Whether your kitchen needs a full overhaul or just a few minor upgrades, there are tons of options for designing a revitalized space. Stainless steel appliances, white cabinetry and granite countertops are a few of the most highly coveted upgrade trends of the moment. While not all updates are inexpensive, like granite, there are ways to give a kitchen a contemporary and current look without a big budget.

Here are a few quick and affordable ideas for updating a dated dining and cooking space:

Old ceiling fans can be a little intimidating to replace. Most people are afraid to take these big boys down and have to worry about wiring a new one. And are there even better choices out there? Well I'm here to tell you that YES, there are better choices and replacing that old ceiling fan is easier and less expensive than you may think. Because the wiring and support system are already in place, replacing that old hunk-a-hunk-a-burning fan is actually pretty easy. There are even plenty of YouTube videos who say so. 

So what should you replace it with? How about one of these!

Nothing dates a space more quickly than an outdated hutch that needs a little sprucing up. If you have one of these, don't worry! You don't have to ditch it all-together. Just take some time to bring it a bit more up-to-date with these fun ideas. 

You know that they say about first impressions. And you don't want your guest's first impression to be a tired, weathered door. Doors can be very expensive to replace. So if yours is solid wood and in good condition, all it may need is a bright pop of color. If it's aluminum or sports beveled or gold-accented glass, we recommend replacing it for a more modern look. There are usually door outlets in town that carry floor models at a fraction of the cost of ordering them custom. 

Check out these beautiful doors for inspiration:

These "hollywood" style lights were all the rage in the 80's and 90's. Now? Not so much. The great thing about these is that they're actually very easy to replace and make an amazing, immediate impact. Once you unscrew that bad boy, you'll probably see a single junction box behind it. If you see two, you have the perfect excuse for sconces! If you or your partner are handy, installing a second junction box is more of an advanced project but will turn out great. As a general rule, you usually want at least one light per sink. Here are some pretty and affordable options. 

Frameless mirrors seem like standard issue from home builders. But replacing them is an inexpensive and easy way to give your bathroom more personality and style. Check out these affordable alternatives. 

Track lighting seemed like such a good idea! Focus certain lights on works of art, add more lighting to a room without a bunch of lamps. But the problem was in the execution. Clearly, designers were not involved in the creation of these relics. And those flush-mount semi-circle lights? We've heard them referred to as "boob" lights. They're just not...pretty. Luckily, both are easy to replace with updated lighting that will add a style and a new glow to your room.

At one point, fake plants were all the rage. And it makes sense! Plants you don't have to water or fertilize!? Sign us up! The problem was in the execution. These funny plastic items ended up neglected, dusty and sad. Honestly, there are still some decent fake plants on the market but they're few and far between. We recommend the real thing. And no ivy or plastic birds of paradise please. Stick to these three reccos and you'll be golden.

This one stumps me. I'm not quite sure why these sliding shower doors were invented. Spend a bunch of money now so that you never have to replace your $5 shower curtain liner? Get some slightly-blurred privacy? I can't think of a good reason. And why would you miss the opportunity to put up a beautiful shower curtain! We recommend ripping that puppy out and putting one of these gorgeous curtains up. 

There are two main items in a living room. The couch and the coffee table. The couch is a bit more expensive to replace (we'll do another post on this later) but the coffee table is easy! Are you still sporting one of these 80's numbers above? How about those rickety $5 Ikea tables? It's time to upgrade! But don't spend a fortune. Here are some good options. 

Need more help with any of these design conundrums or others? We're here to help with our online interior design consultation! Just contact us and we'll get you started on a more beautiful home today.  

Online interior design is a new concept. But somehow the idea is as easy to understand as it is to use. 

Unless you have a decorator as your BFF, the only two options for getting help with decorating were either to hire an absurdly expensive interior designer who charges an absurd mark-up on already-expensive furniture and decor, or decorate your home or office yourself. For most people I know, neither of these options was ideal. Either you don't have tens of thousands of dollars to spend decorating your home or office, or you don't have the time and resources to do it yourself. So what most people are left with are pieced-together apartments, work spaces and homes.

That's where online interior decorators come in. Interior design services provide beautiful, custom designs from anywhere in the country. And for way less than typical designers charge. Shilshole & Co. offers their services at a flat fee so there are no hidden surprises. Not only that, but since the products they chose are online instead of in showrooms, the prices of the products themselves are much more affordable as well. 


So how does the process work? Online interior designers can design pretty much any space from anywhere. Usually all you need to send them are photos of your space and hop on a quick phone call to go through some simple questions. Shilshole & Co. likes to get the client a little more involved by creating a pin board on Pinterest where we can share ideas and talk design style. 


After budget, design style and photos of the room have been sorted,  a single designer or a team of interior decorators gets to work experimenting with decorating, interior design ideas and inspiration for your space. Shilshole & Co. likes to provide several options for each room so you're not just paying for one design. You're paying for at least two that you can choose as recommended - all together - or pick and choose elements yourself. The beauty of online design is that you order all of the pieces online and ship them directly to your door for set up. If you're local to Austin, TX - we can even come help set up the room for you.  


At Shilshole & Company, we think that interior design should be fun, easy and that it doesn't have to cost a fortune. We offer online interior design services, regardless of your location. All for one low, flat fee. It's an affordable alternative to traditional interior design with an easy process - all online. Come home to a more beautiful space with our help.

To get started, contact us for a free consultation today!