Five Projects Under $5K

Whether because of budget or logistical bandwidth, a major renovation isn’t always in the cards. But, according to some of our pro partners, even a modest kitty fund can make a big visual impact in your home. Here are five ways to revamp your space for less than $5,000. Now to just pick one…

1. Redecorate With Paint

“I think people often prefer to modernize [their spaces] by selecting new furniture, but doing something whimsical, like painting your pieces a powerful color, updates them in a fun way while reusing something you love,” said Stephanie Abernathy, a founding principal at Studio Wellington. “Using meaningful pieces also makes the room more important to someone living in it.”

Abernathy had the table sanded down and bleached, then whitewashed with a Bona product. Prices vary for this service, but you can expect to pay around $1,000, depending on the size and shape of your table. The chairs were sanded down, primed and sprayed with a furniture lacquer (Abernathy loves Fine Paints of Europe) color-matched to this vibrant blue. Each chair cost her about $250.

Revamping existing furniture left room in the budget to finish out the space with a facelift, floor-to-ceiling. The large Talia light fixture is from Visual Comfort, the rug is cut and bound from leftover material at a local carpet store (a great tip for getting a new rug on a budget!) and the wallpaper is a Cowtan and Tout product priced at about $175 per roll.

“My favorite part of this space is the unexpected pop of blue on these Sheraton chairs. It’s bold and draws the eye,” she said. “The classical wallpaper pulls neutral colors, and the rug’s natural textures make for an earthy space that has just the right amount of whimsy.” 

studiowellington.com

2. Upgrade Your Shower Door

Whether to replace cloudy glass, corroded hardware or just something bulky, dated and an eyesore, almost any frameless shower door option comes in under $5,000.

“A shower door upgrade allows for new hardware finishes and shapes, different heights and varying handle options. You can go from hinged doors to sliders if your shower opening and the bathroom will allow for it,” said Clint Clackum, owner of Chattahoochee Shower Doors.

“Frameless shower doors always make a space feel larger,” he added. “It opens up a bathroom for more light, which brightens the entire space. They’re also much easier to clean.”

The best news is that a new shower door won’t take months to come to fruition. From the initial design consultation to finished product, it’s only about 2-3 weeks, and the installation takes less than a few hours.

chattdoors.com

3. Revamp the Ceiling

Gina Sims, owner of Gina Sims Designs, gave this kids’ space a fourth wall by installing a rock-climbing system across the ceiling. Working with her contractor, she used quality plywood with a clear coat nailed into the studs and multicolored climbing holds and bars she sourced online.

“I love how it turned out, and it’s a huge change in the look and change of use in the space,” Sims said.

Another way to boost your space’s decorating area is to continue your wallpaper (or paint color) to the ceiling, like this space by Selena Lewis Designs. “Enveloping the room in a fun pattern and texture adds dimension, visual interest and more of an experience every time you walk into the space,” said Selena Lewis, owner.

ginasimsdesigns.com, selenalewisdesigns.com

4. Add A Backsplash

When you’re not ready for a complete kitchen overhaul, upgrading your backsplash comes in under $5,000, or close to it, depending on the square footage and product. According to kitchen design professional, Rosa Moreno, owner of Rosa Moreno Kitchens, choosing ceramic or porcelain tile and a simple pattern keeps the price under $10 per square foot.

“Changing the backsplash updates your kitchen’s look, improves cleanliness, protects your walls and boosts home value,” Moreno said. “It can dramatically alter the visual impact by adding color, texture and pattern, making the space feel more modern, cohesive or vibrant. It can serve as a focal point or complement other elements like cabinets and countertops, transforming the overall style of the kitchen.”

First you’ll need to measure the square footage of the area you want to tile. This will help you estimate how much tile you’ll need. Then, choose the tile material (e.g., ceramic, glass, subway, mosaic), design (e.g., color, pattern), end finish and grout color. Consider factors like durability, style and ease of maintenance.

Here, Moreno used Tile Bar’s Seaport Chameleon Sage Gray 2-by-10 Polished Ceramic Subway Wall Tile, grout color—Mapei Alabaster—and had it laid in a herringbone pattern.

rosamorenokitchens.com

5. Redo Your Garden Path

Sometimes, the biggest impact you can make is before your guests even walk in your door. Taking a tired path and giving it new life (or creating one from scratch) with streamlined pavers not only neatens up your yard, but also provides structure for maintenance moving forward. And for about $25-$30 per square foot, it’s a great way to stretch $5,000.

“A project like this is so good for your yard, because a permeable path lets the water sink into the soil, rather than run off,” said Brandy Hall, founder and CEO of Shades of Green Permaculture (SOG). “You have an opportunity to hydrate soils and reduce irrigation needs solely through the materials you choose. At SOG, we prioritize designing landscapes that work with nature, not against it. By using permeable materials, we help clients create beautiful, functional paths that support healthy soil, prevent erosion and conserve water—all while enhancing the resilience of their landscape.”

Hall seconds that paths draw our eye to different spaces in our yard. With curves, you create intrigue, space to establish organic vignettes and—maybe the best part—they make the yard feel bigger.

For this project, SOG repurposed flagstone from a previously existing path on the site, then infilled the joints with pea gravel and sand, respectively. You can purchase both products from big box home improvement stores or your local landscape supplier.

shadesofgreenpermaculture.com

Editor’s Home Improvement Hits

Boost your latest project (or maintain a previous one) with these new toys
—er tools— products and services I’ve tried that prove home improvement is anything but monotonous maintenance. …Maybe even a little fun!

• The Litheli EASYSURGE Brushless Self-Propelled Lawn Mower makes cutting the grass quick and easy. It’s like pushing a super smart electric car through the yard, allowing for touch-of-a-button settings that make me look like I know what I’m doing. Extra perk: It folds up for easy storage. litheli.com

• We employed Staton Heating & Air to perform Air Duct Cleaning after our master bathroom remodel, and we’ve truly felt the difference. We’re breathing easier and our filters are lasting longer. statonair.com

• The Costa Farms self-watering pot is a game changer for houseplants. Their horticulture engineers designed a custom wick to drink up water from a hidden cavity inside the bottom of the pot. It won’t rot or dry out, so all I have to do is sneak a peek at the
tiny window along the bottom to see if it’s empty. So easy, and my ZZ is thriving in a room that’s usually where my plants go to die. costafarms.com

• Have you tried the See-It-In-Your-Room features that many companies offer now? When we were debating on tile and paint color, and curious which ones would look good together, we took a picture of our room and uploaded it to the tile company’s website. We were able to swap colors and products until one hit. And the end result is proof of the pudding!

• Fast drying and eco-conscious (a portion of their sales go toward cleaning up the oceans), Sand Cloud’s online shop offers discounts to grab these worthy water-soakers. We love ours! sandcloud.com

• Solatubes are a great upgrade from traditional skylights to lighten up any dark space. Louver Boss (and a My Home Improvement Backyard Boss) Mark Galey has three in his home (the laundry room, the pantry and over the shower) and can
attest: daylight feels really good! Installation starts at about $1,200 per light, but your energy bill (and well-being) will improve. solatube.com

• While trash-can cleaning may seem bougie, now that I’ve tried it, it’s a non-negotiable. It keeps the curb from ruining a home’s appeal. Companies like the locally-owned SoFresh Bin Cleaning offer monthly or seasonal deep cleans right at the curb so by the time you’re rolling them up, they’re sparkling (and smell-free). sofreshbins.com