Updating your home doesn’t have to be pricey. And when you take on the project yourself, you can save on labor, learn a new skill and have a sense of accomplishment by the end of it all. Whether you’re new to home do-it-yourself (DIY) projects or have been around the paint can once or twice, the following projects are great options to take on yourself.
Paint or Wallpaper
Changing the walls (or even one) in a room can help make a significant impact. It can seem like a completely new room. A fresh coat of paint of either the original color or a completely new one can give the room a vibrant, new look.
And if you’re craving something a little more interesting, there’s good news: Wallpaper is back in. With a plethora of designs to choose from, wallpaper can provide intricacy and interest. You don’t even have to wallpaper walls—Shelves and other small areas can be wallpapered to draw your eye to a certain area in the room.
Update Your Kitchen
There are many ways to update your kitchen that can make it seem newer and more personalized to your style. For example, changing out your old cabinet hardware only takes a few minutes, and they come in a huge variety of colors and styles. You may even be able to thrift them for a unique, one-of-a-kind touch.
A slightly more advanced project, swapping out your faucet can help the functionality of your sink, depending on the type. If you have an outdated faucet that hangs low and doesn’t give you enough space, a widespread faucet with a pull-out handle can be beneficial. Not only that, but this small upgrade can also give your kitchen a more personalized impact.
Install New Lighting
This can be as simple as replacing your harsh white light bulbs with warmer, more inviting lights or buying new floor or table lamps for various rooms. Lighting can make a huge difference to the look and feel of your home and simply changing out your bulbs can help make it feel less like a hospital room and more like a cozy cabin.
You may also want to consider changing the fixtures if they’re outdated or not to your personal preferences. Many secondhand shops and vintage or antique stores carry lamp shades and bases that can give your home a captivating centerpiece or delightful vibe.
Another DIY option is to install smart lightbulbs which you can program to turn on and off from your phone or set on a schedule, change the dimness or color of the bulbs and typically save more energy (and money) on. In some cases, smart devices like lightbulbs can help increase the value of your home.
Tiling
Whether you’re looking to retile your bathroom floor or add tile to a backsplash, this DIY can be a fun, meditative project that results in a beautiful end product. Laying down tile can be fairly simple once you get the hang of it and although it can take some prep work and time, it can often be satisfying upon completion. You may also want to regrout your tiles for a cleaner look or to get a different color grout.
If you don’t want to deal with ceramic tiles or the mess from grout, peel-and-stick tiles are also an option. This is even simpler, typically inexpensive and a good temporary alternative if you just want to try out a style for a short while.
Shelving
Who can say “no” to more storage? Installing wall-mounted shelving may take a little more skill than changing out a lightbulb, but if your kitchen is inundated with endless cabinetry, you may want to consider open shelving to break up the monotony. There are also a variety of options to choose from at home improvement and furniture stores, or you can choose to cut, sand and paint wood shelving yourself if you have a specific vision.
You can even take any leftover wallpaper from any previous wallpaper projects and stick them onto your shelves to match your walls or add some personality.
But shelving doesn’t have to be limited to just your kitchen. Your office may need some extra storage for books, your bedroom might benefit from small shelves to hold plants, or your living room could just need an extra touch of decoration. No matter the reason, open wall-mounted shelving could add depth to your walls while still being functional.
DIY Dedication
DIY-ing can come with a handful of benefits, including saving money, learning a new skill and gaining an updated room or home. But nothing beats the sense of accomplishment you get when you pass by your project every day or when you tell your guests the story of how everything went wrong before it went right. And once you gain the confidence to DIY one thing, you may just be able to do even more over time. Who knows, you might even become a DIY connoisseur.
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