How to give your home a budget-friendly makeover

Want to give your home a fresh lease of life but worried about costs? Well, it’s a common misconception that refreshing the look of a home is an expensive affair. From DIY ideas to a full-fledged renovation, it’s all about details and creative ideas that are easy on the pocket. Therefore, if you are on a shoestring budget, these creative strategies can help you to achieve a stunning look without breaking the bank. However, before starting any renovation project, make sure to create a realistic budget so that one can save money.

1. Organize the Furniture Layout

Reorganize the existing furniture layout so that the space looks well organized and there is adequate circulation space within the home. Moving the furniture away from the walls is highly recommended to create intimate seating in the living room. Add smart storage and introduce floating shelves to optimum use of the vertical space. For a clutter-free look, increase the built-in storage with modular storage units, storage beds, sofa-cum-beds to name a few. It is highly recommended to purchase practical and functional pieces of furniture from affordable brands.

Designer: ECRU STUDIO

2. Add a Pop of Colour

Wall paint is a cost-effective way to refresh the look of any space. It’s always good to choose a color palette that can create a cohesive look within the home. Go for a bold color or a light color scheme for a compact space to uplift the look. Turn an empty wall into a focus wall by painting it in a bold hue or add a pop of color to one or two accent pieces of furniture and style a neutral space. Breathe new life into old furniture by sanding and repainting it. Patterned or textured wallpaper creates an accent feature behind the bed. Using metallic finishes in gold and silver hues can instantly upgrade the look of any space.

Designer: Regan Baker Design

3. Invest in Soft Furnishings

Enhance the look of the interiors with soft furnishings. Replace old throw pillow covers with bright new cushion covers to add a pop of color. Mix and match colors and create an interesting composition and combine squares and design. Change the cushions with seasons. For example, use delicate floral prints for the spring season and deep colors alongside heavy texture for winter. Reupholstering furniture can freshen the home’s look, and choose drapery that complements the room’s furniture and overall color palette.

Designer: Sweef

4. Add Moulding

Decorate the home with Victorian-style moulding on the walls and ceiling to elevate the look of the interiors. Also, consider wainscoting to upgrade the look of blank walls, as it can work wonders in any room.

5. Introduce Wall Art

Create a statement gallery wall and decorate a bare or empty corner with wall art, photographs, porcelain plates, personal artwork, or a visually arresting painting. Choose frames that work together and create an art gallery-style wall display.

Designer: Lenka Daviesova

6. Accessorize the Home

Create an interesting vignette on coffee tables, consoles, and empty corners. Having a centerpiece with the color and fragrance of fresh or artificial flowers alongside candles, trays, trinkets, and tchotchkes is always wonderful. Source budget-friendly home décor items from antique shops, online portals, and stores during their annual sales. Avoid too many accessories and invest in large-size art to create a grand and impactful space. Style bookshelves by arranging books according to size or color and add art alongside mementos to add character.

Click Here to Buy Now: Modular Flower Tubes ($149)

7. Replace Unsightly Items

Rusted faucets and unattractive hardware like door knobs, drawer pulls, or handles can be an eyesore, so one must polish them to retain shine and sparkle. Alternatively, one can replace these damaged pieces with new sanitary fixtures and stylish hardware and give a brand-new look to the home.

8. Introduce Mirrors

Mirrors are not only meant for the bathroom vanity and dressing table, but they also have the potential to create the illusion of extended space. Install a mirror in a narrow entryway or the end of the hallway to make it look doubly spacious. If the room is dimly lit, place a mirror opposite a window so that it reflects natural light and provides outdoor views throughout the day.

Designer: AC/AL Studio for Petite Friture

9. Add an Area Rug

Introduce an area rug, as it is one of the easiest ways to add interest, color, and texture. Additionally, it demarcates areas in an open-plan home, adds softness, creates a layered effect, and changes the aesthetics of the space.

