Quick DIY Kitchen Makeover Tips

Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling 317-454-3612

Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling 317-454-3612

Kitchen remodeling is a quality investment that adds value to your home. But sometimes, no matter how desperately you want it, it isn’t always the right time to invest in kitchen upgrades and renovations. For times like these, it is great to find a budget-friendly alternative to a full kitchen remodel. There are a few simple things you can do as a homeowner to improve the function, quality, and comfort of your kitchen; and all within a reasonable budget!

Continue reading and discover a handful of easy and affordable Do-It-Yourself kitchen makeover tips for your home.

Replace Your Range Hood

The indoor air quality in your home is vital to your health and comfort. With homes being built so tightly these days, it is important to make sure your kitchen is properly ventilated at all times. This is especially true for kitchens since cooking releases heat, moisture, smoke, grease, and airborne residues that are detrimental to the indoor air quality and structural integrity of a home. For this reason, range hoods are an important kitchen appliance for every home, especially smaller ones. If you want a budget-friendly kitchen upgrade that will also save you money in the long run, consider replacing your old kitchen range hood with a newer, energy-saving range hood. Including installation and labor costs, you can budget the new upgrade within $500 or less.

Stain Your Cabinets

If you want a simple upgrade that you can afford and do yourself, consider re-staining your kitchen cabinetry. Start by removing your cabinets using the proper tools. Then remove all the cabinet hardware. At this point, you need to take the time to thoroughly clean the cabinets before applying your choice of stain. Once they are clean and free of grime, you can proceed with the staining process. You can even take it a step further by lightly sanding the cabinets after they are stained, and then applying a clear coat finish. This will drastically improve the look of your kitchen cabinetry! And if you are not a fan of staining, try priming and painting kitchen cabinets a bright white color for a fresh new look.

If you have old, outdated laminate counter tops…

You can consider applying a faux countertop resurfacing paint for a luxurious and modern look! Try Rust-Oleum® Countertop Transformations™ Countertop Resurfacing Kit – $250, available at Lowes® and other hardware stores.

Change the Light Bulbs

Changing out all your old light bulbs with LED or CFL light bulbs can save you money on your monthly energy costs. Although it may not be noticeable in an aesthetic sense, it will certainly be noticeable on your energy bill! Swap out hanging bulbs, cabinet lights, under-counter lights, and all other light fixtures in your kitchen to save energy and money.

Weather Strip Doors and Windows

You can also reduce your energy consumption and save on utility costs by weather-stripping the exterior doors and windows attached to your kitchen. Not only will this make your home much more comfortable in the cold of winter and the heat of summer, it is an Eco-conscience method of saving money! If you are not interested in weather stripping, you can consider buying a roll-on window insulating film kit that you can apply on single-pane windows yourself.

How to Get More Juicy Tips!

Check out our blog about How to Remodel a Home Without Remodeling at All to learn even more budget-friendly ways to update the look of your home!

Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling

General Contractors Indianapolis IN

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Call Restoration By L & B, LLC at 317-454-3612 when you need Indianapolis kitchen remodeling services you can afford. Owner and general contractor, Lee Elliot, provides home remodeling and restoration services at the most competitive prices in town. In fact, we will beat any competitor’s price, guaranteed! We also offer written estimates, commercial services, in-home consultations, and more. You name it, we can do it! Call 317-454-3612 for professional-grade kitchen remodeling in Indianapolis and its surrounding area.

How to Remodel a Home Without Remodeling at All

Home Remodeling and Repair 317-454-3612

Home Remodeling and Repair 317-454-3612

If you wish to upgrade or enhance the look of your home, but can’t afford the money and time an actual remodel requires, there are some easy and affordable alternatives you may want to consider instead! Although home remodeling is a lucrative investment that increases property value, and subsequently, re-sale value, not every homeowner is ready for such an overhaul.

For those who want a change but are not quite ready for a renovation, there are smaller but equally impactful changes you can make without wasting a bunch of personal time or putting a huge dent in the bank account. These ideas are inexpensive and can be done all on your own, even in just one day or over a weekend. Continue reading to learn some quick, simple, and effective ways to give your home the facelift you’ve been dreaming about.

Start with Fixtures and Accessories

Small household fixtures and accessories can quickly go out of date if you aren’t paying attention. Although they seem to get the job done and not cause any problems, changing them out can drastically change the look and feel of any room in your home. These small exchanges are not only inexpensive and easily done on your own, they provide an instantaneous upgrade! Simply visit your local hardware store or home goods store for great deals on household fixtures and decor. Here are some examples of fixtures you want to consider swapping out for newer, more modern look:

Light Switch and Outlet Covers – Get fancier with some chrome or wood-grain light switch and outlet covers. They come in endless styles, designs, and colors, so you are bound to find something you like! They cost around $3 to $4 per plate, so be sure you buy enough for the entire room or home. Definitely consider this upgrade if you still have pale-yellow or white outlet and light switch covers!

Faucets – A simple faucet upgrade can go a long way. And faucets, so long as you are not replacing the entire sink basin, are inexpensive and come in great new designs. Expect to pay anywhere from $60 to $120 for a new kitchen or bathroom faucet. The enhancement they provide is worth the extra little expense, and much cheaper than a full remodel.

