Home Help: Make your kitchen look like new – on a budget

Home Improvements: Five $150 tricks to improve your kitchen

If you've looked into kitchen renovation at all, you've probably heard some staggering numbers - it costs $15,000 or more, on average, to update one of the most important rooms in the house.

Updates that will help you love your kitchen don't have to come with a heart-stopping cost.

Here are five do-it-yourself ways to give your kitchen a whole new look for not a lot of money:

1. The softer side

Never underestimate the power of fabrics. The right window treatment on that utilitarian window above the sink can really make it pop. New cushions can punch up the appeal and comfort of mundane kitchen chairs. And the right tablecloth and/or placemats can hide a multitude of flaws in your kitchen table.

2. Take it to the wall

Another powerful and budget-friendly way to upgrade your kitchen is to give it a fresh coat of paint or a designer-inspired wallpaper mural.

3. Metal magic

Turn your attention to some of the easy-to-replace metal accents in your kitchen that might be looking worn or dated. These could include cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, electrical faceplates, even the kitchen faucet. All are easy enough to switch out for most do-it-yourselfers.

4. Furniture fix

Consider refinishing your kitchen table yourself to remove the scratches, dents and scrapes of age. Or, hit used furniture stores, flea markets and yard sales in search of a newer set that may be in better condition, or of better quality, than what you have.

5. Appliance magic

Your old washer may do its job just fine, but have some scratches in its finish from heavy use. Consider painting it. Check with your local paint store to find new, high-tech paints that bond perfectly with the metal or enamel on appliances to make them look like new.

-- ARA

Decorating Tip: Ideas for highlighting your art

- Use frames, mats and images of different sizes, colors and textures for a beautifully blended complement.

- Consider grouping your art in twos, threes or fours. Try hanging four small, same-size pictures together to give the illusion of a larger picture. Or try hanging two smaller pieces on each side of a larger piece to fill out a large wall.

- Keep your pictures looking good; avoid placing your art near steamy showers or heat sources, and avoid direct sunlight on your framed art print.

-- www.homedecorators.com

Home-Selling Tip: How to stage your living room

Cover up outdated, worn and loud furniture with neutral colored slipcovers. Arrange the room in a conversational way. You may have preferred for every piece of furniture to face the television, but potential buyers will appreciate more of an open-room feel.

-- Sure Fit, www.surefit.com

How To: Design a safe bathroom

A few guidelines for keeping your bathroom safe:

- Ensure that slip resistant flooring is used in all areas of the bathroom.

- Eliminate steps leading into tub or shower areas. Try to surround a tub with a platform where you can sit down prior to entering or exiting the tub.
- Always use shatterproof glass in shower enclosures.

- Install pressure-balanced and temperature-controlled valves in the bath and shower to prevent scalding.

- Maintain safe distances between water sources and electrical switches.

-- National Kitchen & Bath Association, www.nkba.org

Did You Know …

A recent survey of real estate agents found that homebuyers are increasingly shopping for homes that fit more than one generation. -- Coldwell Banker

Garden Guide: Potted plants need relief from heat

Concerned about your potted plants during hot, steamy summer temperatures?

Container plants out on a patio can be stressed by a heat wave, since they have much less buffering of temperature extremes on the root system.

In addition to watering more frequently in hot weather, provide afternoon shade, if possible, to help keep them a bit cooler.

-- Purdue University Extension

Backyard Buddies: Bees in the birdhouse?

Wasps and bees occasionally will find an empty nesting box and make a home for themselves.

It’s best to let the insects be until fall, when the weather is cooler and the insects have moved on.

Then, you can clean out the boxes and prepare them for nesting season. Apply a thin layer of bar soap onto the inside surface of the roof.

The slippery surface will deter the wasps and bees.

-- Cornell Lab of Ornithology

GateHouse News Service