13 Budget-Friendly Updates to Modernize Your Home

If you’re wondering how you can modernize your home, then you’ve found yourself in the right place. Our townhouse was built in the 1980’s and was in need of some major updates when we moved it. The kicker? We were newlyweds, still young in our careers and a bit low on cash.

Surprisingly, there are so many things that can be done to update an old house without the breaking the bank! Here are 13 quick and easy budget-friendly updates to help modernize your home:

1. Update switch plates on outlets and vents
2. Paint the walls (and furniture too!)
3. Replace or update old doors
4. Change out door knobs and hinges
5. Update light fixtures
6. Remove carpet and replace with hardwood or laminate flooring
7. Paint varnished wood trim and doors white
8. Paint stair railings
9. Replace old blinds in living room, kitchen and bedroom
10. Paint kitchen cabinets and replace hardware (knobs, handles and hinges!)
11. Replace older appliances (when ready)
12. Don’t keep previous owner’s items (old chandeliers, paint colors and other trinkets must go with them)
13. Choose decor wisely!

13 Budget-Friendly Updates to Modernize Your Home

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1. Update switch plates on outlets and vents

Those old, ivory switch plates and electrical outlets have got to go! This is something that can be done immediately upon moving in or overtime as you tackle updating each room. We’ve been updating our switch plates overtime as we modify each of the rooms in our townhouse.

2. Paint the walls (and furniture too!)

Painting the walls is one of the easiest and fastest ways you can modernize the look of your home. Say good-bye to the pink and blue pastels of the 80s and hello to neutral grays and beige. Along with walls, you can also paint furniture such as old bathroom vanities or fireplace mantles.

Below is a before and after of our bathroom. We repainted the medicine cabinet mirror, walls and vanity and just recently had the countertop replaced. We went with Benjamin Moore paint colors White Dove for the trim and vanity and Healing Aloe for the wall color.

3. Replace or update old doors

Doors can get pretty worn down over the years, so why not spruce these up with a fresh coat of paint too? If you have louver bifold doors in your bathroom, you might consider replacing them altogether to avoid the hassle of cleaning and painting them. You can purchase newer ones, like these ones from Lowes, that come in a white pine finish (so if you’re feeling lazy, you can get away without painting them right away).

Total cost for the set of new doors is just under $200 and in my opinion, worth it. Here is a few of the original doors in our bathroom followed by a view of the updated doors.

4. Change out door knobs and hinges

Gold door knobs and hinges are simply a look of the past. Try switching these out for matte black, chrome or bronze. There are so many options nowadays you can’t go wrong! Depending on the knobs you choose, this update could get a little pricey but consider it one of those updates you do as you move from room to room. You’ll appreciate it in the long run.

The key is to do these updates over time, so you’re never dropping a ton of money all at once.

Our Little Home Style

5. Update lighting fixtures to modernize home

One of the very first things we did was update the lighting fixtures in the kitchen, bathrooms and hallway. We did this for two reasons:

1. The new lights were more aesthetically pleasing
2. The old lights were too dim and provided little to no light

In total, over the past four years we have added a farmhouse style lantern in the stairwell, changed out both lighting fixtures in the bathrooms, updated two lights in the kitchen and added a dining room light.

6. Remove old carpet

If you’re 1980’s house looks anything the way ours did, then you already know the moss green carpet needs to go. Replacing carpet with newer carpet is by far the most cost-effective option, however hardwood will add the most value to your home. We replaced the dining room and living room carpet with hardwood flooring and replaced the stairs and bedrooms with newer neutral colored carpet (you can see how we’ve decorated the dining room here).

For an in-between option, you may want to also look into laminate flooring. This type of flooring is generally less expensive than hardwood and looks just as nice. This is also a durable option for those who have pets too!

7. Paint varnished trim white

In the 80s, varnished wood trim was very popular. In the millennium, varnished trim make the home feel darker and smaller. Painting the trim in your home white will instantly brighten up the space and help give your home a more modern look. Below is a before of what my daughter’s room looked like with the varnished wood trim and original wall color followed by the after.

8. Paint stair railings

This is similar to the last update mentioned here. Painting the stair railings white can also help improve the appearance of your older home. This is some-what time consuming but would be well worth your time (it is on my list for sure – however may take some convincing of my husband to tackle it with me!).

9. Replace old blinds and shades in living room, bedrooms and kitchen

Overtime, blinds and shades get dirty, dull and outdated. Try replacing the blinds or shades to something more modern that won’t sacrifice the practicality of them either. You also may not even need to replace them depending on where they were and the function they served.

We removed blinds from the sliding doors that were left by the previous owner. They were old, dirty and unnecessary. We added some simple curtains from Home Goods and use those to provide privacy in the evening.

10. Paint kitchen cabinets and replace hardware (knobs, handles and hinges)

Depending on your budget, this is an update you can absolutely tackle yourself or hire out. Painting oak cabinets white or gray will help bring your home into the current ages.

Some exciting news for us – we are having our cabinets painted in September and I CANNOT WAIT! I’ll be sharing updates on the blog and social media. If you’re debating having your cabinets painted, then make sure to subscribe to my blog to learn more about the process and to see how they turn out!

11. Replace older appliances (when you need to)

Not everyone has the luxury of replacing outdated appliances when you first move into a home – and that’s okay! There are so many other small yet impactful updates you can make to your home that you won’t need to worry about those old appliances just yet. Once you’re able to financially afford new appliances (or once the stove kicks the bucket), make the change and invest.

12. Don’t keep the previous owner’s old items

If you don’t want your home to look like its from the 1980s, then absolutely do not keep items that were made in the 1980s in your home. If the seller offers to give you their older furniture for free, it’s most likely because it will cost them more money and hassle to have it moved than it’s worth. So, unless you plan on refurbishing the furniture or spray painting light fixtures, then I would kindly decline the offer and save up for the things you really want.

13. Modernize your home by choosing decor wisely

The final tip for modernizing your home and making it beautiful, is to simply choose your decor wisely. Don’t make hasty decisions when you’re at the store, this is how clutter and junk gets accumulated. Take your time, do some research and maybe even consult Pinterest to help determine the style you want to achieve.

By doing so, you will be able to make wiser decor choices, saving you time and money and allowing you to maintain a cohesive look throughout your home.

At the end of the day, you want to make smart updates to your home that will help increase the value of your property overtime. Take your time and I promise you won’t be disappointed. We’ve really taken our time with many of these updates and are incredibly happy with the results. Happy decorating!

Don’t forget to pin the image below so you can easily reference this list for later.