Small changes go a long way to make your home more appealing

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Published Date 1/16/2019

It never really ends. You move into a house and after a while, you realize there is always something you could be doing to improve your environment, make your home look more appealing, or just change things up.

Even if you don’t have much of a budget, however, think of small things you can do that make a difference, both in how you live in your home as well as how it looks. ApartmentTherapy’s Brigitt Earley asked a consortium of Realtors, contractors and designers to offer up the easiest and least expensive home upgrades — things that can be attacked on the average weekend.

Painting your front door is a no-brainer. But consensus tells us from this particular study that painting it black or charcoal gray adds around $6300 to its value when sold. Even if it sounds like a grim color for a front door greeting, the neutral palate seems to appeal to would-be buyers.

“Adding a smart thermostat to your home is a project that will offer homeowners a projected 23 percent savings on their heating and cooling,” says one Realtor. Since heating and cooling account for about 40 percent of your home’s utility costs, depending on the size of your home, it could pay for itself within the first year.

Another Realtor in the study says to focus on the simplest visual upgrades like cleaning and painting, both of which can make a big difference. If you can’t paint an entire room, focus on door frames and baseboards to give the room a shot in the arm.

Hardware exists all over your home — from doorknobs to cabinet handles and pulls. Swapping them out can instantly make your home’s interior look better. Designers agree it’s not important to do the matchy-matchy, either, perhaps apart from matching like items. “Source unique pieces. Mixing it up adds a lot more visual interest to your home.

Faucets, window coverings, outlet covers, and even sprucing up your mailbox can add to the visual appeal of your home. In the meantime, it can make living there feel even more special. It’s important to think of a home as an entity that needs constant attention, updating, and maintenance, just as humans do.

Source: ApartmenTherapy, TBWS

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