100 DIY Upgrades For Under $100

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100 DIY Upgrades for Under $100

Invest a little cash and get a big improvement in how your home looks and feels. The
editors of This Old House give you their top tips
By the editors of This Old House magazine
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PHOTO BY BETH SINGER
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5 Easy Upgrades to Raise House Value
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You don't need a fat budget to give your home a noticeable boost. Invest a little and get a big
improvement in how your home looks and feels. The editors of This Old House give you their top tips
PHOTO BY ELLEN MCDERMOTT
How to do it: Check salvage yards for Victorian-era ones with patina for an extra ourish in the
eating area.
Estimated cost: Two 30-inch-high-by-19-inch-deep Queen Annestyle corbels, about 95; Capitol
Salvage
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MUDDY CREEK NURSERY
How to do it: Plant an evergreen screen on the north side

of your house to block winter winds. Arborvitae 'Green
Giant' can climb 3 feet in one year.
Estimated cost: $92 for two; Jackson & Perkins

PHOTO BY KELLER & KELLER
How to do it: Suspend a chandelier in the laundry room for a bit of sophistication in an unexpected
place. White Capiz pendant with cord kit.
Estimated cost: similar to shown, $80; World Market
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PHOTO BY COURTESY OF KNOBSANDHARDWARE.COM
How to do it: Wall-mount a row of hooks above your kitchen counter to keep dish towels and
measuring cups at the ready.
Estimated cost: Polished chrome Alno utility hooks, about 8 each; Knobs and Hardware
PHOTO BY NATHAN KIRKMAN
How to do it: Fit an undermount sink with a cutting board for more prep space. Measure the length
and width of the basin, adding inch to each side. Trim a piece of butcher block to size with a jigsaw.
Then create a lip around its underside so that it will rest on the edge of the counter.
Estimated cost: 18-by-12-inch maple block, about 86; Butcher Block Co.
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PHOTO BY COURTESY MADISON ART SHOP
How to do it: Display your at-screen TV on a tabletop easel with adjustable clamps.
Estimated cost: Academy Deluxe Table Top Easel, about 80; Madison Art Shop
PHOTO BY DAVID PRINCE
How to do it: Use paper and paste left over from a big job to dress up door panels, letting stiles and
rails frame the decoration. For slab doors, trace a shape on the back of the paper, cut it out, and
center it on the door.
Estimated cost: Nothing
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How to do it: Use natural ber shades to highlight the transition between indoors and outdoors and
help insulate windows.
Estimated cost: 23-by-72-inch Bamboo Roman Shade, similar one shown, about 26; Target
PHOTO BY THOMAS J. STORY
How to do it: Unhinge the door and trade hanging rods for shelvesa deep one for the desktop and
two shallow ones above for storage.
Estimated cost: One 20-by-24-by--inch and two 12-by-24-by--inch white melamine shelves,
metal standards, and shelf brackets, all by Elfa, about $95; The Container Store
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PHOTO BY HAN-MEI CHIANG
How to do it: Remove the doors on a bank of upper cabinets, then paint the interiors for instant open
shelving.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Elements Zero VOC 100 percent acrylic paint with a washable semigloss
sheen, about $35; California Paints
PHOTO BY ELIZABETH WHITING & ASSOC.
How to do it: Cut vertical dividers to the depth of the unit minus inch, and secure them in place
with glue and nish nails. Face dividers with 1x1 trim ush with the shelf fronts.
Estimated cost: One sheet of -inch plywood and three 1x1 strips,$26; Home Depot
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How to do it: The Lighted Visitors Button shown here will impress your guests.
Estimated cost: About $70; Rejuvenation Inc.

