Remodel with Style on a Budget

(guest post courtesy Money.co.uk)

Home remodeling remains hotter than ever, from DIY updates to pro-grade renovations. The most common reason for a remodel is to update the look and style of a home, but tastes vary, and one homeowner's preferences are likely to differ greatly from the next.

Knowing the "look" you aim to achieve will go a long way toward helping you plan a remodeling project. Do you prefer a Modern Farmhouse appearance or a more Industrial look. Maybe you're partial to a Contemporary style or a more Eclectic look. Determining the style of your interior decor will help inform your choice of materials and new fixtures.

What are the most sought after interior design styles in 2021?

1. Industrial - 683,480 boards

2. Modern - 478,608 boards

3. Modern Farmhouse - 420,232 boards

4. Contemporary - 407,151 boards

5. Eclectic - 404,655 boards

If you don’t want to splurge on a home makeover, money.co.uk have compiled some useful tips on how you can recreate these five signature looks in your home on a budget.

Industrial

Bare brick, rough textures, and solid structures sum up the ethos of the industrial look. The style aims to celebrate the modernist eye for efficiency and functionality by transforming beams, columns, pipes, ducts and flanges into the working parts of a building.

The industrial look is more popular than ever with DIY decorators, and shows no signs of going anywhere. It’s worth bearing in mind that if you’re choosing a highly-desired design style you have to be prepared for a higher price tag. However, recreating this signature look doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. With a bit of ingenuity, you can pull together authentic finds, DIY projects and budget pieces to give your home the ultimate industrial look.

Paint it black

Paint anything black for an instant industrial update. Add the color to the base of an old claw-foot tub, your trim, radiators and even picture frames. Dip paint something black

Solid black a little too daring for you? Try dip painting instead. You can use tape to block off the section of the object you want to keep paint free, and brush-on or spray paint the rest of the rustic old wood to coat it in a lick of black paint. Incorporating black on rustic old wood such as on chair or table legs are great choices to help achieve a more subtle industrial look within your home. DIY pipe bookcases

Pipe fittings and wooden planks can be transformed into a rustic industrial shelving unit in as little time as a weekend. However, this sort of home project is more catered to the more advanced DIY lovers out there, so if you’re a relative beginner or novice to the world of up-cycling, it’s worth investing in some help from an experienced friend or professional. Stick with a black and gray palette

One of the easiest ways to master this look is by limiting your decor to a fairly strict palette of black, grey and white, with natural, worn-looking wood incorporated in.

Shop budget-friendly stores for lamps, bedding, pillows, towels and more, in shades of grey, black and white - solid hues like these generally look good at any price point, so why spend more? Get creative with shelving

Shelving units constructed from timber planks and plumbing materials are an easy way of incorporating the industrial look for less in your home. Plus, they are a great way of adding inventive storage solutions. Mix up materials and textures

There is nothing flat, boring or one-dimensional about the industrial look. Adding reclaimed wood, leather, subway tile, concrete, weathered metal, old crockery and plates, and mismatched vintage cutlery to your home can all help towards achieving a vintage-warehouse-style interior.

Modern

The second most commonly pinned theme was found to be modern with 478,608 boards dedicated to the ethos. These preferences amongst Pinterest users seem to indicate that clean lines, geometric form and clear open spaces are what homeowners are looking for when putting their own stamp on a property.

Find good deals on new items

The best way to incorporate modern pieces into your home for less involves knowing how to find a bargain. Research and become familiar with well-reviewed retailers that consistently offer durable, well-designed pieces that are also affordable for every-day customers.

Add a splash of color

Adding a splash of color to your home is one of the most affordable ways you can add a modern twist to your home design. The cost of wall-paint depends on the quality and brand, but if you want to brighten up the crisp clean lines of your modern decor with a stand-out feature wall, you can grab a brush and add this detail for less than $40.

Add throws and pillows

Accessorizing with pillows and throws is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to inject a fresh style into your living room or bedroom. Incorporating pillows and throws enables you to integrate neutral, earthy tones, and monochromatic colors into your modern design.

For example, for a modern look you should arrange your pillows in odd numbers. Add three or five pillows to your bed or sofa as in the modern aesthetic, odd numbers always look more artful. Mirrors

Mirrors have a way of tricking the mind and by strategically placing them around your home, you can make any room appear bigger than it actually is. Adding large mirrors to different rooms around the home offers a budget-friendly way of adding new dimensions to an area by reflecting the room back, giving the illusion of it being more spacious.

Modern Farmhouse

Comfy, cozy and full of welcoming charm; you don’t have to live in the countryside in order to appreciate the beauty of farmhouse decor. The key to mastering this interior style is to embrace the casual, rural, country vibe, then add in your own personal twists to create a unique and warm atmosphere that you won’t ever want to leave.

