25 Home Renovation and Remodeling Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank

You don’t have to spend a fortune to create a home that is more comfortable, beautiful, and valuable. Some of the most effective home renovation projects can be completed in a single day with some DIY skill or the help of a local Des Moines handyman.

Whole home remodeling has its place, but if you’re looking to inject a quick shot of life and beauty into your home, smaller renovations make much more sense.

Don’t get bogged down in the details if you’re not quite ready for a full home makeover. Instead, take inspiration from these 25 home improvement ideas that won’t break the bank.

1) Use Half Walls to Open Up Your Home

Walls can be removed to open your living spaces and create a home that feels larger and more inviting. But, you don’t have to remove walls completely. If you want to keep some form of partition while improving the sense of space, you could choose half wall removal instead.

2) Replace Your Shower Head… or Even the Whole Enclosure

There’s nothing quite like a shower that has the perfect amount of pressure and coverage. If your showerhead no longer gives you that luxury feeling, it’s time to replace it. You can buy designer rain shower heads on a reasonable budget. If you can stretch your spending a little further, you could have a Des Moines handyman install a whole new shower enclosure.

3) Renew Grout Throughout the Home

Tiles could last the lifetime of your home, but grout can show signs of age within a few short years. If you’re not ready for a whole home renovation, you could simply have your grout renewed throughout your home. This simple improvement will bring back the beauty in your floors, backsplashes, and anywhere else that you use tiles.

4) Bring Life into Your Home with Potted Plants

When you’re ready for a larger home remodeling project, you could invest in a deck extension or even a sunroom addition to improve your indoor/outdoor flow. In the meantime, you can simply bring some bright potted plants and flowers into your home to lighten any room.

5) Use Shelves in a Bathroom That’s Running Out of Storage

A lack of storage is one of the first signs that your home needs improvement. Before you remodel, you can install some simple and cost effective storage solutions. Bathroom shelves are low cost and they’ll help to keep you organized until you are ready to start a larger home improvement project.

6) Upgrade Your Kitchen Hardware

Low cost kitchen hardware can begin to show its age within the first two years of ownership. If your metal kitchen hardware looks worse for wear, you could simply replace it to give you kitchen a fresh new aesthetic. Even premium hardware is relatively affordable, and you’ll be able to reuse it when you start a full kitchen remodel in the future.

7) Install Luxurious Crown Molding

Molding can completely change the look and feel of a room, bringing a premium aesthetic that is hard to miss. If a room looks tired or unfinished, you could install crown molding for an instant makeover. Molding can be used in every room of the home, including bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.

8) Add Wall Paneling for an Elegant Transitional Look

Decorative wall paneling creates an elegant aesthetic that is perfect for contemporary, traditional, and transitional homes. Book a Des Moines handyman to install half wall paneling in your living spaces, kitchen, or anywhere else that you want to add a touch of class and distinction.

9) Upgrade Your Kitchen Faucet

You use your kitchen faucet every day, so you should treat yourself to something that is both beautiful and long lasting. A premium kitchen faucet can make food prep and cleanup a breeze, and you can recycle this feature into your next full kitchen remodel. Just like cabinet hardware, it’s a good idea to spend more for a premium faucet that you will enjoy for years to come.

10) Paint Your Kitchen Countertops

Granite paint is one of the latest trends in kitchen renovation. It allows you to create imitation granite countertops over older surfaces. Countertop painting can be a fun DIY project, or you can enlist the help of a local handyman to complete the job. Unlike real granite, this paint comes with a synthetic clear coat that is dent, scratch, and waterproof.

11) Upgrade Your Bedroom Fixtures

Simply replacing the light fixtures in bedrooms could bring new life and an attractive aesthetic. Best of all, you’ll find a near limitless selection of fixtures online and at local home improvement stores. Look for fixtures that complement the existing room décor. In some rooms, you could simply install clip-on shades for a more attractive modern aesthetic.

12) Refresh Your Fireplace Exterior

It’s time to upgrade if the superficial façade around your fireplace is starting to show signs of wear. An affordable brick veneer could make your fireplace look like new, and you’ll have a gorgeous new focal point for your living room. You could also take the opportunity to clean and inspect your fireplace and chimney for any creosote buildup. Check out our complete fireplace maintenance guide to help you get ready for the winter.

13) Install New Vinyl Tiles or Planks

Secondary bathrooms and your laundry deserve some remodeling love too. Worn flooring in these rooms can be replaced with cost effective vinyl tiles. Vinyl is waterproof, it can last for decades, and it’s one of the most affordable flooring materials to buy and install. If you’re not ready for DIY flooring installation, you can book a handyman in Des Moines to replace floors in your smaller bathrooms and utility rooms.