PHOTO BY COURTESY CHILEWICH
How to do it: Polish up an entry hall with a dirt-grabbing doormat to protect the nish on wood
oors.
Estimated cost: Chilewich woven vinyl mats wash out in the sink, about $50; Crate & Barrel
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PHOTO BY WENDALL T. WEBBER
How to do it: Flank your sofa with matching pendants to open up space on end tables.
Estimated cost: Two Eden pendant lamps with drum-style fabric shades, about $99; CB2
PHOTO BY COURTESY OF CONSTANTINE'S WOOD CENTER
How to do it: Take the gleam off like-new brass hinges and doorknobs with a simple rub of a
darkening solution.
Estimated cost: 8-ounce bottle of Brass Antiquing Solution, about $7; Constantine's Wood Center
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How to do it: Add a shelf above a doorway, paint it to match the trim, then use it to display pottery.
Estimated cost: 40-inch-long 1x6 red oak shelf and two 7-inch Classic Oak Brackets, about $32;
Rockler
PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA BANDON
How to do it: Build in a soap dispenser beside the kitchen faucet to keep that Palmolive bottle out of
sight.
Estimated cost: Whitehaus's Beluga Soap/Lotion Dispenser in polished nickel, about $90;
KitchenSource.com
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How to do it: Install a vintage-look ceiling fan to recirculate warmed air in winter. Reverse the blades'
spin to lower summer cooling costs.
Estimated cost: 52-inch Energy Star Capri with "tarnished" oiled-bronze nish, shown at right, about
$90; Lamps Plus
PHOTO BY KAREN BUSSOLINI
How to do it: Plant a mass of bulbs with grasslike foliage in your lawn. Early-spring bloomers will be
ready to mow when your turf perks up.
Estimated cost: 100 scilla siberica bulbs, similar to shown, under $20; John Scheepers, Inc.
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PHOTO BY MICHAEL LUPPINO
How to do it: Add oating wall-mount shelves in place of a bookcase to free up valuable oor real
estate. The shelves' hidden hardware gives them a sleek, airy look.
Estimated cost: 3-foot-long wood Chunky Wall Shelf, about $34 each; West Elm
PHOTO BY COURTESY OF IKEA
How to do it: Hide a through-wall air conditioner inside a stock kitchen cabinet you can close when
the unit's not in use. Paint the cabinet the same color as your walls so it'll "disappear," or choose
wood-veneer doors to mimic a pricey built-in.
Estimated cost: 36-by-18-inch Akurum fan cabinet with oak-veneer doors, about $88; IKEA
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PHOTO BY DAVID HAMSLEY
How to do it: Adhere rubber oor tiles to the wall for a lively waterproof backsplash in a kid's
bathroom. Coat the tile backs with adhesive and stick them up.
Estimated cost: BR Pro le Studded Tiles in 20 colors, about $4.25 per square foot; ACTiVA Rubber
Flooring
PHOTO BY ROBBIE CAPONETTO
How to do it: Make small windows look larger by hanging drapes at ceiling height.
Estimated cost: Pair of 108-inch Brim eld 4-in-1 Panel Drapes in Carafe, about $70; JCPenny
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PHOTO BY MARK LOHMAN
How to do it: Brush on a vibrant color, such as a rich red, for a more welcoming entry.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of RedSeal Exterior Latex Eggshell House & Trim paint, about $25; Pratt &
Lambert
PHOTO BY WYATT MCSPADDEN
How to do it: Swap out a plain powder room doorknob for a vintage glass sparkler. Leave the hallway-
facing knob in place for a uni ed look with the rest of your doors.
Estimated cost: Multifaceted 1900s glass knob with a brass shank that ts most spindles, about $38;
Liz's Antique Hardware
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PHOTO BY COURTESY OF SHUTTERCRAFT, INC.
How to do it: Mount it on the wall, stick letters and bills in the slots.
Estimated cost: Un nished 12-by-41-inch Western red cedar xed-louver shutter, about $91;
JCPenny
PHOTO BY JOSH MCHUGH
How to do it: Run wiring behind a beadboard panel in the knee-hole at the back of your desk. Velcro
the panel to blocking mounted on the rear legs or sides of your desk so that you can pop it off to
access the outlet.
Estimated cost: 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood beadboard, about $20; Lowe's
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PHOTO BY KENNETH CHEN
How to do it: Mask a messed up kitchen toekick with stainless-look peel-and-stick laminate strips.
Estimated cost: 6-inch-high toekick cover, about $12 per linear foot; Doors2Me
PHOTO BY PETER MARGONELLI
How to do it: Organize workbench clutter on a simple pegboard rack.
Estimated cost: DPI's 4-by-8-foot white perforated pegboard wall panel, about $16; Lowe's.
