Gorgeous interiors and home renovation projects follow us wherever we go — on magazines at the grocery store, Instagram, Pinterest and targeted ads. These beautiful houses seem out of reach for the ordinary person. However, with a bit of elbow grease, you too can spruce up your space to social media worthiness.
Even small touches can significantly impact the look and feel of your house. These DIY restoration projects will help take your home from dated to delightful.
Everyone’s Opinions Are Different
As a brief disclaimer, everyone has a different opinion about what makes a design look outdated or on-trend. That’s part of what makes this field of interest so fun. It’s OK if you love some of the items on this list and don’t want to redo them. You get to do whatever you like in your own home.
DIY Projects to Update Your Home
Does anyone remember HGTV’s “Design on a Dime?” Some of the best DIY projects don’t cost much or take long, and they make a significant difference.
1. Remove Popcorn Ceilings
One telltale sign of an outdated home is popcorn ceilings. This trend was popular from the late ‘40s even up until the ‘90s. Popcorn ceilings serve a couple of functions. First, they cover imperfections between sections of drywall, allowing for less exact mudding and sanding work. Second, they work well to minimize echo and muffle sound in a room, so they work well in high-traffic areas.
However, they hold a lot of dust and get highly discolored over time. There’s also a decent chance your popcorn ceiling could contain asbestos. Have a professional test it before starting this DIY. If you get the all-clear, the method is straightforward but labor-intensive. The result, though, will be absolutely worth it.
2. Swap Out Hardware and Fixtures
This project will be your ideal DIY if you can handle some shopping and a screwdriver. Shop for new switch and outlet plates and any hardware you’d like to update, like door and kitchen cabinet handles. These minor upgrades will go a long way to bringing your home up to date. You can take this even further by changing out lighting and faucets.
3. Restore Built-Ins
One of the perks of owning an older home with charm rather than a cookie-cutter model is they typically come with some form of built-in. This could be bookshelves in the living room or a dine-in bench and table in the kitchen. These were mainstay staples for a reason, and they’re still popular in homes today.
However, the finishes and overall appearance may need some upgrading. Try sanding and painting wood to look lighter or brighter. For those vinyl-covered benches in your kitchen nook, the repair is a relatively simple process with the right tools and much more of a statement feature than ripping it out or replacing it.
4. Clean up the Landscaping
The last thing you probably want is for your home to be the scary one on the block — the one kids avoid, claiming it's haunted. While it may sound extreme, your overgrown landscaping could give that effect. It’s all too easy for shrubs, trees and other growth to get out of hand, and much more challenging to get it under control again. Spend a weekend or two trimming things back and removing dead plants. The results of your labor will be stunning, so be sure to take before and after photos.
5. Powerwash the Exterior
No matter how you try to decorate or renovate your home, nothing can overcome a grubby exterior. Once you’ve taken care of the plants invading your lawn, it’s time to take a look at the house itself, along with any paths or driveways on your lot. Rent a power washer for the weekend and go to town on your siding and walkways. Removing the dirt will wash years off the visible age of your home.
6. Paint Doors and Trim
Adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls is an incredibly common DIY home restoration project. However, many homeowners neglect to address their doors and trim. Walls may be the main event, but if they’re accentuated by dingy trim and scuffed-up doors, the whole place will still feel in need of a facelift.
You can paint everything in a neutral shade that coordinates with your color palette or go a bit bolder. The home interior industry is seeing a rise in colored doors, like bright yellow, deep blue and black. This trend might be what you need to make your home look new if the rest of your house is fairly neutral or you just love color.
7. Revamp Wood Paneling
If you don’t live in a rustic hunting lodge, odds are your dark ‘70s-era wood paneling is dating your home. You can certainly bring the whole lot of it down and restore the wall underneath. However, an even easier route would be to paint over it. Try a light neutral to breathe new life into the space.
DIY Those Dated Features
While not everything on your dream renovation list can be DIYed, the projects on this list will help bring your home into the present. The best part is they’re relatively inexpensive changes and don’t take long to complete. In fact, with a bit of help, you could probably knock the lot out in a few weekends.
With a little cash and elbow grease, you’ll be well on your way to achieving that gorgeous magazine-cover look.
Author Bio:
Jack Shaw is a freelance writer specializing in the men’s lifestyle niche. He enjoys hiking, reading and spending time with his dog.