Designer: Jaipur Rugs

10. Good Lighting

It is important to find the right balance between natural and artificial light. Introduce a layered lighting scheme with a combination of ambient or general lighting, task lighting or focus lighting, and accent lighting to add depth. Swap uninspiring light fixtures with new ones; add dimmers to change the overall mood of the space and give it a quick makeover. From chandeliers and pendant lights to artistic sconces, consider statement wall lighting to conjure a warm aura and transform them into focal points in your home.

Click Here to Buy Now: Starry Wreath ($99)

11. Get Organized

Decluttering does not cost money, and less is always more. The first step is to clean the home and get organized. A clutter-free space looks very nice, and keeping the house clean is one of the most inexpensive ways of upgrading the look of the home. Cut the clutter, as cluttered spaces can look heavy and feel claustrophobic. Add a few pieces that can help in creating an organized space and reduce the number of accessories, display items, flowers, and so on. Before buying new items for your home, always remove outdated or damaged items from the house.

Click Here to Buy Now: Quick-Access Organizer ($69)

12. Upgrade Old Flooring

The flooring design and flooring material sets the tone of the interiors. Replace a shabby floor with laminated wooden flooring, linoleum, or vinyl flooring, as they are budget-friendly, lightweight, and can be laid directly onto the existing flooring. Roll out bright carpets and rugs to enhance the look of drab flooring but remember carpets tend to trap dust and should be vacuum cleaned frequently.

Designer: IM Wooden Floor

13. Conceal Messy Wires

Wire management has become a challenge as more and more electronic devices enter our homes. You can invest in a cable management box, bundle cords behind the furniture, run the TV wires inside the wall, tuck them into tubing, or insert them through baseboard accessories. It makes the house look clean and organized.

14. Go Green

Plants add color and texture and are an inexpensive way to accessorize interiors. They not only rejuvenate our homes by providing oxygen but also come with excellent air-purifying properties. Introduce hanging plants and succulents, or style them on a beautiful stand or in handcrafted planters. Large potted plants are a great way to fill dead corners and empty spaces and make a huge difference to the décor. One can also get inspired by nature and introduce materials like rattan, bamboo, jute, and wood into the home decor.

Designer: Studio Doss

15. Upgrade the Bathroom

If the bathroom looks dull and dreary, upgrade its look with a bright and colorful shower curtain that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Infuse sophistication and make a statement with a head-turning mirror. Additionally, you can add color and pattern with waterproof peel-and-stick decals on the tiles of the bathroom and even the kitchen tiles.

Designers: Fabio Bortolani, Ermano Righi, Gergely Agoston, RD Agape for Agape Design

The post How to give your home a budget-friendly makeover first appeared on Yanko Design.

Best rug and carpet materials for your home

Rugs and carpets infuse color, texture, and softness and quickly transform any space. In addition, they play a functional role, like offering protection to the flooring, sound absorption, and insulation. Rugs and carpets are available in modern, transitional, and traditional designs and different weaving styles like hand-knotted, hand-tufted, flat weave, and handloom. One can pick from various colors, patterns, shapes, textures, weave types, and materials.

When buying a rug, one must consider its material because it determines the look, durability, softness, and ideal placement area. Note that rugs with a flatter pile height or thickness are more durable, easier to maintain, and clean than thicker rugs that provide a cozier underfoot. There are two categories of rug materials like natural fibers and synthetic fibers. Learn about the individual characteristics of each material and choose the one that is best suited for your space.

Natural Carpet Fiber

1. Wool

Wool is a warm, luxurious material with soft piles and rich fibers that provide excellent comfort. It is ultra-durable and springs back when compressed. In addition, wool is flame, stain, and crush-resistant, which makes it suitable for homes with kids and pets. Since sheep’s natural oils are resistant to dust and dirt, wool rugs will always be thick and colorful. As a precaution, avoid using wool rugs in damp and moist areas, as it tends to absorb moisture and is susceptible to mold and mildew. Wool carpets are available in beautiful colors in hand-knotted and hand-tufted varieties. It has excellent sound absorption and insulating properties and provides a cozy underfoot. However, one drawback of wool is that it tends to shed for a few months but eventually settles down. These rugs suit high-traffic areas like the entryways and the living room.

