10 Practical And Budget-Friendly Home Improvements You Can DIY
Whether you just purchased a home, are selling your home, or simply want to enjoy your current space more – these 10 practical and budget-friendly DIY home improvements can elevate your home without breaking the bank!
We purchased our stuck in the 90’s home in March of 2023 and have done a complete transformation of the space! If you’d like to see how I transformed the carpeted staircase into a classic dream, check out this post here.
When renovating and making upgrades to our home my goal was to get maximum effect for minimum money spent!
I knew from slowly updating our previous home that some simple updates could make a huge impact on the overall look and feel of the home.
If you are in the same boat, whether that be updating a newly purchased home, or making your home more marketable for selling, then you are in the right place!
Below are 10 practical and budget-friendly home improvements you can DIY that will make a big impact on your space:
1. Door Hinges
If you’ve never thought about changing out your door hinges then I highly suggest you do! I love the look of matte black hinges, and that look is currently right on trend. We added matte black hinges throughout our house (minus a few doors in the basement) and they add a chic pop to a basic door.
My doors and trim were painted in the color Accessible Beige and the black looks amazing against that neutral shade. You can get this 18-pack of hinges here, meaning you can have fresh new door hinges on 6 doors for less than $30!
It’s also very simple to replace them. You only need a screwdriver or electric drill and the pack of hinges (they should come with screws).
Start with the middle hinge, remove the old one, and replace it with the new one. Then move onto the top hinge, then finally the bottom hinge. That’s it!
Be sure you order the correct size hinge for your door.
2. Door knobs
This one goes hand in hand with the hinges. Combining the two will transform your space! There are so many design options here, so it will depend on your specific tastes.
Here is a beautiful option for a privacy lock
Here is a great deal, 5 pack for $45
I have both of these installed in my house and felt they were straightforward to install. Just follow the simple instructions and you’re on your way to a sleek new door!
I prefer matte black to match the hinges, but vintage-inspired gold or brushed gold is always an eye-catcher!
Try these antique brass knobs or these antique with crystal knobs
There are hundreds of style options out there, try and find one that matches your budget and style!
When browsing interior doorknobs, one thing to take note of is the function type of the knob.
There are:
- Passage – this will fully latch into the door frame but does not have a lock
- This option is meant for closet doors, hallway doors, anywhere you don’t plan to lock
- Privacy – the function of passage but with a lock, either a push pin or twist lock
- These are used for bedrooms, bathrooms, storage closets – anywhere you do want to lock
- Dummy – This is simply decorative and does not have the latch mechanism
- These are used in places that do not have a latch mechanism in place, like a set of interior French doors or as purely decorative
3. Cabinet hardware for kitchen and bathroom
This is an easy one, especially if you already have older knobs and drawer pulls in place, meaning you can just swap out for something new!
If you don’t have existing hardware, try these templates to drill the holes for the hardware – you will need an electric drill and drill bits in the right sizes.
I decided on these champagne bronze drawer pulls and love how they turned out, and the quality is great! I used the matching knobs for all my kitchen cabinet doors.
4. Light Fixtures
Light fixtures can really transform a space! They can be a focal point of a room or help to bring the eye up and make the space feel bigger. They can also be more discrete and less noticeable depending on your desired look!
Here you can see the before and after’s of our house where replacing the light fixture really made an improvement.
These are the lights I used around my home:
Two pack farmhouse lights – I used these in our basement stairwell
Black pendant light lantern – I used this in my entry way foyer where we have high ceilings
This beautiful chandelier is in my dining room, I love the size and quality.
Used this farmhouse modern light fixture in our powder bathroom.
In my dining nook I wanted a more vintage feel and thought this gold pendant light was a beautiful choice.
When we updated our Texas house bathroom we chose this brushed brass vanity light and loved it.
5. Ceiling Fans
Similar to light fixtures, updating old ceiling friends for something new and more modern can make a huge difference in elevating the look of a room.
Here you can see the fans when we bought the home and then after we replaced them.
Ceiling fans can be expensive so I recommend looking for a more powerful option to get the most bang for your buck.
If you decide to replace the ceiling fans in your home I recommend finding cheaper options for the bedrooms and then splurging on your main living space, or where you spend more time.
We needed a low profile yet powerful option for our family room and decided on this one.
