Buzz
Your bedroom, like many other rooms in your house, can become dull and outdated over time. Whether you're considering a simple paint refresh or a complete overhaul, careful planning is key to achieving your desired results. Once you have a plan in place, focus on painting, selecting furniture, and adding the final decorative touches!
Steps
Budget-Friendly Renovation
Choose your room's design inspiration or theme. Whether it's rustic, farmhouse, modern, or another style altogether, selecting a design theme will guide your furniture, paint choices, and décor selections. This ensures your room looks cohesive and intentional, rather than a mishmash of different styles.
- Look for inspiration in artwork, furniture pieces, or quilts that resonate with you. Use these as focal points for your room's new look.
- Browse design websites like Architectural Digest, Better Homes and Gardens, or HGTV for ideas. Save images of rooms you like for future reference.
Choose a color scheme for your room. Interior design relies heavily on color schemes, so select one main color to use throughout your room, such as a neutral taupe, crisp white, muted gray, or soft pink. Then, opt for one or two accent colors to complement your main color and add lively, eye-catching details.
- For instance, for a bohemian theme, consider using light cream as the main color with bright pink, gold, and turquoise as accent colors.
- For a farmhouse theme, choose crisp white as the main color and French blue and bright yellow as accent colors.
- Use an item like a throw pillow or Afghan to help guide your color choices for the room.
Transform your room with a fresh coat of paint. Select a primary color for your walls and remove all furniture from the room before painting. Stick to your chosen color scheme if using multiple colors and opt for a shade that complements various colors, even if your preferences change over time!
- To add visual interest, consider painting one wall in your accent color to create depth.
- For smaller rooms, opt for brighter colors like light cream or white to create a sense of spaciousness and brightness.
- If you plan to incorporate bold, colorful decor or frequently change your decor, stick with neutral paint colors.
Revamp and modernize your furniture to match your new style. Refreshing old furniture for a new look is surprisingly easy. You can repaint wooden pieces, reupholster thrifted chairs, or embellish your bed's headboard. This approach is budget-friendly since you won't need to purchase new items.
- If you're in need of new furniture, consider visiting thrift stores or browsing Craigslist for affordable or free items.
- Even simple changes like adding a new throw blanket can refresh furniture.
Choose a new bedding set and pillows that coordinate with your color scheme. With your color scheme in mind, select a duvet or quilt, pillow shams, covers, and throw pillows for your bed. Opt for a solid-colored quilt or duvet and add pops of color with pillows. You can also drape a complementary-colored throw blanket over the end of the bed to tie everything together.
- For example, for a farmhouse theme with white walls and blue and yellow accents, you might choose a blue duvet with pale yellow throw pillows.
- To save money, invest in quality sheets and opt for less expensive throw pillows and blankets.
Reconfigure your furniture to give your space a fresh layout. Experiment with rearranging the furniture in your room to find the most functional setup. Aim for at least 3 feet of walking space between pieces of furniture to create a spacious and open feel, even with ample furniture.
- To create an open feel, designate a focal point for the room and position furniture along the walls.
- For a traditional bedroom look, place your headboard against a wall and add a nightstand on each side.
- For optimal space utilization, position your dresser along an empty wall for easy access.
- To minimize rearranging, sketch the room and furniture to scale to determine the best arrangement.
Expert Advice from Chip and Joanna Gaines, Renovation & Interior Design Specialists
Dare to Change Your Home's Appearance. 'Experiment with rearranging your furniture. Try it twice or even three times. Don't worry if it's not perfect the first time. In fact, never stop rearranging. It breathes life into your home and keeps it evolving. I believe that purposefulness combined with a touch of creativity goes much further than money and flawless taste in turning a house into a home.'
Select a couple of lamps to illuminate the room. Lighting is crucial for creating a cozy and well-lit bedroom ambiance. Opt for a pair of matching lamps and place one on your nightstand, while positioning the other elsewhere in your room. If you have two nightstands, place one lamp on each, or place one on the dresser.
- To enhance coziness, consider using string lights along the ceiling or between walls for ambient lighting.
- You can also incorporate a vibrantly colored lampshade for a splash of color that complements your color scheme.
- For instance, for a rustic or farmhouse theme, look for a lamp featuring a wooden base and a brightly colored lampshade.
- Swapping out an overhead light fixture in the bedroom for softer lighting can also contribute to a more relaxing and romantic atmosphere.
