With HomeTok, interior design IGs, and all the home blogs in between, it's easy to quickly get overwhelmed with Space Envy. Even if you spent hours upon hours perfecting your Pinterest aesthetic when you first moved in, things can start to feel real blah real fast when you’re a) spending a lot time inside thanks to WFH, and b) constantly falling in love with new decor trends.
But have no fear! Being head over heels for your home is possible, and you don’t even need to refinance your house to do it. A few simple tips and tricks can take a space from boring as a dorm room pre-move-in day to interior influencer design influencer-status in a jiffy—no HGTV makeover required. It can be as easy as investing in a shiny new bar cart or spending a few hours poppin' peel-and-stick tiles onto your existing flooring. And trust me, if I find these things easy to do, you will, too.
Whether you’re looking to make your home office feel a little less bleak (aren’t we all) or take your bedroom from confused college kid to hip young professional, here are 35 budget-friendly ways to freshen up a room on a cute lil budget. Prepare to want to stay home even more than you already do.
Put up a bookshelf.
Nothing brings a blank space to life quite like a bookshelf. There are just so many fun ways you can style them—with books (...duh), trinkets, art, food, wine, shoes, photos, or a combination of all of the above. If you need decorating inspo, we gotchu here.
Steelside Kendra Steel Etagere Bookcase
Add some trim.
Things are about to get fancy. A simple picture molding, beadboard, or any other wall trim will pay off big time when it comes to aesthetics. The added texture will draw eyes and add interest and depth. If your space is very small, you can focus this on one wall as a subtle accent in the same paint color as everything else. Or get Bridgerton-y with it and put up peel-and-stick wallpaper inside the picture frame moldings for extra pizzazz. What is this, Versailles? Maybe!
Birdeco Peel and Stick Pre-Cut Wall Molding Kit
Birdeco Peel and Stick Pre-Cut Wall Molding Kit
Bring in a new seat.
A standout chair can breathe new life into a room without taking up a ton of space, and if your apartment is as teeny as mine, you know how important that is. You can never go wrong with a comfy reading chair (which can, of course, always be used for Netflix binges) or a cute convertible chair if you want something that doubles as a place to nap (which…yeah, you do).
CB2 Stature Boucle Dining Armchair
Plug in an (actually nice) air freshener.
No, not the way-too-sweet-smelling plastic ones your Nana can't seem to get enough of. Chic air fresheners only for 2023. For an affordable option, check out the Wallflowers from Bath and Body Works—there are seemingly endless fragrance options and they diffuse super well in smaller rooms. If you’re down to ball out a lil, opt for a Pura: a smart diffuser you can control via an app on your phone.
Bath & Body Works Marble Wallflowers Fragrance Plug
Bath & Body Works Marble Wallflowers Fragrance Plug
Pura Smart Fragrance Diffuser
Hang some cute curtains.
Curtains have many purposes. Yes, they’re good for blocking out sunlight when you sleep past noon. And yes, they’re good for making sure none of your neighbors see you naked. But they also end a little sump’n sump'n in terms of decor. Curtains can soften up a room, make it look a little more put together, and add a pop of color all at the same time. They are also (typically) pretty affordable, and I love that for you and your wallet.
Sam's Club Member's Mark Window Panel Pair (52" x 108")
Upgrade your most-used piece of furniture.
Spend all day every day in bed? On your couch? Or sitting at your vanity trying out new makeup looks? Think about what piece of furniture you use most, and consider investing in something even better. You deserve the upgrade—and chances are it’s about time for one.
Edloe Finch Lyra Cane Rattan Bed
Two words: new knobs.
Want new furniture but can’t, you know, afford new furniture? Yeah, same. But there is a way for your old furniture to look brand new: changing up the knobs. A quick Google search will hook you up with hundreds of options you can screw right in to change up the entire lewk in less than 10 mins—most of which will cost you less than $10 a pop.
Rainbow order your reading materials.
Is there anything more beautiful that a bookshelf organized by the color of the rainbow? I think not. What’s better than color coordination?! The process of ROYGBIV-ing everything is also soothing af, and will help you remember exactly where that beach read that’s been on your TBR list is located next time you’re looking to pop it in your tote bag.
A Hundred Other Girls by Iman Hariri-Kia
Invest in cute tech.
Monitors, speakers, keyboards, extension cords, mice, and other necessary tech accessories aren’t always the chicest. BUT, some are. If you’re going to be looking at your electronics every day, you might as well make them aesthetically pleasing, so it’s damn well worth splurging on some actually attractive sh*t.
