You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to give your old, traditional home a touch of modernity. For some small ways to upgrade an older home, keep reading. These simple ideas are quick and practical, and they can make the interior of your home look brand new.
Add a Fresh Coat of Paint
A fresh coat of paint is a quick, inexpensive way to completely transform your home. You can get paintbrushes and cans of paint at your local hardware store. If your room feels bland, you can incorporate an eye-catching, colorful accent wall, or if you’d prefer something neutral, go for a light gray or a soft pastel blue. You don’t need to stop at your walls, either. You can use any leftover paint to paint your kitchen tiles or wooden furniture or even to give your older decor items a touch-up.
Work with Your Old Utilities and Loose Cords
Your air conditioning and heating unit and other old, outdated utilities can clash with your home’s modern aesthetic, as can partially or fully exposed cables. There are two ways to deal with these visual eyesores: either hide them or transform them. For example, if you’re dealing with a rusty beige-colored baseboard heater, you can give it new life by painting it or, if you’re looking for a more permanent solution, fit it with a cover.
Hiding cords can be easy or hard, depending on where they’re placed. Your TV wires are a simple fix. Hook them to the back of your furniture, feed them through a TV stand, or find creative ways to hide them in plain sight. You can tuck other cords into tubing, slip them into a drawer, or even snake them through baseboard accessories.
Add New Lighting
Replacing your light fixtures is another small way to upgrade an older home. Your old recessed lighting is hot and uses more electricity than you’d probably like. Swapping it with LED fixtures is a great way to make your home look fantastic and save hundreds, if not thousands, on electricity. You can get nice, new light fixtures for a great price at furniture stores, home and garden stores, or, if you’re feeling frugal, your local thrift shop. Modern branch chandeliers and fixtures made from glass are some popular, contemporary options. If you’re crafty, you can even make your own simple light fixtures using leftover mason jars or light bulbs.