Home Improvements Projects That Add Value and Appeal
As the summer nears its end, you may wonder what home projects can you start to finish out 2021? It can be nerve-wracking to take big projects on yourself unless you’ve had experience in the past.
Not to mention, not every home improvement project makes a big impact on your property’s bottom line. For example, a standard kitchen renovation almost always adds value to a home.
On the other hand, if you renovate your crawlspace, it could go unnoticed when you try selling your home on the market. How do you know where to start with home renovations that you will be completing yourself?
To help get your gears turning, here is a review of home improvement projects that you can complete yourself. If you are a fan of DIY projects, consider several of these project ideas. All of these improvements will help when it comes time to sell your property.
Before starting any home improvements, make sure you pull the necessary building permits before commencing the work.
Bathroom Vanity
The best way to make your en suite bathroom or any bath for that matter come together is to pick an overall theme. Once you’ve identified that, you can begin working on projects to spruce this room up.
One of the most important features of your bathroom is the vanity, which acts as the centerpiece of the room. A vanity can appear outdated depending on the overall design of the bathroom. Here are several steps you can take to make your vanity pop.
- The first step is to tape off the area that you will be working on. If you want, you can remove any drawers or doors.
- Use sandpaper for sanding your surface lightly.
- Put on a latex glove on your working hand, place an old sock over your latex glove, and apply the stain onto the vanity. Allow the area to dry and apply it again about two more times.
- Use a small foam brush for any touch-ups or hard-to-reach areas. Once this is done, let it dry overnight.
- Apply wipe-on polyurethane. You should apply 2 to 3 coats to avoid any scratches on the stain.
- Once you’re done with this, put your hardware back on and enjoy your updated vanity.
Kitchen Island
Have you been pushing off the idea of building a kitchen island? The prices of some high-quality kitchen islands can seem outrageous.
However, they do add to your kitchen’s overall looks and your property’s value. If you find yourself constantly cooking in the kitchen while running out of space, an island can help. Here’s are several quick tips when building a kitchen island by yourself.
- Make sure that the island that you build is the proper height. It does not always need to be the same height as the other counters – that detail is up to your preference.
- Purchase materials that match your kitchen’s current countertops and cabinets.
- You then sand the entire dresser. Use some primer and paint it a color that works well for your kitchen. Then finish with three coats of Polycrylic in satin.
See more kitchen home improvement ideas to impress your guests.
Decorate Your Bedroom’s Ceiling
Your bedroom is a very personal part of your home. It is a safe and calm spot for you to rest. However, you may realize that something is missing even with beautiful walls and furniture. Consider this DIY home improvement project and take advantage of your “fifth wall” or your ceiling.
- Prep for painting the ceiling how you would if you were painting any wall. Remove all furniture, dust, and repair any cracks. Put down drop cloths to protect the floor and other items. Tape the tops of the walls.
- Use primer and allow it to dry.
- Paint in sections. Apply a second coat as needed.
Here are some additional home improvements to spice up your bedroom.
Add Lighting to Your Patio
Patios are normally the center of any event that involves guests in the summer. It’s a great place to make new memories and spend time with loved ones while at home.
However, as the sun starts to set, certain backyards can become extremely dark. This is the case, especially when there are large amounts of tree cover. What are some ideas for lighting up your patio or backyard?
Common things include string lights, planter lights, or even tiki torches. Of course, you can add to the ambiance of your patio with a uniquely designed fire pit. Several tips for adding a fire pit to your patio include:
- Outline your fire pit by laying the bottom ring of stones in the grass where you want to place the fire pit. Spray paint where the stones were so you know where to dig.
- You will need to dig out a 6-inch deep circle.
- Fill it in with gravel until it is level with the ground. This is for safety.
- Build your fire pit. Place the first ring of stones around the edge and use a rubber mallet to tamp the stones flat and even. Use some masonry adhesive on each row of stones and use the rubber mallet again. Repeat for the third row.
- Add furniture, firewood, and have a little bonfire to celebrate.