Hide your cords.
Speaking of ugly tech things, one of the biggest eyesores has to be cords—especially big tangles of them. But it doesn't have to be this way! Cord boxes exist, and they're designed to help manage, cover, and hide the cords around your TV, computer, kitchen products, and more. Grab a minimalistic pick, like the one you see here, and it'll blend right in to your aesthetic.
Buy yourself flowers.
You know, what Miley said. There's no reason why fresh flowers should only be expensed on special occasions, and there's even less reasons why you should wait for a romantic partner to purchase them for you. Go to Trader Joe's (or, if you don't want to leave the house, order some online), grab a few pretty stems that make you ~feel something~, and put 'em in a chic vase. Your day will instantly be better.
Put down peel-and-stick floor tiles.
Good flooring can completely change the look of a space. But ripping out your entire floor to put in something new is just… not something we all have the mental energy for in this day and age (is 2022 over yet?). That’s where these floor tiles come in. Available in dozens of different colors and chic patterns, these water-resistant vinyl tiles have a strong adhesive that can be pressed onto your existing flooring, securing them in place. The process is actually easy, I swear! Just make sure you follow the instructions on the package and have a ruler and utility knife on hand so you can trim the tiles to fit around corners and appliances.
FloorPops Morris Peel and Stick Floor Tiles
Swap in a frame TV.
It’s a picture frame! It’s a TV! It’s a frame TV! Here’s how it works: When your frame TV is on, it’s TV business as usual. When it’s off, it displays a masterpiece of your choice. The screen is equipped with a brightness sensor that adjusts to your room so it doesn’t look like a screen at all—it’s simply art surrounded by a frame whose style and color you can match to your home decor. It’s a liiiittle on the expensive side (typically a few hundred $ more than a standard TV of the same size), but it’s worth it for the #aesthetic. And you can change the art as often as you want, so it’ll never go out of style.
Invest in organizing products.
An organized home is a happy home, and If you’ve ever found yourself in deep on OrganizationTok or The Home Edit’s Insta page, you know there are a few key products that you *need* to keep clutter in check. These items include turntables, risers, bins, tiered racks, canisters, and so much more. Try out the iDesign collection by professional organizer Ria Safford, who has worked her magic in the homes of Chrissy Teigen, Paris Hilton, and other A-listers.
iDesign Acacia Wood and Wire 3-Tier Spice Rack
Diffuse your favorite scents.
Is there anything better than the feeling of turning on a new candle or incense stick? Probably not. Simply bringing a new scent into your space can give it new life without breaking ze bank. Oh, and bonus points if the incense holder or candle jar is aesthetically pleasing too.
SERENE HOUSE Supernova Electric Aromatherapy Diffuser
SERENE HOUSE Supernova Electric Aromatherapy Diffuser
Add a wash of color to the walls with removable wallpaper.
A renter-friendly hack: Add a pop of color to your walls by using removable wallpaper. It helps to highlight a wall in your living room or bedroom, and it can give your kitchen backsplash a more modern look with just a few sheets. The best part? Your landlord need not know.
Add! A! Bar! Cart!
Having a bar cart in your small apartment is basically the epitome of adulting. Instead of having all of your wine bottles and hard alcohol taking up space on your kitchen counters, opt for a simple bar cart to fill up that empty corner in the living room. Your place will become the new after-party spot (post-pandemic, of course).
Bring in a plant.
The smallest little bit of green life in your space can make the overall room aesthetic a lot nicer. And having to care for those plant bbs make you a more responsible human. So, overall, plants are wonderful!
Add a mirror.
Not only will you catch more glimpses of your beautiful self without turning your phone camera on, but you'll get more light bouncing around in the room, which can make a room look bigger.
Hang some wall art.
A bare wall is nice for people with an ultra-minimal design. But for the rest of us, they're a little dull. Hang one big piece, put up a few small items in an interesting way, or go all out and make a gallery wall. If framing artwork is out of your budget, you can get creative with washi tape and DIY printouts of pictures from le internet.
Change up your lighting scheme.
Overhead lighting is fine, but if it's your only light source, you could be doing better. Get a table lamp or a floor lamp to get light coming from different heights around your room. Candles are great for romantic mood lighting and can make your room smell phenom.
Rearrange your furniture layout.
I've been doing this since elementary school (weird flex?). Whenever I get bored with a room but don't have new furniture funds, I move everything around. And while some rooms only work with furniture organized one specific way, many can handle a radically different arrangement.
Lulu and Georgina Cultiver Linen Bedding, Duvet Set
Put down a rug.
