14 Home Improvement Ideas Perfect for Small Houses

Each one can be completed in just a weekend and increases the function—and style! Passive house designs enable us to build houses that save energy, improve air quality and reduce noise pollution. Samantha is an editor who covers all topics home-related including home improvement and repair.

Hanging mirrors in your small home will reflect light, as well as the room itself to make it feel bigger. Built-in shelves require very little work and are endlessly customizable to your space. America’s no. 1 hardware store, Home Depot, offers this guide for custom building built-ins in your home. Select affordable brick, concrete, or clay pavers to create a livable patio space. The key to perfecting this DIY project is making sure that the ground is level, then follow Oregon State’s detailed tutorial on how to lay down pavers in your yard.

• Even newly constructed homes can see huge benefits from having an energy audit performed.
• This show had millions of viewers everywhere daydreaming of downsizing their homes.
• Check out the publication’s comprehensive guide to tackle this project in a weekend.
• Hang a wall-mount shelf above the table to keep keys, hats, and sunglasses within easy reach.
• Can someone recommend what to use that’s READILY AVAILABLE to fill the 3/4″ gap on both sides of frame? The owner of course wants …

“A lot more people are focusing on their family, their homes, you know, the stuff in our immediate vicinity. People’s bubbles have shrunk.” He started building a fence but put the project on hold when he found it impossible to source new fence posts. Stacked neatly in his backyard is a minivan-size pile of gray lumber, all stuff Buhr salvaged from dumpsters and a fence demolition project. “Demand for outdoor living products is surging,” says Nancy Musselwhite, a building materials industry analyst for Principia Consulting.

The most effective system is a vent pipe placed in the sump pit or a hole made under your concrete floor slab. The vent runs up through the house and out the roof, or out the side of the house and up to the eaves. A special in-line fan for radon is placed in the attic or outside the house to suck air through the vent.

Home improvement

These openings really can make a big difference but adding an extra feature to them like an arched top makes them more appealing to the eye… Replacing lighting throughout a house can be a simple update for a small investment — but it can make a bit impact where appearance is concerned, Norris says. As you look at options for chandeliers, pendant lighting, and ceiling fixtures, remember to keep colors consistent with your home’s hardware. For example, you can mix metals such as copper and oiled bronze, or brushed nickel with chrome, but you wouldn’t want to mix gold and silver tones. Keep in mind that older brass fixtures can look dated, since they were often used in properties built in the 80’s and 90’s.

Replace Your Showerhead

They usually involve setting a collector in your home for a week or so and then sending it to a lab for analysis. (One manufacturer is Pro-Lab and charges $40; includes a postage-paid envelope.) Conduct the test in the lowest livable area. Motion detector lights are a proven crime deterrent, and standard hard-wired models cost as little as $15.

If you have a window that faces frigid winter winds, replace it with a high-efficiency unit. If your home has single-pane windows, they could be wasting up to 25% of your energy costs. Improve your home’s energy efficiency by replacing single-pane windows with high-performance double-pane Energy Star-rated windows. Look for windows labeled low-emissivity (low-E) or spectrally selective—they have a coating that reduces thermal heat transfer. Set the perfect outdoor ambiance with string lights.

Find your crowning glory.Hire a contractor to add crown molding, a chair rail, or wainscoting to a room or two — it’s a one-day job with architectural pow. Contain your kitchen.Under-counter swing-out corner storage helps organize a clutter zone — ideal for heavy, rarely used pots, or the collection of Tupperware we all inevitably amass. Restock your linen closet.If you wouldn’t show your current bath towels and bed linens to your visiting mother-in-law, ditch ’em and start anew. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.