6 Free Ways to Curb Your Redecorating Cravings

Written by

Caroline Biggs
Caroline Biggs
Caroline is a writer living in New York City. When she’s not covering art, interiors, and celebrity lifestyles, she’s usually buying sneakers, eating cupcakes, or hanging with her rescue bunnies, Daisy and Daffodil.
published May 29, 2019
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Summer is almost here and for some of us, that means having a little extra free time to revamp our home interiors. But what to do when our budgets aren’t as generous as our schedules? Fret not my redecorating-deprived friends. We put our thinking caps on and uncovered a slew of simple ways to refresh your space—completely free of charge. Don’t believe us? Read ahead for six clever decorating ideas you can do today for free.

Credit: Lauren Logan

1. Rearrange Your Textiles

Stockpiling a slew of throw pillows in your living room and bedroom? Good news: You can swap them from one room to another, along with your throws and rugs, to spruce up your space for free, like in this maximalist Austin, Texas home designed by Maureen Stevens.

2. Switch Around Wall Decor

A new piece of wall art can instantly transform the entire vibe of your space. Give your place a quick (and free) refresh by rearranging and swapping out the wall decor in various rooms of your home, like we saw in our House Tour Editor Adrienne Breaux’s New Orleans abode.

Credit: Max Maloney

3. Swap Out All Your Hardware

A little hardware goes a long way when revamping a room. Case in point: Gina Gutierrez and Max Maloney’s San Francisco kitchen. Give your kitchen and bathroom a complimentary facelift by switching out all of the drawer pulls and cabinet knobs between them.

Credit: Rebecca U.

4. Style Your Bookshelves

Believe it or not, your bookshelves are ripe with design opportunity. Whether you organize your books by spine color or dress up your shelves with your favorite decorative objects, a well-styled bookshelf, like the one we saw in Becca and Doug’s California home, can elevate the ambience of a room in seconds with things you already own.

Credit: Jenna Lauren

5. Move Your Furniture Around

Never underestimate the aesthetic impact of a new furniture layout. When you find yourself low on time and funds, consider rearranging your living room furniture or swapping out some dining chairs with any extra seating you might have on hand, like Sophie Leger did in her New Brunswick home, to rejuvenate a room for free.

6. Reorganize Your Bathroom Counter

When all else fails you can always rearrange the stuff around your sink to give your bathroom a fast and free makeover. Reorganize your cosmetics by color or size or simply corral them all in an eye-catching vessel (like Simran Winkelstern did inside her West Hollywood home) to update your bathroom in no time.