Recession Revamp

Short on cash? Follow Charleston Home editor Ellen McGauley's 7 budget-friendly tips for resuscitating your rooms in an ailing economy.

1. Reupholster Furniture: Sound expensive? Simple DIY chair projects like this one can run you less than $100 in supplies. For larger jobs, price out the cost of a fabric facelift and weigh it against the cost of a new purchase—$600 in reupholstery is a bargain compared with shelling out $1,500 for a new sofa.

2. Slim Down: Easy, cheap, and highly efficient, slimming down your belongings is a great way to freshen a look. Pull out anything you don’t love or need (with the exception of items you can make over), from space-sucking steamer trunks to hand-me-down curtains. Hold a yard sale and use your newfound cash to replace a cast-off with a shiny new addition.

3. Show & Tell: Create nifty displays (and fill empty wall space) with open shelving to hold everything from vibrant pottery collections to vintage books. Purchase ready-made platforms from big-box stores, or fashion your own using 2 x 4s (these can be cut to size at your local hardware shop) and antique hardware. Apply a paint or stain and drill brackets into wall supports.

4. Restain or paint floors: Looking for high drama? Stain wood floors a darker hue or (gasp!) douse in an all-over coat of paint for a vibrant backdrop to kitchens, playrooms, or sunrooms. On staircases, alternate three shades of the same color on steps.

5. Change out patterns: Replacing dated or faded fabrics is a relatively inexpensive job. Good-looking shower curtains, bed linens, table runners, and rugs can go a long way toward reenergizing tired spaces.

6. Paint furniture: A single piece of furniture dressed in a vibrant color not only transforms a room, it can create a worthy conversation piece. The best part? The whole project will cost you less than $50.

7. Just Add Plants: Enliven dull corners, windowsills, and tables with simple houseplants— no installation, contractors, or expensive supplies needed. Not a green thumb? Talk to someone at your local garden shop about where you plan to place your plants, based on access to sunlight. Make note of their recommendations and purchase accordingly. Then, create a master list of care instructions.