Invest a little cash and get a big improvement in
how your home looks and feels. The editors of
This Old House give you their top tips.
FPO
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KITCHEN
HOME EXTERIOR
LIGHTING
LIVING/FAMILY ROOM
DECORATIVE TOUCHES
BEDROOMS
SPACE SAVERS/STORAGE
BATH
KITCHEN
Clear the Counter
HOW TO DO IT:
Build in a soap dispenser beside the kitchen faucet to keep
that Palmolive bottle out of sight.
Estimated cost: Whitehaus’s Beluga Soap/Lotion Dispenser in
polished nickel, about $90
Add Carved Corbels
Under Your Breakfast Bar
Hook Yourself Up
Tile Over Your Hood
Cover a Scuffed Toekick
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Wall-mount a row of hooks
above your kitchen counter to keep
dish towels and measuring cups at
the ready.
Trim the wood vent hood cover
above your range with a tile border.
Mask a messed up kitchen
toekick with stainless-look
peel-and-stick laminate strips.
Check salvage yards for
Victorian-era ones with patina
for an extra flourish in the
eating area.
Estimated cost: Two 30-inch-high-by19-inch-deep Queen Anne-style corbels,
about $95
Estimated cost: Polished chrome Alno
utility hooks, about $8 each
Estimated cost: 6-by-6-inch
Interceramic Antique Metals Hammered
Ceramic Tiles in bronze, about $10 each
Estimated cost: 6-inch-high
toekick cover, about
$12 per linear foot
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KITCHEN
Go Stainless
HOW TO DO IT:
Update an old fridge with a faux stainless-steel painted finish.
Estimated cost: 1 quart of Thomas Liquid Stainless SteelTM
Base Coat, about $56
Brighten Cabinet Insides
Crown Your Cabinets
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Highlight the inside of a glass-front
cupboard by brushing on a bold
hue.
Estimated cost: Aquarium Blue latex
paint, $16 per quart
Top stock kitchen cabinets with
crown moulding for the look of
custom casework. 32 feet of crown
to trim out the average kitchen.
Estimated cost: about $80
Make Your Sink
Do Double Duty
Increase Mobility
HOW TO DO IT:
Fit an undermount sink with a
cutting board for more prep space.
Measure the length and width of the
basin, adding ½ inch to each side.
Trim a piece of butcher block to
size with a jigsaw. Then create a lip
around its underside so that it will
rest on the edge of the counter.
Estimated cost: 18-by-12-inch maple
block, about $86
Put casters on a table for
dual-purpose dining and food-prep
surface in a small kitchen
HOW TO DO IT:
Estimated cost: Four Waxman
swivel casters with
brakes, about $15
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KITCHEN
Add a Stainless Backsplash
Behind Your Stove
HOW TO DO IT:
Nail an easy-to-clean panel on the wall or right over tired tile.
Estimated cost: 1½-by-4-foot stamped Design 204 panel, about $70
Mirrored Tiles
Paint a Tile Backsplash
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Affix mirrored tiles to the soffit
above kitchen cabinets. The
reflective surface will bounce light
around the room, making it appear
bigger and brighter.
Estimated cost: Twenty 4-by-4-inch
peel-and-stick tiles, about $10
Switch Out Your Island
Hardware
Keep Small Appliances
Out of Sight
Brighten up a dark, dated tile
backsplash with cheery paint. Scuff
the surface with sandpaper and
apply two coats of adhesion primer.
Let dry and roll on two coats of oilbased semigloss paint.
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Change the hardware on your
kitchen island to give it the look of
custom furniture. Leave the existing
knobs and handles on the cabinets
alone.
Clear counter clutter by installing
a pop-out appliance lift in a base
kitchen cabinet.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon each of
Adhesion Primer and ProClassic Alkyd
Interior Enamel, about $96
Estimated cost: Melon Knob and
Melon Handle, about $26 for both
Estimated cost:
Heavy-duty mixer lift,
about $99.99
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HOME EXTERIOR
Paint Your Front Door
HOW TO DO IT:
Brush on a vibrant color, such as a rich red, for a more
welcoming entry.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of RedSeal Exterior Latex Eggshell House &
Trim paint, about $25
Cover Your Lawn
With Flowers
Brush On a Welcome Mat
Plant an Evergreen Screen
Install a New Doorbell
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Plant a mass of bulbs with
grasslike foliage in your lawn.
