You finally made a room feel more like you, but now the electric or gas bill is higher than before. That feels backwards. Most of the time, the room refresh isn’t the problem by itself—it’s a few small choices that made the space less efficient without you realizing it.
Here’s what to check before you blame the whole makeover.
New lighting that uses more power
Swapping out one overhead light for multiple lamps can make a room feel cozy and pulled together. The tradeoff: more bulbs burning at once. If those bulbs are older or not LED, your “warm lighting” is eating more power than the single fixture ever did.
Go back and check what you’re using. Swapping all lamps and fixtures in that room to LEDs with the right brightness can drop usage without messing with the look.
Heavier curtains blocking more than just light
Blackout curtains and layered drapes look nice and help with sleep—but if they cover vents or radiators, they’re trapping the air you’re paying to heat or cool. Same thing with big furniture pushed right in front of vents after a layout change.
Walk the room and make sure vents can actually push air into the space. Sometimes sliding a dresser or lifting curtains just an inch or two above a vent makes the room more comfortable and the thermostat work less.
Rugs and flooring changes that affect airflow
Adding a thick rug on top of a vented floor, or swapping carpet for bare floors, can change how the room feels temperature-wise. Hard floors can feel colder on bare feet, so you bump the thermostat. Rugs that cover cold spots are great, but if they’re blocking heat sources, you’re working against yourself.
You don’t have to undo anything—just be intentional about where vents and returns are and keep those areas clear.
Electronics that never really turn “off”
A new TV, soundbar, gaming device, or fancy frame display can all sip power in standby mode. Add a couple of chargers and a media cabinet, and suddenly that “simple room refresh” is a new cluster of always-on electronics.
Plug the entertainment pieces into a single power strip and turn it off when you’re not using them. You won’t notice a difference in your day, but your bill will.
Extra comfort items that quietly pull power
Electric blankets, heated mattress pads, space heaters, wax warmers, and plug-in diffusers all came out of the package one day and then never left. None of them seem big on their own, but together they add up.
If you’ve added any of these in your new space, try limiting them to a set window of time or swapping a few for non-electric options—thicker throw, hot water bottle, candle that doesn’t stay plugged in.
Your thermostat habits changed with the room
Maybe you spend more time in that space now because you actually like it. That’s a good thing—but it might mean the heat or AC runs more at certain times because you’re bumping the temp “just for a bit.”
Instead of raising the whole house, think about room-focused fixes: draft stoppers, a better throw, slippers, or a small, efficient space heater you use in short bursts instead of shifting the whole thermostat.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
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