Cheap Stylish Renovation of a Khrushchyovka for 150 Thousand Rubles

150 thousand rubles for the renovation of a 2-room khrushchyovka sounds like science fiction. For this amount, construction teams offer nothing more than painting the ceilings and hanging wallpaper. And yet, a thoughtful approach, proper priorities, and doing the work yourself can create miracles. I will prove that a stylish renovation of a khrushchyovka is possible for 150 thousand rubles if you know where to save and where you cannot, and possess basic skills. The main thing is a clear plan, smart materials, and no perfectionism.

The key points from the article:

• 70% of the budget is spent on materials, 30% on tools and specialists' services;
• Priority is flooring and wall painting, as they give the maximum visual effect;
• We do everything ourselves except for electrical and plumbing work;
• Purchase materials at the end of seasons with discounts up to 50%;
• Use light colors and affordable materials that look expensive;
• Update rather than replace — restoration is cheaper than buying new.

Planning and Priorities: Every Ruble Counts

With a limited budget, you cannot do everything at once. You need to select 3-4 key items that will dramatically change the appearance of the apartment.

• Priority #1 — Floors (40,000 rubles): Floor covering occupies a large area and immediately catches the eye. Good laminate or SPC tiles for 800-1200 rubles per square meter will transform the apartment.
• Priority #2 — Walls (30,000 rubles): Painting is cheaper than wallpaper and looks more modern. Primer, putty, and paint for the entire apartment will cost many times less than quality wallpaper.
• Priority #3 — Plumbing (25,000 rubles): A new sink, toilet, and taps radically change the perception of the bathroom and kitchen.
• Priority #4 — Lighting (15,000 rubles): LED lights and properly arranged lighting transform the dreary khrushchyovka into a modern space.

What to NOT spend money on: expensive tiles, drop-down ceilings, built-in furniture. These look nice but are not critical for the overall impression.

Purchasing Materials: Save up to 50%

Seasonal discounts — the golden vein of savings:

• Flooring — discounts in February-March up to 40%;
• Paints and primers — cheapest in autumn;
• Plumbing fixtures — sales after New Year's holidays;
• Lighting — discounts in May-June up to 50%.

Where to buy:

• Building supermarkets — a wide selection, but prices are average;
• Regional warehouses — 20-30% cheaper, but less choice;
• Online stores — convenient to compare prices, delivery available;
• Clearance sales — you can find quality materials for half the price.

Money-saving tricks:

• Purchase exactly what you calculated + 10% extra, no more;
• Buy materials from the same series and color — often there are discounts;
• Negotiate a discount when purchasing in large quantities;
• Look for products with minor packaging defects.

Floors: Maximum Effect for Reasonable Money

• The best choice for a budget renovation — 33 class laminate Price: 600-1200 rubles/sqm Area of khrushchyovka: ~35 sqm Total: 21,000-42,000 rubles;
• Alternative — SPC tiles (stone-plastic composite) Stronger than laminate, waterproof, can be laid everywhere, including the bathroom. Price: 800-1500 rubles/sqm;
• Underlayment and skirting boards: Another 3-5 thousand rubles for the entire apartment.

Saving on installation: Do it yourself. Modern locking coverings are laid without adhesive, like a construction set. Internet to the rescue. Trick: Use the same type of covering throughout the apartment. This is cheaper and visually expands the space.

Design: Dasha Soboleva Walls: Paint Instead of Wallpaper

Why paint is better than wallpaper in a budget renovation:

• Cheaper 2-3 times;
• Looks more modern;
• Easily updated in a few years;
• Can create accents.

Budget for painting the entire apartment:

• Primer: 3,000 rubles;
• Putty: 5,000 rubles;
• Paint: 8,000 rubles;
• Brushes, rollers, plastic sheeting: 2,000 rubles Total: 18,000 rubles.

Color scheme for a small apartment:

• Main color — white or light gray;
• One accent wall in each room;
• No more than 3 colors in the entire apartment.

Secret to quality painting: good wall preparation is more important than expensive paint. Better to properly spackle and paint with cheap paint, rather than poorly prepare and paint with expensive paint.

Ceilings: Simple Solutions

• The most budget-friendly option — painting: If the ceilings are relatively flat, just paint in white. Cost: 5,000 rubles for the entire apartment.
• If the ceilings are uneven — ceiling tiles: Modern tiles made from polystyrene look quite decent. Cost: 8,000 rubles for the entire apartment.
• Drop-down ceilings — only in critical cases: If the ceilings are really bad, you can install one in a single room. But that is already 15-20 thousand rubles — a third of the budget.

Plumbing: Update, Don't Replace Completely

Bathroom (15,000 rubles):

• New sink: 3,000 rubles;
• Tap: 4,000 rubles;
• Mirror: 2,000 rubles;
• Accessories: 3,000 rubles;
• Restoring bathtub with liquid acrylic: 3,000 rubles.

Kitchen (10,000 rubles):

• Stainless steel sink: 4,000 rubles;
• Tap: 3,500 rubles;
• Siphon and supply pipes: 1,500 rubles;
• Accessories: 1,000 rubles.

