I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…you DO NOT have to spend a lot of money to have a beautiful home!  Living in a beautiful space isn’t always about having the best designer furnishings or that pricey dining room table you just HAD to have (in fact, I think these DIY dining tables are much better anyway ) …sometimes there’s a much simpler solution when it comes to creating a beautiful space.   One of the least expensive, yet most effective ways to transform a space is with paint.  There are so many unbelievable things you can do with paint to spruce up a space. Different paint colors and patterns can really change the entire vibe of a room, new colors in a room can even make existing furnishings look like new additions.  Here a 15 great paint transformations you can do in a weekend or less!

1- Accent wall of stripes (11 Magnolia Lane)

Get the look-  Select two complimentary paint colors then paint your wall completely with the lighter color, allow to dry for at least 12 hours.  Use painters tape to mark off stripes on the wall, fill in the stripes with the second paint color, allow paint to set, remove painters tape.

2-Oversized “caning” accent wall (bhg)

Get the look-  After painting the base coat, let dry for at least 12 hours.  Use 2-inch painter’s tape to create a grid of 18-inch squares on the wall. Using the painter’s tape, divide the squares by horizontal and vertical stripes spaced 3 inches apart. With painter’s tape still in place, apply a light coat of acrylic matte medium before painting the top coat. Remove the tape as soon as the paint is set, usually about two hours.

3- Stenciled wall (jones design co.)

Get the look-  Select a wall stencil design (like these from Amazon.com).  Apply a base coat of paint, allow to dry for at least 12 hours.  Starting from the center of the wall (use a level to keep the stencil straight), apply the second paint color over the stencil in small sections, continue across the desired area.

4- Painted tree accent wall (zina wright)

Get the look-  This painted tree with wall hooks is a great option for kids rooms.  If you have an artistic side, you can certainly hand paint a wall tree and mount a few wall hooks on the branches.  However, if your like me (with zero artistic ability!) there are tree stencils you can purchase to help you out painting the tree on the wall.

5- Painted stencil floor (jpm design)

Get the look-  Painted floors are making a big come back.  If you’re on a tight budget and looking to make a BIG change, painted floors can make a huge difference.  You can paint over pretty much any floor surface from linoleum vinyl to wood, just be sure to ruff up the floor first to remove any lacquer or shine.  Once the floor is prepared and free of any shine, use a roller to apply a coat of oil base paint.  You may need to apply up to 3 coats for extra coverage and durability. There are also now many options of porch and floor paints available at most hardware and paint stores.

6- Painted Lamp Shade (midwest living)

Get the look-  This quick transformation doesn’t exactly change an entire room, but it can certainly make a big impact!  Use acrylic paint to stencil (or hand paint) a design on any old, boring lamp shade for a fresh, updated look!

7- Paint the inside of a front door (cafe mom)

Get the look-  What could be a better place to make a color change than the entryway of a home?  The front door/entryway in a home is always our very first impression, so it’s important to make it a good one!  Changing your front door color on the outside is great, but changing the color in the inside can make an amazing impact too!  If you’re looking for a fresh pop of color in your entryway, (works especially well in historical homes) select a bright shade of outdoor paint and apply it to the inside of your front door.  Make sure to prepare the door first by ruffing up the surface and sanding off any uneven spots.

8- Painted pattern wood floor (vintage house blogspot)

Get the look- Painting a wood floor is a similar process to painting other floor surfaces.  Before applying the paint, it’s important to sand down any shine or lacquered surfaces, you want to have a clean, smooth surface to apply the paint to.  Select an oil based paint or any floor paint in two contrasting colors to achieve a checker board effect as seen below.  Starting from the center of the room, mark off 2-ft x 2-ft squares with painters tape, then use a roller to apply the paint.  This may take up to 3 coats of paint for desired coverage.

9- Painted brick fireplace (a lifes design blogspot)

Get the look- Wipe down your fireplace brick with warm water to remove any soot or debris.  Scrap off any of that white chalky stuff sometimes found on bricks (it’s called efflorescence in case you were wondering ), painting over that stuff will create an uneven finish.  Make sure the bricks are clean and dry, then apply a coat (or two if needed) of primer, let dry.  Next, apply your finish coat of paint using a nappy roller.  You can use latex paint or brick paint (brick paint can be found at most hardware/paint stores).  Since fireplace bricks are very porous, this project may require 3 or more coats of finish paint.

10- Painted stenciled curtains (pb jstories)

Get the look- Select a basic set of curtain panels and a stencil pattern to use on them.  You will need basic acrylic paint and fabric medium to mix with it (the fabric medium helps soften the paint and adhere to the fabric better).  Lay the stencil on top of the curtain and tape it to keep it in place.  Mix a ratio of 3 parts acrylic paint with one part fabric medium and use a sponge to apply over the stencil.  Let dry, then remove stencil from the curtain-done!

11- Painted stripe curtains (reckless glamour)

Get the look- These painted curtains follow the same concept as the curtains above except they require painter’s tape instead of a stencil.  Mix a ratio of three parts acrylic paint with one part fabric medium (just like above), then use painter’s tape to mark off stripes on the curtains.  Apply the paint mixture to the curtains and let dry.

12- Painted ceiling (dalyessentials blogspot)

Get this look- Looking to make a big change in a space?  Look up!  Painting a ceiling can make an unbelievable impact in the right space.  It can be a daunting task, but the end result can be seriously rewarding.  For this project, you will need primer, latex paint, and a paint roller with a long handle extension.  Using the primer, cut in the ceiling edges with a brush, then use the roller to prime the rest of the ceiling-let dry.  Using the extended roller again, apply 1-2 coats of the finish paint.  Tape off the ceiling with painter’s tape to achieve a striped look.

13- Dip painted room (deucecities hen house)

Get the look- Changing the paint color in a room? Think outside the box!  “Dip” painted furniture is all the rage right now, so why not dip paint your room?  Simply tape off half of your room (including doors and trim) with painter’s tape, then apply one to two coats of finish paint.