Crawford's 43-piece pegboard organizer with hooks, baskets, and jars, about $11; Ace Hardware
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PHOTO BY KEATE
How to do it: Brighten up a dark, dated tile backsplash with cheery paint. Scuff the surface with
sandpaper and apply two coats of adhesion primer. Let dry and roll on two coats of oil-based
semigloss paint.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon each of Adhesion Primer and ProClassic Alkyd Interior Enamel, about $96;
The Sherwin-Williams Company
How to do it: Perch a classic rural wind spinner on top of your peak.
Estimated cost: Verdigris resin rooster, shown below, about $89; The Weathervane Factory
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PHOTO BY PAUL WICHELOE
Trim out your staircase with decorative brackets fastened to the outside of the stringer just below
the treads. For more on this and other affordable upgrades, see 100 DIY Upgrades Under $100.
PHOTO BY SAM DIESEL PHOTO
How to do it: Install a dimmer switch in your dining room to set the moodand save energy. You can
even get them in colors to match your wall or trim paint.
Estimated cost: Lutron's Diva C.L dimmer, starting around $31, including a tinted switch cover; Pro
Lighting
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PHOTO BY JASON BERNHAUT
How to do it: Highlight the inside of a glass-front cupboard by brushing on a bold hue.
Estimated cost: Aquarium Blue latex paint, $16 per quart; Benjamin Moore
PHOTO BY KRISTINE LARSEN
How to do it: Group hardcovers and paperbacks separately and sort them by size for a tidier look.
Use heavy decorative items, such as a stone bowl or vintage cast-iron tub claw-foot, as bookends.
Estimated cost: Salvaged tub foot; about $20; The Old House Parts Company
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PHOTO BY COURTESY OF PREMIER WOOD PRODUCTS
How to do it: Put a trellis over an exterior window for clematis to climb on. Coat decorative wood
brackets with primer, then paint and secure them to the studs on either side of the window with deck
screws. For the top, rip a piece of 5/4x6 red cedar decking into three strips, space them evenly across
the brackets, and secure with trim-head screws.
Estimated cost: Two Victorian wood brackets, about $38; Premier Wood Products. Deck board,
fasteners, preservative, and paint, about $42; Do it Best
PHOTO BY LAURA MOSS
How to do it: Lower your art to eye level, about 64 inches from the oor.
Estimated cost: Reposition 17 pieces with the OOK Valu-Pak Pro Hanging Kit. about $9; OOK
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PHOTO BY COURTESY SCHOOLHOUSELIGHTS.COM
How to do it: Spruce up a home-center ceiling xture by swapping out the generic white globe for a
colorful, vintage-look schoolhouse shade.
Estimated cost: 10-inch opal drum shade with a painted blue stripe, about $62; Schoolhouse Electric
Co.
How to do it: Lean it against a wall and sling bath sheets and washcloths over its rungs. The white
metal ladder shown here is new.
Estimated cost:For even more character, try a colorful, vintage ve-rung wood ladder, about $43; A
Rustic Garden
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PHOTO BY BRIAN VANDEN BRINK
How to do it: Build up a wimpy entry door casing in your foyer with applied moldings to create a
more substantial rst impression of your home.
Estimated cost: Four 6-foot-long-by-3-inch-wide primed white miterless moldings, about $80; Van
Dyke's Restorers
PHOTO BY JESSICA PAYNE
How to do it: Paint worn vinyl ooring to look like stone tile. Use two similar colors for the "stones"
and white paint to create faux grout lines. Seal the surface with three coats of polyurethane.
Estimated cost: 2 quarts of Valspar latex Porch and Floor paint and 1 quart of Cabot Water Based
Polyurethane, about $54; Lowe's. One 4-ounce tube of Pearl Acrylic Artist Paint for "grout," about
$3; Pearl Paint
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How to do it: Wrap a pedestal sink with a skirt and conceal your waste bin and toiletries below. Stick
fabric to the basin edge with adhesive-backed Velcro.
Estimated cost: 60-by-32-inch white ruf ed cotton sink skirt, about $60; Simply Chic Slipcovers &
Simple Linens
PHOTO BY NANCY ANDREWS
How to do it: Fasten a kickplate to your front door as a traditional and stylish way to protect the
bottom from scuffs.
Estimated cost: 30-inch solid-brass kickplate, about $64; Signature Hardware
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PHOTO BY ERIK PIASECKI
How to do it: Buy a thrift-store Crock-Pot and ll it with water and 2 tablespoons of liquid laundry
detergent. Drop in hinges, knobs, and escutcheons. Heat on medium overnight. By morning, the paint
will be falling off the metal.
Estimated cost: About $5 for the pot

