Designer experts reveal easiest DIY home renovations that will give your home a facelift – & yes, paint goes a long way
RENOVATING your home so that it looks like the gorgeous spaces you see on television is a daunting task.
However, several home renovation and design experts have revealed the steps homeowners can take to simplify their DIY renovation plans and ensure that they’re on the path to success.
HAVE A CLEAR VISION
Andre Kazimierski, CEO of , told The Sun the number one thing people looking to do some renovations to their home is to go in with a clear plan.
“Before you start swinging your hammer or throwing paint at the wall, figure out exactly what you want to do and how you want the space to look when you’re finished,” he said.
“What are your goals?
“How are you going to achieve them?
“Do you have all of the necessary supplies?
“What is your budget?
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He continued: “Answering these questions can make your home renovation far less stressful and can help ensure that you actually complete the project.”
Part of your plan should also be to acknowledge any building restrictions your town – or particular home, if it’s historic – has and learn about permits you will need to legally complete larger renovations.
According to the experts at , work that commonly requires a permit includes “structural changes, additions, HVAC work, demolition, and re-roofing.”
The site added: “However, permitting regulations and building codes vary depending on where you live, so you'll want to check with your city or town for specifics.”
DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR WORK
Many of us were taught to always double-check our work in school, and the same applies to the real world.
In fact, the owner of in New Hampshire, Rick Abbiati, told The Sun that’s one of the most important parts of home renovations.
“Measure twice so you only have to cut once,” he suggested.
“This will save you a large amount of heartache and money.”
PAINT CAN GO A LONG WAY
If you’re not ready to take a sledgehammer to your wall, Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of , recommended freshening up a home with some new paint.
“If you don’t have a lot of time or money to do any major renovations, but you want to change the overall appearance of a room, add an accent wall,” he recommended.
“You can simply paint it a darker or more vibrant color, or you can install shiplap or wallpaper that suits your style.
“Accent walls have a way of elevating the appearance and feel of a room by adding more depth and dynamics to it, and the great thing about adding an accent wall is it usually doesn’t take too much effort.”
One savvy mom showed her followers exactly how to do that with just a Sharpie Paint Pen.
She claimed the $10 tool helped her easily transform several walls in her home along with a steady hand and some imagination.
GET THE MOST BANG OUT OF YOUR BUCK
The main goal of a DIY project – aside from releasing creative energy for some – is to give people the outcome they envision, but for a cheaper price.
Luckily, Australian interior designer has loads of ideas to help DIYers make the most out of their home renovation endeavors.
First, she recommended scouting furniture on buy-and-sell sites, secondhand shops, and even Facebook Marketplace to fill your home with more affordable pieces.
“It’s amazing how many people are giving away free kitchens if you’ll just come and take it out!” she noted to The Sun.
And if something you see isn’t quite what you’re looking for, Becc suggested transforming it into a unique piece you’ll use.
“Instead of paying for a new bathroom vanity, repurpose a console or buffet table.
“How? Cut a round hole in the top with a jigsaw and pop in your basin, easy!
“Looks incredible and so much character!”
However, she said it’s important to make sure you know what you need to provide in regard to plumbing so you don’t end up with a beautiful bathroom piece with no idea how to make it functional.
Becc also urged people to look in their own homes for goods they can recycle.
“Think carefully about how you could repurpose pieces you’d usually throw straight out,” she said.
“For example, if timber floorboards need to come up, salvage what you can and cut these to use for other features, i.e. a timber mantle around the fireplace, or wainscotting molding as a feature wall in a living space or bedroom, then simply paint!”
She also suggested painting old tiles to give them new life for a one-of-a-kind backsplash or even flooring.
However, if you’re planning to do more than just swap out some old furniture, Becc said to save money by doing any demolition work yourself and saving the more intricate stuff for the professionals.
“Spend the money on people you have to, i.e. the electrician to make sure those aspects are done professionally and pass building codes,” she advised.
SMALL TOUCHES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
If you’re not looking to put a hole through your wall but are happy with the paint in your house, there’s certainly more that can be done to breathe some new life into your space.
Alina Clark, co-founder and marketing director for , is in the market for a new house, which made her realize how big of a difference the seemingly small things can make in the aesthetic of a home.
For an easier DIY project, she suggested revamping the crown molding and trim in your interior rooms.
“If your baseboard is just a couple inches high, pull it off and put on something better.
“You can get very nice looking MDF baseboard 7 inches or so tall for not very much money and with a nice coat of paint, it will look amazing.
“That kind of thing is very easy to install.”
She added that window trim “makes an incredible difference” and is also cheap, “but is certainly more challenging to install.”
Meanwhile, Stefan Bucur, founder of , recommends investing in a Samsung Frame Television, which allows you to swap out the traditional black screen for a piece of art displayed on the TV’s 4K screen.
“As a DIY project, this is a very flexible way to decorate a home and the greatest advantage is that the art can be changed to match any background in the home,” he said.
“We recommend using textured art images and muted neutral colors to better incorporate a TV frame on a living room wall.”
According to Dorothea Hudson, a home renovation expert with, you can completely transform a room with a mirror – and it doesn’t have to be costly.
“You can easily find beautiful vintage mirrors in second-hand shops,” she said.
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“Mirrors make your house look more spacious and lighter as well.”
And for those itching for even more ways to easily spruce up your home, another expert previously revealed tips for making your home feel larger at no cost to you.
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