A well-made light fixture looks better, lasts longer, and gives clearer light, so inspect your fixture’s construction the way you would a piece of furniture. It’s even easier to add a new light fixture into ceilings connected to attic space, says Daryl Berg, a journeyman electrician in Longview, Washington. “Just cut the hole for the fixture and run the wires through the ceiling joists to a new circuit.” Transform the mood of the kitchen with a bold new backsplash in ceramic or glass tile. Just make sure the wall is sound before you start the installation. Choosing one color and clean-lined tile for the backsplash in a small kitchen keeps the look uncluttered and roomy.
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.
Choose a fringe-style curtain for a boho look, go bold with large, moody florals or opt for a soft, modern ombre like designer Kerra Michele Huerta did here. We also love how she upped the drama by installing a shower curtain on each side of the tub. Make a small bedroom look larger by adding mirrors to plain closet doors or the back of a bedroom door. Simply pick up a couple of cheap, framed floor-length mirrors for less than $10 at your local big-box store, then paint the frame to match your space. Attach to your closet door with construction adhesive for a permanent look or use removable picture-hanging strips if you’re renting.
- Dimmer switches quickly give your dining room the atmosphere of a swank restaurant.
- Brother-sister duo Leanne and Steve Ford specialize in transforming quirky spaces with unusual layouts into cool and contemporary homes.
- These days “home improvement” spans a gamut of possibilities.
- Tierney McAfee is a freelance writer and Country Living and The Pioneer Woman contributor who covers entertainment, holiday & entertaining, food & drinks, design ideas, DIY, and more.
Get expert advice on your home, design tips, how much to pay for pros and hiring experts, delivered to you daily. Replacing your carpet means tossing out all of the old floor covering. Save several scraps of carpet, whatever kind, for use on the top of sawhorses, as a creeper mat for working on the car, to pad your knees while fixing your plumbing or use as drop cloths.
Update Lighting Fixtures
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.
A House Divided
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.
Google searches for home improvement work — that’s up almost 50% from the same period last year. Gardening is the type of home improvement up the most, but the projects range all over the home, inside and out. Low maintenance, energy efficient with the best warranty in the business. With our computerized design process, you’ll be able to see the choices of siding on your home before the job starts from the comfort of your home.