How to do it: Add eye-catching house numbers to make sure your address isn't missed.
Estimated cost: Arts and Crafts 2-by-3-inch glazed ceramic tiles $14 each; Pewabic Pottery
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PHOTO BY COURTESY OF LAYLA GRAYCE
How to do it: Top your newel with a carved wood nial for a more stately staircase.
Estimated cost: Antique Ivory Knewl Post Finial, about $86; Layla Grayce
PHOTO BY HOUSE OF ANTIQUE HARDWARE
How to do it: Support a 4-inch-wide marble door threshold with decorative metal brackets.
Estimated cost: 36-inch-long threshold, about $28; at most ooring retailers. Two Mini Pennsylvania
Dutch Motif 3-by-4-inch cast-iron brackets, about $11; House of Antique Hardware
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PHOTO BY DILEWIS
How to do it: Re nish the treads and paint the risers whiteor get creative and paint a runner-like
pattern.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of white paint, sandpaper, wood putty to ll tack holes, 1 quart of stain, and
1 gallon of clear polyurethane, about $95; Lowe's
PHOTO BY DEBORAH WHITLAW-LLEWELLYN
How to do it: If you can't nd an exact t to replace your existing window, simply hang one from
chains in front of it.
Estimated cost: eBay store Bell Antique Mall has Art Deco windows similar to shown, starting at
$69; Ebay
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PHOTO BY RYAN KURTZ
How to do it: Re nish a dull mirror frame with glossy paint for an upscale look.
Estimated cost: 13-ounce can of Mohawk Colored Lacquer Enamel, about $6; Pond Cove Paint &
Supply
PHOTO BY ROGER DAVIES
How to do it: Put casters on a table for a dual-purpose dining and food-prep surface in a small
kitchen.
Estimated cost: Four Waxman swivel casters with brakes, about $15; Lowe's
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PHOTO BY ERIK JOHNSON
How to do it: Retool your replace for spring with a screen made from a salvaged section of iron
fence. Get one that's slightly larger than your rebox opening so that you can secure it to the
surround. Add hook-on hangers to hold potted blooms.
Estimated cost: One 50-inch-wide-by-36-inch-tall iron section with a eur-de-lis detail, about $75;
Sarasota Architectural Salvage. Ace owerpot holders, about $9 each; Ace Hardware
PHOTO BY KOLIN SMITH
How to do it: Brighten countertops instantly with battery-powered LED undercabinet puck lighting.
Estimated cost: Four adhesive-backed Bell & Howell Mini Power Pods, about $20; The Survival Store
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PHOTO BY KRISTINE LARSEN
How to do it: Use a spade bit to drill a recess in the tops for the candle. Group sticks of varying
heights for a stunning tabletop display.
Estimated cost: Two 12-inch and two 7-inch turned redwood spindles, about $9; Vintage
Woodworks
PHOTO BY STEPHANY KROPMAN
How to do it: Unify unmatched bedroom furniture by painting pieces the same hue.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of eco-friendly Inside Palette acrylic paint, about $45; YOLO Colorhouse
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How to do it: Decorate the walls with easy stick-on decals in fun animal shapes.
Estimated cost: 22-by-30-inch elephant design, about $25; Janey Mac at Etsy
Group small prints, photos, and vintage plates and hang them together for the look of a large,
expensive piece of art. Arrange the display on the oor rst to limit nail holes. For more easy
upgrades like this one, see 100 DIY Upgrades Under $100.
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PHOTO BY AMG MEDIAWORKS INC
How to do it: Plant low-growing English thyme to prevent weeds from sprouting between pavers.
Just sow seeds in early spring so that they'll sprout as the temperature rises.
Estimated cost: 400-seed packet, about $2; Diane's Flower Seeds

