A fireplace renovation on a Frisco, Texas home. Interior design by Lark Interiors.

I get it—we all want our homes to be beautiful. That's probably why you’ve found yourself on a Dallas interior designer’s blog. (Welcome! So glad you're here! Go ahead, grab a Diet Coke and settle in.)

The problem isn’t a lack of desire for a nice home. It’s the cost. As anyone who has ever done any home project can tell you: it’s expensive. Like, really expensive. Did you know that the average kitchen remodel costs around $150,000? It’s hard to find quite that much change stuck between the couch cushions.

As an interior designer, I sometimes feel like part of my job description includes being the bad-news-bear. I frequently have to poke holes in clients’ dreams with the reality of home renovation costs. The conversations often go something like this: “I know you were hoping you could gut your entire kitchen for the price of a used car, but that will probably barely cover the cost of your countertops!” Or: “Sure, I’d love to help you complete a two bedroom, two bath addition to your home for $100k. Are you okay with leaving it without a roof?”

In the years since Covid, with both record inflation AND record demand in our industry, these numbers have gotten even more eye-watering. Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING home renovation-wise is “cheap.” And if you’ve found something cheap, be wary. Remember the old cliche? if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

But, despite this challenge, I firmly believe everyone should love their space. So if you searched the couch cushions and came up with less change than you hoped, here are a few smaller scale renovation projects that can still have a major impact on your home.

Affordable Renovation Idea: Renovate Your Fireplace

We completely changed the look of this Dallas, Texas fireplace from 60s brick to sleek, modern soapstone. Interior Design by Lark Interiors.

Did you know that 57% of American homeowners have a fireplace? That's more than half of us! And if your Dallas home was built before 2010, there's a good chance your fireplace could use a little refresh.

As a Dallas interior designer, remodeling a fireplace is one of my favorite small-scale projects. Here’s why:

First, let’s talk about where you spend most of your time. For many of us, that’s the living room. And what’s often the focal point of the living room? The fireplace. It’s like the anchor that grounds the entire space, whether it’s crackling with a cozy fire or simply standing there as a statement piece.

And here’s the beauty of this renovation project: remodeling a fireplace doesn’t usually kick off that dreaded design domino effect. You know what I’m talking about—the one where you decide to update one little thing and suddenly, you’re knee-deep in five other projects you didn’t see coming. Like, you replace your flooring, and then bam—you’ve got to deal with new baseboards. Then, you realize your finished floor height has trapped your dishwasher like it’s been caught in a tiny appliance prison, so now you’re raising countertops, and oops—there goes your backsplash, too. It’s a slippery slope.

But with a fireplace? It’s different. It’s one of those rare home updates that can stand alone, make a big impact, and not drag you down a rabbit hole of unexpected renovations. That’s why it’s such a sweet spot for a remodel. It’s all the satisfaction of a fresh, updated look without the chaos. And in a city like Dallas, where design trends are always evolving, it’s a great way to keep your home looking current without a full-scale renovation.

Here’s a few of our favorite styles for fireplace remodels:

Stone Fireplace

Ah, the stone fireplace. There’s something so wonderfully clean, simple, and refreshingly current about it. We have a special place in our hearts for soapstone. Now, in this era of white walls and light furniture, your eye craves something to latch onto, something solid to ground all that airiness. That’s where the dark, chalky beauty of soapstone comes in. It pulls your gaze right where it belongs—toward the fireplace, the true heart of the room. We’ve used this design in several projects, and while it plays out a bit differently in each one, it always accomplishes the same thing: it anchors the space, giving it a sense of warmth and stability.

Cast Stone Fireplace

Cast stone. It sounds fancy, doesn’t it? And it is, but here’s the kicker—cast stone is really just a glorified term for concrete. But don’t let that fool you, because concrete has come a long way from the oil-stained driveways of your imagination. These days, the color and finish options are as varied as your morning coffee choices. What’s truly magical about concrete is its versatility. It can be shaped into just about anything your heart desires, making it a fantastic choice for a fireplace surround that’s both unique and elegant.

A Wood Fireplace Surround

A wood or "millwork" fireplace with a soapstone surround in a Dallas renovation. Design by Lark Interiors.

Now, if you’re looking for something timeless, a millwork fireplace surround is as classic as it gets. It’s like the little black dress of fireplace designs—never out of style, always just right. There’s a warmth and a sense of history that comes with wood, a feeling that this fireplace has seen a lot of seasons, a lot of lives lived around it. Not only that, but wood tends to be the least expensive option for updating your fireplace. Just be sure you talk through the design carefully with your trim guys — details matter when it comes to millwork!

Affordable Renovation Idea: A Fresh Coat of Paint

Color-drenching this room (painting all the trim, walls and ceiling the same color) instantly changed the feel of this space in Dallas, Texas. Design by Lark Interiors.

Paint is like the magic wand you didn’t know you had in your toolbox. It's the cheapest, easiest way to make a place feel like your own. With paint you don’t need a trust fund or a bottomless renovation budget to completely transform a room.

Repaint Walls

When we first moved into our suburban Dallas home, I used to joke with my kids that we could play hide and go seek by just blending into the walls. The walls were, for lack of a better description, flesh-toned. Not beige. Not white. Not pink. They were fleshy. Gross, right? I thought so too.