A rug gives structure to a space wherever you throw it. In addition to softening footfall and adding warmth and texture to the floor, an area rug helps ground a room and the furniture in it (otherwise all your stuff is just sort of floating). Even a small rug in your kitchen or in your entryway can be a game-changer. Or you can layer multiple rugs in one space for added pattern and visual interest.
Accessorize a surface.
Accumulate knick knacks with caution, but when you have some surface space to play with, be it on your mantel, vanity, or bookshelf, it's always fun to add a few decorative accessories to make a vignette.
Toss a throw pillow on it.
A chair can go from being cold to inviting with just the addition of a comfy pillow. And as long as you have places to put them, pillows can go pretty much anywhere, from the floor to a bench to a sofa to a bed.
Add in some statement textures/fabrics.
An unexpected texture will def sprinkle a bit of added personality into your space. Try using pieces that aren't traditionally found in a certain form—whether it's a fuzzy fur rug, a velvet lampshade, or cowhide curtains like these ones.
Make your bed.
It sounds so dumb, but the payoff for doing this one super-tiny thing will be huge. For starters, you'll feel accomplished first thing in the morning. And when you're untucking everything to go to sleep, you'll feel so much nicer about life.
Obviously, it'll instantly make an untidy room look much neater.
Clean up after yourself in general.
Waiting to clean your room or your house until it's so shameful even you can't bear to see it anymore is maybe a bad strategy. Take a few minutes to put clothes away instead of leaving them on the floor or on your clothes pile chair; wipe off countertops each time they get disgusting (and not after, like, the 10th time), and clear up the clutter whenever it starts to build. You might not notice the impact it makes on your life on a daily basis, but it will be much less of a pain in the long run. Also, having a super-cute set of (sustainable!) cleaning products, like the below, is certainly encouraging.
Cleancult Liquid Laundry Detergent & Refillable Dispenser
Cleancult Liquid Laundry Detergent & Refillable Dispenser
Makeover your couch with a slipcover.
You won't believe the difference a simple couch slipcover can make! Just stretch one of these babies over your current sofa and voilá: It's like a brand new couch, but for much, much less. And if you happen to be an IKEA couch owner, I'm gonna need you to check out Bemz right now. You'll find tonsss of chic couch covers there that are made to fit IKEA designs, specifically.
Bemz IKEA Söderhamn 3 Seater Section Cover
Clock in.
Investing in a clock that looks dramatic as hell (in a cute way) is one method to start romanticizing your life. Why use your phone for time checks when you can stay informed with a stunning centerpiece that elevates your entire space?
SHISEDECO Hand Painted Modern Grandfather Clock
SHISEDECO Hand Painted Modern Grandfather Clock
Display your favorite memories.
A fast and easy way to make your space feel homier is by having framed photos out on display. Gather up all your favorite photographed memories and put them in some cool picture frames around the house. Presh!
crate and barrel Acrylic 5x7 Block Picture Frame
crate and barrel Acrylic 5x7 Block Picture Frame
Decorate with standout decor.
When it comes to interior design, don't be afraid to really go for it. Scattering your space with interesting decor is such a fun way to liven up a room. Sure, you could go for something as high energy as, say, a velvet couch. But grabbing something small, like a little architecturally shaped candle, for instance) gets the job done, too.
Dress up your "mundane" items.
A lot of our necessities can be...kind of an eyesore. Let's fix their aesthetic disruption with kinck knacks designed to make them look bougie-er than they are. Knick knacks like tissue box covers and bedazzled trash bins. Get into it, we can't let something like the need for a waste receptor ruin your room's vibes.
Hang up some floating shelves.
Do they save space? Yes. But they're also very cool to look at. These racks can hold anything from your crystals, to your jewelry, to your keys. Once they're on a "floating" platform, basically any and all items that are prone to making your room look messy instead look like art, totally intentional art,
Girl, put those records on.
Sure, throwing some music on via speaker may set a tone, but music played on a record player governs the whole damn vibe. It will add a fun vintage touch—plus the actual record collection you'll accumulate will so look cool and cultured.
Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player
Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player
Hannah Chubb is the lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.
Annabel Iwegbue is an assistant editor at Cosmopolitan where she primarily covers lifestyle and fashion. Before joining Cosmo, she covered entertainment at Harper's Bazaar, The Knockturnal, and Black Film. She's originally from Charleston, South Carolina, and is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Cinema Studies from New York University. You can check out some of Annabel’s work here and also find her on Instagram and Twitter.
