Renovation Ideas on a Budget

Kitchens

• The most inexpensive way to freshen up your kitchen is to paint the tired cabinetry. Choose a simple white or an unexpected shade of gray or olive green. Remove the inner panels of two upper cabinet doors, and replace them with clear, tinted, beveled or stained glass. Reface or refinish your cabinets if necessary. Change out the cabinetry hardware. Add a colorful tiled mosaic to the backsplash. Stainless steel and concrete countertops are inexpensive choices. Paint on top of old wooden floors. Strip unsightly flooring down to the cement slab, and paint it; a painted cement floor is extremely affordable and has a fresh, modern look.

Bathrooms

• A bathroom allows you the unique opportunity to do something bold that you would be too intimidated to do in a larger space. Paint with a dramatic color. Add a dimmer switch. Choose one wall, and cover it with eccentric design of wallpaper, a unique wall texture or a hand-painted mural. Find a vintage dresser at a flea market or yard sale, and use it as a vanity for an inexpensive sink that can be dropped into it. Choose a funky mirror. Simply updating the hardware and light fixtures adds instant pizazz. You can easily find discounted tiles for this small room's flooring. A freestanding cabinet over the toilet can add valuable storage space for a value price.

Bedrooms

• Tackle lighting issues by adding a useful ceiling fan and dimming, adjustable lights that are hung above nightstands or wired into the wall above them. Add a closet organization system. Turn a window into a reclaimed french door for outdoor access. Add a plush rug and inexpensive crisp, white bedding for a luxury hotel feel.

Living Rooms

• After updating the paint, add crown and base moldings. Buy a new rug and pillows that pull the furniture together. Bump out a traditional window into a bay window. Install recessed lighting and a dimmer for a non-harsh atmosphere. Cut an arch into a non-load-bearing wall that connects to another common space. Add a transom window above an existing door.

Considerations

• Make a plan and stick to it. Many budget busters are due to impulse buys or changes to the original plan.