Preface Thoughts
Hello everyone, I'm a post-95 lifestyle blogger who loves home improvement! After renting a 50-square-meter old apartment, I started thinking about how to make this little nest cozier. To be honest, it was really challenging at first - I only had a 3000 yuan budget but wanted to make the place look nice. After two months of work, I finally made the home look amazing, and my next-door aunt even thought I had hired a designer! Today I'll share my renovation experience with you, so you can also transform your home into an Instagram-worthy spot with minimal spending!
Renovation Approach
When it comes to renovation, many people's first reaction is "Oh no, it's going to cost a fortune." But that's not necessarily true! With the right methods, you can make your home look super high-end with very little money. My renovation focused on four aspects: refurbishing existing furniture, creating DIY decorations, reorganizing the space layout, and cleverly using inexpensive yet attractive materials.
IKEA Furniture Makeover
Remember my BILLY bookcase that was about to fall apart? I thought it was completely hopeless and would need to spend at least 500 yuan on a new one. But after browsing Taobao, I had an inspiration! I spent 100 yuan on some wooden strips and paint, and transformed it into a high-end built-in bookcase.
The renovation process was actually very simple. I first secured the bookcase to the wall (this is really important to prevent wobbling), then added decorative wooden strips around the outside. Finally, I painted everything white, and the result was amazing! Not only did it save a lot of space, but the wall looks incredibly well-designed, not at all like a DIY project.
When neighbors visited, they were stunned and asked if the bookcase cost several thousand yuan. Haha, they probably wouldn't believe it only cost 100 yuan!
Second-hand Furniture Refinishing
Speaking of saving money, Xianyu is my absolute favorite! One day I found an amazing solid wood dining table for just 300 yuan! Though it had some scratches on the surface, the wood quality was excellent. I bought it without hesitation.
After bringing it home, I spent a weekend fixing it up. First, I sanded off the old paint (wear a mask to avoid inhaling dust), then applied a new layer of dark brown wood paint. Paired with some IKEA chairs in a fresh style, the whole dining area atmosphere came together perfectly!
What makes me most proud is that the entire dining set cost less than 800 yuan. I went to the mall the other day and found similar styles selling for over 3000 yuan - I saved a huge amount of money!
DIY Creative Ideas
Handmade Decorations
I previously saw a white ceramic vase at the mall with a very minimalist design, but it cost over 200 yuan! As a savings expert, I immediately gave up on it.
Later, while browsing the second-hand market, I found several old vases with nice shapes - different but all quite interesting. I bought a few and sprayed them with matte white paint on my balcony on a sunny day. After spraying, they looked exactly like the ones in the mall! And each vase only cost 30 yuan - this was such a great deal.
Recently, I added some dried flowers to the vases and placed them on the TV cabinet, making them look very stylish. Friends who visit say this arrangement is very artistic. Haha, actually the vases are second-hand and the dried flowers are artificial ones from Taobao.
Repurposing Old Items
Speaking of my proudest renovation, I must mention the transformation of that old desk. This desk was left by the landlord, and originally had many water stains on the surface, which looked really unpleasant.
I bought some cork tiles from Taobao and applied them directly to the desktop. This renovation was truly a win-win: first, it covered all those annoying water stains, and the cork texture feels particularly warm and comfortable to touch. Most importantly, I can pin things directly onto it, turning it into a display wall!
Now this desk isn't just my workstation, but also my creative display area. I pin up favorite postcards, photos, and to-do lists. Every time I look at this "wall," it puts me in a great mood.
[To be continued, due to length limitations, I will complete the remaining content in batches]
