The quickest, cheapest way to redecorate a room is by using a little paint, Lowell says.
Keep the cost and labor down by painting just one wall or a painted backsplash, says Gillingham-Ryan. While a gallon of paint can cost about $24, you can get a quart -- enough for a small wall or backsplash -- for $12 to $15.
Gillingham-Ryan once did a backsplash in his kitchen with a tester pot. The total cost was about $6, he recalls.
For color, first look to the room's palette. Does it have cool tones (shades that have a bluish cast) or warm tones (which have a yellowish cast)? Keep your new shade in the same family.
For kitchens, which are often warm, Gillingham-Ryan recommends yellows, oranges and reds. "Mustard yellow is particularly hot right now."
For accent walls, "blue is a big color right now, as is gray," he says. "Blue goes well with cooler colors, and gray can be very warm."