Early-spring bloomers will be ready
to mow when your turf perks up.
Make this diamond-patterened
ruglike mat on your stoop by
mapping the design with painter’s
tape and using a roller to put colors
in their places.
Plant an evergreen screen on the
north side of your house to block
winter winds. Arborvitae ‘Green
Giant’ can climb 3 feet in one year.
The Lighted Visitors Button will
impress your guests.
Estimated cost: 100 scilla siberica
bulbs, under $20
Estimated cost: 2 quarts of Valspar
latex Porch and Floor paint, about $24
Estimated cost: $92 for two
Estimated cost: About $70
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HOME EXTERIOR
Flank Your Front Door with
Sconces
HOW TO DO IT:
Try barn-style caged lights to accent a traditional entry, then
screw in outdoor-rated CFLs to save on your energy bills.
Estimated cost: Two cast aluminum vapor-tight lights, about $99.60
Give Your Porch Some Space
Seal for Delivery
Lock Up in Style
Help Guests Be Heard
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Paint your porch ceiling sky blue to
create a more spacious feeling.
Swap in an insulated mail slot to
keep out weather and muffle noise.
Dress up your entry door with a
handsome knocker.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Behr
Premium Plus Ultra Exterior paint in
Niagara Falls, similar to shown,
about $36
Estimated cost: Polished aluminum
Draft Dodger insulated mail slot,
about $45
Screw in vintage-look sash locks for
a tight seal between double-hungs
to prevent drafts.
Estimated cost: Bronze bamboo-pattern
sash window lock, about $13
Estimated cost: Colonial-style
bronze door knocker,
about $50
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HOME EXTERIOR
Crown Your Roofline with a
Weather Vane
HOW TO DO IT:
Perch a classic rural wind spinner on top of your peak.
Estimated cost: Verdigris resin rooster, about $89
Cover Door Scuffs
HOW TO DO IT:
Fasten a kickplate to your front door
as a traditional and stylish way to
protect the bottom from scuffs.
Estimated cost: 30-inch solid-brass
kickplate, about $64
Mount a New Mailbox by
Your Front Door
Fill the Paver Cracks
Install New House Numbers
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Plant low-growing English thyme
to prevent weeds from sprouting
between pavers. Just sow seeds
in early spring so that they’ll sprout
as the temperature rises.
Add eye-catching house numbers
to make sure your address isn’t
missed.
A bold-colored locking model
will make your entry more eyecatching—and protect your privacy.
Estimated cost: Priority Mailbox in red,
about $58
Estimated cost: 400-seed packet,
about $2
Estimated cost: Arts and Crafts
2¾-by-3¾-inch glazed
ceramic tiles $14 each B
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HOME EXTERIOR
Flower Box Boost
HOW TO DO IT:
Mount flower boxes planted with colorful perennials to
front-facing windows to boost your home’s curb appeal.
Estimated cost: 18-inch cedar window box with liner, about $29.
Flat of flowers, about $10; at garden centers.
Cover with Climbers
Build a Wood Planter
Shine in the Darkness
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Put a trellis over an exterior window for clematis to climb on. Coat decorative
wood brackets with primer, then paint and secure them to the studs on either
side of the window with deck screws. For the top, rip a piece of 5/4x6 red
cedar decking into three strips, space them evenly across the brackets, and
secure with trim-head screws.
Build an outdoor planter from
leftover deck boards and railing
balusters. Frame the box with
balusters, then clad the sides and
bottom with cut boards. Drop in
a plastic liner to hold the soil and
protect the wood from rot.
Make your house easy to find at
night with solar-powered LED
numbers.
Estimated cost: Two Victorian wood brackets, about $38. Deck board, fasteners,
preservative, and paint, about $42
Estimated cost: Square liner, about $15
Estimated cost: Matterinc’s aluminum
address placards,
about $19 each
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LIGHTING
Laundry-Room Chandelier
HOW TO DO IT:
Suspend a chandelier in the laundry room for a bit of
sophistication in an unexpected place. White Capiz pendant
with cord kit.
