Do you want to freshen up your home for the new year? A home refresh doesn’t mean that you have to spend hundreds on new furniture. It can be as simple as adding a few stylish details to your space that pull it together and give it a more finished look.
Today I’m sharing 10 simple home refresh ideas that will breathe new life into your home without breaking the bank! Let’s jump on in… (post includes commissionable links; for more information see my full disclosure statement {here})
1. Add Style & Mood Lighting With a Mini Lamp
The options for mini lamps have exploded in the past few years, and I’m seeing them used in so many fun and unexpected ways. I recently bought {this mini lamp} (which comes in tons of color options) and think it seriously couldn’t be any cuter:

I’ve tried it out in multiple spots in our new kitchen (here’s a little kitchen sneak peek – full reveal coming soon!),

Sources: Backsplash tile | Floating shelves (white oak) | Recipe box | Swan planter (similar) | Faux succulents in swan | Wood cutting board (similar) | Pepper mill | Marble salt cellar | Utensil holder | Marble tray
on our family room bookcase, on one of our bedroom dressers, and on our bar cart (which I think is where it will end up staying). It truly adds a touch of style anywhere you put it! And I love the mood lighting that it creates at night (I use {these smaller, low-watt bulbs} in it).
If you’re looking for a mini lamp with a different type of shade, some cute ones I’ve found include {this drum shade mini lamp}, {this tapered shade mini lamp}, and {this pleated shade mini lamp}. And if you love the style of my mini lamp but need a full-size version, {this 22″ lamp} (white base, tan shade option) that I have in our guest room is its kissing cousin:

Sources: Beadboard bed (weathered white) | Embroidered stripe duvet cover | Blue and white block print pillows (similar) | Nightstand | Tissue box cover | Cane box
I’m starting to see more and more cordless, rechargeable mini lamps too, which is going to make them even more versatile since you don’t need to worry about having a nearby outlet. When I went to Highpoint Market a few months ago, I was blown away by how gorgeous {these rechargeable lamps} from Visual Comfort are but… unfortunately they come with a not-so-pretty price tag 😬.
2. Add a Book Topper to Coffee Table Books
Adding accessories to your coffee table that are both functional and stylish will go a long way in refreshing your family or living room. One of my go-to styling tips is to add a few coffee table books topped by a decorative accent like {this faux coral}:

Other Sources: Rug | Acrylic coffee table (similar) | Coffee table tray (similar) | Decorative pinstripe box | Aqua glass beads | Brass cranes
3. Corral Remotes in a Decorative Box
A decorative box is another one of my coffee table go-tos. They’re perfect for stashing remote controls or anything else that’s normally cluttering up your space. {This pinstripe box} (large size) is a long-time favorite:

4. Add a Centerpiece to Your Dining Table
Whether it’s your dining room or kitchen table, adding a centerpiece is the perfect refresh to give your space a designer look. For tables that aren’t used often, such as most people’s dining tables, I love using larger, statement-making centerpieces.
{This beautiful oversized seagrass wrapped vase} and {this similar vase} filled with faux florals are great choices:

They definitely make a statement yet are super lightweight and easy to move off your table when needed:

Other Sources: Faux cherry blossoms | Chandelier | Round dining table | Dining chairs
For a dining table that’s used daily, it’s best to have a low centerpiece that you can leave in place. It can be as simple as a pretty bowl filled with fruit or succulents or something more functional like {this marble lazy Susan} that we have on our kitchen table:

Along with a small plant, it holds napkins in {this acrylic napkin holder}, salt and pepper shakers similar to {these} and {this marble salt cellar} that holds my favorite spice blend.
Want more centerpiece ideas? Check out my post on dining table centerpieces for everyday!
5. Upgrade Your Planters
Adding plants to your home adds so much life and is an easy way to refresh any space. Make an even bigger impact by upgrading your planters from the ones that your plants came in. Some of my favorite “planters” are baskets like {this two-tone handled basket} (also available {here}) with waterproof plant saucers placed in the bottom so that you can simply slip a potted plant inside:

Other Sources: Outdoor loveseat | Outdoor rug
Other favorites include {this ceramic dot planter} (the 4″ size) and {this bust planter} that I place seasonal faux florals or greenery in (but would also look amazing with a live plant):

Other Sources: Wallpaper | Faux peonies (similar) | Decorative pinstripe box | Coral

