Easy Upgrades to Builder Grade or Dated Spaces (4-Part Series)
There are some key factors of a home that scream builder grade, meaning that the most basic materials are used in new construction (depending on the cost of the home of course) primarily due to costs. Builders provide relatively lower allowances for everything from cabinets to fixtures, lighting, etc. to keep their costs down and profits higher. Whether you’re in a new home or your own home has lost its edge, here’s a four-week series on how to upgrade the look and feel of your home within a reasonable budget.
Here goes.
Part 1
Paint
Nothing helps give a home an immediate facelift than paint. It's also the most cost effective change you can make in your home and something most of us can do ourselves if we don’t want to hire a professional. My advice is to almost always choose a simple neutral color and use it throughout your home. There are several reasons for this but the main one is that it allows your eyes to travel throughout a space more easily. It’s also so much easier to remember what color you’ve used for future touch ups or when needing to repaint for one reason or another.
A few of my favorites from Benjamin Moore are:
Simply White
White Dove
Balboa Mist (pale gray)
Remove Popcorn Ceilings
Oh popcorn, shmuckcorn! Popcorn ceilings were used in many homes in the United States primarily from the 1950s - early 1990s. Popcorn ceilings provided a cost-effective and time-efficient way to give a dimpled ceiling that would easily hide imperfections. The problem is they look terrible. If your home was built before the 1990s chances are your popcorn ceiling has asbestos in it so removal should be done by a professional.
Personally, I’ve removed popcorn ceilings from at least three of my homes and have been so glad I did. It’s an immediate upgrade and looks so much better than the popcorned effect.
Upgrade Baseboards and Trim
Older homes typically have hefty baseboards and trim around doors and windows. New construction – not so much. It’s a relatively easy fix to upgrade in two ways. You could simply remove existing baseboards (as I did in a condo that looked as though the baseboards were made of a plastic-like material, not wood), or add a small piece of base cap molding 2-3 inches above your baseboard (depending on the thickness you prefer) and paint the trim and drywall below including the existing baseboard white. This will immediately elevate your baseboards.
Another trick for door or window trim is to simply add a piece of molding to the top of the door or window. This is the most cost-effective way to enhance the appearance of the door or window frame and it won’t break the bank in the process.
Moldings
Don’t get me started on moldings. I just love them. Love. Them. Ceiling moldings (dental, egg and dart, simple trim), ceiling medallions to frame light fixtures, wall moldings (picture frame, board and batten, chair rail), etc. all add character to a home. Again, older homes typically have some of the architectural interest that makes a home . . . a home. It’s a relatively easy add on and makes a huge impact in a room. This can be more of an investment depending on what materials you choose and if you hire someone to install the molding, but in my opinion – it’s worth it.
Here’s another tip. Just like what I suggested you do to beef up your baseboards above, you can do the same with ceiling moldings as well. Simply use base cap molding 3 inches or more underneath your existing molding and pain the drywall and newly installed molding white to enhance the moldings you have.
Next week, I’ll focus on kitchen upgrades including cabinets, countertops and backsplashes. See you then!