(ARA) - Looking to change the style of your home while sticking to a budget? Get ready to roll up your sleeves. Here are some inexpensive, practical ideas that will save you time and money in your quest to add some personal style to your home.

Start by deciding on a budget -- Figure out how much money you can afford to spend, and then set aside about 20 percent of that for your "safety budget." Save this for the unexpected details that are sure to arise during your project. Most importantly, stick to your budget!

Second, do your homework -- Spend quality time doing some research by looking through magazines, watching home improvement shows, or visiting showrooms and retail home improvement stores. Once you have an idea of what you would like to change in your home, take a step back and decide what's really necessary and what fits into the budget you set.

Breathe new life into old pieces -- Use furniture and accessories that you already have. Moving items from one room to another can dramatically change the appearance of your room décor. Don't assume that you need to toss a piece of furniture that has seen better days. A quick and inexpensive way to give furniture a facelift is by refinishing, painting, or reupholstering it.

Fix it with fixtures -- The most popular rooms in the house to remodel are the kitchen and bath. If you can't afford to completely transform your existing kitchen or bath, or if you're still waiting to hear from "Extreme Makeover Home Edition," don't worry. There's a simple way to change the look of your room without breaking your budget. Think about replacing your faucet fixtures. You can re-define your space and create a new focal point for the room with a new faucet.

Value-priced faucet brand, Peerless, recently updated its product line with several new decorative styles. "We updated our styles so that we can offer customers the features they look for at prices they can't afford to say no to," said Sam Straub, senior product marketing manager, Peerless. The new kitchen faucets from Peerless now include a more rounded spout and taller handles. Consumers also have the choice of adding a vegetable sprayer. In the bath, faucet handles have new decorative accents such as cross handles, which can be just enough to create an updated look.

A couple coats of paint go a long way -- No matter what room of the house you are looking to transform, make sure you add, "paint walls," to your to-do list. "Paint is the most cost effective and dramatic way to change the appearance of a room," said Mary Rice, Vice President Marketing, BEHR Paints. "Don't be afraid to try something different or bold. You have the flexibility of choosing from literally thousands of color combinations, and with the help of our interactive online color tool, ColorSmart by BEHR, you can feel confident with your selections."

Use mirrors and lighting to alter your room -- Adding mirrors not only makes your room appear larger, but it will also add depth and dimension to the room. Get creative: choose different sizes and shapes to make arrangements on your wall. Try using different types of lighting to highlight certain rooms or specific areas of a room. Use different levels of lighting as well (put a 60 Watt bulb in one lighting fixture, but put a 75 Watt bulb in another).

Don't forget to accessorize -- Soft, muted finishes around your home add the perfect final touches. It's common to find stainless steel or nickel finishes in the kitchen or bath. There's a reason why these finishes are so popular in home décor right now. They are extremely easy to maintain and they hide scratches and watermarks, keeping your home looking like new. Peerless has added a Stainless Steel and a Brushed Nickel finish to its color palate, giving customers the convenience of purchasing products that coordinate with the rest of the home at an affordable price. According to Straub, "Stylish products for the home should be available at every price point."

Personalize it -- Finally, create your own personal touch with family photos in uniquely styled frames. Accent your rooms with inexpensive vases, flower arrangements and candles for a fresh atmosphere. You can find most of these items for under $10 at a local craft or retail store. And don't forget garage sales -- you can find slightly used items that would normally sell at high prices for a fraction of the cost.

Now that you are finished with the transformation, take what's left in your "safety budget" and treat yourself to something special. You've worked hard -- you deserve it!

Courtesy of ARA Content