Estimated cost: Similar to shown, $80
Dim the Lights
Fix Up Your Fixture
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Install a dimmer switch in your dining room to set
the mood—and save energy. You can even get
them in colors to match your wall or trim paint.
Spruce up a home-center ceiling fixture by
swapping out the generic white globe for a
colorful, vintage-look schoolhouse shade.
Flank your sofa with matching pendants to open
up space on end tables.
Estimated cost: Lutron’s Diva C.L dimmer, starting
around $31, including a tinted switch cover
Estimated cost: 10-inch opal drum shade with
a painted blue stripe, about $62
Raise the Lighting
Estimated cost: Two Eden pendant lamps with
drum-style fabric shades, about $99
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LIGHTING
Add a Ceiling Medallion
HOW TO DO IT:
Highlight a hanging light fixture with some decorative interest
at the ceiling.
Estimated cost: Paintable 18-inch polyurethane medallion with
floral-and-leaf pattern, about $57
Shine Some Light on Your Work
Switch Out a Switchplate
Cap Lamps with Colored Shades
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Brighten countertops instantly with batterypowered LED undercabinet puck lighting.
Change out the plastic switchplate cover in your
dining room with an embossed metal one.
Change the quality of the light with a hue
other than off white.
Estimated cost: Four adhesive-backed Bell & Howell
Mini Power Pods, about $20
Estimated cost: Single-toggle, lead-free,
pewter-finished Lattice switchplate, about $65
Estimated cost: The medium-size Mica drum shade
shown above creates a warm glow in any room.
About $59
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LIVING/FAMILY ROOM
Assemble a Wall Display
HOW TO DO IT:
Group small prints, photos, and vintage plates and hang them
together for the look of a large, expensive piece of art. Arrange
the display on the floor first to limit nail holes.
Estimated cost: Nothing
Display Your Display
Install a Ceiling Fan
Hang Natural Fiber Shades
Bring It Down to Eye Level
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Display your flat-screen TV on
a tabletop easel with adjustable
clamps.
Install a vintage-look ceiling fan to
recirculate warmed air in winter.
Reverse the blades’ spin to lower
summer cooling costs.
Use natural fiber shades to highlight
the transition between indoors and
outdoors and help insulate windows.
Lower your art to eye level, about
64 inches from the floor.
Estimated cost: Academy Deluxe Table
Top Easel, about $80
Estimated cost: 52-inch Energy Star
Capri with “tarnished” oiled-bronze
finish, about $90
Estimated cost: 23-by-72-inch Bamboo
Roman Shade, about $26
Estimated cost: Reposition 17 pieces
with the OOK Valu-Pak Pro Hanging Kit.
about $9
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LIVING/FAMILY ROOM
Whitewash Interior Exposed
Brick
HOW TO DO IT:
Brush on a tinted latex stain, wipe, and repeat until you
achieve the desired look.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Studio Finishes latex glaze, about $23
Give Bookshelves the Once-Over
Use Bin Pulls as Sash Lifts
Accent a Wall
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Group hardcovers and paperbacks separately
and sort them by size for a tidier look. Use heavy
decorative items, such as a stone bowl or vintage
cast-iron tub claw-foot, as bookends.
Screw classic bin pulls onto double-hung
windows to keep frames free from fingerprints.
Twenty Victorian-style cast-iron decorative bin
pulls will outfit 10 windows in first-floor rooms,
where guests are more likely to see them.
Create an accent wall in the living room by
papering the fireplace or sofa wall with grasscloth.
Choose one with a tone that picks up the
surrounding paint color.
Estimated cost: Salvaged tub foot; about $20
Estimated cost: About $82
Estimated cost: Double roll of Oriental
Grasscloth Knot Textiles, about $70
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LIVING/FAMILY ROOM
Fit a Window Seat in an
Alcove
HOW TO DO IT:
Support a ¾-inch plywood seat deck on 2x6 hanging strips
anchored into the side and back walls. To form the cubbies,
glue and nail in place two plywood dividers. Face the unit with
1x4 poplar.
