$200 Bedroom Updates From Design Experts

We asked. They answered. Top designers tell us how they would update a bedroom with a budget of $200. You won't believe how easy some of these changes are

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November 25, 2014

By: Kayla Kitts and Chelsey Bowen

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Photo By: Design by Brian Patrick Flynn

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Photo By: HGTV fan KarenSpirit

Spice Up Plain Walls With Pattern

Dave Stimmel, The Stimmel Consulting Group:
Wallpaper can be done easily if you know where to shop. Websites like eBay often offer out-of-production wallpapers at a heavy discount. And if the budget is tight, why not wallpaper just one wall? There is no reason why you cannot wallpaper an accent wall and nothing more. Photo courtesy of Kreme

Add Personality Above the Headboard

Ammie Kim, Ammie Kim Interior Design:
Buy a can of paint in your all-time favorite color and paint the wall behind the bed. Then, buy a large piece of artwork with the remaining money and install it above the headboard. Instead of buying oversized artwork, you can always use black-and-white photos of your favorite places, create a gallery wall of pictures of family and friends, or even hang a blank canvas on which you can write your favorite quotes. Design by Brian Patrick Flynn

Give Your Bed the Royal Treatment

Sue Adams, Sue Adams Interiors:
Sometimes the greatest change can be made by simply updating your bed with a refreshing set of brand-new sheets. So, buy white sheets of the highest thread count (while staying within the budget), then add a new throw at the end of the bed and some colorful and/or luxe throw pillows. Let the bed be the restful haven it was meant to be. Design by Katie Ridder

Don't Forget the Fifth Wall

Dave Stimmel, The Stimmel Consulting Group:
The easiest update is paint. Nothing can change a bedroom as easily as paint; however, don't just stop at the walls. Painting the trim and even the ceiling — like in this kids' room — can be a nice way of introducing an exciting look. We often think the ceiling must be white, but why? An easy, safe way is to choose a "whiter" version of the wall color. It can make a big splash. It's been my experience that the ceiling is the most often forgotten canvas in the bedroom — or any room, for that matter. Design by Brian Patrick Flynn

Mirrors Create Depth and Sparkle

Erica Islas, EMI Interior Design:
Mirrors are always a fun way to update a space; they add instant depth, sparkle and light to a room. Depending on how far $200 will take you, buy a new full-length mirror to put in the corner of the room where light reflects the most — it will add unexpected sparkle and light. You can also add a custom bevel mirror or a tempered glass top (1/4 inch thick) to a dresser or nightstand to really make an impact. Design by Erica Islas. Photography by David Young-Wolff

Declutter to Refresh Your Space

Lori Dennis, Dennis Design Group:
For a free bedroom update, recruit friends and clean out the clutter, including items you don't need or don't use. Give them to your friends, sell them or donate them. Bedrooms should be minimal in furnishings — a calm, quiet place to regenerate. To top off your new clean room, buy a tree or a few plants for fresh air and good energy. You haven't spent a dime yet, and your room already looks refreshed. Design by Linda Woodrum for HGTV Green Home 2011

Add Decorative Molding

Dave Stimmel, The Stimmel Consulting Group:
Molding can be added inexpensively in a bedroom. A nice decorative cove molding can be easily added at the ceiling in a room if it does not currently have crown molding. If your room does have crown molding, you can add decorative molding in a box shape or following the room shape on the ceiling. These moldings by nature are small and inexpensive, yet can be painted a nice complementary color. Photo courtesy of Taj Mahal Palace

Give Your Room a Mini Makeover

Erica Islas, EMI Interior Design:
Switching out furniture is an easy way to inexpensively update a bedroom. Start by repositioning the bed in a different location (at no cost). If you have side tables in another part of the house that could work as bedside tables, switch them out (at no cost). Next, purchase a new duvet cover and pillows for about $100, and use the other $100 for accessories, such as a cool mirror, an accessories tray for your dresser or new window treatments. Tip: Always introduce a pattern, texture or both, if possible, into your room if it seems flat. Design by Erica Islas. Photography by Laure Joliet

Make a Statement With Stripes

A live-edge wooden nightstand contrasts nicely with the classic, sophisticated elements in this bedroom. Gray-and-black striped wallpaper makes a bold statement, but gray bedding a creamy white tufted headboard mellows out the daring pattern.

From: Antonio Martins

Make Your Own Duvet Cover

Lori Dennis, Dennis Design Group:
Visit a linen outlet and buy two flat sheets in your bed size for about $40 to sew together for a duvet cover. You can easily cover an old blanket or bedspread with these. Also, buy $10 coordinating pillow cases and spend $50 on a fabulous throw in your color scheme. If you don't have a friend who sews, you can follow this duvet project and make it yourself in no time. Photo courtesy of Erinn Valencich

Alter the Mood With Lighting

Erica Islas, EMI Interior Design:
Art can change the mood of a room dramatically, so if you have beautiful artwork in your home that you decorate your walls with, do it! Don't forget about lighting, though. Putting your art on display and using proper forms of lighting is one of the most important things to remember. Lighting in any space needs to come from more than one source to create different moods and atmospheres. If you have an overhead light source, like a central fixture or recessed lights, be sure to pull in an additional source such as a sconce, a floor lamp or an extra table lamp. Design by Erica Islas. Photography by David Young-Wolff

Update Your Space With Embellishments

Eileen Gould, Lifestyles Interior Design & Construction, Inc.:
Paint one wall an accent color, which can change the entire room. Pillows, accessories and lighting can also be done inexpensively. Putting tassels around towels and decoratively hanging tassels from draperies are easy ways to add interest and color. Add fresh plants and blooming flowers to finish off the look. Design by Kim Smart

Freshen Up the Walls With Color

Lori Dennis, Dennis Design Group:
Paint is a simple update you can make to your bedroom that will change the look of your space entirely. Add a fresh coat of paint to the walls, and you have a brand-new look right there. Spend about $40 on paint and paint supplies and get creative. For the remainder of the budget, add elements on the walls, like moldings, for architectural interest.