A kitchen makeover has the greatest potential for increasing the value of your home, but it can also come with the biggest price tag. If you’re on a budget (and who isn’t, these days?) there are still simple things you can do that will improve your kitchen.
These are some simple ways to improve your kitchen. Each of these ideas can be complete for less than $1000.
A headboard is the perfect finishing touch for any bed. Depending on the materials used, it can be the focal point of the bedroom. One of the most striking headboards that we’ve seen in a long time is the mantelpiece headboard shown here. This one was created from a discarded headboard that was refinished and filled with a piece of plywood covered with foam and brown velvet. Another alternative for a mantel headboard is constructing one from lightweight architectural trim. Visit the Fypon website to find out more about their trim.
For more details on how to build your own mantel headboard from a ready-made purchased, refer to the instructions on the DoItYourself website.
If you want to decorate your house and garden for Halloween, carved pumpkins are a must. These days, talented carvers are taking pumpkins to the next level. The masterpieces shown here are an example of what you can do with a little imagination and a carving knife.
Check out a gallery of outstanding carved pumpkins from PumpkinGutter in this YouTube video:
A secluded garden retreat can be a great place to get away from it all and enjoy your own little corner of nature. Even if you yard is small or serves a variety of purposes (suah as a vegetable garden, kids play area, pool, etc.), you can still carve out a portion that’s dedicated to relaxation.
Your retreat doesn’t need to be large – a space as small as 8 feet square can become a cozy garden getaway. Choose a shady spot or add your own shade with a gazebo or canopy. Use plantings (think hedges and tall perennials) to shield your getaway from the rest of the yard. If your property offers a scenic view, position your getaway to take advantage of it.
Once you’ve prepared your getaway space, it’s time to think about the details. Comfortable seating is a must and a table will allow you to dine outside. Then add garden accessories like a small fountain, candles, wind chimes and small potted plants.
More and more people in the U.S. have begun to celebrate Halloween by decorating their home with a Halloween theme in the month of October. Whether you put a carved pumpkin in the window or go all out and create your own haunted house, we think you’ll agree that Halloween decorations are a great way to get into the “spirit” of the holiday.
Over the past few decades, wooden floors have again become popular. A well-maintained wooden floor is easier to take care of than carpet and can be the focal point of a room or entranceway. Many owners of older homes have been surprised to find a beautiful wooden floor underneath the carpeting. In this case, the floor may look well worn but can look as good as new after refinishing.
Refinishing an older wooden floor is a challenging task, but the results are worth the effort.
These are the steps required to refinish a wooden floor:
Sand the floor with a drum sander
Edge the floor with a handheld sander
Apply filler to fill in cracks, gasp and holes
Stain and finish the floor
To find out more about refinishing wooden floors, see this video on the Better Homes and Gardens website.
During the fall, orange seems to be everywhere. If you love the warmth of orange, you may want to consider it for home décor. Not everyone thinks of orange as an ideal color for home decorating, but using touches of orange is a great way to add energy to a living space. Besides brightening a room that has limited natural light, it can make smaller rooms look larger.
If you’re not sure whether you’ll like orange in your home, begin with a few accent pieces like pillows. Or you can combine it with a complementary shade of blue to create a balance of cool and warm colors.
Visit the HGTV website to see some inspiring rooms that have been decorated with orange.
It’s been called a man cave, man space or mantuary. It’s the room every guy needs — a private space where he can hang out with friends and indulge his passions. Whether it’s a home theater perfect for watching football, a private pub or a soundproofed room where he can blast his favorite rock n roll, a well-designed man cave will become a man’s favorite room.
Man caves are becoming so popular that the DIY Network has dedicated an entire series to designing and building Man Caves. Find out more about the Man Caves show on the DIY Network website.
Leigh and Leslie Keno are twin brothers who are antiques experts, frequently seen on the popular Antiques Roadshow television program. On the Traditional Home website, they have provided some valuable tips for homeowners who want to invest in collectibles that will increase in value. These are some of the emerging trends to look for:
Midcentury furniture designed by artisans like Charles and Ray Eames.
Classic furniture from the early 1800s based on designs from ancient Greece and Rome.
Amish quilts from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania made before 1940.
High-end plastic furniture produced under the name Lucite.
Carpets and latch-hook rugs designed by sculptor Alexander Calder (show above).
The ultimate home recycling project is currently nearing completion in Malibu, California. On a lot overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a home is being constructed from the remains of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. The project was started 3 years ago and will be finished in an estimated 6 months. The jet was purchased for $35,000 from a collection of retired aircraft that were being stored in the California desert. The project is so unique that it required approval from over a dozen government agencies, a process that took 18 months. The 2,000 square foot home is expected to have a final cost of $2 million.
View photos of the nearly-completed house here. This YouTube video shows some of the earliest stages of the construction project:
