Are you preparing to sell your home? Or would you just like to make a few easy improvements to your home in time for holiday entertaining?
While major renovations or remodeling projects can be exciting and are sure to have a major impact on a home’s appearance, time and budget constraints may rule out large scale upgrades.
Nevertheless, there are other ways to improve your home, whether it’s a single-family home, a townhouse, or a garden condominium. Below are five quick, easy and inexpensive upgrades that can make big difference.
Get creative with rugsReplacing carpet or wood flooring, or refinishing a wood floor can cost thousands of dollars. But using rugs to cover worn flooring can give a room a completely new look.
Certainly, high-end imported rugs can be pricey, but reasonably priced rugs are readily available through discount stores, home improvement centers and big box stores. Rugs can be found in every conceivable size, color and pattern which means homeowners can find the right rug for nearly any room.
Rugs can also be used to subtly “divide” a space. For example, putting a rug under a desk, chair and filing cabinet in the corner of a living room can make that work area into a space of its own, visually separate it from the rest of the room.
Homeowners may overlook light fixtures that have become outdated as they grow accustomed to them. Replacing a light fixture is generally an easy task for a homeowner, even for those with minimal experience and basic tools.
A new light fixture can be an important update to a room’s décor and can also create more light in an otherwise dark room. Home improvement centers routinely stock a diverse selection of fixtures, allowing you to find the ideal ones to add functional style to any room.
The accent wall is a long-time staple of interior decorating. A new twist on the accent wall involves an updated decorating element that has fallen out of style in recent years: wallpaper.
Traditional wallpaper, which requires extensive wall preparation, messy adhesives and careful installation can be a headache to install and later remove.
But new peel and stick wallpaper products greatly reduce the hassles associated with installing and later removing wallpaper. These products are available in modern and traditional patterns, and are simple to install, requiring only a tape measure, straight edge (such as a yardstick) and a razor knife. Using peel and stick wallpaper on one wall in a room is an easy, “no mess” way to quickly and inexpensively create a visually engaging look.
Details matter, and many homes lose in the details department as they still have their original builder-grade plastic switch plates and electrical outlet covers.
Stylish and visually interesting new switch plate and outlet cover designs for these important trim elements abound. Even higher-end products are relatively inexpensive and visually appealing. Installation takes minutes and requires only a screwdriver.
Baseboards can take a beating over time. While replacing them with new, taller baseboards is an excellent way to upgrade a home’s appearance, cutting and installing them requires special tools and some degree of skill.
Masking tape, a quality paintbrush, a gallon of paint and a few hours are all that’s required to repaint a home’s baseboards, giving them a fresh and clean new look.
The loan officers at SmartMortgage help home buyers every day, offering them exceptional experience in all facets of the mortgage process.
Regardless of your situation, our loan officers will support you from application to closing and are ready to help you. Contact us today and get the professional advice and service you need.
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