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8 Economical Updates for Your Home by Nikki Willhite   When you buy an older home that has not been updated, it can seem financially overwhelming to make it look less dated. You may have plans for the future, but while you wait, living with things that are very outdated can bother you. Here are 8 ideas for quick fixes that can make the wait less difficult. You may also decide that you are content with the results of these budget fixers and not feel the need to spend the money to make the more expensive upgrades. 1. Update the floor moldings by painting them the same color as the walls. If you are lucky enough to have large moldings, you can paint them white, or refinish the wood. However, if you have plain moldings that just look dated, just paint them the same color as the walls. They will visually fade away. Hint: If you are very careful, and place masking tape down on the carpet in front of the moldings, and push the tape firmly into the carpet, you do not have to remove the moldings to paint them.     2. Paint dark paneling. This is how the fireplace looked when this home was purchased.  First it was covered with paint, and later tile. Notice the walls after being painted below. Painting paneling is as simple as applying a layer or two of primer, and then choosing a paint color. Do not skimp on the primer for a good paint job. Your room will seem lighter and more updated.         3. Paint or tile over unattractive fireplace brick. Painting your fireplace is the quickest and most economical fix for old brick. One step further up is to cover the brick with tile. To cover brick with tile, first you must first make the surface as smooth as possible by adding filler on top of the brick to smooth it flat Consult your hardware store for the best kind of material for this job. Then it is just a matter or placing the tiles on top. In the picture, the tiles are granite.   4. Replace Vertical Blinds   Vertical blinds do nothing to soften a home. They give a hard edge, commercial feeling to a home. Current drapery treatments are soft and informal, and the panels are not expensive and often go on sale for half price at department stores. You can buy curtain rods at IKEA for a reasonable price. If you have a large expanse of window, you will find the rods at IKEA run large (approx 150 inches) and if you still need more length, just buy 2 of them and attach them together.   5. Paint your kitchen and bathroom cabinets.   Paint your cabinets a fresh, crisp white. For your kitchen, take a few panels to a glass shop, and have them cut out the wood inside a few panels and place in glass inserts. Even the worst cabinets will be easier on the eyes:   6. Update the hardware and faucets on your bathroom cabinets. Notice how old the faucets are in the above picture.  Just replacing them made a significant difference.   7. Paint dated fixtures, like light boxes or florescent kitchen lights. Until you have the money to replace bathroom light boxes, or dated kitchen lights, paint them. Your eye will not be drawn to them, and they will not be as noticeable. When you do decide to remove a light box, if you don't want to patch the wall, be sure you buy a light fixture that has a large enough footprint at the back of it to cover any holes left in the wall from the wires used by the light box.       8. Open up the space Last, but not least, if you have small rooms, think about opening up visual space by removing walls. If you just take out the top part of a wall, you won't have to deal with changing the flooring in any way. You may need a handyman if you are dealing with a load bearing wall, but there will be very little expense as far as materials. Open floor plans are very popular. Your home will seem larger, and lighter, as more light will bounce around in the room from the windows.     While these changes may not be as nice as having your rooms totally remodeled, you can always make big changes when, and if you can afford them. In the meantime, you will find the space much more appealing with just these minor cosmetic changes.   About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!  Article first published at www.allthingsfrugal.com

 

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