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Your home is a special place, but as it ages, it’s only natural to consider making improvements. If you’re looking to update your living space and address some aging aspects of your home, consider these practical home improvement ideas that don’t require a professional.

Improve Your Lighting

light fixture
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Say goodbye to those outdated builder-grade lights and welcome a more modern lighting solution. By investing in new lighting fixtures, you can enhance your home’s value and give your room a fresh, updated look. Consider adding a charming chandelier or stylish pendant lights. This simple upgrade can create a sense of spaciousness and provide a welcoming ambiance in your home.

Paint An Accent Wall

Stylish living room interior design with scandinavian settee, grey accent wall and natural accents
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Give your space a fresh look by painting an accent wall. Whether you choose a clean and neutral shade or go bold with vibrant colors, this simple DIY project can add a touch of sophistication to your home.

If you seek expert guidance on painting a room, check out the Groovy Hues website. Groovy Hues is an expert painter with locations throughout the US.

Incorporate Wallpaper

Blue couch with pink pillow and table in spacious living room with green wallpaper and workspace
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Today’s wallpaper options have come a long way from the traditional designs of the past. Peel-and-stick wallpaper, in particular, offers a user-friendly application process and a wide range of vivid colors, captivating patterns, and stylish designs that can easily enhance your walls. Whether you’re looking to create an accent wall or spruce up smaller areas like the entryway or bedroom, adding peel-and-stick wallpaper provides an easy way to introduce color and patterns to your space.

Paint The Front Door

Column entrance porch with blue door and colorful rug
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Painting your front door can be a rewarding home improvement project with a substantial impact. It’s the first thing guests notice when they arrive, making it a key focal point. You can get creative with colors like orange, red, blue, or even a deep, dark shade to make your entrance stand out. This simple task not only enhances aesthetics but also boosts your home’s curb appeal.

Powerwash The Exterior Of The House

Newly painted exterior of a North American home during summertime with green grass and flower beds
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If you’re working with a tight budget or have limited time, consider using a power washer to refresh your home’s exterior. A thorough power wash can make a significant difference, almost like giving your home a fresh coat of paint. It removes dirt, grime, and cobwebs from your siding, revitalizing the overall look of your home.

The best part is that a good pressure washer is much more affordable than repainting, making it a cost-effective way to enhance your home’s curb appeal.

Replace The Shower Head

Modern blue Shower head with running water in white bathroom. Copy space
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It’s easy to underestimate the importance of a good showerhead, but the truth is that it can significantly impact your daily well-being. The right showerhead can elevate your mood, reduce stress, and even ease body aches and pains.

With a wide range of options available, from different spray patterns to water pressures and designs, upgrading your showerhead is an excellent beginner-friendly home improvement project.

How to Replace a Dual Shower Head in Under an Hour

Whitewash A Fireplace

whitewash brick fireplace
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Whitewashing a brick fireplace is a DIY home improvement project. This technique involves applying diluted white paint to the existing brick, creating a subtle, washed-out effect. The original brick color still peeks through the thin layer of paint, resulting in a brighter and more modern look.

Whitewashing is appreciated for its ability to soften the brick’s natural appearance while giving it a refreshed vibe. It’s no surprise that whitewashing has become a popular design trend in various home styles, including farmhouse, coastal, and contemporary designs. Its rustic charm and shabby-chic appeal seamlessly fit a range of aesthetics.

Swap Out Cabinet Hardware

updated kitchen knobs
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At times, it’s the small changes that can make a big difference, instantly refreshing your living space. Swapping out doorknobs, cabinet handles, or drawer pulls can significantly impact a room’s appearance. It’s an easy yet effective DIY home improvement project to consider.

Install A Smart Thermostat

smart screen with smart home and modern bedroom
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Investing in a smart thermostat like the Google Nest or Ecobee is an excellent home improvement project. Smart thermostats help regulate your home’s temperature, enhance energy efficiency, reduce utility bills, and create a more comfortable living environment.

With features like remote access and personalized scheduling, it provides convenience and control, allowing you to adjust settings from anywhere using your smartphone. This is easily something you can do all by yourself.

Opt for Keyless Entry

Mission style Stained wood front door with beveled glass surrounded by two Adirondack chairs and flowers

A smart lock can be a practical addition, improving both security and convenience in your home. It offers keyless entry and advanced access control features. Features such as remote locking and unlocking enable you to manage access to your home conveniently through a smartphone app, making it a straightforward installation for a DIY home improvement project.

