DIY Dreamscapes: Creative Home Hacks
Are you dreaming of making your house a home but just don’t know how? Maybe you have a limited budget and balk at the cost of hiring contractors.
Here’s the good news.
There are great DIY home renovation projects that could help you create your dream home! Whether you’re on a limited budget or just want to put some sweat equity into the place you call home, here are 18 creative home hacks to transform your home!
1. Curb Appeal
You’ve likely heard it’s all about the curb appeal when looking for a house, but that doesn’t stop once you own your home! You still want to make that spectacular first impression, and one of the easiest ways to do this is to give your front door a beautiful makeover with a fresh coat of paint!
Choose a bright, welcoming color, and watch how this simple task can transform your feelings about your home.
2. Upgrade Kitchen Cabinets
Are you tired of boring kitchen cabinets and itching for a change? While you could swap out all the cabinets or paint them, this hack is even more fun.
Add glass cabinet inserts to some of your most prominent cabinets, giving your kitchen an elegant feeling. The glass gives your cabinets a see-through appearance, which allows you to showcase that beautiful China pattern you chose for your wedding or any other favorite kitchen items you’d love to display.
3. Upgrade Kitchen Cabinet Hardware
If you don’t want to do something as drastic as swapping your wood cabinets for glass inserts, consider updating the kitchen cabinet and drawer hardware. If your cabinets don’t have any hardware, you can easily add some; if you already have it, you can change it for something more modern. Just be careful; you may have to sand or touch up any dings or scratches you make while installing the new hardware.
4. Add Under Cabinet Lighting
Under cabinet lighting is probably the easiest and least expensive DIY hack on this list! Anyone can do it, and it adds a feeling of elegance to your kitchen. It also helps you save on energy costs by keeping the overhead lights off at night. All you need are self-adhesive puck lights to stick to the bottom of the cabinets and a remote to turn them on and off.
5. Add a Backsplash
If your kitchen doesn’t have a backsplash, consider adding one. If you have one but it’s outdated, replace it! Consider choosing a slightly wilder pattern than what you already have to create a focal point and showcase your personal style. Not only will a backsplash look good, but it will also make keeping your kitchen clean easier.
6. Build Under Stair Storage
Are you always looking for places to store things? Maybe you have space under your stairway and don’t know what to do with it. Add some floating shelves or built-in bookshelves, and you will have a place for storage that is also decorative!
7. Add a Shiplap Accent Wall
Do you love the older shiplap look but have a modern house? Shake things up with a shiplap accent wall! This gives you the best of both worlds – a modern house with accents of that old-world feeling. All it takes is some wood planks stained in your desired color and a method to attach them to the walls; nails and construction adhesive may be plenty. You don’t have to be super handy to make this dramatic change to any room in your home.
8. Create a Board and Batten Accent Wall
If shiplap isn’t your thing, consider a board-and-batten wall. Instead of horizonal lines, you’ll have vertical geometric lines that create a focal point in your room. This works great in living rooms, great rooms, and master bedrooms. Paint it a drastically different color than the other walls, and you’ll instantly give your room a facelift.
9. Hang Curtains Above the Window Frame
The trick to making any room look larger is to hang the curtains 6 – 12 inches above the window frame instead of at the top of it. You could even go up to the ceiling for a more dramatic effect. Also, consider using a curtain rod that extends 3 – 6 inches on both sides of the window.
10. Add Ceiling Beams
If you want a dramatic look in a room you spend a lot of time in, like the great room, consider adding ceiling beams. The sky’s the limit with the designs you can make with your beams, adding as many or as few as you want while transforming the room with this simple hack.
11. Paint your Ceiling
If you don’t want an accent wall, consider painting the ceiling an accent color. This creates a focal point in the room, but not at eye level. This allows you a little more freedom for décor while still creating a unique look.
12. Frame your Bathroom Mirror
If you have a builder’s mirror, it can quickly become dated or make your bathroom feel boring, but fancy mirrors can get expensive! A quick and inexpensive fix you can do yourself is to frame the mirror. All you need is decorative molding, a measuring tape, and a saw. Cut the molding to size and install it with construction adhesive or nails.
13. Add Crown Molding
Crown molding throughout your house can add an instant elegant feeling. Consider adding it to the entire first floor or pick rooms that you spend the most time in and could use an upgrade. The process is simple; you can choose from plaster or wood crown molding options. The trickiest part is installing it. If you’re not super handy, you can also purchase peel-and-stick crown molding, and no one will know the difference.
14. Frame Doors and Windows
If your windows and doors feel too ordinary, consider framing them. All you need is a board in the material you desire—hardwoods work best—and the tools to install the frames. If you want to paint the trim, do this before hanging it, and watch how a simple frame replacing the basic trim transforms your room.
15. Install Hardwood Floors
If your home has carpeting, you may want to remove it and install hardwood floors. Not only are hardwood floors prettier, but they will also decrease allergies by reducing dust mites and potentially mold. Granted, this is a labor-intensive DIY project, but if you have the time and patience, it can be done!
16. Add Open Shelving
If you have a lot of wall space in a kitchen, laundry room, or even living room, consider adding open shelving. It breaks up the wall and gives you more room for storage. Granted, you need to keep it looking ‘pretty,’ but it can be fun to showcase your favorite items without shoving them in a cabinet and creating clutter.
17. Upgrade your Shower
Upgrading your shower doesn’t have to mean thousands of dollars and a big mess. A few quick DIY changes can transform it, starting with a new showerhead. Choose a water-saving showerhead or even a rainfall showerhead. Then, if you’re up for it, add new tile, a shower seat, or open shelving to transform your bathroom into a spa-like environment.
18. Install Sliding Barn Doors
Consider adding sliding barn doors if you’re trying to achieve the farmhouse look. All it requires is removing the door from its existing hinges and installing a sliding door track. You can do this in just about any room, including laundry rooms, dens, or living rooms. You don’t have to buy a new door; you can use your build-grade door and install the track.
FAQ
How can I make my house feel like a home?
A fresh coat of paint updated doorknobs or cabinet hardware, new light fixtures, and updated curb appeal are all simple and affordable ways to make your house feel like a home.
What can you do when your house doesn’t feel like a home?
Moving into a new home is exciting but may not feel like ‘home’ for a while. Hanging pictures, unpacking and throwing away boxes, adding some plants, and other personal touches are all great ways to make the house feel like yours and more like a home.
How long does it take for a house to feel like a home?
Everyone has different feelings, but it usually takes a few weeks to a few months to make your house feel like a home. When you have all the personal touches, your belongings in the proper places, and you’ve ‘broken the house in,’ it will feel more like yours.
Final Thoughts
Creating the home you’ve always dreamt of can be done on a budget with these DIY creative hacks! You don’t have to be super handy or creative to make these changes to your home. Start with a smaller project and work your way up as you make your house feel more like a home!