As a result, the very first project we tackled in our home was hiring a painter to remedy the situation. And while it wasn’t cheap, per se, it was definitely less expensive than anything we’ve done with the house since. And the transformation was incredible. Everything — the floors, our furniture, our art, the sunlight streaming in through the windows — instantly looked better after a fresh coat of a paint.

Paint is nothing short of a miracle worker - and it’s one of our go-to strategies anytime we’re working on a project where the budget is tight.

Don’t forget about the Trim:

Many homeowners underestimate just how transformative painting trim, baseboards, and molding can be. A fresh coat of crisp white or even a bold contrasting color on these details can elevate the entire look of a room, making both the walls and ceiling pop. If you're feeling adventurous, dark, moody trim against lighter walls creates a designer-level impact without the hefty price tag. It's a simple, high-impact way to add depth and style to your space without breaking the bank.

Cabinet Makeovers:

Kitchen makeovers are notoriously expensive (remember that $150k figure I mentioned before?) One easy fix to update a dated kitchen is to paint the cabinets. Just be sure to work with a painter who emphasizes their prep work, as good prep will make or break the paint job on cabinets.

Affordable Renovation Idea: Update Lighting

This dining room used to have a terrible brass chandelier dripping with crystals. Swapping out the chandelier instantly improved the space -- with very little hassle! Design by Lark Interiors.

Bad lighting can kill the vibes of a room faster than almost anything. That’s why updating lighting is another affordable and easy home renovation idea — and something we tackle in almost every furniture project.

The Dallas, Texas suburbs are infamous for the Tuscan-style of the early 2000s. In fact, when my mom was visiting recently she asked me if turrets were a Southlake town requirement. Beyond turrets, Tuscan style is characterized by heavy texture on the walls, ornate wood-working, and (worst of all) scrolling, heavy wrought iron chandeliers. Barf.

Replacing those gothic fixtures (or any other type of lighting that doesn’t quite gel with your vision) is an incredibly fast and easy way to instantly update a space. All it usually requires is an electrician, a ladder, and purchasing a new fixture.

A few key things to keep in mind as you replace lighting: for high ceilings, make sure your chandelier chain is long enough! Most (but not all) fixtures come with a standard 6’ of chain. That’s not going to cut it on 18’ ceilings. However, nearly all lighting manufacturers will allow you to purchase extra chain for a small fee. Determine how much chain you’ll need ahead of time. There’s nothing worse than having your electrician set up scaffolding and start hanging a fixture only to realize it’s too short.

Another thing to pay attention to is the size of the canopy. That’s the little round piece at the top of the chain that hides the j-box in the ceiling. Oftentimes, large fixtures have large canopies. Be sure if you’re replacing a fixture with a large canopy you have ceiling medallion on-hand to cover any gap in the ceiling due to a difference in canopy size. (Bonus tip - while you can purchase super simple and nearly invisible ceiling medallions, we love pairing an ornate ceiling medallion with a super modern fixture. The juxtaposition is fun, funky and very ‘Parisian Apartment.’

Affordable Renovation Idea: Ditch the Plantation Shutters

We swapped out the plantation shutters for linen drapes in this Southlake, Texas home for instant softness, style and better noise dampening! Design by Lark Interiors.

Guys. I HATE plantation shutters. Like, I-have-a-dart-board-with-plantation-shutters-at-the-center sort of hate. First of all, plantation shutters severely limit the natural light entering a space. In my book, that is a capital offense, punishable by an immediate trip to the dumpster. Second, they are dust and allergy nightmare. No one (and I mean no one) has time to dust every nook and cranny of every shutter on every window in their home each week. And finally, they are a major design no-no. Let me try and explain why:

Design is all about balance. We balance warm colors with cool colors, geometric patterns with organic ones, and so on and so forth. Plantation shutters throw that balance out of whack. Windows are rectangular. Plantation shutters are also rectangular (with a million little rectangles within them). Windows are a hard surface. Plantation shutters are hard. You get the picture right?

So ditching the shutters is an instant upgrade. And guess what? If the windows aren’t in a spot where you particularly need privacy, you don’t even have to replace them with anything. A bare window > a window with a plantation shutter every time. If you do want some privacy and want to keep costs low, opt for a simple roller shade. If you have a little more budget, go for drapes (the perfect softness against the hard window), woven shades, or a pretty roman shade.

Just remember, whatever you put on that window, open it. Every day. No closed blinds allowed. We even made a reel about it. Natural light is a 100% free to make your home look 100% better (not to mention the mood benefits!) No renovation needed!

So, here’s the thing: a beautiful home doesn’t have to break the bank. While those grand renovations can feel like a distant dream, there are still countless ways to transform your space, one step at a time. Maybe it’s swapping out that tired old lighting for something fresh and modern, or finally creating that cozy nook you’ve been envisioning. Sometimes, it’s the smaller, thoughtful updates that make all the difference.

And hey, if you’re in the Dallas area and thinking about how to make your space work better for you, let’s chat. I’m here to bring a little magic to your home, without blowing your budget. Get in touch today, and let’s start designing your dream space.

Your home should be your favorite place to be—let’s make it that way.

(And, don’t forget, always check those couch cushions!)