This is the third story in a three-part series about how to give your home a refresh for $50,000 or less (in some cases a lot less).
Just when it seems like home prices can’t go any higher, they do. Arlington is one of the most competitive markets for home sales in the country, according to online home-seller, Redfin. As a result, many homeowners are making the decision to stay put and make the best of what they’ve got.
“I’m seeing a ton of people in the area trying to make their current home their forever home,” says interior designer Kate Hougen. “They want to love the homes they’re in versus moving—because moving is expensive. Real estate in this area is expensive.”
Looking to freshen up the home you have without spending a fortune? Here are her thoughts on where to start.
Wallpaper is back. Don’t be afraid. If you’re still traumatized by the memory of spending hours scraping away old wallpaper with water sprayers and a heat gun, fear not. Today’s wallcoverings are relatively easy to apply—and remove. They come with an adhesive backing or are activated with water, can withstand the humidity of a bathroom, and can be easily wiped clean with a sponge.
Hougen advises hiring professional installers for the best results. Wallpapering a small space, such as a powder room, costs about $500-$750, depending on materials and the condition of the walls, and how much prep-work is involved, she says. For a bedroom: $800-$1,200.
“There’s such a range of patterns, colors and textures, and really, really durable papers,” and a beautiful print can be transformative, says the designer, who produces her own line of custom wallpapers featuring original watercolor prints she paints herself.
To update the dining room of a 100-year-old bungalow in Chevy Chase, D.C. (above and below), Hougen introduced a Phillip Jeffries grass cloth wallpaper in hyacinth. The color choice was inspired by the fuchsia flowers on the family’s heirloom china, which is now displayed in glass-front cabinets. The white built-ins replaced a small, dark hutch that wasn’t making good use of the wall space, giving the owners “three times the amount of storage they had previously,” she says.
The approximate cost for a dining room refresh like this (which included wallpaper, new millwork and wainscoting, a sideboard with a double-thick quartz countertop, drapery, dining table, chairs, rug and styling) is around $25,000-$30,000. Costs may vary greatly depending on the size of the room and the quality of finishes and furnishings, Hougen says.
In this case, the redesign also included an original commissioned painting by local artist Katie Jett Walls in the dining room. Hougen gave her the color palette and the artist took it from there.
“Investing in thoughtfully-sourced pieces of art can have a big impact,” Hougen says. “And it’s a lot less expensive than an addition or moving.”
Pops of fuchsia in the artwork and area rugs tie the main floor spaces together. In the foyer, new lighting and a special-order radiator cover with cane venting (a custom piece by Parz Designs) tidy the space while keeping it functional. An accent wall outside the dining room features a digitally-printed wallpaper from Schumacher called Deconstructed Stripe.
The transformation is dramatic. Before the renovation the bare radiator (above, left) collected shoes and clutter. Now, those items are neatly stored away in wicker baskets. The dining room, which had felt dark and dated, with a large chandelier, bare windows and mismatched furniture, now has an entirely different vibe.
Rethink wasted spaces. In older, smaller Arlington homes, space is at a premium. It’s important to look at how you use space to maximize the potential of each room, Hougen says. “In a lot of these Colonials, there’ll be some little hall, and it’s like a pass-through or a dumping ground for packages and your coat.”
That was the case in the home above (and right) in Arlington’s Glencarlyn neighborhood. The owners weren’t sure what to do with a small, unused space near the front door. It had a large bay window, but it didn’t feel inviting. The solution? Fresh paint with a new rug, furniture and window treatments—plus a custom-made bench cushion for that gorgeous bay window.
“They basically gained an extra room they weren’t really utilizing before,” says Hougen. She estimates the cost for a project on par with this one, including new artwork and decor, around $10,000-$15,000—again depending on the furnishings.
Spend on built-ins. In some cases your unused space may be as simple as a bare wall that can be maximized with built-in storage. Built-ins are a permanent investment in the home that add functionality.
The owners of the home above elected to renovate rather than move out. Hougen painted the walls, added a new mantel and fireplace surround, and then bookended the hearth with built-in cabinets and shelving by Parz Designs. The casework allows the owners to display some of their favorite collectibles while hiding other items behind closed doors. Approximate cost: $8,000.
“These homeowners are avid readers and art collectors,” says the designer. “We gave them storage below and closed cabinetry doors, and the upper shelves to display their books and art collection.”
If you have it, reuse it. When considering where to spend and where to save, take stock of what you already have. Before you buy new, consider whether the pieces you own deserve a facelift. Furniture can be reupholstered or repainted for a fraction of the price and still completely change the look of a room.
Take the large hutch in the Arlington Forest home above. It was originally a dark stained cherry wood. “That homeowner is fabulous at finding furniture on Craigslist,” Hougen says. “That is actually a freestanding antique.” Painting it white allowed the vintage brass hinges and knobs to really pop.
Prior to the renovation, it was overpowering the room, Hougen adds. Now it looks like a built-in.
A little girl’s bedroom in the same home got a simple refresh with paint, new window treatments and the perfect dresser–a vintage score from the Lucketts Store in Leesburg for $200. The client also DIY’d by painting the bed frames. Hougen estimates the total cost of this project at about $1,500. Much of it was achieved by restyling the clients’ existing pieces.
When in doubt, invest in the kitchen. That’s what Hougen did in her own home about five years ago.  “The kitchen was driving me nuts. But to move—it just doesn’t make sense. And so we renovated our own kitchen and it has transformed the house.”
Specifically, she refinished the hardwood floors with a lighter, brighter stain, and changed the layout, putting the fridge in a more convenient location. She replaced dark wood cabinets with white ones, installed a no-maintenance quartz countertop and brought in warmth from the center with light-brown wood on the island.
Similar wood trim on the range hood and floating shelves ties it all together. Coral pendant lights match the front door—and aged brass cabinetry hardware from Hepburn Hardware provides finishing touches. All this for less than $50,000.
Spending “$50,000—that’s a significant investment,” she acknowledges. “But you can do it and really change how your house feels and functions.”
Is the white kitchen trend here to stay? She doesn’t think it is going out of style any time soon. “It’s classic and you can so easily change the feel by changing the light fixtures or changing the counter stools or the hardware.”