From Ordinary to Extraordinary: 33 Innovative DIY Renovations to Unlock Your Home’s True Potential
Prepare to embark on a transformative odyssey of self-expression and exploration, where the spaces that surround you become a canvas for boundless creativity. Unleash your inner designer and immerse yourself in a curated collection of ingenious DIY projects that will challenge and ignite your design prowess.
With every stroke of innovation, you’ll infuse sophistication and exhilaration into the tapestry of your everyday life. Step into a realm where unconventional renovations shape not only your home but also cultivate a newfound perspective on the endless possibilities that await. So, let inspiration guide your hands as you roll up your sleeves and venture into a world brimming with potential for remarkable metamorphosis.
Painted Floors
Older kitchen floors tend to be made of linoleum and if it is really old, that linoleum is likely patterned. Replacing and installing a new floor, whether it is tile or cement, can max out a home renovation budget.
That is where some paint can come in and save the day. Waterproof floor paint is a quick fix for those on a tight budget. Take an orbital sander and sand the floor down with 120 grit to give the floor some ‘tooth’. Sanding this whole room might seem like a daunting job, but it’s basically just like washing it on your hands and knees. After sanding, mop the film of dust on the floor with water. Then it’s time to get rid of the shiny quality of linoleum that makes it hard for paint to stick. There’s a product called ‘deglosser‘ that is great for taking the sheen off. Spread it on the floor and let it dry. Tape along the floorboards around the perimeter of the room and get to painting. It’s recommended to use Porch & Floor Enamel paint which is super durable. It takes two coats to get full coverage.
Disguise Cords And Cables
All appliances and electronics have cords. That is a part of life if you want to be connected to the digital world and enjoy things like television and computers. However, that doesn’t mean you have to see all of these cords jumbled up on the floor. Wall attachments made of plastic can be installed to hide cords and make them blend into the wall. If the cords dangling from your wall-mounted TV are distracting you, conceal them with a D-Line cord cover.
To install and effectively hide TV wires, measure the span of the wall between the base of the screen and the floor—that’s the length of cord cover you need, and you can often cut to fit. Then, mount the raceway base to the wall with screws according to the manufacturer’s instructions, lay the TV cords inside the channel, and snap the cover in place over the top. Cord covers are typically sold in neutral colors like white or metallic gray that can stand out if your wall is a different color. But when painted the same color as your wall (using latex-based paint), they seamlessly blend into the space.
Spruce Up Garage Doors
Garage doors can benefit from a bit of TLC. If a door is looking a bit worse for the wear, consider painting it a vibrant color or a nice clean waterproof white.
Black accents can also be added to make a garage door look fancier and match the rest of the exterior. The first step is power washing the garage door to get all of the dirt off of it before painting it. It’s important that you use exterior paint for this project. Also, make sure you have a paintbrush and a roller. You’ll use both of these tools throughout the project. Tape around the garage door with painter’s tape so the black paint wouldn’t get on the brick. Go square by square so you can clearly see which squares had been painted with a second coat and which still needed one. If you have a more flat garage door, you can probably roll the entire thing after you cut in the border.
Repurpose Old Furniture
Back in the day, apothecaries used to be quite popular. The sets of little chests of drawers used to keep various concoctions in them can still be found at yard sales and antique shops.
These sets can be upcycled to create vintage-looking hallway furniture that can be installed against a wall for built-in storage space. For this DIY project, select an old furniture piece that you wish to revamp. First, clean the item thoroughly with sugar soap or T.S.P and allow it to dry. Next, check for any imperfections and fill any scratches or holes with wood filler. After it has dried, sand the item to take the sheen off to allow the paint to grip. Start with 80-grit sandpaper and then move to 120 grit. Make sure you always sand in the same direction as the grain of the wood. Then, use either a tack cloth to remove all the dust created by sanding. Now you are ready to pain.