We Splashed $54,000 on Our Home Renovation—But These 5 Budget-Friendly Upgrades stole the Show

  • We invested more than $54,000 and dedicated three years. renovating a three-bedroom home .
  • More affordable updates such as installing new blinds and giving the walls a fresh coat of paint had the most significant positive effect.
  • A new mailbox along with some fundamental landscaping also elevated the area significantly.

When we bought a house with three bedrooms fixer-upper In Melbourne, Australia, back in 2017, we were eager to settle in and begin our renovation journey.

During a period of three years, we invested slightly more than 80,000 Australian dollars, which is approximately 54,000 US dollars, to revamp it into our own. dream home My spouse handled the renovations personally whenever feasible, although we brought in outside help when necessary.

No one can deny that substantial upgrades such as a new kitchen and bathroom added a lot of value to the property, but we found some of the cheapest upgrades actually made the most difference.

Below are five relatively inexpensive improvements that significantly enhanced our home’s attractiveness and earned numerous praises from acquaintances and relatives.

A fresh coat of paint can transform a space

Upon moving in, much of the inside space was decorated with a grayish lavender hue. One feature wall in the main bedroom stood out in candy pink, while another room showcased a striking cobalt blue accent wall.

We decided to repaint the entire interior of the property, including walls and ceilings, a vivid white. It took about a month of back-breaking, eye-stinging work.

Nevertheless, the change was remarkable. Afterward, the property appeared significantly more lightweight and luminous, and it felt as though that fresh coat of paint had reduced the house’s perceived age (dating back to around 1960) by several years.

My spouse also gave the shed and fence rails a fresh coat of steel-gray paint, completely rejuvenating the entire outside appearance. In total, we likely spent around AU$2,000 on paint and supplies.

The modifications we made to our landscape were minor yet highly effective.

The backyard was uneven when we moved in, so my husband hired an excavator to flatten the soil out and lay fresh grass.

Then, he put in some native Australian flowers known for attracting insects. Soon enough, they burst into flower and teemed with activity.

My spouse also designed a vertical garden feature wall that brought a vibrant splash of color to the area. outdoor entertaining space .

In total, the landscaping came out to roughly AU$2,500 — completely revamping the backyard into a much more functional and attractive area.

Window blinds significantly enhanced the appearance of the home.

The previous homeowner had extremely old-fashioned curtains and pelmets, ornamental features designed to hide items such as curtain rods.

We replaced them with budget-friendly gray roll-up blinds that we purchased online. These brought a significant change to the appearance and ambiance of the space at an expense of roughly AU$1,000.

We're really pleased we installed an electronic entry system.

When my spouse said they wanted to install a keyless front door lock, I considered it a frivolous expenditure.

However, the lock has proven to be incredibly valuable to us — and it came at a price of around AU$400.

We chose one that features an electronic keypad, allowing us to enter a code for entry into the premises. Additionally, we have the option to modify the code whenever necessary.

I enjoy the fact that I no longer have to deal with keys, which I frequently misplace, and I can easily provide my friends and family with an access code when we’re away. Even after we vacated the premises and leased it to renters, this locking mechanism remained quite popular.

A newly installed mailbox enhanced our street appeal.

The initial mailbox was an unpleasant muddy brown color and looked like a small-scale replica of Seattle's Space Needle with some odd bulge attached to it.

We discarded the old item, and my husband crafted a new wooden version using reclaimed Australian railway sleepers. This addition beautifully harmonized with our Australian native garden.

It only cost around $200 Australian dollars to create, but it significantly enhanced the property's curb appeal.

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