If you’re like most Americans, you’ve been spending more time at home and looking a little closer at what you could improve. All of a sudden that paint color that was once livable doesn’t feel that way anymore. Your lighting fixtures just aren’t cutting it. And do you need a bigger TV?
You’re definitely not alone.
In fact, both Home Depot and Lowe’s saw a huge surge in growth with a 10% and 21% increase in foot traffic, respectively. See? It’s not just you getting bit by the home improvement bug.
We’ve put together a list of eight unique projects that won’t take too long to complete or blow your budget with a stroke of a paintbrush. Let’s do it!
- Change Out Your House Numbers. You probably never notice your own house numbers, you know where you live. Chances are they’re probably the same numbers that have been there since your home was built. Changing out your house numbers is an easy task, you just have to decide what kind matches your home’s aesthetic. Are you more of a vertical scrolling font or a horizontal san-serif modern type? Will your numbers standalone or part of a plaque? There are so many options nowadays, all of which can be an improvement from your original set! Most numbers are drilled into the home’s exterior so take note of what space you’ll need to cover with the new ones.
- Make Over Your Hardware. This is a super simple project that really brings your bathroom fixtures together, especially if you have mixed metals. We recommend Rustoleum spray paint and primer, tape, and a 150 grit/higher sandpaper to get the best results. Make sure to tape off the edges and cover the rest of your sink/surrounding wall before you start sanding. Apply primer then paint and wait a few hours before use.
- Add Windows to Your Garage Door. Well, the illusion of windows anyway. This might be the most simple upgrade of them all! You’ll need pane-shaped magnets (check out these ones from Amazon), metal/metal alloy garage doors, and some painters tape. Whether you want square pane magnets or more of an arch, you can choose the magnet set that fits your house’s style. Grab some tape to help you keep straight lines and lay your magnets out to create your fake garage windows. It really is that easy!
- Do Up Old Furniture. Have an old dresser you can’t bear to part with that desperately needs refurbished? Take the hassle of sanding out of the equation by using chalk paint! Typically furniture will just need a few coats (the more abrupt the transition, the more coats you’ll need) and then can be finished with a matte or glossy clear coat. There are many different brands (Rustoleum, Annie Sloan) and colors to choose from that will give the matte “chalkboard” feeling to your furniture. Select that goes with your current style and get to painting!
- Stick It to the Floor. Don’t want to spend hours laying tile and checking the evenness of grout? Use peel and stick tiles to completely make over your floor! There are many brands you can use for this kind of transformation but FloorPops®️ offers a wide range of options as well as being easy to trim, cost-effective, and water-resistant. All you need besides the tiles themselves is a utility knife to cut around objects on your floor such as toilets or cabinet edges. No tile-cutters needed here! Peel and stick tiles can completely refresh the space like a new floor would, but with a much smaller price tag and project time.
- Update Your Surfaces. It’s wild how a surface is so easily dated by the material covering it; so change it! Cover your bookshelves, counters, sink tops, drawers, tables, and even staircase edges with contact paper to bring them into this decade (or century, depending how old your house is). Moral of the story: if it’s flat, you can probably cover it with contact paper. All this project takes is contact paper, a utility knife, a credit card for smoothing out bumps, and some patience, but can change so much in a space. Like the peel and stick tile, contact paper is great for renters, people on a budget, or the indecisive.
- Create Art Right on Your Wall. Painted rooms don’t have to be all the same color. Shake up your space with an accent wall that’s uniquely your style! There are a few ways you can add an accent wall. Liven up an otherwise monochromatic room with one wall painted or wallpapered a complementary color for an easy pop. If you want to get a little more hands on with this project, create a pattern yourself. Use contrasting paint (for example gray paint on a blue wall) or even electrical tape to form your own design.
- Say Hello to a New Front Door. Ramp up your home’s curb appeal just by changing the color of your front door. Take into consideration what looks the best with the rest of your home and choose your new color. Stick to exterior paints with a semi-gloss which has an increased stain-resistance than those with a higher gloss or matte finish. Apply the primer and paint with a roller for the best coverage but try using a paintbrush on the last coat for a “hand painted” effect. Don’t forget to paint your shutters too! Changing the color of your front door can completely alter your home’s appearance and is way more cost-effective than buying a new door.
Which of these projects will you try the next time you want to upgrade your home? Let us know!