House inspiration is everywhere, and it’s hard to resist changing something in your home to become more stylish. Apart from that, your house should also be practical and ensure enough space for storage. Making your house look modern is easier than it seems because this design has specific features that allow you to make improvements without spending a lot of money. That’s because modern can also be linked with a minimalist style, where few things are needed to make an impression. So, let’s see how you can make this change while on a budget.
Choose the colours wisely
When considering adopting a modern design, it’s best to keep colours as neutral as possible because they allow you to make changes easier, as well as integrate other decorations better. White, grey and black tones are best separately but also combined. Some popular colour schemes that you can try are:
- Grey, cream and metallic tones. For example, a balanced scheme for your bedroom consists of grey walls (you can even choose a bluish hue), cream for the floor and the ceiling, and the metallics can be integrated through decorations.
- White, soft grey and terra cotta. This combination allows the room to become more delicate. You can use this scheme for your living room: the walls are white, while the soft grey tone covers most of the furniture. Lastly, you can use the terra cotta hue for the floor.
- Pink, black and taupe. A combination of both soft and rigid vibes, the white walls come in a good combination with the taupe decorations, while the pink accents can come from the furniture.
Keep decorations at a minimum
Modern interior design is usually characterised by clean lines, natural materials and natural light. One golden rule of modern design is to keep decoration at a minimum, or at least choose some that don’t attract much attention, but they’re only completing the environment, blending in.
You’d typically design your modern house with pieces that are:
- More structural. At the same time, leaving beams and concrete exposed can also count as a decorative means;
- Outlined with horizontal and vertical lines, lacking curved lines or motifs;
- Made from natural materials, such as unpainted wood, metals, leather and natural fibres;
- Fitting in a more neutral colour palette;
- Showing off reflecting surfaces, like steel, chrome or glass;
Consider upgrading your kitchen
A modern kitchen is what makes the house most efficient. Having a modern kitchen means you’d need to use effective appliances that don’t consume much energy and are easy to maintain. The cutlery should be enough for you and guests, but don’t keep too much, as it can make your place messy.
A modern kitchen is clean and organised, so consider cheap kitchen units when changing your kitchen. Luckily, you have an array of options to choose from, like designs with gross acrylic colours, handleless high gloss designs and luxury shaker ones. If your kitchen is close to the modern design but is missing some details, you can also purchase separate replacement doors and accessories to complete the look without having to replace all kitchen furniture.
Plus, a modern kitchen wouldn’t be the same without the latest gadgets that can make your life simpler and also help you create a healthier lifestyle:
- An upgraded knife can make the difference between you struggling to cut anything and you making meals fast and efficient;
- A colander is absolutely necessary when you’re cooking pasta or washing vegetables and greens, as it allows you to avoid making a mess;
- Consider also a salad spinner, which helps you dry the vegetables in order to keep them fresh for longer;
- A Sauté pan can help you prepare the most nutritious and delicious meals ever;
Get creative with DIY projects
When it comes to a tight budget, it’s essential to learn how to cut corners, but that’s not all. Spending less money on things you can make by yourself is more rewarding, and it can also help you acquire more skills and become more proficient in redesigning your house.
For example, you can gather the things you have around the house that you don’t use anymore and try to create a design for something new. You can easily make a new coffee table from a piece of wood and some hairpin legs. Coasters can be made from leather or marble (or really any thick material). Other things you can make from marble are serving trays, vases, pots and even boxes for storage.
You can get much more creative if you’re a plant person and want to make your house as green as possible. You can make shelves from any cheap wood, which is very easy to build. You can even use bowls that you don’t need anymore (even broken ones) to make small planters, which are great for succulents, as they don’t grow big and don’t require much water.
Let the light get in
In interior design, natural light is the most important because, besides its obvious purposes, it also acts as a way to make us feel better. Sunlight heightens our serotonin levels and keeps our body clock-synced.
Natural light can also have antibacterial properties, which is why most kitchens are better placed in the east and west directions, as the light can prevent mould and mildew build-up. In closed spaces that lack light, the risk of humidity increases, which leads to mould, one of the most toxic fungi inside the house.
However, if the place where you live doesn’t allow you to get all the natural sunlight, you can at least upgrade your lighting to more sustainable products, which are LEDs. The white light from LEDs is better for our eye’s health and emits very little heat compared to incandescent bulbs.
Wrapping up
Having a modern house doesn’t require much money. You only need to get creative from time to time and try more projects. It also helps to gather information on current trends and see what other people do to make their houses look modern.