9 Tricks to Boost Your Home’s Appeal for Less Than $400
Whether you’re redecorating or just doing a quick update, check out these ways to enhance your home on a budget
James Wells
April 13, 2015
Houzz Contributor. Propia is designed to help you unlock the potential that exists within your property. Whether you are looking to sell or let, Propia devises and implements the improvements to maximise both value and market appeal.
Houzz Contributor. Propia is designed to help you unlock the potential that exists... More
Following my story on ways to boost your home for less than $75, I’m upping the ante and exploring some tips and tricks around the $400 mark. Even if you’re not planning to sell your home anytime soon, these touches could help you make a welcome change to your home environment for a relatively low price.
1. Update a shower screen. Many of us have a combined bath and shower, but that doesn’t mean we need to put up with awkward shower curtains to control splashing. Reinforced glass screens are a great way to make a room feel bigger and give a bathroom a more custom feel.
Be sure to have it fixed to something solid and sturdy, because the glass is heavy and may occasionally be used for support. Shower screens are easy to fit yourself if you’re confident with a little DIY.
Be sure to have it fixed to something solid and sturdy, because the glass is heavy and may occasionally be used for support. Shower screens are easy to fit yourself if you’re confident with a little DIY.
2. Throw down a rug. Replacing an entire carpet can be an expensive business, but if your existing one is in reasonable condition, you might be able to jazz it up a little with a small addition. Rugs can give a floor, and indeed a room, a new lease on life — particularly if you go for a statement design.
amorybrown.co.uk
3. Dress a window with care. There’s nothing like a poorly hung blind to make a window look unloved and forgotten about. A huge range of blinds is available, and you can pick one up fairly easily for less than $400. Spending a little time thinking carefully about where to position it and how to hang it can make a world of difference in how it looks.
Measure carefully before ordering, and make sure you consider where exactly you will position the fixings.
How to Choose the Right Window Shades
Measure carefully before ordering, and make sure you consider where exactly you will position the fixings.
How to Choose the Right Window Shades
4. Swap in a glass-paneled door. All too often, hallways and corridors are a little on the dark side, and they rarely have access to much natural light.
A great way to resolve this is to swap your existing solid doors with some glass-paneled ones that will pull light into the darker areas and help create a feeling of space. Just be careful to check — and double-check — the dimensions of your new doors so they match the existing frames.
A great way to resolve this is to swap your existing solid doors with some glass-paneled ones that will pull light into the darker areas and help create a feeling of space. Just be careful to check — and double-check — the dimensions of your new doors so they match the existing frames.
5. Lift your laundry. Finding space to hang laundry is a challenge faced by many as living spaces get tighter. But have you considered the space above your head? Clever systems on pulleys, such as this one from Pulleymaid, can lift your laundry up and away and leave your living space for living in.
6. Banish the bin. Trash is exactly that — trash — and I can think of very few instances where it enhances a room. If your existing kitchen bins are rather unsightly and are constantly drifting around the room, why not see if you can integrate them into your kitchen?
Most kitchen suppliers sell clever systems that will fit bins into a range of drawers and cabinets, thus keeping your trash bin tucked behind closed doors.
Most kitchen suppliers sell clever systems that will fit bins into a range of drawers and cabinets, thus keeping your trash bin tucked behind closed doors.
hcdb.uk.com
7. Refresh a kitchen. Obviously a brand-new kitchen can’t be bought for less than $400, but you don’t need a whole new one to boost your cook space. There are many ways you can give your kitchen a quick and easy update for a fraction of the cost.
Consider replacing cabinet handles, painting doors, regrouting tiles, adding a new bead of sealant at the back of your countertop or even replacing your sink fixtures. It might require a little DIY to come in under budget, but it will definitely be worth it.
Consider replacing cabinet handles, painting doors, regrouting tiles, adding a new bead of sealant at the back of your countertop or even replacing your sink fixtures. It might require a little DIY to come in under budget, but it will definitely be worth it.
