Joanna Gaines Has A Budget-Friendly Trick To Transform A Room Without Going Broke

The appearance of outdated flooring can make an otherwise excellent design and furniture layout go from a potential five stars to about two and a half. With so many flooring options, such as natural hardwood, vinyl, laminate composites, and tile, it may seem easy to just replace old or worn-down floors with newer materials or trendier looks. The challenge to this, however, is that it may not always be in your budget to do so. Let's face it, installing new floors is one of the most expensive remodels that you can take on as a homeowner. This is where an expert piece of advice from home renovating extraordinaire Joanna Gaines comes in handy. Gaines recommends simply adding an area rug to a room with flooring that's past its prime.

Instead of going deep into your pockets to spend big bucks to swap out old flooring and replace it with updated materials, opt for a nice area rug that can cover the unsightly floors and breathe new life into the space. Gaines says, via her Magnolia blog, "Now, when I'm space planning and pulling a room together, I typically like to start with the rug first. A good rug adds a sense of warmth and comfort to any space it's placed in, while also bringing in some color and texture to the room." A well-placed area rug can make all the difference in a room that has bad flooring and can be easily tied into the decor. 

New hardwood flooring can cost anywhere from around $4,000 to $11,500, and tile flooring installs can range anywhere from roughly $2,000 to $6,000. And the good news about this budget-friendly home upgrade is the rug doesn't have to cover every inch of the flooring, but enough so that it stands out, directing attention away from what's hiding beneath. So if you're looking at your tile flooring and shaking your head at all the cracks or trying to find creative ways to bring those old hardwood floors back to life, you really don't have to! Many area rugs that are on the smaller side, such as a 4x6-footer, can run as low as $25. Meanwhile, a larger one of 12x18 feet can cost upwards of $380 — both of which are still a fraction of what new flooring installations would average. 

Another benefit of the area rug option is that you don't have to worry about installation or demolition costs, moving fees (at least in some cases), or tool purchases. You can just purchase the rug, take it home, unroll it yourself, and have that old flooring covered within a matter of minutes. Thanks to stores like Ikea or Costco, finding the perfect area rug for your home can be fairly easy. However, when it comes to determining who has the better deals on area rugs, you'll learn that it really depends on when you're looking. You can come across stylish, sizeable area rugs for less than $200 if you expand your search to include both online and local home goods stores.