The Best $500 You Can Spend on Home Upgrades, According to Interior Designers

Laura Gariepy

Sat, Jul 13, 2024, 7:04 PM 4 min read

You love your house, but the truth is, it’s looking a little shabby. It’s been quite a while since you invested the money, time or elbow grease to make it shine.

Fortunately, restoring your residence’s beauty doesn’t have to break your budget or take too much effort. GOBankingRates spoke with interior design experts for their take on the best $500 — or less — you can spend on home upgrades.

Advertisement: High Yield Savings Offers

Their guidance will help you make your house feel comfortable and inviting again — all while avoiding home trends that are a waste of money. Keep reading to see their tips!

Boost Curb Appeal

“Add fresh landscaping elements [such as] mulch, new foliage and solar lighting. If you have any budget dollars [left over], paint your door a pop of color, highlighting the rest of the landscaping,” said Jodi Peterman, CEO and owner of Elizabeth Erin Designs.

Change Window Treatments

Updated curtains or nice blinds can add a refreshing touch to a room — and save you money on your utility bills, too.

Paige Warrington, a reconstruction project coordinator at ASAP Restoration, said, “Summer heat is fun when you’re playing by the pool, but when it’s cooking your home through the windows, it’s something we can all do without. To avoid the extremes that having unshaded windows can create, simply get some nice shades, curtains or drapes and prevent those rays from heating up your home.”

Switch Out Indoor Lighting

“Lighting is a great way to highlight portions of your home that may be lacking the attention you want them to get,” said Al Ruggie, marketing director at ASAP Restoration. “A great lamp can be a talking point and provide extra illumination in a dark area of your home. A ceiling light can make the entire room feel bigger and more open.”

He pointed out that the color of your lighting can also play a significant role in the way your home feels.

Swap Kitchen Hardware

You probably spend a lot of time in your kitchen, so minor upgrades can make a major difference.

“Your kitchen is one of the places where people spend the most time doing tasks and enjoying company,” said Joshua Rudin, clean trust certified renovator at ASAP Restoration. “So, when you have dated and unattractive hardware on your cabinetry, it says something about how you view the space.

“Upgrading your hardware can not only make your kitchen look like it just got a multi-thousand dollar refresh, but it can also make the cabinets in your kitchen space more enjoyable for you, too.”

Paint a Room

Greg Roth, senior interior designer at Home Front Build, said, “A fresh coat and color of paint can make a huge difference in how a space feels, looks and is lived in. Light reacts to different colors in sometimes unexpected ways, which can really make a space you know well feel like it’s completely new!

“Keep in mind, though — to do the job right, preparation is key. Patch and sand as needed, then apply a quality primer,” Roth continued.

Buy Second-Hand Décor

“Flea markets and thrift stores are amazing resources for inexpensive ways to change things up. It may take some time to train your eye to find the treasures, but they are out there. Stick to it, and you may be amazed at how you can transform your home without depleting your finances,” said Roth.

Plants and wall art are among the best things to spend money on for home upgrades.

Beautify Your Residence for Free

If you want to improve the look of your home but you’re short on cash, Peterman offered these free beautification strategies:

Declutter your rooms.
Organize the belongings you need or want to keep.
Do a deep clean: Bleach tile grout, degrease cabinetry and wash things that tend to get overlooked, like light switch plates.
Touch up the wall and trim paint with materials you already have in your shed or garage. Make sure you clean the surface first!
Scrub your windows and let natural light fill your rooms.

Roth added, “Move around the furniture! Many designers will tell you that they spent plenty of time during their childhoods rearranging the furniture in their room or family home. Take a moment to consider how your furnishings look and feel in your home, and see if you can conceive of a new arrangement that brings a fresh perspective to the spaces. Even relocating artwork or photographs can shift things for you.”

Peterman noted that 85% of contracted remodel projects exceed their budgets by 25% or more and still aren’t what homeowners envisioned. “Make sure to set your budget and make your plan, so you don’t fall victim,” she said.

More From GOBankingRates