or a simple wall color update in a soothing hue, you'll recoup time and money you spend on a spa-inspired bathroom every morning as you prepare for the day.

From: Mark Williams

Bathroom: Flowers

The quickest route to a refreshed bathroom is a freshly-cut bouquet. Fill a vase or jar with flowers, evergreens or berries from your yard for an instant (and free) update. Or, splurge on a weekly supermarket bouquet and divide the flowers among your most-used rooms.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Bedroom: Artwork Above the Bed

Unless you opt for a floor-to-ceiling headboard, it's important to add a dramatic art piece above the bed, like this one-of-a-kind salvaged wood piece created by designer Brian Patrick Flynn.

Bedroom: Dramatic Lighting

The bedroom is the perfect place to go big with lighting. Add a chandelier like designer Lindsay Puma did here, or go for a more modern look with a simple pendant. And don't forget the dimmer!

Living Room: Fresh Patterned Pillows

New throw pillow are an affordable and easy way to refresh your living room look. Mix on-trend patterns, like polka dots and florals, to get the most visual bang for your buck. Image courtesy of Naomi Stein

From: Naomi Stein

Living Room: Add Style Underfoot

Make a big statement for a relatively small chunk of change with a graphic rug or group of patterned carpet tiles, like designer Jennifer Jones did here. A rug also ground your furniture arrangement and give the living room a more finished look.

From: Jennifer Jones

Living Room: Treat the Windows

The right window treatment takes a room from bland to beautiful. "Soften your living space with ready-made drapery panels," designer Jennifer Jones suggests. "If a standard-size window panel doesn't work in your room, simply buy the next size up and have them hemmed at your local dry cleaner. Drapes should hang one-half to one inch off the floor." Design by Jennifer Jones

From: Jennifer Jones

Shop This Look

Photo By: ERICA GEORGE DINES

Photo By: Robert Peterson, Rustic White Photography

Home Upgrades Worth Every Penny: Smart Buys for Every Room

Related To:

Bedroom: Add a Headboard

Bathroom: Graphic Wallpaper

Bathroom: One Bold Accent Piece

Bathroom: Spa Bath Amenities

Bathroom: Flowers

Bedroom: Artwork Above the Bed

Bedroom: Dramatic Lighting

Living Room: Fresh Patterned Pillows

Living Room: Add Style Underfoot

Living Room: Treat the Windows

Shop This Look

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