Designer: Gordon Rug Company

2. Cotton

Cotton is a versatile material that is used for making soft-weave rugs that provide a relaxed, natural look alongside a soft underfoot. These rugs are affordable, durable, and easy to clean and are also available in reversible designs that can renew the look of the space. Cotton can absorb colors and dyes well but is highly absorbent and has a shorter lifespan. Use these in areas like the kitchen, children’s room, and casual spaces, as these rugs are prone to staining and fading but can be easily cleaned in the washing machine.

Designer: Thrifty Treasure

3. Silk

Silk is one of the most expensive rug materials that fuses elegant shimmer and luxurious softness — and looks nothing less than a work of art. These rugs have more knots per square inch, resulting in beautiful intricate details that look glamorous. It is soft and delicate but has low durability and requires high maintenance. Silk can permanently stain, so it should be cleaned professionally.

One can combine silk and wool fibers to achieve the look of silk with more durability, making it easier to maintain. Bamboo silk is an alternative to silk rugs and is best suited for the bedroom and low-traffic areas as its delicate fibers are prone to wear and tear.

Buy From: Hadi Maktabi

4. Natural Rustic Rugs

Invite nature and a sense of calm into your home with natural rustic rugs like jute and sisal. These rugs are textured, affordable, and can be dyed in earth tones. They are hand woven by local weavers, are extremely durable, and have a prickly texture that can massage the barefoot. The organic weave rugs have a rope-like construction, so it does not hold allergens. Alongside, the material is extremely durable and adds an earthy vibe to the space. Jute is not recommended for the outdoors as it can get wet, may result in mold growth, and does not do well with direct sunlight.

Jute

Designer: Jaipur Rugs

Sisal

Designer: Floorspace

Seagrass rugs are durable, resistant to stains, fade-resistant, and available in limited color options as they do not dye well. As seagrass grows in water, it is resistant to moisture and is suitable for the outdoors and medium-traffic areas.

Designer: Floorspace

Hemp is resistant to dirt, water, and allergens, making them perfect for high-traffic areas or homes with pets. These rugs have a muted, lustrous sheen and are hand-woven or loomed to give them a coarse texture.

Designer: Janine Myska

5. Leather

The organic texture and timeless elegance of leather add richness to a traditional, transitional, and modern décor. Hides like leather and sheepskin are soft, durable, and easy to clean but unsuitable for damp and humid areas. These rugs look best when layered with other rugs and make a refined addition in bedrooms, offices, dens, and entertainment areas. It is commonly used as a throw on a sofa or chair for extra warmth and comfort.

Sheepskin rugs are expensive and suitable for low-traffic areas as they have an organic outline and a long plush pile.

Fur

Designer: The Nordic Hide Collection

Cowhide and leather can be introduced in high-traffic areas as they are comparatively easier to maintain.

Leather

Designer: ObjectsHQ

Synthetic Carpet Fibers

Synthetic materials are affordable; they mimic the look and feel of natural rug materials and are woven on a machine loom. These rugs are affordable, easy to clean, and stain resistant but may not be eco-friendly. One can introduce these rugs in the hallway, high-traffic areas, and the outdoors, like pool areas, patios, and basements. Note that synthetic fibers do not fade in sunlight, but one drawback is that oil stains are difficult to clean.

1. Viscose

Viscose is also known as rayon. It mimics the smooth texture and low silk pile and has an exquisite sheen. However, it is delicate and needs careful cleaning, as it is prone to shedding, especially if it comes in contact with water.

Designer: benuta

2. Nylon

Nylon offers a soft touch. It is high-performance and one of the most forgiving rug materials. These carpets are affordable, durable, and stain and abrasion resistant. In addition, it has elasticity, does not lose shape, and can hold heavy weight. Since it dries quickly, it is perfect for the bathroom and outdoor areas.

Designer: RugSmith

3. Polyester

Polyester is woven in a loop or cut loop and is not elastic like other synthetic rug materials. It is soft, stain-resistant, and fade-resistant, but the biggest drawback is that it can flatten if heavy furniture is placed on it.