PHOTO BY DEANNA DRAFTS
How to do it: Make this diamond-patterened ruglike mat on your stoop by mapping the design with
painter's tape and using a
roller to put colors in their places.
Estimated cost: 2 quarts of Valspar latex Porch and Floor paint, about $24; Valspar
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How to do it: Change the hardware on your kitchen island to give it the look of custom furniture.
Leave the existing knobs and handles on the cabinets alone.
Estimated cost: Melon Knob and Melon Handle, about $26 for both; Anthropologie
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How to do it: Run rope lighting along the bathroom vanity toekick for a soft ambient night-light.
Estimated cost: SuperBright's 2-foot strand, about $8; LAMPS PLUSiles $14 each; Pewabic Pottery
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PHOTO BY CRESSIDA PAYAVIS
How to do it: Build a wall-mount bedside table with wood corbels topped by a slate roof shingle.
Estimated cost: Two 6-inch oak Legacy hand-carved corbels, about $80; Van Dykes Restorers. 7-by-
13-inch salvaged shingle, about $5; Recycling The Past - Architectural Salvage
PHOTO BY COURTESY VINTAGETUBS.COM
How to do it: Swap in a cross-handle faucet to warm up a bathroom. A compact, centerset design
for basins with holes spaced 4 inches apartpreserves sinktop space.
Estimated cost: Randolph Morris 4-inch centerset bathroom faucet in chrome, about $84; Vintage
Tub & Bath
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PHOTO BY COURTESY PLAIN & FANCY CUSTOM CABINETS
How to do it: Top stock kitchen cabinets with crown molding for the look of custom casework. 32
feet of crown to trim out the average kitchen.
Estimated cost: About $80; Lowe's

