14 Actually Doable Renovation Design Ideas

Do you scroll pinterest for renovation design ideas and get massively inspired by the possibilities but then quickly discouraged at the overwhelming cost? Me too! That’s why I have put this guide together that I’m calling the “actually doable” renovation design ideas guide.

I’ll take you through some project ideas for renovations that won’t break the bank but still give you a massive upgrade. I am a budget friendly remodeler and want to inspire you to believe that you can do any renovation on a budget. You just have to get creative!

This post is all about renovation design ideas.

Actually Doable Renovation Design Ideas

1. Paint

I don’t know why paint is not glorified more. Giving just about anything from a wall to a door to a cabinet a fresh coat of paint can revive it. It will bring new life to any space that was previously tired, dark or dingy feeling. If you don’t have the money for new cabinets, painting them can go a long way. There’s wood fillers to fix dings and you can go to town on transforming the kitchen without breaking the bank on new cabinets!

2. Ikea kitchens

Now, if you want to do a new kitchen, I’d highly recommend going with an Ikea kitchen system. There are so many features you can’t get in builder grade cabinets such as soft close, multiple storage configurations that you can get with Ikea. There’s also companies out there that will create custom door fronts for Ikea cabinets giving you further customization opportunities. One of my favorite companies is Semihandmade. This kitchen below is 100% Ikea and I’m obsessed with it.

3. LVP

LVP = Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring. It’s insanely easy to install and looks INCREDIBLE always. Trust me, I personally installed a 1,200 square foot house with a box cutter for corners and jigsaw for circular edges and it looks great, see the picture below. Most LVP comes with a lifetime warranty and is virtually indestructible. You can shop sales and wait for prices to come down on the ones you like too!

4. New hardware

New hardware on cabinets or a budget friendly piece of furniture can go a long way. These nightstands are one of my favorite examples of that. I got these nightstands at Walmart and the knobs from an Anthropologie sale. It looks way better than the Walmart knobs but unique enough to look special. New hardware on a basic cabinet or bathroom vanity can totally change the feel of the furniture.

5. New door knobs

New door knobs on exterior and interior doors can be a simple way to elevate the look, feel and function of a door. I always opt for black hardware as it has the most versatile and timeless look to me. These are Schlage knobs I use in every remodel and they’re under $30 and always on sale!

6. New light fixtures

Light fixtures, like anything else in a home, can be super cheap or super expensive. I always like to find budget friendly option on Amazon and it will elevate any space. If you have a fan, you can get trendy looking fans as well! This light fixture I found on Amazon and it’s just my favorite. But poke around on Amazon and don’t just go to the traditional lighting stores to get your fixtures. I’ve had this one in this house for 4 years with no issues and little investment.

7. New vanities for the bathrooms

New vanities for bathrooms can transform the space. Whether it’s a basic one from Lowes or Wayfair or custom made on Etsy it’s a great way to make an impact in the bathroom. Now if get a new one isn’t in the budget, painting an old one is a great way to elevate the look and feel of the bathroom. Get new knobs while you’re at it!

8. Budget friendly tile upgrades

Tile is insane. It can be as cheap as $0.99 per square foot or as expensive as $50+ per square foot. In this kitchen, the floors were $0.99 per square foot and the back splash tile was the same price. A simple subway tile installed in a modern way made a huge impact! My hand husband went to YouTube university to learn how to do the install as well so super budget friendly on both the floors and backsplash.

9. Butcher block countertops

Butch block countertops are my favorite budget friendly countertops without having to do laminate! These butcher block countertops are 5 years old and showing signs of age but they can be sanded down in areas that need repair and are super easy to condition regularly. These slabs are from Ikea and at the time were $200 a slab. The entire thing is wood so it can be sanded many many times but in the 5 years we’ve had them, we’ve only sanded them 3 or 4 times.

Laminate can be a good option too but the material is cheaper and you really have no way to repair them if anything happens to the surface like butcher block can be repaired. I love love the butcher block and would highly recommend as your go-to budget friendly option.

10. Color schemes

Paint, like I said in no. 1, makes an insane impact on any space. Taking it to the next level and adding a color scheme or design with just paint is going to blow your mind. I painted this accent wall in this room in 3 hours. Yet it changes the entire feel of the space and add a very custom feel to an otherwise okay looking room. Have fun with your color schemes and painting. It’s super easy to fix if you end up not liking it!

11. Painting an old front door

This door was weathered and old and probably 50 years old. But I loved the design and wanted to bring it back to life and keep the character of the door in place. So my amazing hubby sanded it down and let me paint it this fun peachy color. It’s become iconic to the house and stands out to all our guests and family that stay there.

12. Plants and landscaping

Landscaping can change a space dramatically! It’s something that I believe most people don’t budget for but takes the longest to actually look good and grow in. On any project, my husband likes to get the big landscaping projects done first and then move on to smaller projects allowing the landscaping to fill in nicely while everything else is getting finished.

13. Refinishing hardwood floors

We did these ourselves and it took a week. Yes, it was messy and tedious, but if you have real wood floors this is a super cheap way to bring them back to life. I’ve also seen so many designers successfully paint old wood floors that couldn’t be refinished and it look like a million bucks. So you have options when you have real wood floors and can do it budget friendly.

14. New appliances

New appliances aren’t exactly cheap but they can make a huge impact in a kitchen. There’s always holiday sales, bundle sales and Facebook marketplace for second hand. I tend to not do second hand appliances anymore but if you’re super budget conscience, I know this can be a great solution.

What other renovation design ideas do you have on a budget? I’d love to know in the comments below.

This post was all about renovation design ideas.