Incorporate comfortable seating to establish a separate lounging area. To create a versatile bedroom space, designate a relaxation area by introducing a comfy chair and a small table. Opt for a chair upholstered in a neutral or accent color, and choose an eye-catching statement table.
- If space is limited, create a seating area by placing a small bench at the foot of your bed, or invest in a set of floor pillows for more comfortable floor seating.
Adorn an empty wall with artwork or a mirror. Inject some personality into your room by hanging a piece of art or a mirror on an empty wall, such as the space above your bed. If the area above your headboard is unavailable, select a different wall for display.
- Opt for artwork that complements your overall theme or color palette to tie the room together.
- Displaying photographs of loved ones can also create a cozier and more welcoming atmosphere.
Undertaking Major Renovations
Consult a contractor for a quote if you seek professional assistance. For remodels involving room additions, wall removal, or other structural changes, scheduling a meeting with a local contractor is advisable. Typically, the contractor will visit your home, discuss the remodel with you, and assess the room's condition. Subsequently, they will provide you with a cost estimate for the required work and materials.
- When communicating with a contractor, provide as many details as possible about your vision for the room. If you have reference images, share them.
- Although employing a contractor is more expensive, it can save you time and ensure the work is completed correctly.
Contemplate tackling the renovations yourself to save money. For significant renovations like floor refinishing, trim removal, or even minor non-load-bearing wall removal, undertaking the project independently is feasible. Before commencing any project, ensure you possess the necessary tools and understand the associated risks.
- DIY renovations can be a challenging learning experience, and the outcome may not align precisely with your plans.
- If you find yourself overwhelmed by a project, don't hesitate to seek assistance or advice from a professional.
Establish a reasonable budget for your renovations. For an average remodel, budget approximately $110 per square foot. If you're revamping a closet or expanding the room, factor that area into your calculations.
- If your remodel involves extensive demolition or new flooring installation, allocate an additional $15-$30 per square foot. The cost will vary based on the flooring type or demolition method.
- Keep in mind that performing demolition and renovations independently can save you money. Subsequently, you can hire a professional for tasks beyond your capabilities.
Create a rough floor plan for your ideal bedroom. Once you've settled on a style and determined the available space, draft a basic room layout that serves as a reference during renovations. Outline furniture placements, indicate doorways, and mark window locations.
- Your sketch doesn't need to be intricate or precisely scaled. It should simply provide a general overview of furniture arrangements.
Contemplate knocking down a wall to merge rooms and expand your area. If there's an adjoining smaller room you seldom use, consider removing the wall to integrate its space into the bedroom. Confirm the wall isn't load-bearing and verify that its removal will yield the desired space.
- This approach is also suitable for incorporating a larger closet or ensuite bathroom into your bedroom.
- Keep in mind that eliminating a bedroom or bathroom could impact your home's value negatively. Before consolidating two bedrooms, consult an appraiser to assess potential changes in your home's value.
- If retaining the wall, you can install a door between adjacent rooms, such as a sliding barn door or pocket door, to maintain separation while increasing space.
Revamp or replace the flooring for a cost-effective makeover. If you already have hardwood floors or they're concealed beneath carpeting, consider highlighting them in your room's design. Transitioning from carpet to wood can significantly alter the room's ambiance. Although switching to hardwood from carpet typically yields a high return on investment, ensuring each step is executed correctly is crucial for long-lasting flooring.
- If your room currently features dated carpeting, replacing it with new carpeting can rejuvenate the space. Opt for a neutral hue that complements your desired aesthetic.
- Compared to room expansion or furniture replacement, flooring replacement is relatively affordable and can dramatically transform the room's appearance.
- If floor replacement isn't feasible, investing in a large area rug can effectively conceal them.
Select a matching set or mix-and-match furniture pieces to suit your preferred style. Once the remodel is complete, furnish the bedroom according to your taste. For a complete furniture overhaul, invest in a bed frame, mattress, nightstand, and dresser. You can opt for a coordinated set or curate a collection from various retailers.
- If closet space is limited, consider adding an extra dresser or armoire for clothing storage.
- For eclectic furniture, explore antique shops and flea markets for distinctive finds.
How to Effectively Establish a Budget for a Renovation Project?
Helpful Tips
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Keep an eye out for discounts on paint, furniture, and other renovation supplies while remodeling. Capitalizing on sales can lead to significant cost savings!
