Home renovations don’t always have to be costly. Even minor renovations can improve your home’s value and appearance. These five upgrades are fairly inexpensive but can significantly improve your enjoyment of your New Jersey home.
Kitchen Projects
Kitchens can start to show wear after just a few years of use. Luckily, a few inexpensive upgrades can make the room look like new. Did you decide not to splurge on solid wood cabinets when you chose upgrades for your new home? Although your wood veneer cabinets may have looked just like solid wood, little dings and scrapes can detract from their appearance and reveal the underlying surface. Sanding the cabinets and adding a coat of paint and new hardware is a simple way to transform worn cabinets and restore the beauty of your kitchen.
Deep cleaning floors, countertops, cabinets and appliances can also make a big difference in the appearance of your kitchen. Even if you use the fan in your vent hood every time you cook, a fine layer of grease may still coat your cabinets and counters. Although the grime may not be immediately noticeable, it can darken the finish of cabinets. After cleaning, these surfaces will look lighter and brighter. Don’t forget to clean often overlooked areas of the kitchen too, such as light fixtures and switches, picture frames and accessories, and the top of the refrigerator.
New Flooring
Whether you’ve grown tired of your old flooring or realize that carpeting might not have been the best choice for the foyer, flooring changes make a tired room look brand new. Tile and hardwood floors won’t have to be replaced for years, unlike carpeting, and can add value to your home.
Hardwood isn’t always the best choice in areas exposed to moisture, such as entry ways or bathrooms. Ceramic tiles offer an excellent alternative in these situations. Thanks to an innovative manufacturing process, today’s ceramic tiles look just like wood, marble, slate and other materials. Ceramic tiles are low maintenance, easy to clean and will last for years.
If a new floor isn’t in the budget, make your tile floor look brand new by replacing the grout, or place an area rug over worn areas of your hardwood floor.
Lighting
Proper lighting can make a huge difference in the appearance of your home. Fortunately, managing natural light and improving artificial lighting can be accomplished inexpensively by changing window treatments and light fixtures.
If you prefer to keep your windows unadorned but still want to decrease glare during the day and increase privacy at night, you may want to consider automated shades controlled by a remote or your smartphone. A touch of a button controls the shades, which can be programmed to raise or lower at various times of the day.
Smart lighting fixtures also offer programmability, but you don’t have to completely change the lighting in your home to notice a difference. Adding a new chandelier to the dining room or replacing overhead lights with soft lamp light can change the ambience of your home.
Painting
Painting offers a dramatic transformation for as little as $100 if you do the work yourself. After a few years, scuff marks and chips can mar your walls, especially if they’re painted white or other light colors. Even if your walls are still pristine, you may be ready for a change after living for one color for few years. Although painting is a quick and inexpensive way to transform a room, you may end up spending more than you anticipated if you realize that you need a few new furniture pieces to complement a dramatic paint color.
Landscaping
Is your home lacking in curb appeal? A trip to the local nursery may be all you need to make your home more attractive and welcoming. Flowers, shrubbery and trees add a little interest to your front yard and help set it apart from your neighbors. If you don’t have a green thumb, concentrate on perennial plants that return year after year and augment them with a few low-maintenance annuals for added color.
We hope you enjoyed this article on making small but significant changes to your home!
Sources:
This Old House: 21 Quick and Easy Budget Updates
Elle: 5 Inexpensive Upgrades That Can Increase Your Home’s Value
https://www.elledecor.com/home-remodeling-renovating/news/g2897/inexpensive-home-upgrades/
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