8. Embrace LED lighting. A great way to change your quality of light and even save you a little extra money in energy bills is to swap out your existing lighting for energy-efficient LED bulbs. Don’t worry, you won’t necessarily have to rewire the whole house. Often you can simply replace the lightbulb. Or strip lighting can be cleverly added for an interesting effect.
Get the lowdown on LED lighting
Get the lowdown on LED lighting
9. Unearth your floorboards. Numerous period homes have hidden gems in the floor. It’s not uncommon for quality wooden floorboards to be covered by carpets and forgotten.
If you’re prepared to do the hard work yourself, consider renting a floor sander. Many can be rented for less than $150 a day and, with a good set of ear protectors and a lot of patience and elbow grease, you can completely transform the floor for a great finish.
Tell us: Do you have any tips for quick and easy updates to your home? Please share them in the Comments.
More:
8 Cost-Effective Ways to Get a High-End Look
9 Ways to Boost Your Home’s Appeal for Less Than $75
If you’re prepared to do the hard work yourself, consider renting a floor sander. Many can be rented for less than $150 a day and, with a good set of ear protectors and a lot of patience and elbow grease, you can completely transform the floor for a great finish.
Tell us: Do you have any tips for quick and easy updates to your home? Please share them in the Comments.
More:
8 Cost-Effective Ways to Get a High-End Look
9 Ways to Boost Your Home’s Appeal for Less Than $75
What are you working on?
Related Products
Scott Davidson founded Davidson Builders in 1998. Scott graduated from Michigan State with a BS in Construction... Read More
Related Stories
Decorating Guides
Where to Splurge and Where to Save When Decorating
By tidgboutique
See where it makes sense to invest in durable essentials and focal pieces, and where to economize on other things
Full Story
Kitchen Islands
10 Ways to Refresh Your Kitchen Island
By tidgboutique
Give this key feature a style overhaul with new paint, trim or other decorative details
Full Story
Small Spaces
Decorating Tips From Real Dorm Rooms
4 students tell how they set up their campus digs to make them homey — and then won school design contests
Full Story
Before and Afters
Kitchen of the Week: A Bright, Inviting Upgrade for $6,400
A Montana couple uses their renovation savvy to update their kitchen while keeping the original wood cabinets
Full Story
Kitchen Makeovers
A Couple Update Their Kitchen One Step at a Time for $8,047
By Becky Harris
DIY spirit, research, elbow grease and careful budgeting result in a Dallas family’s dream kitchen
Full Story
Decorating Projects
6 Fun Ways to Decorate With ... Tape?
By Janet Paik
Add a new accent wall, a midcentury closet detail and more with this budget-friendly, multipurpose wonder
Full Story
Organizing
10 Simple and Practically Free Ways to Reboot Your Home
Organize, refresh and rearrange for a better-looking and smoother-running house. All you need is a little time
Full Story
Before and Afters
Kitchen Makeover: Same Layout With a Whole New Look
By Erin Carlyle
Budget-friendly cabinetry and new finishes brighten a 1930s kitchen in Washington, D.C.
Full Story
Budget Decorating
9 Quick Ways to Refresh a Room
These projects to perk up your interiors don’t require much time or money
Full Story
Decorating Guides
How to Refresh Your Dining Room on a Budget
See ideas for updating this sometimes-neglected space, whether you have $100 or $10,000
Full Story
#6 My sister installed the under counter bins and they stink all the time. In your photo, I see one section with vegetable waste. Pew!! I prefer my step on trash can with a lid. It may not be as pretty as the drawers, but the lid keeps the odor under control.
Swap out light fixtures for more updated styles is an easy fix if you keep them in the same location. Changing furniture layout in a room, gives a fresh perspective without a cost. You can also remove one piece of furniture and swap it with something from another room. The same goes for artwork. Swapping is fun. Frame a few landscape shots that you love, put them into a grouping of 3 on one wall and you will smile whenever you walk by at the memory.
We did #9 at our old house. It was a 1888 folk Victorian, the hardwood floors were perfect and beautiful! Made a HUGE difference.