6. Drape a Throw Over the Back of Chairs or Sofas
Do you have a room where the back of a chair or sofa is toward you as you walk in? A great way to break up the blockiness of it is to drape a throw blanket over the back. We have two slipcovered chairs in our sunroom (similar to {these chairs}) that have their backs toward the kitchen, and adding a striped tasseled throw to the back of each chair breaks up the neutral fabric and adds so much interest to the space:

My exact throw blanket is no longer available, but {this herringbone throw}or {this ombre stripe throw} would both be great for this look! And you can try this look on the back of a sofa too with your throw blanket folded lengthwise.
As another option, you can drape a favorite patterned fabric to the back of a chair. In our last house I added some simple tassels to the bottom of this fabric remnant from another project to dress up the backs of the same chairs:

7. Add a New Pattern with a Rug
Adding a large new rug to a room is a great way to refresh your space, but you can do the same thing on a smaller, less expensive scale too! Consider adding a small patterned rug in front of your kitchen sink, in your laundry room, or by an exterior door. Bringing in a new pattern will add more interest to your space, even if you’re sticking with a neutral color palette like with {this 2 x 3 rug}:

{This rug} is a more budget-friendly option at under $35 in the 2 x 3 size:

Want to see more of my favorite rugs and get rug sizing tips? Check out my rug size guide!
8. Hang a Large-Scale Piece of Art
Arranging multiple pieces of art in a gallery wall can be a little intimidating, but with a single large-scale piece of art, you can’t go wrong! Plus, art is HUGE for adding style to a space and will give it an entirely new, refreshed feel.
One of my favorite sources for large-scale art is Juniper Print Shop found {here}. Each piece of art is available in multiple sizes and can be printed on canvas or paper or can be purchased as digital downloads and printed locally. You can even choose from a variety of frames so that they arrive ready to hang on the wall!
For our dining room, I chose {this artwork} in the 40 x 55 size and had it printed on canvas. I wanted a floating wood frame and saved some money by framing it myself using {these canvas stretcher bars} and {this custom floating frame}.

Sources: White cane sideboard | White vase (medium) | Faux leafy branches | Blue gourd lamp | Round cane tray | Rug | Dining chair (similar)
For more budget-friendly large-scale art, have your art printed on paper and frame it with a simple IKEA frame! Get more details on that option {here}.
I also recently swapped out the art in our entryway to {this artwork} in the 30 x 40 size printed on canvas. I framed it with a simple white wood frame that I already had:

Other Sources: Rug | Console (also see {this similar option}) | White table lamp | 30″ x 40″ art print | Decorative snail | Decorative clam shell | Large glass bead garland | Shallow wood bowl | Small glass beads | Cube ottomans
9. Layer Cutting Boards In Your Kitchen
Want a simple home refresh idea for your kitchen? Displaying 2-3 layered cutting boards is awesome for adding both style and warmth to your space. And it makes them easy to grab when you want to use one too:

Sources: Marble & wood rectangular cutting board | Round cutting board (similar) | Handled wood cutting board (similar)
10. Wallpaper a Small Space
Let’s wrap things up by talking wallpaper! Almost every year’s trend report predicts wallpaper is going in or out, but I don’t care if it’s considered trending or not. I will always swear by the power of wallpaper for transforming a space! And often all it will take is a single roll such as {this wallpaper} that I used on the back of our bookcase:

Other sources: Oak shelves (Nature finish) | Large faux coral (similar) | White bubble planter (4.75″ option) | Fern art | Star pod | White square frame (8.3″ x 8.3″) | Burlwood frame (11″ x 13″) | Elephant bookend | Decorative black & white box | Coral “topper” (similar) | Bust planter | Round basket
If you’re intimidated by traditional wallpapering, try peel and stick like I did with {this blue and white striped wallpaper} on the back of our linen closet. The paint was all scuffed and marked up, so adding the wallpaper was a great way to instantly transform it in less time than a new coat of paint:

Other Sources: Labeled sheet bands | Woven baskets | Bin clip labels | Stackable acrylic drawers | Folding step stool | White baskets
If your linen closet is a disorganized mess, check out my post on linen closet organization ideas for tips on whipping it into shape!
See my post on wallpaper ideas for more ideas of how to incorporate wallpaper into your home, both big and small (I used some leftovers of {this gray damask peel and stick wallpaper} to line dresser drawers):

I hope you found some inspiration for breathing new life into your home! If you want more decorating tips for adding style to your home, check out {these posts} that are full of ideas and simple tips! Thanks as always for stopping by!
XO,

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