Estimated cost: Materials for a seat similar to this one, about $60; at
lumber yards. 16-by-26-inch Gripper Sensations Microsuede Window
Seat Cushion, about $30
Screen Your Fireplace for Warm Weather
Recess Electronics Wires
Upsize Your Windows
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Retool your fireplace for spring with a screen
made from a salvaged section of iron fence. Get
one that’s slightly larger than your firebox opening
so that you can secure it to the surround. Add
hook-on hangers to hold potted blooms.
Banish flat-screen TV wires using a recessed
outlet and an open-back wall plate to route wires
behind the wall.
Make small windows look larger by hanging
drapes at ceiling height.
Estimated cost: One 50-inch-wide-by-36-inch-tall
iron section with a fleur-de-lis detail, about $75.
Ace flowerpot holders, about $9 each
Estimated cost: Vanco Rapid Link Power Dual
Recessed Outlet Flat Panel TV Power Kit w/Romex and
Signal Cable Wall Plates, about $66
Estimated cost: Pair of 108-inch Brimfield 4-in-1
Panel Drapes in Carafe, about $70
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DECORATIVE TOUCHES
Doorway Display
HOW TO DO IT:
Add a shelf above a doorway, paint it to match the trim, then
use it to display pottery.
Estimated cost: 40-inch-long 1x6 red oak shelf and two 7-inch Classic
Oak Brackets, about $32
Frame Your Reflection
Tone Down the Contrast
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Transform an unadorned mirror by
wrapping it in wood molding.
Paint trim lighter or darker than
walls, rather than bright white, for
a more subtle contrast.
Estimated cost: A simple frame kit
containing four mitered Pemaquid Slim
molding strips in a distressed silver
finish, the clips and glue to secure it
together, and hardware to mount it,
about $97
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Farrow &
Ball’s Water Based Eggshell yields a
saturated color and a slight sheen,
about $99
Give a Wall a Glimmering
Two-Tone Effect
Design a Mudroom Area Rug
HOW TO DO IT:
Use stick-down carpet tiles. Use
six tiles for a runner or nine for a
square. Mix and match colors for
a custom pattern.
Roll stripes or stencil a pattern of
shiny glaze over a wall painted with
a solid matte finish.
Estimated cost: 1 quart of Studio
Finishes latex glaze, about $9
HOW TO DO IT:
Estimated cost:
Six 20-by-20-inch
textured tiles,
about $54
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DECORATIVE TOUCHES
Create an Instant Collection
HOW TO DO IT:
Mass like objects — vases, candle-sticks, bowls — and
displaying them together. Follow the designer’s rule of thumb
and group items in odd numbers for a look that’s more
pleasing to the eye.
Estimated cost: Nothing
Bulk Up Door Trim
Tone Down Brassy Hardware
Decorative Stair Brackets
Add a Doormat
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Build up a wimpy entry door casing
in your foyer with applied moldings
to create a more substantial first
impression of your home.
Take the gleam off like-new brass
hinges and doorknobs with a simple
rub of a darkening solution.
Trim out your staircase with
decorative brackets fastened to the
outside of the stringer just below
the treads.
Polish up an entry hall with a
dirt-grabbing doormat, that washes
out in the sink, to protect the finish
on wood floors.
Estimated cost: Nothing
Estimated cost:
Chilewich woven vinyl
mats, about $50
Estimated cost: Four 6-foot-long-by3¾-inch-wide primed white miterless
moldings, about $80
Estimated cost: 8-ounce bottle of
Brass Antiquing Solution, about $7
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DECORATIVE TOUCHES
Gloss Over a Frame
HOW TO DO IT:
Refinish a dull mirror frame with glossy paint for an
upscale look.
Estimated cost: 13-ounce can of Mohawk Colored Lacquer Enamel,
about $6
Strip Paint-Caked
Door Hardware
Make Candlesticks
from Wood Spindles
Protect Your Corners
Ornament Your Newel Post
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Buy a thrift-store Crock-Pot and fill
it with water and 2 tablespoons of
liquid laundry detergent. Drop in
hinges, knobs, and escutcheons.
Heat on medium overnight. By
morning, the paint will be falling off
the metal.
Use a spade bit to drill a recess in
the tops for the candle. Group sticks
of varying heights for a stunning
tabletop display.
Put turned wood corner mouldings
on the outside corners of foyer
walls to protect paint and add
architectural detail.
