Add Extra Sparkle to Your Home Before the
Holidays
Guests are coming, so here are some quick and easy DIY projects you can do to help make your home even more inviting.
BY JENNIFER ALMAND
W ith the holidays approaching, a lot of you are turning your attention to planning a big party or hosting friends and family. And that means things like planning menus, buying decorations, and making gift lists. But have you thought about ways you can spruce up your home before your guests arrive?
Just something quick and easy that will make your home shine and feel extra cozy and special? I’ m talking about easy home projects that anyone can do, even if you don’ t consider yourself a DIYer. They’ re also pretty
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easy on the budget, while giving you a lot of bang for your buck. In just a weekend or two, you can be holiday ready, even before the first decorations go up.
The simplest place to start is the entrance to your home. It’ s the first thing your guests see when they arrive, so it deserves to be freshened up. Besides the obvious sweeping of the porch and steps, consider painting your front door and replacing the hardware, putting up new house numbers, or updating your outdoor lighting. A welcoming entry makes a great first impression.
Once inside, look and see if the trim work needs a paint touchup. It’ s easy for white trim to get scuffed up from everyday living, and fresh paint is a super easy fix. Something else that could give your house a glamorous glow-up is painting your interior doors a color other than white. The most pop comes from colors like dark grey or dark brown, but if you’ re not up for that much contrast, a nice medium beige can still give you a high-end look. It takes a little bit of time and multiple coats, but using a foam roller gives a smooth
Above: Peel-and-stick tiles are an easy and inexpensive way to add interest to any room in your house. Left: So is giving doors, walls, and furniture a new coat of paint.
finish. Consider replacing the interior door hardware, too, and don’ t forget the hinges.
Another simple project is adding decorative trim. Board-and-batten is very popular, easy to install, and looks great when you add custom hooks for hanging coats and bags. You just need to be able to use a wood saw, a tape measure, and a nail gun. If you aren’ t confident enough to tackle woodwork, add some wallpaper instead. A lot of wallpaper is peel-andstick these days, so hanging it is easy. A bold pattern on a feature wall is a nice surprise and makes your home feel customized.
An important place to concentrate