Moreover, the best smart locks seamlessly integrate with other smart home systems, enabling automation and full connectivity. Whether it’s granting temporary access to guests, family, or friends, or monitoring entry activity, a smart lock provides peace of mind and an increased level of control over your home’s security.

Upgrade The Kitchen Faucet

kitchen faucet farmhouse
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The kitchen faucet is one of the most heavily used items in any household. Constant daily use inevitably leads to wear and tear. Therefore, upgrading your kitchen faucet is a practical choice for a home improvement project.

A new kitchen faucet offers improved functionality and enhances your kitchen’s overall visual appeal.

Built In Soap Dispenser

soap dispenser inside sink
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Compliment your kitchen faucet with a built-in soap dispenser. Seamlessly integrating a dispenser into your sink area eliminates the need to search for a soap bottle or deal with messy spills. The refillable dispenser ensures a continuous supply of soap within easy reach, streamlining tasks like handwashing and dish cleaning, making them more efficient and hassle-free.

16 Ways to Modernize a Kitchen Without Remodeling

Kitchen with fridge
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Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter with a big or small kitchen, making your kitchen look and work better can really change how you use the space. And you don’t have to do a major kitchen renovation to make it happen. Here are 16 affordable ways to give your kitchen a modern touch. 16 Ways to Modernize a Kitchen Without Remodeling

14 Best Places to Buy Cheap Furniture

wood furniture with dining room table
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Furniture plays a vital role in our daily lives, offering both comfort and functionality while contributing to the aesthetics of our living spaces. However, shopping for furniture can be challenging when it surpasses your budget. Fortunately, there’s a way to navigate this. Here are the 14 best places to shop for cheap furniture. 14 Best Places to Buy Cheap Furniture

28 Budget-Friendly Front Yard Ideas for Stunning Curb Appeal

oversized planters
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Improving your home’s curb appeal not only presents well, but it can also boost your home’s value. And even if you are on a tight budget, with simple yet affordable ideas, you can have your front yard looking like a star in no time. Here are 28 to give your front yard the attention it deserves and transform it into a beautiful and inviting space you can be proud of. 28 Budget-Friendly Front Yard Ideas for Stunning Curb Appeal

14 Most Popular Benjamin Moore Cabinet Paint Colors

off white kitchen cabinet color
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Kitchen cabinets are a visual centerpiece in the kitchen. And that’s why the color in which you paint your cabinets matters. Choosing the right cabinet paint color is one of the most important decisions regarding kitchen design. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to make a decision.  From classic whites to warm grays, 14 Benjamin Moore cabinet paint colors will help you design the most perfect, stylish space. 14 Most Popular Benjamin Moore Cabinet Paint Colors

How to Winterize Your Home To Save on Energy Costs

blue house on lawn
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As we get closer to winter, preparing your home for colder months ahead through winterization is a necessary and practical approach for homeowners. Winterizing your home is an excellent way to safeguard it against the harsh effects of cold weather and to cut down on high energy expenses. Here’s how you can winterize your home to save on energy costs this winter. How to Winterize Your Home To Save on Energy Costs

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Tamara White is the creator and founder of The Thrifty Apartment, a home decor and DIY blog that focuses on affordable and budget-friendly home decorating ideas and projects. Tamara documents her home improvement journey, love of thrifting, tips for space optimization, and creating beautiful spaces.

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14 Comments

  1. I love all your posts! All your suggestions are realistic for living in a flat and inexpensive. Win win. Thanks for sharing!

  2. Sometimes it’s the little things that elevate a whole room, isn’t it? Love this list, I live in military housing so am limited in ways to make it mine but I found some fresh ideas here. Appreciate the encouragement, love from the UK!

  3. It’s amazing how the simple things can make a huge difference. I personally love to change my bedroom comforters and accent pieces as the seasons change. I also love to add seasonal accent pieces through my home to give it a festive feel. These are some great suggestions that I can add to my list.

    1. Wonderful. I agree with the accent pieces. That’s also a great way to jazz up the space.

  4. Wow! These are simple and really make a noticeable difference! An accent wall seems like a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing!

  5. Sometimes you just need a change to make you feel better about your surroundings and it doesn’t have to be a big change. These are great suggestions!

  6. Been stuck at a crossroad when it comes to redesigning our home! Definitely some things on here to keep in mind when we finally do!

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