14) Retrofit a Pull Out Pantry

Consider building and installing a pull out pantry if you have dead space in your kitchen that isn’t being used. A pull out pantry on wheels can be slotted in next to a refrigerator or any corner of the kitchen. You can match the color and material with your kitchen cabinets, making for a seamless addition that will look great and provide everyday convenience.

15) Make a Pet Retreat Under Your Stairs

Are your furry companions lacking a space to call their own? If you’re continuously tripping over toys and pet beds, you could build a home for your pets in the space underneath your stairs. Des Moines contractors will be able to design an attractive enclosure that integrates perfectly with your home décor, and the construction could be completed in less than a day in most cases.

16) Try a Beadboard Ceiling

Beadboard paneling is the perfect material for designer ceilings in bedrooms, living rooms, or even your kitchen and dining room. You could install beadboard directly onto the existing ceiling, making for a quick and relatively easy DIY project. Even if you don’t want to take on this project yourself, you could work with a handyman for a low cost but high impact home improvement.

17) Add Casings Around Open Doorways

Open frame doorways between living spaces can be improved significantly with wooden casing. Just like crown molding, casing adds a touch of elegance that must be seen to be appreciated. Casings are particularly popular in kitchen remodeling. The investment you make today will save you money if you start a larger remodeling or renovation project within the next five years.

18) Replace Wooden Cabinets with Glass Feature Cabinets

You don’t need to replace all your kitchen cabinets to bring a fresh look to the room. If you have traditional wooden cabinets in your kitchen, you could consider replacing some of the overhead doors with wood framed glass doors. Glass gives cabinets more visible depth, resulting in a kitchen that feels much larger than it is.

19) Upgrade the Vanity Hardware in Your Bathroom

Just like the kitchen, your bathroom can benefit from new cabinet and vanity hardware. Replace door handles, drawer pulls, and even your vanity faucet. Invest in high quality hardware and you’ll be able to use it again if you perform a complete bathroom remodel in the future.

20) Install LED Under-Cabinet Lighting

Light makes rooms feel larger and more inviting. In your kitchen, light also serves a functional purpose, helping you when preparing meals and drinks etc. Under cabinet lighting can provide some extra visibility, and it can also double as mood lighting in the evenings. Make sure you choose modern LED lighting solutions. LED lights are energy efficient and you can even buy RGB lighting that can be customized to color-match your décor.

21) Want a Modern Home? Go Black and White

If you’re looking for an ultra-modern aesthetic in your home, you could consider going with a monochromatic black and white color scheme in your living areas. Paint the walls and change out your upholstery and décor to achieve this very bold but interesting look for your home.

Black and white checkerboard ceramic tiles or even white or gray vinyl tiles can work perfectly for a monochromatic interior theme.

22) Install Some Under-Stair Bookshelves

If you don’t have pets or if you simply don’t need a dog or cat home under your stairs, you could use the space for bookshelves instead. Under stair shelves will provide a convenient storage solution for books, media discs, ornaments, awards, and any other small trinkets and decorations that you want to display.

23) Clad Your Bathtub in Stone or Tile

Incorporating a tub into a bathroom is often difficult. Older style paneling will look like nothing more than an afterthought in 2023. If you want to quickly modernize your bathroom without spending a lot of money on renovation, you could simply clad your bath in a new material. Stone veneer and ceramic tiles will work best for this improvement. You could install the new cladding as a DIY project, or, you could talk to an expert handyman to have the job done quickly and for a reasonable cost.

24) Install a Designer Headboard

A frameless bed can be made to feel more luxurious and expensive just by installing a standalone headboard behind it. Textured headboards were trending in 2019. If you want to bring some elegance to your master bedroom, try using a quilted vinyl or leather headboard. If you don’t want a headboard but still want to add a dramatic focal point, you could consider painting the wall behind your bed. Textured brick veneers and even wood paneling are also ideal for a bedroom feature wall.

25) Upgrade Your Closet Storage

Many homeowners become frustrated by a lack of closet space in the master bedroom. In many cases, space is not the problem. Instead, it’s a lack of organization. Traditional closet designs lack effective storage solutions. You’ll typically have a single rod for hangers and maybe a shelf on top for extra storage. In the modern era, this simply isn’t enough. You could have a Des Moines handyman install custom shelves in your closet, creating storage space for shoes, jewelry, clothing, linen, and anything else that you want to store. While he’s there, have him install mirrored doors for a functional closet that feels almost as impressive as a walk in!

We have many more money saving tips for the whole home so you don’t need to get caught out. We’re here to help.

Need Help Getting Started with Renovations?

You don’t have to be a DIY enthusiast to get started on these small home renovation ideas. A Des Moines Handyman can handle all your odd projects to improve your living spaces today.

Talk to HomeWorx Iowa to plan your next home renovation. We manage all projects small or large and are known throughout Iowa for our attention to detail, exceptional customer service, and timeless craftsmanship.

Build a better home one project at a time. Talk to Iowa’s home improvement experts today.