Decking out your home doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. There are many projects that are manageable for DIYers that add serious style without breaking the bank. Whether you have a few dollars to spend or a few hundred, check out our list of ten budget-friendly projects to spruce up your home this new year.
Install Board and Batten
Board and batten is a wall treatment that has been used on interior and exterior walls for centuries. Traditionally, the “board” part of this design is a wide board placed on the wall, and the “batten” is a smaller strip of wood that covers the board’s seams.
It’s easy to mimic this look for cheap by using a blank wall and inexpensive MDF to create the illusion of board and batten. (Avoid MDF in high-moisture rooms.) Alternatively, follow our board and batten guide for a more in-depth tutorial on installing this wall treatment in a bathroom.
Experiment with Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
Peel-and-stick wallpaper is perhaps the easiest way to transform the look of a room. This wallpaper features a sticky, repositionable backing that’s easy to apply. You can find peel-and-stick wallpaper in hundreds of designs and at many price points.
If you’re looking to add an accent wall to your room or want to experiment with patterns, I recommend giving this type of wallpaper a try. I’ve used it multiple times, and it’s never left any damage on my walls.
Add an Easy-to-Build Retaining Wall to Your Landscaping
Enhancing your landscaping is a great way to make your outdoor area more inviting and boost curb appeal. Easy-to-build retaining walls offer an inexpensive way to make your landscaping look more polished.
If you have a sloped yard, consider a tiered block retaining wall to display multiple tiers of flowers and add visual interest to the lawn.
DIY a Firepit
Firepit kits cost anywhere from a hundred to a couple thousand dollars. However, if you want to go the budget route and buy the materials individually, you can make the perfect backyard firepit for less than one hundred dollars.
You can play with the shape and materials of a DIY firepit, customizing it to the available space and your budget.
Make Your Own Cabinet Pulls Out of Concrete
Give your cabinets a facelift with new handmade hardware. Inexpensive concrete, screws, paint, and a silicone mold are all you need for this project. In our tutorial, we made heart-shaped DIY concrete knobs, but you can customize this by choosing any shape as long as you can find a silicone mold for it.
Color Drench a Room
Color drenching was one of 2024’s most prominent trends and will stick around for 2025. If you’re working with limited funds but want to make a huge impact in the room you’re making over, give color drenching a try.
Color drenching involves painting all elements in a room the same color, including the walls, trim, ceiling, and doors. An eggshell or matte paint finish goes on the walls and ceiling, while semi-gloss is used for trim and doors to break up the look and add texture.
DIY a Pergola
A pergola doesn’t cost quite as much as a deck or patio but still provides a defined place for outdoor entertainment. As long as you have basic handyman skills and the patience to complete the project, building a pergola is a job most experienced DIYers can tackle. Our tutorial lays out all the steps to build a pergola.
Give Your Countertops a Makeover
Dingy countertops can ruin the look and feel of the space, but replacing them can be costly and labor-intensive. If new counters aren’t in the budget, try giving them a cheap makeover instead.
While painting your countertops or using a resurfacing kit is always an option, adding a layer of Ardex feather concrete over old countertops can give them a high-end look. You can also DIY a solid concrete countertop if you prefer that look or method.
Give Small Rooms Extra Storage with DIY Floating Shelves
Some rooms, especially small bathrooms, are hard to keep clean simply because they lack space. A few floating shelves can solve this problem by utilizing vertical wall space. While you can buy off-the-rack floating shelves, building them yourself often leads to a higher quality and more customized finished product. Follow our tutorial here for step-by-step instructions.
Dress Up Your Kitchen with a Backsplash
If your kitchen doesn’t already have a backsplash, adding tile to the wall offers a fun way to bring personality to the space. Since backsplashes are normally smaller than other tilework, it’s also a great project for those who’d like to try tiling for the first time.
Depending on your design style, you can choose a classic tile like subway or something patterned and bold. Our tutorial will walk you through installing a subway tile backsplash in the kitchen.
