If you’re anything like me, you’re just a little bit addicted to those interior design shows – the ones where a team walks into an everyday home and, voila! It’s transformed over a few days into a dream house. While don’t always have the budget that they do in these shows, there are a few great tricks and tips to learn from them that will help you redecorate and remodel affordably to add value and appeal to your home.
Pampering Your Outdated Kitchen
Kitchens are one of the most expensive remodeling projects for homeowners, so it’s understandable that it’s one that gets put off most often for budgetary reasons. However, it’s also one of the most-used spaces in a home, and having a kitchen you enjoy being in can make all the difference to how much you enjoy your home, entertain in it, and spend time with your family. Here are some ways that you can create a great space without a full remodel:
- Wooden cabinets: If you’re lucky enough to have wooden cabinets, you can make a big impact without spending much by painting them or staining them to a trendier color. This saves a huge amount of money and you’ll be surprised at just how much of a difference a change in cabinet color can make.
- Update your handles: Splash out on some modern, more expensive handles to complete the transformation. You can go for anything that suits your home’s look, from sleek steel handles to individually-painted ceramic handles to add character.
- Wooden or laminate countertops: It doesn’t take a lot of money or time to replace your countertops with high-quality laminate, or update your wooden countertops with a light paint wash. There are a wide range of products in almost every home store that are specifically designed to be applied to these types of countertops – just read the reviews to ensure you’re choosing a durable, hardwearing option.
- Add a backsplash: Tiles come in every color, texture and pattern imaginable, and creating a backsplash is an easy and affordable way to add character and elegance to your space. Get creative with your look, whether you choose hand painted Mexican talavera tiles, stylish subway tiles, or elegant glass tiles to complete your look. For an even more affordable solution, you can simply apply high-quality vinyl tile stickers to your existing tiles – you can’t tell the difference unless you get up close and they’re easy to clean, so they’re perfect for the kitchen.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
High-quality paint is widely available and it’s an easy DIY job, making it the perfect project to update your home. You can go simple by adding a feature wall to your living room or bedroom that draws the eye and adds visual interest, you can apply a sophisticated neutral to your whole home for a luxurious and modern look, or you can add bold color to your bathroom and kitchen to add instant drama! Try out the colors that appeal to you the most – if they don’t work out the way you want, you can simply try again. Your home is your canvas!
Look at Your Lights, Doorknobs and Faucets
Updating smaller details like light fittings, faucets and doorknobs will have a much bigger impact than you may think. After all, these are features that we use and focus on every single day. They can also make your home more functional as well as more attractive – new lights can be artistic design features as well as offering better light to see and work by, and you can also add dimmer switches or smart lighting for a more customized result. Updating your faucets to modern low-water use options will look great as well as save you money and give you great water pressure without the expense. Think about making these touches a little luxurious too – a high-end showerhead will make you feel like you’re at a spa, and a beautiful light fitting will transform your entertaining space.
Don’t Forget the Outdoors
Pretend you’re someone new to the neighborhood and drive up to your home like it’s the first time you’ve ever done so – now, what impression do you get? Improving your curb appeal makes your home feel more welcoming and beautiful to you as well as your guests, and can make your arrival at home each day something uplifting. Some good ideas to include in this project are:
- Painting your front door: Repainting your front door, whether it’s in a classic color or something bold and creative, makes an attractive and eye-catching statement for your home. In addition to a coat of paint, it’s a good idea to install a new knocker and even a smart doorbell to update your home with some useful tech and attractive features.
- Add plants: There are so many plants that thrive in Texas, including beautiful indigenous and hardy plants that can cope with anything from humidity and heat to droughts and chilly winters. Visit your local garden center to see what they advise for your location, and choose some statement plants to draw the eye. There’s really something for everyone, whether you’re a novice, a keen gardener or even if you don’t really have the time and want something low maintenance. Don’t forget about hard landscaping too – a gravel path or stepping-stones to your front door, or even a small water feature or statue will make your home stand out.
Sell Your Home in Dallas or Fort Worth Today – We Buy Homes in Any Condition for Cash
The Shiny Key Properties team is a leading property agency in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, specializing in cash for houses. If you’re interested in selling your home quickly or want to buy a new home in the area, contact us today. We can make you a no-obligation, market-related cash offer on your property today.