Designer: Momeni Rugs

4. Polypropylene

Also known as olefin, polypropylene fibers mimic the look of wool and are resistant to mold and mildew. This material is highly durable, water resistant, easy to clean, and can withstand indoor and outdoor weathering. However, one disadvantage is that it is highly flammable and should not be used in areas like the kitchen. Polypropylene rugs are available in bold and trendy patterns, are affordable, and are perfect for creating a cozy, bright, and stylish space.

Designer: Theory of Living

If you love fur rugs but don’t want to use real animal hide, then acrylic rugs are a guilt and cruelty-free alternative to leather rugs. In addition, these rugs add warmth, look sophisticated, are stain-resistant and moisture-resistant, and are highly recommended for cold climates or the winter season.

Designer: Everything Beautiful Store

5. Recycled Rugs

The eco-friendly rugs are made from yarn that is spun from recycled plastic. These hand-woven rugs are stain-resistant, hard-wearing, and perfect for high-traffic areas.

Designer: Interiors from Spain

Choose the most suitable rug material to pull the décor together and create a warm and inviting space.

The post Best rug and carpet materials for your home first appeared on Yanko Design.

This rug doubles up as seating – we can’t get enough it’s transforming furniture design!

Who isn’t fascinated by transforming furniture designs? I love watching how furniture can serve multiple purposes by simple actions like a pull of a string or folding of a flap. My latest love in the realm of (furniture) transformers is FLUP – a multifunctional furniture piece that is both a rug and a seat! Furniture designs like FLUP are perfect for smaller living spaces, especially with the growing tiny house movement.

In the unfolded position, FLUP works like a conventional mat or rug on which we can sit or step without interrupting the movement of people through the space. It transforms from plane to volume, from floor to space while changing the function with its shape. In the folded position, it works as a piece of minimal furniture – it can be used as a pouf, an auxiliary seat, a footrest, a nightstand, etc.

flup1

It is a perfect example of space-saving furniture. What makes it better is that there is no assembly required, it is a singular element that transforms with folds into another object like origami. With micro-apartments and being the new trend, flexible and lightweight furniture designs like FLUP are super handy. It is minimal, multifunctional and can be flat-packed for storage – there is no reason to not love FLUP!

Designer: Sergio Roca

flup2

flup3

flup4

Cleverly Crafted Tom & Jerry Flattened Tom Stair-Runner Rug

Inspired by a scene from a classic Tom & Jerry cartoon where Tom gets crushed paper-thin on the stairs by a giant Jerry, artist rugsoda has created an almost identical likeness of Tom in the form of this ‘Flat Cat’ stair-runner rug. It’s the perfect rug for letting guests know there may be a mouse ready to bonk you on the head with an oversized mallet around any corner.

Each $200 rug is handmade and measures 22″ x 55″, the perfect size to recreate flattened Tom from the cartoon scene, and I just bought one. Should I be really be buying $200 rugs? My wife says no, but my bank account says PAYMENT DECLINED: INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.

There’s no denying the flattened Tom rug is cool, but what I’d really like to see is a flattened Wyle E. Coyote rug and a coffee table on top that looks like an ACME anvil. How amazing would that be? Shoot, with ideas this good I should probably get some interior design business cards printed.

Optical Illusion floor-rug makes it looks like you have a gaping hole in the ground!

The Tik-Tok possibilities are endless!

Meet the Round Void, a floor mat that should definitely give your guests a mild shock and your landlord a mini heart-attack! Designed to look like you’ve got a circular hole in your floor, this woolen rug is for people with a sense of decor, and a sense of humor. The two-tone rug comes in black, with a crescent-shaped grey zone, designed to complete the illusion of a black void in the thick floor when you look at it at the right angle. The illusion works best on grey floors, but I suppose any sort of floor would really do the trick. Just place the mat at a crucial passage-way and watch your friends and family do a double-take as they suddenly feel like they’re about to step into a massive hole, only to later realize it’s an optical illusion and not a portal into the underworld. Happy Pranksgiving!

Designer: Scott Jarvie for Delupo

Click Here to Buy Now

Click Here to Buy Now

Star Trek Rugs Add a Little Space to Your Floor

From 1998 to 2008, the Las Vegas Hilton featured an attraction called Star Trek: The Experience. I remember going to it during a Vegas vacation, and it was quite cheesy- but in a good way. But if you have fond memories of it, or just want to bring a little bit of Trek into your home, check this out.