PHOTO BY COURTESY CHIASSO
How to do it: A bold-colored locking model will make your entry more eye-catchingand protect
your privacy.
Estimated cost: Priority Mailbox in red, about $58; chiasso
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PHOTO BY WENDELL T. WEBBER
How to do it: Screw classic bin pulls onto double-hung windows to keep frames free from
ngerprints. Twenty Victorian-style cast-iron decorative bin pulls will out t 10 windows in rst- oor
rooms, where guests are more likely to see them.
Estimated cost: About $82; House of Antique Hardware

PHOTO BY HELEN NORMAN
How to do it: Paint your porch ceiling sky blue to create a more spacious feeling.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Behr Premium Plus Ultra Exterior paint in Niagara Falls, similar to shown,
about $36; behr.com.
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PHOTO BY COURTESY VANDYKES.COM
How to do it: Put turned wood corner moldings on the outside corners of foyer walls to protect paint
and add architectural detail.
Estimated cost: Traditional 22-inch cherry Corner Guard, about $15 each; Van Dykes Restorers
PHOTO BY PATRICK RYTIKANGAS
How to do it: Roll stripes or stencil a pattern of shiny glaze over a wall painted with a solid matte
nish.
Estimated cost: 1 quart of Studio Finishes latex glaze, about $9; Benjamin Moore
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PHOTO BY COURTESY OF VINTAGE TUB AND BATH
How to do it: Hang a wall-mount cup and toothbrush holder in the bathroom to declutter the sink
deck.
Estimated cost: Banner Concave Design Porcelain Toothbrush & Tumbler Holder in chrome, about
$23; Vintage Tub & Bath
PHOTO BY COURTESY MIRROR MATE
How to do it: Transform an unadorned mirror by wrapping it in wood molding.
Estimated cost: A simple frame kit containing four mitered Pemaquid Slim molding strips in a
distressed silver nish, the clips and glue to secure it together, and hardware to mount it, about $97;
MirrorMate
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PHOTO BY GREGOR HALENDA
How to do it: Drop in a oor receptacle so that you don't have to string long cords between table
lamps and wall outlets.
Estimated cost: Carlon Drop-In Floor Box, about $58; tselectronic.com

How to do it: Dress up your entry door with a handsome knocker.
Estimated cost: Colonial-style bronze door knocker, about $50; Restoration Hardware
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PHOTO BY CHIP HENDERSON
How to do it: Install a chair rail in your bedroom and paint the wall below a serene accent color.
Estimated cost: Enough red oak Colonial-style moldings to wrap the walls of an 8-by-10-foot room,
about $75; Baird Brothers
PHOTO BY LEAH VINLUAN
How to do it: Try barn-style caged lights to accent a traditional entry, then screw in outdoor-rated
CFLs to save on your energy bills.
Estimated cost: Two cast aluminum vapor-tight lights, about $99.60; Warehouse Lighting
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PHOTO BY NATHAN KIRKMAN
How to do it: Connect two rooms with a pass-through carved out in a nonload-bearing wall. Frame
the opening with 2x4s, cover with drywall, and nish the edges with corner beading.
Estimated cost: Lumber, sheet of drywall, beading, and 5-gallon bucket of joint compound to coat it
all in mud, about $55; Do it Best
PHOTO BY MARK WEISS
How to do it: Use stick-down carpet tiles. Use six tiles for a runner or nine for a square. Mix and
match colors for a custom pattern.
Estimated cost: Six 20-by-20-inch textured tiles, about $54; FLOR
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How to do it: Support a -inch plywood seat deck on 2x6 hanging strips anchored into the side and
back walls. To form the cubbies, glue and nail in place two plywood dividers. Face the unit with 1x4
poplar.
Estimated cost: Materials for a seat similar to this one, about $60; at lumber yards. 16-by-26-inch
Gripper Sensations Microsuede Window Seat Cushion, about $30; JCPenny
PHOTO BY COURTESY MATTERINC
How to do it: Make your house easy to nd at night with solar-powered LED numbers.
Estimated cost: Matterinc's aluminum address placards, about $19 each; Target
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PHOTO BY WENDALL T. WEBBER
How to do it: Highlight a hanging light xture with some decorative interest at the ceiling.
Estimated cost: Paintable 18-inch polyurethane medallion with oral-and-leaf pattern, similar to
shown above, about $57; Creative Trim
PHOTO BY ELEEK INC.
How to do it: Change out the plastic switchplate cover in your dining room with an embossed metal
one.
Estimated cost: Single-toggle, lead-free, pewter- nished Lattice switchplate, about $65; Eleek
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PHOTO BY HAMILTON HEDRICK
How to do it: Build an outdoor planter from leftover deck boards and railing balusters. Frame the box
with balusters, then clad the sides and bottom with cut boards. Drop in a plastic liner to hold the soil
and protect the wood from rot.
Estimated cost: Square liner, about $15; Lowe's