Top your newel with a carved wood
finial for a more stately staircase.
Estimated cost: About $5 for the pot
Estimated cost: Two 12-inch and two
7½-inch turned redwood spindles,
about $9
Estimated cost: Traditional 22-inch
cherry Corner Guard, about $15 each
Estimated cost: Antique Ivory Knewl
Post Finial, about $86
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DECORATIVE TOUCHES
Tear Out Old Carpet on
Your Stairs
HOW TO DO IT:
Refinish the treads and paint the risers white — or get creative
and paint a runner-like pattern.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of white paint, sandpaper, wood putty to fill
tack holes, 1 quart of stain, and 1 gallon of clear polyurethane,
about $95
Blur Room Lines
Seagrass Hallway Runner
Wallpaper a Door
Hang a Mirror
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Use a folding screen in the corner
of a small room to make the space
appear larger by blurring the line
where walls come together.
Roll out a seagrass hallway runner.
It’ll stand up to heavy foot traffic and
make your house smell beachy.
Use paper and paste left over from
a big job to dress up door panels,
letting stiles and rails frame the
decoration. For slab doors, trace a
shape on the back of the paper, cut
it out, and center it on the door.
Hang an oval-shaped mirror like a
pendant from a decorative chain for
an elegant look in a bath, bedroom,
or foyer.
Estimated cost: Espresso Shinto
Screen, about $99.99
Estimated cost: 2¼-by-7½-foot basketweave seagrass runner, about $60
Estimated cost: Nothing
Estimated cost:
Frameless oval mirror,
about $84
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DECORATIVE TOUCHES
Hide Home Office Wiring
HOW TO DO IT:
Run wiring behind a beadboard panel in the knee-hole at the
back of your desk. Velcro the panel to blocking mounted on
the rear legs or sides of your desk so that you can pop it off to
access the outlet
Estimated cost: 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood beadboard, about $20
Faux Your Floor
Conceal Your Air Conditioner
Pass-through
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Paint worn vinyl flooring to look like stone tile. Use
two similar colors for the “stones” and white paint
to create faux grout lines. Seal the surface with
three coats of polyurethane.
Hide a through-wall air conditioner inside a stock
kitchen cabinet you can close when the unit’s not
in use. Paint the cabinet the same color as your
walls so it’ll “disappear,” or choose wood-veneer
doors to mimic a pricey built-in.
Connect two rooms with a pass-through carved
out in a nonload-bearing wall. Frame the opening
with 2x4s, cover with drywall, and finish the
edges with corner beading.
Estimated cost: 2 quarts of Valspar latex Porch
and Floor paint and 1 quart of Cabot Water Based
Polyurethane, about $54. One 4-ounce tube
of Pearl Acrylic Artist Paint for “grout,” about $3
Estimated cost: 36-by-18-inch Akurum fan cabinet
with oak-veneer doors, about $88
Estimated cost: Lumber, sheet of
drywall, beading, and 5-gallon bucket
of joint compound to coat it all in
mud, about $55
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BEDROOMS
Divide and Conquer
HOW TO DO IT:
Install a chair rail in your bedroom and paint the wall below a
serene accent color.
Estimated cost: Enough red oak Colonial-style moldings to wrap the
walls of an 8-by-10-foot room, about $75
Create a Sense of Uniformity
Flank the Bed
Get a Stenciled Look in Your Kid’s Room
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Unify unmatched bedroom furniture by painting
pieces the same hue.
Build a wall-mount bedside table with wood
corbels topped by a slate roof shingle.
Decorate the walls with easy stick-on decals in
fun animal shapes.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of eco-friendly Inside Palette
acrylic paint, about $45
Estimated cost: Two 6-inch oak Legacy hand-carved
corbels, about $80. 7-by-13-inch salvaged shingle,
about $5
Estimated cost: 22-by-30-inch elephant design,
about $25
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SPACE SAVERS/STORAGE
Turn a Closet Into a Home
Office
HOW TO DO IT:
Unhinge the door and trade hanging rods for shelves —
a deep one for the desktop and two shallow ones above
for storage.