Handles and Rack Bars – For bathrooms that have towel racks, hangers, bars, and other wall accessories, a quick swap for newer, modern-looking accessories will do wonders for your home. Choose a new theme, color, or design and instantly change the look of your bathroom. These fixtures, depending on quality and designer, can range in price from $10 to $50.

Rugs and Mats – There are so many fresh new designs and colors of home rugs, mats, and runners. A simple change of carpeting can change the entire feel of a room. Replace old, outdated, or dirty kitchen, dining room, and bathroom rugs to freshen up the feel and change around the design theme of a room! These items are inexpensive, but keep in mind that better-quality rugs and mats last longer and withstand wear and tear better. So don’t skimp in this area, but remember that it is still cheaper and easier than a full remodel!

Décor – Certain décor can not only enhance the look and theme of your home’s design, it can play a more technical role. For example, strategically placing a large mirror in certain areas of a room can give the illusion of a more open space. If you have a room or hallway that you wish you could open up a bit more, try buying an extra-large mirror and hanging it adjacent to the closed wall. This will give the room a more open look and feel instantly!

Other décor changes to consider include curtains, pillow, and blankets. You can buy new throw pillows and blankets for couches and chairs. And even better, you can match them to the new rugs and mats you purchase too! You can change the look of any room with some simple blanket and pillow swapping. Consider this for the bedroom too! The same idea goes for curtains. Curtains go out of style quickly, so changing them can greatly update your home’s design for a great price.

You can also consider changing out lamps, picture frames, and miscellaneous décor (i.e. ornaments, vases, faux flowers, decorative signs, etc.) for some simple and quick changes. All of these ideas can be done all on your own, maybe with some help from the rest of the family, and all within a reasonable budget!

Take it a Step Further

One of the most impactful changes you can make to a room or interior part of a home is paint. Nothing says fresh and new like a new coat of paint or a change in paint color. And with the new advancements in the paint industry, you can achieve professional results from just one paint and primer in one! So long as you do a little pre-planning and research some DIY painting tips, you can change one wall or several walls to a new color, giving your home a new look instantly.

Even if you are looking to remodel on a budget, it may still be worth your while to talk to a licensed general contractor about potential remodels that could be quick and easy to do with professional help. There may be some changes you can make to your home that are not as tedious and expensive as you think. A general contractor can discuss home remodeling options for your property that fit within your personal budget.

Restoration By L & B, LLC

General Contractors Indianapolis IN

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Call Restoration By L & B, LLC at 317-454-3612 for dependable answers to your home remodeling questions. Licensed general contractor, Lee Elliot, provides a wide range of home remodeling and renovation services in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. Not only do we provide expert remodeling services, we guarantee to beat any competitor’s price! With competitive pricing and skilled workmanship, you have nothing to lose if you choose Restoration By L & B, LLC for your home remodeling needs in Indianapolis, IN.

Choosing an Exterior Paint for Your Home

Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

When it comes to upgrading the look and feel of your home, nothing works more instantaneously than a fresh coat of paint. Re-painting the exterior of your home can instantly give your property a new and improved look. But for the best results, it takes a little foreknowledge about exterior paint. The first step to repainting the outside of your home, whether it be the shutters or the siding, is to choose the right type of paint.

Exterior House Paint

In a perfect world, all exterior paints would resistant to everything that is damaging, including heat, cold, sun, wind, rain, hail, snow, wildlife, and more. But in the real world, it is tough to meet those expectations with the technologies available to us today. Fortunately, there are still plenty of exterior paints formulated to withstand peeling, chipping, and fading for years to come. But it requires some extra room in the budget, as quality paints tend to cost more.

Quality exterior paint contains high-value pigments, additives, and resins. When looking, simply choose a 100% Acrylic Latex paint, and you are sure to choose wisely. All-acrylic paints stick to anything, including wood, vinyl, masonry, and metal. Steer clear of acrylic blends and vinyl resins. The all-acrylic formulations are most popular and high quality. But keep in mind that no matter how high-quality your paint is, the results are equally dependent on the quality of surface you are working with. It is important to remove the old paint, properly sand the surface area, and then prime it, all before applying any new paint. The surface area must be entirely smoothed and primed before paint can be applied, otherwise the end result is inconsistent.

Fortunately, all this hard work pays off in the end, since it will be years before you’ll have to repaint again. With a quality all-acrylic exterior home paint, you can enjoy a fresh-looking paint job for years and years. Here are some recommended brands of exterior paint:

Valspar Professional® – $22 per Gallon

Do It Best, Best Look® – $35 per Gallon

HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams, Infinity® – $49 per Gallon

Olympic Assure® – $22 per Gallon

Exterior Painting Services in Indianapolis

General Contractors Indianapolis IN

Indianapolis Painting Contractors 317-454-3612

Call Restoration By L & B, LLC at 317-454-3612 when you need professional exterior painting services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Owner, Lee Elliot, is a licensed general contractor that provides residential and commercial painting services at the most competitive prices in town. In fact, we guarantee to BEAT any competitor’s price! Whether interior, exterior, decks, patios, and more, we have the training and resources to make your vision come to life in a convenient time-frame. Call 317-454-3612 for information about painting home siding in Indianapolis, IN.