The casual feel associated with modern farmhouses is popular with those looking to spruce up their homes, with 420,232 dedicated boards on Pinterest.

The good news is that this popular interior theme doesn’t have to break the bank, here’s three ways you can incorporate modern farmhouse decor into your home for less:

Cover dated furniture

If investing in a new lightly-colored fabric or leather furniture is out of the question, a budget friendly alternative is to use furniture covers. You can easily cover your sofa and armchairs with the more affordable slipcovers, to achieve a crisp and natural modern farmhouse look for less.

Slipcovers fit snugly to your furniture and are also washable, making them the perfect solution for households with young children and pets.

Bring in branches

Farmhouse style is pretty neutral, and relies on natural elements like branches and wildflowers to add warmth and color. Florals are an important element to incorporate into any modern farmhouse design, otherwise your decor is at risk of appearing more contemporary than rustic.

You can arrange branches and wildflowers in inexpensive vases and position them around the house on mantles, coffee tables and dining room tables to add the modern farmhouse feel to your interiors.

Add wood and metal as art

From charity shops to vintage shops, you can find plenty of moderately-priced pieces that can be used to create statement artwork in your home.

An old wood window frame can be a perfect addition to your modern farmhouse interior in place of a painting that could cost more than double the price. Iron and metal pieces can also be sprayed in black to add contrast to the neutral and warm tones that come with the modern farmhouse aesthetic.

Contemporary

The contemporary style of decorating is defined by its simplicity, subtle sophistication, deliberate use of texture, and clean lines. Interiors tend to showcase space rather than objects, and this style is proving to be popular with 407,151 Pinterest boards of inspiration available to those looking to update their homes.

Whether you’re planning a simple makeover or a complete renovation, going for decor options that you can afford without sacrificing on style is the way to go. Add a splash of vibrant color

If you’re looking for a simple but cost-effective way to make your home more relaxing and contemporary, start by adding a splash of color. Vibrant colors can be incorporated into your home by simply purchasing a range of plants and flowers that can help to add bursts of targeted color within different areas of the home.

Placing flowers like orchids next to heavier pieces of furniture like bookshelves or beside a coffee table is an easy and budget-friendly way to create a contemporary feel in your home.

Contemporary bookshelves

Adding a contemporary-look bookshelf to your living or dining room, not only gives you extra storage space but it also adds a huge amount of personality. This is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to blend style and functionality in your home, without losing any of its aesthetic appeal.

Instead of focusing on books alone, contemporary style allows you to diversify your decor options by including plants, photos and artwork to your shelves.

Lighting

Taking into account how many light sources each room in your home will have is an important element when designing a contemporary feel home. The lighting you choose will need to make an impression with either pendant, sconces or table lamps.

To incorporate statement lighting on a budget, you should search for bargain pieces at charity and vintage shops. Second hand pieces can also benefit from DIY hacks such as spray painting to up-cycle the piece and create the illusion of a brand new accessory.

Eclectic

The eclectic style is defined by interiors with not only varied styles, but also a variety of eras, color palettes, and textures, and is popular with recent home renovations, boasting 404,655 boards on Pinterest. As eclectic pieces are often collected over time they can often result in a higher price tag, but these tips can show you that eclectic design can be accomplished affordably. Look for bargains

Incorporating key eclectic furniture and accessories into your home can be costly, that’s why it is important to shop for unique second-hand items at charity, vintage and thrift shops. A thrift shop find can easily be updated and restored to its best by carrying out a few simple DIY jobs such as deep cleaning or painting.

Waiting for store sales at the end of each season is another great way of purchasing pieces for your home, for a much more affordable price.

Mix textures

Incorporating both rough and smooth textures adds interest to an interior, especially when your space has a more simple color palette.

Consider investing in shaggy throw rugs or pillows, nubby or thick fabrics woven into furniture, and soft finishes on iron or other metals. Incorporating a mix of textures through accessories is a budget-friendly way to mix different design styles together. Add trim to your curtains

If you want to update your curtains but don’t have the budget to buy brand new ones, pay some attention to the curtains you already have and up-cycle them.You can update your curtains by adding an iron on trim to basic curtain panels, to give your curtains a new look that complements your eclectic design.

Get eclectic

Again, the eclectic design is perfect for anyone wanting to spruce up their interiors on a budget as it is often the easiest to replicate. Why? The look is all about mixing and not matching. Since there’s no need to find a specific style side table, or the exact color palette, shopping for furniture and décor will be much more affordable.

MORE STYLES TO CONSIDER...

Bohemian

French Country

Shabby Chic

Transitional

Minimalist