Bring Your Dated Decor Into The 21st Century With These 15 Affordable Changes

Home is where the heart is. It's a cliché, but it's true - and it's for this reason that we want to keep our homes looking their best. Usually, this involves keeping them spick and span, and, of course, turning them into extensions of our personalities; whether it be through photographs, displays, or the decor itself.

However, when it comes to decor, jazzing your home up can be an expensive endeavor. A kitchen which you forked out thousands for can, unfortunately, be left looking dated barely a decade later.

Fashion, in every area, is fast moving. But even if your abode is fitted out with an avocado bathroom suite, worry not. You have options that don't involve ripping the whole thing out and spending money you don't have.

So, without further ado, here are 15 totally affordable ways to update the decor in your home!

1. Jazz up your home's number

Credit: Esty / Home Decor by YaLe

You can make your mark on your property before you even step inside. They all have a number - even apartments. And you can easily make yours stand out with funky address numbers? They're available for just $3.99 + per letter on Esty.

2. A ceiling canopy

Credit: Hunted Interiors

While the kitchen might famously be the heart of the home, most of us can attest to spending most of our time in our bedrooms. So why not make yours feel like a five-star hotel with the addition of a ceiling canopy?

A full tutorial for this awesome and affordable upgrade can be found at Hunted Interiors.

3. Frosted films

Credit: Amazon

This is a perfect upgrade for two reasons. Firstly, if you've just moved into an apartment and your windows expose more than you'd like, it will give you much-needed privacy, and secondly, it looks fantastic - especially on cabinets!

Available on Amazon for just $12.79.

4. Furniture stencil

Credit: Amazon

A furniture stencil is a simple way to upgrade any dated looking furniture you might have. It also doubles as a hack, in a way, because if you chose wisely, you can use the stencil to tactically cover any marks and scratches!

They are available from Amazon in three different styles for $5.92.

5. Get a new faucet in your bathroom

Credit: Amazon

Seriously. It's a small change that can make a big difference. There are four finishes of the design above available on Amazon for $34.99+. The options for this one are limitless - although the design above is particularly cool.

6. Use a seagrass basket instead of a pot

Credit: Amazon

This is a great indoor alternative to a traditional ceramic plant pot. What's more is that it will help keep your home cleaner. Simply put your plant and its existing pot into the basket and voilà!

Available in six sizes from Amazon for $14.69.

7. Seagrass basket pendant lights

Credit: A Pair & A Spare

Not a plant person but still like the look of seagrass baskets? Well, if you purchase them anyway, you can follow a simple DIY to turn them into eye-catching pendant lights. The full tutorial is available at A Pair & A Spare.

8. Sheer curtains

Credit: Amazon

As much as heavy linen curtains can look good, if your home is on the smaller side, they can make it feel even smaller. Sheer curtains, on the other hand, serve exactly the same purpose and help to brighten up a room.

"I LOVE THESE! I was looking for something to brighten my apartment up and to make it feel bigger. I'm so, so, so glad I decided to go with these! I was so scared while opening them. I ordered four white 95-inch sets. I just threw them in the dryer for 2-3 minutes to de-wrinkle them and hung them. These are amazingly cheap for how nice they are! Definitely makes my apartment feel like HOME. I would recommend these to anyone." - Amazon Customer

They are available in nine sizes and fourteen colors on Amazon for just $14.99.

9. Hairpin legs

Credit: Amazon

As the pictures above demonstrate, replacing the legs on your furniture with hairpin ones can make a world of a difference - transforming a dated piece into something stylish, modern, and space saving to boot.

They are available in two sizes on Amazon and a set of four can be purchased for $21.99.

10. Marble contact paper

Credit: Amazon

Marble looks expensive, but you can create the same effect and transform your home for a fraction of the price.

"I used a little more than one roll for a quick makeover on an ugly fireplace in a rental apartment. It's easy to cover the tiles with the film. It makes a huge difference for minimal effort/price." - Amazon customer

You can purchase marble contact paper on Amazon from $7.53+.

11. Pastel Paint

Credit: Amazon

Pastel colors really are in these days and if you have an old oak piece of furniture, you can bring it into the 21st century with a few coats of it. Sure, it's effort, but as these pictures demonstrate, it really is worth it.

"I just moved and have been refinishing a lot of furniture to match my new design. This paint has been amazing. It only requires a little elbow grease (just washing furniture clean and a light sanding) and it's ready to paint and finish! So much easier than before requiring endless sanding and preparation. I did a large dresser with just half a can of this paint and it turned out great. Highly recommend." - Christina Gomes

There are 16 colors of pastel paint available on Amazon for $18.99.

12. Pillow covers

Credit: Amazon

Just like getting a new faucet, this is a small change which can make a big difference. Checked patterns are a good place to start if you're looking to modernize your home, but obviously, the options are limitless.

You can buy a two pack in 28 different styles/colors on Amazon for $11.99+.

13. A liquid stainless steel kit

Credit: Amazon

In an ideal world, most of us would invest in stainless steel appliances, but they are expensive. Luckily, there's a quick-fix alternative that can give you the same look without breaking the bank: a liquid stainless steel kit.

"Very pleased with the outcome. I followed the advice of other posts. I did a light sanding with the 600-grit paper since the microwave was shiny black plastic. I then hit it with one coat of Rust-oleum primer paint. I let that dry for 24 hours. BE PATIENT! This is NOT a one day project! I then did five coats of the base at it looked better and better with each coat. I did two coats of the top coat. $24 vs. $250 for a new unit was a win for me. Great product! BE PATIENT!!!" - Amazon Customer

Available on Amazon for $24.95. You can also buy a fridge kit too!

14. An ornate ceiling medallion

Credit: Amazon

If your current ceiling medallion is crumbling, this is easily one of the simplest and most stunning ways to upgrade your home. Who'd have thought that an item which costs a mere $10 could make such a difference?

There are two sizes available on Amazon for $9.99+.

15. Copper tape

Credit: Centsational Style

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, it's the personal touches which really make a home. And if you're looking to jazz up the existing photographs in yours, copper tape is a great and cheap idea.

A pack of four can be purchased from Centsational Style for $9.99.

So, the next time you're looking around your home and feeling glum because it's dated, you don't need to worry about not being able to afford to update it. Simply think smart with solutions like these and it'll be your dream abode again in no time!