It turns out that after the attraction closed, they sold off a bunch of never-used carpet remnants, and someone has turned these into sweet space-themed area rugs. The custom-made carpeting features a repeating pattern of a starship’s windows looking out into space, and would look great in any geeky living space. As a bonus, since the carpet was designed for use in a casino, they’re made for high-traffic wear, and should last a very long time.

Etsy seller YourHouseWins is selling the area rugs in sizes ranging from 2×2′ up to 6×9′, with prices starting at $175 for a single space window, up to $995 for the biggest area rug. So set your wallet to stun, and head over to Etsy if you want to add a cool piece of Star Trek memorabilia to your room.

 

Hodor Doormat Stops Dirt from Entering Your Castle

One of the best characters in Game of Thrones was Hodor. He was a simple-minded brute that carried Bran around after the was tossed off the tower by Jamie. We’ve seen Hodor door stoppers in the past, and now here’s something else for your Hodor fans.

This Hodor doormat won’t help you hold the door unless you jam it in there, but it will protect your entryway from the dirt and goo that should stay outside. It’s made mostly from that scratchy coconut fiber with a little soft PVC thrown in.

Other than the “HODOR HODOR HODOR” part, it’ looks like your basic doormat to us. It’s 17″ x 29″ and can protect your home for $24.99 at ThinkGeek.

KFC Colonel Sanders Bearskin Rug: Whatthef*cky Fried Chicken

If you’re looking for a creepy gift for the KFC lover in your life this Valentine’s Day, this Colonel Sanders Bearskin rug will be a gift they never ever forget. It’s not real bearskin, so don’t worry PETA. Still, that doesn’t make it any less horrifying.

Okay, I lied. You can’t really get your hands on one. Apparently, three of the rugs were given away in separate Reddit contests where entrants had to draw, Photoshop, or write the rug into a scene. This would be great for couples who love sitting by the fire and eating some greasy KFC with some champagne. And if you get it on, it’s technically a threesome since the Colonel is under you.

But hey, if you like eating greasy chicken and then doing the nasty on top of a Colonel Sanders bearskin rug, you have some problems. I’m not judging, but seriously, get some help. There’s nothing sexy about greasy chicken. Or the Colonel.

What does it say about their food that they have to sell it using stuff like this? I’m just saying, if people wanted it, it would sell itself. What’s wrong with you KFC?

[via The Daily Meal via Geekologie]

Aladdin Magic Carpet Rug Flies into Your Wallet and Grabs $70

If you have kids or a fondness for Disney films you probably know that a live-action version of Aladdin is coming later this year. That means kids will be wanting to fly around on magic carpets, and who can blame them. Now they can have a rug that looks just like the magic carpet from the original animated film.

The rug measures 39″ x 70″ and is made from 100% polyester. It has 4-inch yarn tassels on each corner, certain to get slurped up by your vacuum.

The Aladdin Magic Carpet Rug is available to purchase right now at ThinkGeek. It’s not cheap at $69.99, and you should know it doesn’t fly unless your UPS driver goes really fast on his way to deliver it.

You Can Now Buy Star Wars IV’s Opening Crawl As A Floor Runner

IT IS A PERIOD OF CIVIL WAR…and so on.

If you’re the type of person whose man-cave is already decked out wall-to-wall in sci-fi movie posters, and shelves storing your valued collectibles, than maybe it’s time to work on that bare wood floor. Think about all that valuable space that’s just sitting there, not yet geekified.

Well, you can kiss your worries away with the Star Wars: Title Crawl Floor Runner. It’s like any other floor runner, but this one will let everyone know where you stand on the issue of “Who shot first?”.  Its comes in at 26″ wide x 77″ long, is made from Polyester Pile.

It’s available for $40 from ThinkGeek, and personally, I think it would look really cool in anyone’s collection of Star Wars memorabilia.

ThinkGeek ]

Hit the jump for more shots.