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Elizabeth Rand-Watkinson is fairly certain most homeowners won't be ringing in the New Year gutting their kitchens and bathrooms. When it comes to renovations, people generally tend to take a break after holiday entertaining and hibernate for the winter. Add to that an increasingly troubled economy and "even modest upgrading projects are getting shut down," says the Globe columnist who writes on design.

But, "you can still effect positive change in your living spaces despite a squeeze on your discretionary spending," she says. Here, with fellow Globe Real Estate columnists Kelly Deck, Mike Holmes and Candice Olson, Mr. Rand-Watkinson offers up some expert tips to get you through the winter blahs without breaking the bank.

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Kelly Deck

Focus on art

Artwork can radically affect the mood in any room. The ironic thing, design columnist Kelly Deck says, is that once art has been hanging in the same spot for a few years, most homeowners tend not to notice it any more.

Shake things up this year and give your interior a quick, easy and affordable facelift by rotating your art collection, she says.

She urges people to take risks. Try pieces out in rooms where you would never imagine putting them, even if they seem too daring or out of scale for the space. "The result may surprise you."

If you have more artwork than you have wall space, don't be afraid to hang it all. Positioning artwork frame to frame and floor to ceiling can provide a dramatic, eclectic look.

Ms. Deck says it's "refreshing to add something new," but that doesn't mean you have to invest a lot of money in artwork. Instead, dig through closets and frame artwork you've been wanting to hang for years. Framing doesn't even have to be expensive, not with all the ready-made ones sold these days.

If moving artwork around uncovers unsightly fade marks or holes in your walls, remember to repair and/or repaint them. Or consider creating a feature wall using a fresh paint colour and different artwork. "These may seem like small changes, but they can completely transform a room," she says.

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Elizabeth Rand-Watkinson

Reuse creatively

'Even small changes or improvements help provide a much-needed lift," Ms. Rand-Watkinson says. And she does mean small, pointing to the ideas for low-cost decorating on frugalbydesign.com — such as hanging old mailboxes on a wall for extra storage.

Vintage farmhouse mailboxes — the long, rounded-top type with the opening at one end — are great for storing winter hats, mitts and scarves in mudrooms. Ditto for storing keys, cellphones and iPods.

Industrial-looking galvanized steel mailboxes might be a better choice in contemporary kitchens — for storing kitchen utensils, loaves of bread, spices or home office supplies. Brightly painted mailboxes look great over a child's desk and help organize homework and school supplies.

There's no limit (or great expense) to what you can do when you creatively repurpose existing possessions, she adds, picturing vintage suitcases as bed headboards and old vinyl LPs as wall art in a TV-media room.

"Scour your attic, basement or grandma's garage for other things to repurpose."

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Candice Olson:

Lighten up

Winter is the perfect time to take stock of the lighting in your home, Divine Design columnist Candice Olson says, referring to the season's shorter days and scarce amounts of daylight.

Replace traditional ceiling-mounted incandescent light fixtures, she says, with five low-voltage halogen light fixtures mounted on an eight-foot track (often sold as a kit for a couple of hundred dollars).

"Halogen lighting is crisper, cleaner and whiter. It also renders colour true, so blues don't look that sickly green," she explains. And yellows don't cast a neon glow like they do with screw-in incandescent bulbs, she adds.

Installing multiple lighting fixtures also helps add drama and excitement to a space, she adds. "You can highlight art and accessories, sculpt drapery with light and shadow, and rake light across a surface to highlight its texture."

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Mike Holmes

Step on it

January and February are great months to replace old carpeting or flooring, resident construction expert Mike Holmes says — especially if the holiday season brings with it any permanent stains or damage.

Not only are people usually burned out from entertaining by the time January rolls around, trades people are less busy at the start of the year. "You can probably get good deals from carpet and hardwood suppliers," he says. "Prices go up in the spring, on both product and labour."

Think about going green and ensuring good air quality with sustainably harvested hardwood flooring (certified by the Forest Stewardship Council) or carpeting that has no or low emissions of volatile organic compounds — even in the underlayment, he says.

Whatever you decide, the key is to do your homework and avoid a quick fix. "In my experience, that's usually a direct route to trouble."