Four Easy Home Improvement Projects

If you are like most homeowners, there are home improvements that need to be done -- like painting the exterior or replacing a roof -- and those that could be done to make your home look better.

In that latter category are four projects that cost very little, are easy to do and provide a big difference to the appearance of a room. Because they are easy, they make perfect do it yourself projects.

Update knobs

The hardware on drawers and cabinets is small, but speaks volumes about style and décor. If it has never been replaced, it tends to date the age of the house.

You can replace it with new, more modern knobs and handles. Or, go with a more retro look. Stores like Restoration Hardware and Rejuvenation have stylish reproductions. If you have the patience, you might even find antique hardware in builder surplus shops.

Whereever you find the replacements, updating hardware is an easy way to give your drawers and cabinets a facelift.

Ceiling trim

A little bit of wood trim where the wall meets the ceiling can dress up a room. Crown molding, whether painted or stained, can add a touch of elegance. However, you'll need some basic wood working skills for that.

But trim doesn't have to be wood. You can use a band of wallpaper or even paint a stripe in an accent color that sets off the ceiling. Make the accent border about five or six inches in width.

Switches and vents

When rooms are painted, the painters tend to remove the existing light switch and electrical outlet plates, then put them back. Sometimes they even paint over them. The same is true for the louvered air conditioning and heating vents. They are almost never replaced.

But replacing the switch and outlet plates with a brass or colorful model adds a touch of elegance. Replacing the vents, which at best get dirty and dingy after years of use, can help make a room look almost new.

New light fixtures

Light fixtures are another way of dating a home. A home built in the 1980s and never updated is going to have certain kinds of fixtures. By replacing overhead and wall light fixtures with something more modern, you can make the rooms seem newer and fresher.

At the same time, lighting has gotten a lot more efficient over the years. Many lights, for example, can provide energy savings. And by placing lighting where you need it most, you can make work areas like your kitchen a lot more functional.