You don’t need to spend an inordinate amount of time amidst chaos and clutter to achieve the magazine-worthy home you want. With the help of top contractors, flippers, and interior designers, we’ve rounded up the best home upgrades you can tackle in under an hour.
Add a peel-and-stick backsplash.
If you’ve always dreamed of an elegant kitchen, but don’t have the money or time for a major renovation, installing a peel-and-stick backsplash is the project for you.
“Peel-and-stick backsplash tiles are affordable and come in sheets with a sticky adhesive backing that peels off and adheres to wall on with little effort,” says Marty Basher, a home improvement expert with Modular Closets. “The finished product is so impressive, you’ll never know they’re not pricey backsplash tiles that took days to achieve!”
Put up peel-and-stick statement wallpaper.
Home improvement projects don’t have to cost you a lot of money or time. Case in point: peel-and-stick wallpaper.
“Peel-and-stick wallpaper is inexpensive, fun, and is easy to add. Whether you decorate one wall or the whole room, it can spruce up any space in no time,” says Julia Turner, design director at Ring’s End.
Paint an accent wall.
Wallpaper isn’t your only option when it comes to adding a pop of color to your walls, however. If you prefer solids over patterns, interior designer Clara Guzman Perez, RID, recommends painting an accent wall to transform an otherwise lackluster space. And for more great information delivered to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Rearrange your bookshelves.
Cleaning your bookshelves, repositioning shelves within them, and adding some new decorative items can completely change the look and feel of any room in minutes.
“Follow a ‘less is more’ attitude and consider removing some of the accessories—maybe more than you think,” suggests interior designer Pamela O’Brien, founder of Pamela Hope Designs, who says that you can even get away with leaving a few shelves bare. “Leaving space between items allows you to see and appreciate the décor.”
Install floating shelves.
Hanging floating shelves is a quick and easy way to transform any room in a hurry.
“Hanging shelves are an excellent way to fill a large plain wall,” says Turner. “These shelves not only add color to plain walls, but also offer more space for storing your gadgets and some small vintage items.”
Upgrade your cabinet hardware.
While new cabinetry can be pricey, upgrading the hardware on your existing cabinets is a price- and time-conscious way to upgrade that space.
“If you don’t go crazy with buying top-0f-the-line knobs and pulls, you should be able to add some bling to your cabinets for under $200,” says Owen Dashner, owner of house flipping company Red Ladder Property Solutions. “Simply pick out your hardware, grab a screwdriver or drill, and replace those ugly things with a little elbow grease.”
Install a chair rail.
Want to give your home vintage appeal in no time? A chair rail—a piece of molding that runs chest-height on your wall—takes little time to install, but can make a major statement in any room.
“Not only does it add an architectural element, but it delineates the space, has great eye appeal, plus has the functional benefit as it acts as a bumper, so that chairs being pushed back don’t scuff your walls,” explains Glen DellaValle, CEO of property management firm DellaValle Management, Inc.
Re-stain your cabinets.
Those dingy cabinets are doing no favors for your home’s overall aesthetic appeal. If you want to spruce up your space quickly, try re-staining them to bring them back to their original glory. `
“Re-stained cabinets will instantly shift the feeling of your home’s interiors,” says Megan Thompson, owner of Denver-based interior design firm Spark Interiors. Better yet, many of the newer stains on the market “can provide a refreshed tone in those living spaces.” And for more ways to pass the time at home, try tackling these 15 Great Home Projects to Tackle While You’re Quarantined.
Put a new faucet on your sink.
If you’re not looking for a major bathroom or kitchen remodel, this one upgrade can completely reinvent a room in no time at all.
“Rather than replace an entire kitchen or bathroom sink, pick a new, modern faucet to give the sink a complete facelift,” suggests DellaValle.
Swap out your kitchen blinds.
Those old blinds aren’t exactly a striking addition to your kitchen’s design scheme. However, interior designer Jen Stark, founder of Happy DIY Home, says that upgrading to a new one—or a set of new curtains—can “give a fresh look to the kitchen.” Her recommendation for a more cohesive style? “Coordinate towels and jars for a completely new look.”
Install a curved shower curtain rod.
Want to make your bath or shower appear bigger and more elegant? Invest in “hotel-style luxury of curved shower curtain rods,” suggests Basher. “It makes bathrooms look more luxurious and upscale,” he explains.
Seal your bathroom tile.
You don’t need to replace your tile to completely change the look of your bathroom.
“Clean your tile (generally an acid-based cleaner is best, but do test a small area first), and then seal it with liquid car wax. Even the oldest tile will look shiny and new,” says DellaValle.
Install a smart home light switch.
Want to make your home more attractive and more functional in one fell swoop? Try installing a smart home switch.
“Smart home light switches can give you that automated control so you can turn on the lights with your voice, smart app on your phone, or with a smart home hub,” explains certified kitchen designer Eric Goranson, who says this makes it easy to control your electronics from any room in the house.
Put in elegant light switch covers.
Believe it or not, you don’t have to settle for plain old white light switches.
“One of the easiest home improvement projects to complete in a short amount of time is swapping out electrical cover plates,” says real estate investor Dustin Singer. Singer says, “[This] can easily be done with just a screwdriver and can make a huge difference when upgrading from dirty or old covers” and will cost you as little as a dollar per new cover.
Add dimmers to your lights.
Want to make the most of the lighting you already have at home? Installing a simple dimmer switch can make a major difference in your space’s overall aesthetic.
“Dimmer switches are incredibly easy to install and they have significant influence over the mood in a given room,” Thompson. “If you want to create a cozier environment on a rainy day, just dim the lights a bit and your space will be instantly transformed.”
Install a new light fixture.
Virtually every home goods store sells myriad fixtures for every interior design style imaginable, so don’t be afraid to invest in a chandelier or bamboo pendant that’s more up your alley than the builder-grade ones your home came with.
“You’d be surprised at how much a new light fixture can change the atmosphere of a room,” says Thompson. “All you need to do is turn off the power at the breaker box, then disconnect and reconnect the wires to the new light fixture,” she explains.
Replace your existing bulbs with LEDs.
It’s easy to make your home greener and brighter with a single action: just upgrade your light bulbs!
“LEDs can make even the dullest room look bright, and even make any paint on your walls look better,” says DellaValle, who also notes that LEDs will also save you big on your electric bill.
Install under-cabinet lighting.
Want to make your kitchen more attractive and more functional in one fell swoop? A little under-cabinet lighting is all it takes.
“These are so simple to install and can run off batteries,” explains Stark. “They will transform the look of the kitchen and make food preparation much easier.”
Add solar lights to your garden.
Not loving the look those waterlogged string lights? “Get rid of extension cables and add a nice ambiance to outdoor areas” with some solar lighting in your garden instead, suggests Stark.
Upgrade your gutter trim.
That chipping paint around your gutters is doing your home no favors. Fortunately, with just an hour of time, you can make your exteriors look like a million bucks again.
