So you’ve got a new house – congratulations! There’s just one problem…
It’s not quite your style. But with all the money you just dropped on closing and moving and new furniture, you don’t have a lot of cash to spruce it up.
Or, maybe you’re just about to sell your house and you wish you could spruce it up a bit before putting it on the market, but you don’t want to spend a ton.
Basically, you need a lot of look for not a lot of dough, right?
Don’t worry! These quick and usually DIY upgrades will make your home look and feel like a million bucks (for just a tiny chunk of change).
You can upgrade your home’s style with these easy projects.
1. Remove The 90’s Ducks
Maybe your home doesn’t have literal country blue ducks all over the kitchen, but if you have an older home, chances are good there’s some equally cheesy decor hanging around. Just taking out the cheesy badness of decades past — by removing the wallpaper or covering up the hokey paint — will make your home look and feel much fresher.
It’s got to go!
2. Get Rid of Grime
Take a close look at the surfaces that often get ignored. Places like the base molding and window sills often have a layer of grime that needs to be removed or even repainted. Get your elbow grease on and try a Magic Eraser on these surfaces. If that doesn’t work, fresh caulk and a new coat of bright white paint will go SO FAR to making your place look bright and clean again.
Get ready to scrub!
3. Paint!
A new coat of a light, neutral paint will make any room look and feel invigorated.
Not sure what to choose? Sherwin Williams Essential Gray works just about anywhere if you like neutrals. Not into grays? That’s ok. Sand Trap is a great neutral, and Alabaster is the perfect white-but-not-TOO-white. Be careful with white, you must use other pieces to accent the area. And white walls with white trim is a big no-no.
So fresh and so clean!
4. Highlight One Wall
If you’re already working with a neutral palette, you can add in some personality and pizazz. Add an accent wall in a fun spot like your breakfast nook or powder bath and really go all out.
You can use wall stickers or removable wallpaper for a low commitment look, or go simple and slap on the paint. Just this one simple addition will make you smile whenever you walk in the room.
How great is this!
5. Add Art
Adding art to your home is a great way to add style. But not just any art…
Add some large scale art that you LOVE.
What does large scale mean? Well, think of the biggest piece you have, and then find something bigger. If you LOVE it, it belongs on the wall, and a big piece will set the tone for an entire room. This doesn’t have to cost a fortune, either. You can get great pieces at Living Spaces or IKEA for around $100.
Want to spend a little more? Scroll around Instagram. You can find fantastic original art there AND you’ll be supporting small business owners. Win / Win.
Great accent to a room!
6. Change Out The Faucets
Now that we’ve fully addressed the walls, let’s turn our attention to other areas. Those “builder grade” faucets? They’ve got to go.
Luckily, replacing them is a pretty easy project AND you can get some much better looking alternatives at your local Home Depot. This super simple faucet is a huge upgrade… and it’s less than fifty bucks! Watch a couple of YouTube videos, break out the wrenches, and kiss those acrylic cheapies goodbye.
You can do this!
7. Swap Out Light Fixtures
Now we’re getting a little more technical. if you don’t have a ton of knowledge in this area, you might want to bring in a pro. Don’t worry, though. You can find an electrician who will give you a reasonable rate for this task, and if you’ve got a couple lights to replace, they can help you with all of them at once.
No matter who does the installation, you can find great looking lights to replace the brass builder basics. This alone will make a huge transformation in your space!
Simple. Architectural. What’s not to love?
8. Change Your Light Switches, Too.
While you’ve got the electrician there… (or if you’ve decided you can DIY), change out your switches and outlet covers.
There are so many options nowadays; there’s no reason to have yellowed, cracked switches. Also, the sky’s the limit on this. You can stick with simple new plates or you can add dimmer switches or switches with smart features.
These can be simple or complex!
9. While you at it replace the old gold Fans!
You have a great home and updates, but keep that 1980s fan hanging in the room. Fans are great and can make a statement for an area. You can spend a little or a lot for them, so shop around. But for a few hundred dollars you can dramatically change a room.
This looks great!
Some or all of these changes can make HUGE difference in the appearance of your home and the resale value. If you just moved in or are about to sell, these are all great ideas to do now.