How to do it: Mass like objectsvases, candle-sticks, bowlsand displaying them together. Follow
the designer's rule of thumb and group items in odd numbers for a look that's more pleasing to the
eye.
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PHOTO BY KOLIN SMITH
How to do it: Paint trim lighter or darker than walls, rather than bright white, for a more subtle
contrast.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Farrow & Ball's Water Based Eggshell yields a saturated color and a slight
sheen. About $99; Farrow & Ball
PHOTO BY COURTESY WORLDMART
How to do it: Use a folding screen in the corner of a small room to make the space appear larger by
blurring the line where walls come together.
Estimated cost: Espresso Shinto Screen, about $99.99; DHDTV Specialty Hardware
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How to do it: Swap in an insulated mail slot to keep out weather and muf e noise.
Estimated cost: Polished aluminum Draft Dodger insulated mail slot, about $45; DHDTV Specialty
Hardware
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How to do it: Af x mirrored tiles to the sof t above kitchen cabinets. The re ective surface will
bounce light around the room, making it appear bigger and brighter.
Estimated cost: Twenty 4-by-4-inch peel-and-stick tiles, about $10; Amazon.com
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PHOTO BY COURTESY OF BELLACOR
How to do it: Hang an oval-shaped mirror like a pendant from a decorative chain for an elegant look
in a bath, bedroom, or foyer.
Estimated cost: Frameless oval mirror, about $84; Bellacor

How to do it: Screw in vintage-look sash locks for a tight seal between double-hungs to prevent
drafts.
Estimated cost: Bronze bamboo-pattern sash window lock as below, about $13; House of Antique
Hardware
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How to do it: Create an accent wall in the living room by papering the replace or sofa wall with
grasscloth. Choose one with a tone that picks up the surrounding paint color.
Estimated cost: Double roll of Oriental Grasscloth Knot Textiles, about $70; Creative Wallcovering
How to do it: Change the quality of the light with a hue other than off white.
Estimated cost: The medium-size Mica drum shade shown above creates a warm glow in any
room.About $59;Pottery Barn
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How to do it: Update an old fridge with a faux stainless-steel painted nish.
Estimated cost: 1 quart of Thomas Liquid Stainless Steel TM Base Coat, about $56; Thomas' Liquid
Stainless Steel
PHOTO BY MARY BETH MONTGOMERY
How to do it: Mount ower boxes planted with colorful perennials to front-facing windows to boost
your home's curb appeal.
Estimated cost: 18-inch cedar window box with liner, about $29; Hooks and Lattice. Flat of owers,
about $10; at garden centers
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How to do it: Brush on a tinted latex stain, wipe, and repeat until you achieve the desired look.
Estimated cost: 1 gallon of Studio Finishes latex glaze, about $23; Benjamin Moore
PHOTO BY COURTESY VANCO
How to do it: Banish at-screen TV wires using a recessed outlet and an open-back wall plate to
route wires behind the wall.
Estimated cost: Vanco Rapid Link Power Dual Recessed Outlet Flat Panel TV Power Kit w/Romex
and Signal Cable Wall Plates, about $66; Amazon.com
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PHOTO BY SYLVIA MARTIN
How to do it: Roll out a seagrass hallway runner. It'll stand up to heavy foot traf c and make your
house smell beachy.
Estimated cost: 2-by-7-foot basket-weave seagrass runner, about $60; Overstock.com