6. Switch Plate And Outlet Covers
This one is very simple and very budget-friendly! If you have outdated, yellowed, or broken plate covers replacing them for new will make a big difference in your space!
Replacing with classic white covers will help to brighten your space and make it feel newer.
If you are looking to add some flair, try decorative ones in your style! I love the look of these gold detailed plate covers and I used these farmhouse style covers a few places in my house to match my style!
If your actual switches have yellowed, you can replace those too! Depending on your skill level this one may require help from an expert or electrician.
7. Faucets
If you are DIYer this is another simple swap with a big impact.
Outdated and broken faucets can be an eyesore and make your kitchen or bathroom feel run down!
Simply swapping for a more modern faucet can improve the look and feel of your space.
We replaced our kitchen faucet with this gold sprayer faucet. I actually love the look and the functionality so much this is the second time we have used this faucet to replace an older one.
I am obsessed with this antique inspired gold faucet we used in the powder room and this sleek and affordable matte black faucet we chose for the basement bathroom.
Don’t forget about your shower! Replacing the shower head and faucet not only feels more luxurious but adds value. Just be sure you order the right size for your spacing and the appropriate brand/fit for your valve!
If you haven’t already noticed I prefer the look of gold or matte black for my hardware choices, so here are some inspirations in those colors – Delta shower faucet in gold and rain shower head in matte black.
If you are new to DIY, reach out to a handyman or plumber for help with plumbing projects!
8. Accent Wall
Let your creativity out with a fun accent wall! These can be more complex from tile walls, floor to ceiling paneling, board and batten. On the easier side you can accent with wallpaper and decals.
We decided to use shiplap and beadboard in a few areas of our home to add character and charm!
In our powder bathroom I decided to do half wall beadboard and wall paper on top. This gave a very chic and sophisticated feel with not much effort or expense!
If you are new to DIY be sure to read a few tutorials or watch plenty of YouTube videos before attempting a bigger project involving working with wood or tools.
Wallpaper is a great way to change up your space with not much effort. Peel and stick wallpaper is fairly simple to install, typically only takes a few hours for a small wall or room.
Used this beautiful neutral nature print wallpaper in my daughter’s room, it’s my favorite accent wall in the whole house!
9. Vent covers
Another straight-forward swap that can leave a lasting impression! When we moved into our home, most of the air duct vent covers were rusted or filthy. Especially in the bathrooms and bedrooms. They were also an older style that looked dated, and they were circular! (I had never seen circular vents before – haha)
After measuring I was able to order new ones that look so much better!
If purchasing new vents isn’t in your budget, try removing them and deep cleaning them. Spray painting them will also help give them a fresh new look on life.
If you have vent returns on your wall, paint them the existing wall color to give them a lower profile and help to blend in.
If your home has floor vents, add a fancy upgrade with something like these.
10. Paint
Last but certainly not least, painting! If you didn’t know already, paint can completely transform a wall, room, house, life, you name it!
Paint can be used almost anywhere to take a space from boring to beautiful!
We actually had our whole home painted before moving in and it made all the difference in how the space felt. I then painted many accent areas like the beadboard accent walls, the shiplap in our kitchen, and our basement hallway.
Our fireplace was also completely transformed with paint, check out these before and after pictures!
I also transformed our carpeted staircase with paint and a carpet runner!
Paint can also be used to give new life to cabinets. I painted the vanity in the kids bathroom and the basement bathroom. I also painted our upper kitchen cabinets and used paint to white wash our lower kitchen cabinets – they were completely transformed and given new life with paint!
Sample some colors in your space, I recommend light and neutral to create a bright and airy feel.
Painting trim, doors, and baseboards is another great way to utilize paint to elevate your space.
Try painting your doors and trim the same color for an elevated and timeless look.
Those were my 10 budget-friendly DIY tips to elevate your space!
Did you try out any of these updates? Let me know in the comments how it went for you or if you have any other budget-friendly DIY tips.
Looking for tips on updating the exterior of you home? This post all about updating the exterior of your home for instant curb appeal – also on a budget!
For more DIY inspiration check out this oak dining table transformation and these easy to achieve open shelves.
Regardless of your reasoning for making these DIY home improvements, updating your space on a budget is always something to Rejoice About!
Cheers to taking on a new project!