The main principle: restore the old rather than buy new. A vintage bathtub can be updated with liquid acrylic, and old tiles can be painted with special paint.

Design: Nadezhda Lighting: Light Solves Everything

Basic set for a 2-room apartment:

• LED ceiling lights: 8,000 rubles (4 units);
• Wall sconces: 4,000 rubles (2 units);
• Table lamps: 3,000 rubles (2 units).

Lighting rules in khrushchyovka:

• Many light points instead of one chandelier;
• Warm light in the bedroom and living room, cool light on the kitchen;
• Task lighting for work zones;
• Dimmers to adjust brightness.

Savings: Buy lighting from IKEA or similar stores. Simple design, low prices, decent quality.

Kitchen: Cosmetic Renovation for a Few Rubles

Updating cabinet fronts instead of buying a new kitchen:

• Painting or covering with film: 8,000 rubles;
• New handles: 2,000 rubles;
• New countertop: 10,000 rubles.

Backsplash — 'pig' tiles: Universal white 10x20 cm tiles cost 500-800 rubles/sqm and fit any style.

Appliances: Keep the old ones if they work. New appliances can be bought later when money is available.

Design: Polina Andreeva Doors and Windows: Minimal Investment

Interior doors: Update the old ones — sanding, painting, new handles. Cost: 3,000 rubles per door.

If the doors are really bad: The simplest laminated doors cost 4,000-6,000 rubles per unit.

Windows: If the old wooden frames are not rotting, just paint and insulate. Replacing windows costs 50-80 thousand rubles for the entire apartment — a third of the budget.

Decoration and Furniture: Update What You Have

Principle: Updating Is Cheaper Than Buying New

Soft Furnishings:

• New sofa covers: 3,000 rubles;
• Reupholstering chairs: 2,000 rubles per unit;
• Decorative cushions: 1,500 rubles.

Wardrobe Furniture:

• Painting cabinets: 5,000 rubles;
• New doors: 10,000 rubles;
• New hardware: 3,000 rubles.

Textiles:

• New curtains: 8,000 rubles;
• Blankets and throws: 5,000 rubles;
• Rug in the living room: 7,000 rubles.

Design: Svetlana Working with Your Own Hands: Saving 60% of the Budget

What you can do yourself:

• Laying laminate and SPC tiles;
• Painting walls and ceilings;
• Laying ceiling tiles;
• Installing lights (excluding wiring);
• Assembling and installing furniture;
• Laying tiles (with practice).

What is better to leave to professionals:

• Electrical work (safety is more important than savings);
• Plumbing with welding;
• Wall leveling (if the deviation is more than 3 cm);
• Installing interior doors.

Savings on Work: 40-80 thousand rubles

Budget Distribution of 150,000 Rubles

Mandatory Expenses:

• Flooring: 35,000 rubles;
• Paints and wall materials: 20,000 rubles;
• Plumbing fixtures: 25,000 rubles;
• Lighting: 15,000 rubles;
• Electrical work (services): 10,000 rubles.

Total: 105,000 rubles

The remaining 45,000 rubles are distributed:

• Kitchen backsplash: 8,000 rubles;
• Furniture update: 15,000 rubles;
• Textiles and decor: 12,000 rubles;
• Tools: 5,000 rubles;
• Unforeseen expenses: 5,000 rubles.

Design: Ekaterina Phased Work: Do It in Stages

• Phase 1 (50,000 rubles): electrical work, preparation, and wall painting;
• Phase 2 (40,000 rubles): flooring throughout the apartment;
• Phase 3 (30,000 rubles): plumbing and lighting;
• Phase 4 (30,000 rubles): kitchen, decor, finishing touches.

We spread the renovation over 4-6 months, doing it in stages. This allows us to avoid loans and perform the work more carefully.

Mistakes That Destroy the Budget

• Perfectionism: striving to make everything perfect increases the cost by 2-3 times.
• Changing plans in the process: every “let’s do this too” adds 10-20% to the budget.
• Purchasing materials without calculation: buying “with a surplus” and overpaying by 30-50%.
• Trying to do everything at once: it's better to renovate parts carefully than badly all at once.
• Saving on tools: poor tools ruin expensive materials.

Result: What We Get for 150 Thousand Rubles

• Modern floors throughout the apartment;
• Freshly painted walls in trendy colors;
• Updated plumbing fixtures;
• Modern LED lighting;
• A refreshed kitchen;
• Updated furniture and textiles.

What you won't get: drop-down ceilings, expensive tiles, built-in furniture, new windows. But even without these, the apartment will look stylish and modern.

Stylish renovation of a khrushchyovka for 150 thousand rubles is really possible if you properly set priorities and work with your hands. The main thing is to understand what creates the impression: clean light walls, quality floors, good lighting, and neat plumbing fixtures. Everything else is details that can be added later. Don't try to do everything at once and perfectly — better to update the main things carefully than badly remake everything. Budget renovations require patience, but the result can pleasantly surprise.

Cover: Design Project by Anna Kanyina