17 Big and Small Home Upgrades for Any Budget
Staying on budget doesn't have to be boring. From sprawling sofas to shiny soap dishes, here are 17 ways to make your abode look a little less humble, as inspired by Caitlyn and Corey's $53,000 Austin, Texas home makeover.
1. GET YOUR PRINT ON. A printed rug packs personality and serves as an heirloom for generations to come. Since rugs are the support for all your living room entertaining, you can never go wrong picking a rich, inviting color scheme. Caitlyn and Corey's area rug peeks out from underneath their coffee table, adding just the right pop of color against their wooden furniture.
2. RUSTIC MEETS REFINED. Mix clean, even shapes with down-home design for a stunning impact that will please both city slickers and countryfolk alike, making it perfect for the couple's Austin, Texas home. Because who says you can't have both?
3. LIGHTEN UP. There are endless lamps out there, but you can never go wrong with a traditional printed design. Glass lamps exude timeless class, and can serve as either a statement piece on their own, or work with other accessories to form a cohesively designed living room.
4. COZY UP. Accents like this sofa reinvent the term "couch potato." It's polished and can entertain a wide range of guests, yet it's cozy enough for all your low-key movie nights. It exudes an understated charm in Caitlyn and Corey's inviting living room.
5. STONE AGE. A thick, matte travertine stone-topped coffee table toughens up a living room in the chicest way. A bonus bottom shelf adds extra space, which comes in handy during the couple's last-minute pre-party clutter cleaning sessions.
6. FIT FOR ROYALTY. Of course, bedrooms are made for, well, beds, but a small, sloped chair can cozy up the space. No one wants to see neon orange first thing in the morning, so opt for a gentlycolored seafoam chair. Its compact shape works perfectly for the couple's smaller bedroom, and its tufted design adds a Victorian flourish.
7. NOW YOU SEE IT... Clutter be gone! A storage ottoman will make you believe in magic. Not only does it serve as a classic-meets-edgy accent, but it can also store DVDs, remote controls (imagine a world where you never had to search for one again!), and other space-takers. The couple placed theirs at the foot of their bed, elongating its shape and making the room feel complete.
8. BRING ON THE BEDROOM. If the thought of redecorating your whole bedroom stresses you out, a matching set is a no-brainer. This design lives in that sweet spot between classic and trendy. Wooden furniture is sturdy, long-lasting and a worthy investment piece. Caitlin noted how the dresser's deep drawers provide ample room for all their bedroom storage.
9. KEEP IT CASUAL. A playful, geometric-patterned curtain adds whimsy and personality to even the barest of rooms. Fabrics like linen are thick enough to provide privacy, but still let light in, which is why Caitlyn and Corey chose them for their bedroom.
10. GOOD FORM. Two table lamps are better than one! To make your lamps really stand out, choose pieces with visually-interesting silhouettes in dynamic colors, like this glossy light blue.
11. LET'S TALK PILLOWS. Looking for the absolute easiest way to upgrade a bedroom? Throw in some decorative pillows! Caitlyn and Corey were drawn to woven, linen fabrics with soft hues and subtle patterns to create an inviting and relaxing space.
12. THROW IT ON. A homey, vintage-inspired cable knit throw makes any guest room feel like home.
13. UNDER COVERS. A polished duvet cover instantly upgrades any old comforter. Choose a breathable fabric like cotton linen for a comfortable fit that works for every season. For Caitlyn, the duvet's selling point was its unique, three-dimensional texture.
14. GO BIG AND GO HOME. A bold, geometric end table personalizes your bedroom's tone and sensibility. A sleek, marble-topped coffee table is both on-trend and timeless, so you can get years of use out of your statement piece.
15. BRIGHTEN UP THE BATHROOM. Your bathroom deserves some love, too. But if you can't afford an entire remodeling, give it a luxe makeover with hotel-inspired bath accoutrements. A sleek, stainless steel set injected new life into the couple's formerly-outdated bathroom.
16. HIT THE SHOWER. Elevate your bath game with a set of soft, luxurious towels. Colors like mica bring a graceful subtlety to any space and perfectly accent the wood shelving that Corey built.
17. CADDY SHACK. Clunky plastic shower caddys are for dorm rooms. Upgrade and modernize with a sleek-but-sturdy stainless steel piece. To save space, the couple hung theirs over their bathtub.
