When the whole family rolls into town for the holidays, your house needs to look tip top. Besides clearing the clutter and making sure those ratty sheets and towels are replaced, there’s usually a list of holiday home improvement projects to tackle. It’s a good thing you got that tool belt last Christmas. Now’s the time to dig it out.
Three Quick and Easy Home Improvement Projects
Give your house a spruced up look that’s sure to impress the in-laws with these three super simple projects. It may cost you a few bucks, but the awe factor will definitely be worth it.
Beautiful crown molding dresses up every corner of the room. (credit Ken at MyFinishedCarpentry.com)
1) Crown Molding – Concentrate on the living and dining rooms for the greatest effect, but if you really want to impress, extend the trim to the guest bedroom as well. Crown molding goes up quick and is all about measuring, cutting and nailing. With a miter saw (or a hand saw and a manual miter box) and a hammer you can have this decorative trim up in a few hours.
Make sure you opt for a good quality finishing nail with a bright finish. Designed for a clean look and easily countersunk on your trim, a big five pound box of these will come in handy well beyond this quick project.
A little too much? Dress your porch up with taste.
2) Dress Up the Porch – Curb appeal carries a heavy weight at Christmas time. You can cover some of that worn and saggy railing with garlands, but your friends and family (and those caroling singers) are going to see the real deal when they coming knocking. Try sprucing up the railing with tempered glass sections or adding fascia board to the stairs. How about whipping together a nice new trellis on the wall using some lumber and a handful of deck screws? Or create an easy porch tree with a pyramid-shaped wood frame hung with garlands and lights.
Do this on a warm(er) afternoon and get the lights up at the same time. Bonus points for doing two holiday home improvement projects at once!
Painting an accent wall can add some flair to any room.
3) Paint It Up – This can be a quick project or an epic task, depending on the size of the room, extra trim and all of those other details. Gauge the space and figure out whether a fresh coat of paint will be worth the effort of prep, paint and clean-up. How about painting an accent wall or hanging a border instead? They’re quick and fresh (and easily removed, or painted over afterward if you’re not happy).
Why Bother?
When everyone gathers at your house for a holiday meal the table settings and culinary presentations take center stage. But when people come in from across the country (globe?) and are staying over for a few nights, your whole house will be on display. These quick fixes will give your place that extra special shine. They’ll also give you something to do on top of all the other madness the holiday season brings.
Now quit stalling and get to it. Oh, and Happy Holidays!