Decorating and Remodeling Tips For Small Budgets

Sooner or later, just about everyone invests in a major home remodeling project, like redoing a bathroom or updating a kitchen. Those kinds of changes almost always have a transformative effect on the appearance, value, and marketability of your house.

However, if you own a recently built home or simply aren't ready to spend $15,000 (give or take) for a major remodeling project, then there are still plenty of less expensive ways to make big improvements.

A piecemeal, but cohesive approach to upgrading and redecorating your home can spread out the cost for you, without having to wait years to enjoy the results. The perfect example is replacing outdated kitchen counter tops, sinks, and/or cabinets. If your kitchen cabinets look like they've been around since the era of black-and-white TV, then it might be time to replace or reface them. Refacing cabinets is an option many people consider because it's typically less expensive and time consuming than a full replacement. The finished result, however, can be almost as impressive as getting new cabinets. With a little imagination, small touches like a new back splash, cabinet pulls, or even a fresh coat of paint can breath new life into the appearance of your kitchen area.

But Where to Begin?

If you're unsure what area of your home to prioritize for redecorating or remodeling, the kitchen is often a good place to start -- especially if it's a frequent gathering place for family and friends. Bathrooms are another area of the house that are typically in dire need of some TLC. If one or more of your bathrooms are looking outdated and worse for the wear, there are many ways to spruce it up without having to spend a bundle of money. Repainting the walls and ceiling, installing a new sink and vanity, or even putting in fancy new faucets can help invigorate a tired looking bathroom.

Here's a simple fix: Replacing faded old bath towels with fluffy, colorful new ones is another small, but effective way to upgrade the look and feel of your bathroom. Another inexpensive way to upgrade the appearance of your bathrooms is to clean the dirty, discolored grout between your tiles. You can either hire a professional service to get it done or tackle the job yourself.

From a curb appeal standpoint, some relatively inexpensive enhancements you can make include repainting your front steps, replacing an old front door with a snazzy new one, or simply washing the outside of your house and windows. It doesn't take more than a few seasons of weather changes and other conditions for environmental pollutants, pollen, dust, bird droppings, and splatters of mud to give your house a very unappealing grunge look!

If your home improvement budget is too tight, right now, to invest in new counter tops, bathroom vanities, new kitchen appliances, and cabinet work, remember that a series of small changes done over a period of time can significantly enhance the appearance and beauty of your home -- both inside and out!