PHOTO BY COURTESY ROCKLER
How to do it: Clear counter clutter by installing a pop-out appliance lift in a base kitchen cabinet.
Estimated cost: Heavy-duty mixer lift, about $99.99; Rockler
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PHOTO BY JUDITH BROMLEY
How to do it: Trim the wood vent hood cover above your range with a tile border.
Estimated cost: 6-by-6-inch Interceramic Antique Metals Hammered Ceramic Tiles in bronze, about
$10 each; artofceramic.com
PHOTO BY DEBORAH WHITLAW-LLEWELLYN
How to do it: Nail an easy-to-clean panel on the wall or right over tired tile.
Estimated cost: 1-by-4-foot stamped Design 204 panel, about $70; Classic Ceilings
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PHOTO BY DOMINIQUE VORILLON
How to do it: Create a crawl space in an existing built-in. Remove lower cabinet doors or place his
cushion below a window seat or on the bottom shelf of a bookcase, as shown below.
ALSO IN: Easy Upgrades

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Low-Cost Kitchen/Bath Upgrades

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Arlington Arts & Crafts | Details Make the House Beautiful

ORIGINAL AIR DATE: FEBRUARY 16, 2017
SEASON 36, EPISODE 15
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100 DIY Upgrades For Under $100 - This Old House

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Home > Ideas | More in Easy Upgrades

By the editors of This Old House magazine

PHOTO BY BETH SINGER

5 Easy Upgrades to Raise House Value

PHOTO BY ELLEN MCDERMOTT

MUDDY CREEK NURSERY

How to do it: Plant an evergreen screen on the north side

Estimated cost: $92 for two; Jackson & Perkins

PHOTO BY KELLER & KELLER

Estimated cost: similar to shown, $80; World Market

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF KNOBSANDHARDWARE.COM

PHOTO BY NATHAN KIRKMAN

PHOTO BY COURTESY MADISON ART SHOP

PHOTO BY DAVID PRINCE

Estimated cost: Nothing

PHOTO BY BETH SINGER

PHOTO BY THOMAS J. STORY

PHOTO BY HAN-MEI CHIANG

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH WHITING & ASSOC.

PHOTO BY ELLEN MCDERMOTT

Estimated cost: About $70; Rejuvenation Inc.

PHOTO BY COURTESY CHILEWICH

PHOTO BY WENDALL T. WEBBER

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF CONSTANTINE'S WOOD CENTER

PHOTO BY BETH SINGER

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA BANDON

PHOTO BY ELLEN MCDERMOTT

PHOTO BY KAREN BUSSOLINI

PHOTO BY MICHAEL LUPPINO

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF IKEA

PHOTO BY DAVID HAMSLEY

PHOTO BY ROBBIE CAPONETTO

PHOTO BY MARK LOHMAN

PHOTO BY WYATT MCSPADDEN

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF SHUTTERCRAFT, INC.

PHOTO BY JOSH MCHUGH

Estimated cost: 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood beadboard, about $20; Lowe's

PHOTO BY KENNETH CHEN

PHOTO BY PETER MARGONELLI

How to do it: Organize workbench clutter on a simple pegboard rack.

PHOTO BY ELLEN MCDERMOTT

PHOTO BY PAUL WICHELOE

PHOTO BY SAM DIESEL PHOTO

PHOTO BY JASON BERNHAUT

PHOTO BY KRISTINE LARSEN

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF PREMIER WOOD PRODUCTS

PHOTO BY LAURA MOSS

PHOTO BY COURTESY SCHOOLHOUSELIGHTS.COM

PHOTO BY DAVID PRINCE

PHOTO BY BRIAN VANDEN BRINK

PHOTO BY JESSICA PAYNE

PHOTO BY NANCY ANDREWS

Estimated cost: 30-inch solid-brass kickplate, about $64; Signature Hardware

PHOTO BY ERIK PIASECKI

Estimated cost: About $5 for the pot

PHOTO BY ELLEN MCDERMOTT

PHOTO BY COURTESY OF LAYLA GRAYCE

PHOTO BY HOUSE OF ANTIQUE HARDWARE

PHOTO BY DEBORAH WHITLAW-LLEWELLYN

PHOTO BY RYAN KURTZ

PHOTO BY ROGER DAVIES