Estimated cost: One 20-by-24-by-¾-inch and two 12-by-24-by-¾inch white melamine shelves, metal standards, and shelf brackets,
all by Elfa, about $95
Get Fido’s Bed Off the Floor
Turn Upper Cabinets to Instant Shelving
Use a Louvered Shutter to Sort Mail
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Create a crawl space in an existing built-in.
Remove lower cabinet doors or place his cushion
below a window seat or on the bottom shelf of
a bookcase.
Remove the doors on a bank of upper cabinets,
then paint the interiors for instant open shelving
Mount it on the wall, stick letters and bills in the
slots.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Elements Zero VOC 100
percent acrylic paint with a washable semigloss sheen,
about $35
Estimated cost: Unfinished 12-by-41-inch Western red
cedar fixed-louver shutter, about $91
Estimated cost: Nothing
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SPACE SAVERS/STORAGE
Unclutter Your Workbench
HOW TO DO IT:
Organize workbench clutter on a simple pegboard rack.
Estimated cost: DPI’s 4-by-8-foot white perforated pegboard wall
panel, about $16. Crawford’s 43-piece pegboard organizer with hooks,
baskets, and jars, about $11
Create Cubbies in a Bookcase
Add Floating Shelves
Bring the Outlet Closer
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Cut vertical dividers to the depth of the unit minus
¾ inch, and secure them in place with glue and
finish nails. Face dividers with 1x1 trim flush with
the shelf fronts.
Add floating wall-mount shelves in place of a
bookcase to free up valuable floor real estate.
The shelves’ hidden hardware gives them a
sleek, airy look.
Drop in a floor receptacle so that you don’t
have to string long cords between table lamps
and wall outlets.
Estimated cost: One sheet of ¾-inch plywood and three
1x1 strips,$26
Estimated cost: 3-foot-long wood Chunky Wall Shelf,
about $34 each
Estimated cost: Carlon Drop-In Floor Box,
about $58
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BATH
Use a Ladder as a
Bath-towel Rack
HOW TO DO IT:
Lean it against a wall and sling bath sheets and washcloths
over its rungs.
Estimated cost: For even more character, try a colorful, vintage
five-rung wood ladder, about $43
Add Vintage Sparkle
Waterproof a Kid’s Bath
Skirt a Sink
String Dazzling Lights
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Swap out a plain doorknob for a
vintage glass sparkler. Leave the
hallway-facing knob for a unified
look with the rest of your doors.
Adhere rubber floor tiles to the wall
for a lively waterproof backsplash in
a kid’s bathroom. Coat the tile backs
with adhesive and stick them up.
Run rope lighting along the
bathroom vanity toekick for a soft
ambient night-light.
Estimated cost: Multifaceted 1900s
glass knob with a brass shank that fits
most spindles, about $38
Estimated cost: BR Profile Studded
Tiles in 20 colors, about $4.25 per
square foot
Wrap a pedestal sink with a skirt
and conceal your waste bin and
toiletries below. Stick fabric to
the basin edge with adhesivebacked Velcro.
Estimated cost: 60-by-32-inch white
ruffled cotton sink skirt, about $60
Estimated cost: SuperBright’s 2-foot
strand, about $8
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$100
BATH
Add a Stained-glass Window
HOW TO DO IT:
If you can’t find an exact fit to replace your existing window,
simply hang one from chains in front of it.
Estimated cost: eBay store has Art Deco windows, starting at $69
Install a Cross-Handle Faucet
Free Up Your Sink
Create a Luxe-Look Bathroom Shelf
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
HOW TO DO IT:
Swap in a cross-handle faucet to
warm up a bathroom. A compact,
centerset design — for basins with
holes spaced 4 inches apart —
preserves sinktop space.
Hang a wall-mount cup and
toothbrush holder in the bathroom to
declutter the sink deck.
Support a 4-inch-wide marble door threshold with decorative metal brackets.
Estimated cost: Randolph Morris 4-inch
centerset bathroom faucet in chrome,
about $84
Estimated cost: Banner Concave Design
Porcelain Toothbrush & Tumbler Holder
in chrome, about $23
Estimated cost: 36-inch-long threshold, about $28; at most flooring retailers.
Two Mini Pennsylvania Dutch Motif 3-by-4-inch cast-iron brackets, about $11
BEST
D
UPGR IY
AD
FOR U ES
NDER
$100