Guest Bedroom Reveal: 5 Ways For A Quick Budget Makeover

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When first moving into our home, I quickly sought to pull together a neutral bedroom that would be flexible for guests and use what we had on hand. As we were dedicating our time and remodel attention to other portions of the home, I used my nana’s famous saying of “do with what you got” as the springboard for this spare bedroom. Flashforward two and a half years and now that the other areas are more settled (although, home ownership is always a work in progress), I set out to bring more life and color to the room that welcomes our guests with a budget makeover.

As you can see from our before photos, this room craved attention, warmth and color. I wanted this space to feel bright, cheerful and a conglomeration of old and new. While a space can always improve in little details over time, I am so excited how our guest bedroom turned out!

In the process, I realized that I likely am not the only one looking to quickly makeover a bedroom while keeping budget in mind. To create an eclectic mix of old and new while sticking to a budget, focus on 5 key areas:

Art
Curtains
Bedding
Antiques
Accessories

The Before

Guest Bedroom Reveal: 5 Ways For A Quick Budget Makeover

The After

What We Did:

In a couple of weeks, we:

Added new artwork
Created curtains
Enhanced the bedding
Integrated antiques
Styled our guest bedroom!

Art

Watercolor Prints

While I already had family wedding artwork flanking the bed, I felt that there needed to be a bit more that anchored the space. Seeing this, I went scavenging at antique stores to find simple yet elegant gold frames to add below each of our family groups. Once I found the frames, I turned a couple of the pictures we had taken in our travels into watercolor artwork to provide not only a bit of interest, but also a personal touch to the space. I absolutely loved the way that they turned out and for only $20 was able to add awesome artwork that meant something to the both of us!

Original Artwork

In addition to the watercolor prints, I added a large-scale original art piece above the washstand to command attention upon entering the room. Adding this piece was so transformative and it helped to not only connect the light teal tones and cornflower blue tones that I have pulled into the space, but also add a modern twist in contrast with the antique furniture below it. While adding original art can be more of an investment, it adds so much interest and character to a space. You certainly can integrate original art in a variety of ways by creating the piece yourself (as I did here), searching antique / secondhand stores for pieces someone else has already loved, or purchasing from an artist / artisan market. As few of my favorite original artists with a variety of looks are:

Curtains

While I normally have opted for neutral curtains throughout my home to help lift and lighten the space, I wanted to bring in a cheerful pattern and color through these drapes. Curtains are an easy place to make a big statement and I felt that these drapes did just that! You certainly can find some awesome bargains on curtains or can even make them yourself depending on the budget and/or customization you are wanting to have. I have been amazed at how cheerful this simple addition has made my space feel and for only around $100 (for all 4 panels!) I would include this change again in a skinny minute. To include curtains like these in your next room transformation, check out our DIY Bed Sheet Lined Curtain tutorial or these similar finds.

Bedding

As the bedding was already primarily neutral with a pop of soft teal, I wanted to create a bridge between the soft teal and cornflower blue of the curtains. Like the artwork, the center lumbar pillow became a connection point integrating both colors. Not only was this DIY Custom Embroidered Pillow a really fun project, but it also allowed me to cover the pillow I previously had on hand without buying (and having to store!) another. I love the way that the embroidery mimics the floral forms in the curtains, and it adds interest against the more abstracted forms of the velvet pillows behind. If you do not decide to update your curtains, integrating new bedding is a great way to pull in another color, texture, or pattern without it being extremely costly.

For the foot of the bed, I found a duvet cover in my closet that I pulled out, but if you do not have anything on hand, finding a unique quilt or blanket at a secondhand shop can easily bring a pop of color and layered warmth to your space. However grand or small your changes are, just be sure add in layers of interest and your bedroom will feel transformed.

Antiques

The fourth tip that I have in regarding updating a bedroom on a budget is to embrace antiques. With the rise of grand millennial and transitional / eclectic / curated styles, the interior design industry has lead the embrace of antique pieces. While I always have had a special place in my heart for antique furniture, it also is one of the best ways to maximize a budget. Certainly, some antiques can be quite pricey, but often deals can be found in your own local shops that far beat out the cheaper quality offerings at big box stores down the road. As I was scouring our own local antique stores (or even Facebook Marketplace), I remembered that my mom had many chairs from my great grandmother that she was willing to pass along. The details in the wood carvings and floral needlepoint had so much interest that I was over the moon to incorporate these antique beauties. Even if you don’t have an attic to hunt in, explore your local area and you just might find what you are looking for less than $50.

Accessories

Lastly, I had a couple of changes in the accessories around the room. As we have a plethora of books around our home, I kept most of them within the space, however I divided them into smaller display units. To help add a modern twist to the books, I found a quirky little black iron and marble book end at TJ Maxx for $9.99 that not only is fun, but also pulls in the black of the lamps around the room.

Similarly, I added two antique urn looking planters to hold fresh magnolia branches and one of my favorite Christmas cactus plants to again be a bridge between the old and new.

Final Thoughts

While we did not move too far away from the idea of “do with what you got”, we did finally enhance our guest bedroom to truly fit our vision for the space and I am thrilled that we did. This room transformation has been so much fun to accomplish and honestly, every time I walk by or pop in the room, I feel more joy and excitement than I ever thought. It has been given layers of life that tell our story – from pictures of our travels and family to antiques passed down from generations. Without breaking the bank (less than $250 in total!!), our guest bedroom has been totally transformed and I cannot wait to enjoy it with our family and friends.

Does this room inspire you to transform your own space? Save this post or share it with a friend to refer back to it later!

Happy transforming!