Home improvement projects don’t have to depend on the weather. Co-owner of Blaine-based Pacific Building Center, Stephanie Munden, said that in the winter most homeowners tackle small repairs and other maintenance projects. While large-scale renovations can greatly affect a home, smaller projects can also yield impressive results and be completed in just a weekend.
Here’s a quick list of ideas to get you started:
• Create an accent wall – painting a focal wall in a home can create a favorable impact at an affordable cost. Accent walls frequently feature a bold color, so decide on placement and tackle this project in less than a day. Pacific Building Center carries True Value paint, which come in more than 1,200 colors, Munden said.
• Install stair runners – dress up hardwood stairs with decorative carpet runners. Runners come in elongated pieces of carpeting or individual pieces that can be placed on each step. If carpeting doesn’t fit with the home’s design, painting individual stair treads can create visual appeal.
• Dress up the entryway – an entryway is a guest’s first impression of a home. Many entryways can use a minor overhaul, both inside and outside. Paint the front door a different color so it pops from the curb. Install a new mailbox or decorative house numbers. A new welcome mat can change the look as well. Inside, consider laying a new floor. Resilient vinyl tiles come in many different patterns and can mimic the look of wood, travertine or marble. Installing a floor can take a day or two.
• Install a new faucet – instantly improve a kitchen or a bathroom with new fixtures. New faucets can provide aesthetic appeal and low-flow faucets can help conserve water.
• Create a gallery on the staircase – gather and arrange framed photos, artwork or wall accents so that they ascend the wall of a staircase. This creates a designer touch and can dress up an often barren area of wall space.
• Replace seals and caulking – Many homeowners choose to replace window seals and caulking during the winter, Munden said. Seals around windows and doors tend to wear down over time, resulting in air leakage, heat loss and increased moisture in the home.
• Install a fresh light fixture – improve drab spaces with a little illumination. Better Homes & Gardens suggests replacing an existing fixture with something new and vibrant. If hanging a new fixture is not within one’s skill set, free-standing table or floor lamps also can cast a new glow on a space.
• Add molding – molding can add instant aesthetic appeal to a room. Molding is appropriate near the floor, at the top of walls where they meet the ceiling, or even mid-wall as a chair rail. Some homeowners like to create framed molding on walls in formal living spaces.
• Update kitchen or bathroom hardware – replacing hardware is a fast and easy project, but one that can have immediate impact. Swap out tired or outdated hardware for newer brushed metals and more impactful shapes and designs.
Pacific Building Center is located at 2677 Bell Road in Blaine. To learn more, visit
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here