How to Personalize a New Home Relatively Inexpensively

Do you have a new home that is all white, beige, or crème? Would you like for your home to not look like all of your neighbors' homes? This article lists a few relatively inexpensive ideas to personalize your home.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 

   Upgrade your doorbell. Your doorbell is the first thing people touch when visiting your home. Many home improvement stores will have a minimal selection of doorbells, but you can look online at specialty stores for doorbells and maybe even a personalized door knocker that is engraved with your initials.

2. 

   Painting your walls is usually the most inexpensive yet dramatic thing to do to a home. If you cannot decide on a paint color, select the same color you currently have, just a little darker. Don't forget about painting your ceiling, especially if you have crown molding. Your unique color will be a nice personal touch. Consider using no VOC (volatile organic compound) paint that will not pollute your indoor air.

3. 

   Upgrade your light fixtures. Builders sell homes by making them affordable. They put in the cheapest light fixtures possible in order to bring the cost down. Most major home improvement stores have a good selection of light fixtures to choose from, including chandeliers, pendant lights, and sconces. Most carry only a small portion of their lighting offerings in the store, so check out their website also. Don't forget your bathroom or exterior lights.

4. 

   Add knobs and pulls to your cabinets. Cabinet knobs are not only jewelry for your room, but they also protect the cabinets from the constant abrasion from your hand opening it. Inexpensive cabinet knobs and pulls can be easily found at hardware stores or online.

5. 

   Replace your bathroom plate mirrors with framed mirrors. Select one mirror per sink and get the largest mirror that will fit centered on the faucet. You can find decorative framed mirrors at hardware stores, furniture stores, and online retailers.

6. 

   Add to your landscaping. Your home probably came with a minimal amount of plants and trees. Increase the size of your flower beds, add some shrubs & trees, and plant some flowers to add welcoming color. You do not have to do a complete overhaul - simply add several inexpensive shrubs or a tree per year and eventually you will have a lush landscape.

Tips & Warnings

• I would not suggest framing your existing mirror with molding because the mirror will reflect the back side of the molding.
• Many garden centers have clearance sales in the fall, sometimes up to 75% off, in order to make room for Christmas trees.
• Make sure you research plants before or when you purchase them unless you want to do a lot of pruning. Just because the plant is currently 3' tall does not mean it will stay 3' tall.

Resources

• Fletcher Design Consultants

[maryellen1001]

on 11/24/2008 Great ideas!

[Butterfli]

on 11/22/2008 Excellent article! Thanks! 5*