Crate Bookshelf
A living room is important for creating an inviting, organized area that you and guests can come to relax and enjoy the home. This can be difficult to create, especially on a budget. However, this DIY project involves using crates to make a beautiful bookshelf and being done in multiple ways to create a space for storage, decoration, and organization.
- Sand 8 wood crates. Place them on plastic and stain them whatever color you prefer. Wipe with a rag.
- After they are dry, use a lint-free rag to wax each and wipe them off after 10 minutes. It’s not a necessary step, but it protects the wood.
- Find out how you want to arrange the crates and drill through one side towards the back. Screw-in a 1-inch screw.
- After this process is done for all 8 crates, feel for weak areas and add screws for extra support. Lastly, attach to the wall using an L bracket.
Accent Walls
Regardless of what room of the house it is, you may feel it’s missing something. It may be missing an accent wall. This can be done in many ways and typically involves shading the color of that wall slightly different from the others. The point is for this wall to stand out from the rest, but not too much.
You can do this yourself using sponges, feathers, and so much more. If you don’t want to experiment with those brushes and materials, you can use masking tape.
- Start by prepping as you do for any paint job.
- Figure out your design. This can be triangles, broken glass effects, or something else. Use masking tape to help create this design.
- Pick your colors and paint! This DIY is fairly easy but will quickly bring a room together.
Pendant Lighting
If you have extra wine bottles lying around, this is the perfect DIY home project for you. Having little candles or tea lights creates a cozy home, but this brings a little bit of class into it as well. It also promotes upcycling and reusing items, so if you’re an environmentalist, this is a DIY project that is right up your alley.
Not only will it look good, declutter, and add a talking point to any part of your home, but it is also a trendy design in many houses and restaurants.
- Clean your bottles. Get all the labels off, wash them inside and out, and let them dry completely.
- Cut the bottle with a bottle cutter. Take all safety precautions and make sure you follow the instructions. Use the tapper from the kit to gently tap the scour mark from inside the bottle. Apply water, switching from hot to cold. After a few minutes, the bottle should break off. Use sandpaper to smooth the edge.
- Wire the pendant. Run the end of the cord through the bottle, and be sure to tie a knot in the cord, so the weight is not on the electrical attachment. Place the bulb in the socket to test it out. Or you could use tea lights or candles.
- Add decorative touches. Using wire or other decor items, make sure they will keep in place.
Backsplash Tiles
Whether it’s the kitchen or bathroom, backsplash tiles are timeless and add a great design pattern to the room. This DIY project can be time-consuming, but it’s easy enough that anyone can do it with the right amount of time and patience.
This is a common DIY project that people take on along with the peel and stick countertop paper, which can also go along with this project really well.
- First, measure your wall. Home depot has a tile calculator that you can use to see roughly how many supplies you’ll need based on the measurements.
- Prep your workspace and wall. Remove any appliances, place cardboard over your countertop, shut off power to nearby outlets or light switches, and cut off power.
- Pre-lay tile. Place the tile from the starting to the endpoints.
- Prepare mortar. Let the mixture sit, and be aware you normally only have about 4 hours to use it.
- Apply mortar. Begin with a 2-foot section and press at a 45-degree angle.
- Lay tile and pre-seal it. Allow the mortar and tile to dry completely before using a pre=sealer at least three hours before applying the grout.
- Grout the tile, wiping off any excess at a 90-degree angle.
Consider these 8 unique DIY home improvement projects that you can do in 2021. Most of these are not expensive and are not too time-consuming. These will make any home look inviting and modern. This is also a way to show off your skill at DIY with projects that look hard but are easier than people first think.
If you have enjoyed these, here are a few more DIY home improvements to consider making.
About the author: The above article on DIY home improvement projects was written by Alex Capozzolo. Alex is the Brotherly Love Real Estate blog owner and a content writer for the real estate industry.
His focus is on helping people through one of the most important investment decisions of their lifetime by seamlessly providing fast, honest, and professional real estate services.
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