50 DIY Home Improvement Projects Under $50

Take your home from builder-grade to custom-made with low-cost home upgrades you can tackle in a weekend or less.

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September 21, 2021

By: Chelsea Faulkner and Morgan Faulkner

Related To:

Paint the Front Door

The front door is usually the first thing people see when entering your home. Make a great impression with a bright, welcoming front door color. Not sure what hue to choose? Take our quiz, then follow the step-by-step instructions below for a total entry overhaul.

LEARN HOW: How to Paint a Front Door

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Classic Carriage Doors (on the Cheap)

Carriage house garage doors are highly sought after in home design and renovation, but these charming additions quickly add up in cost. One carriage-style garage door can run upward of $1,400. Luckily there’s a budget-friendly alternative: these magnetic hinges and handles will take your door from drab to fab instantly for just $12 — no hardware required.

Buy It: Amazon, $11.68 (Originally $19.99)

From: Tiffany Brooks

Install a Shiplap Accent Wall

Do you love the look of old shiplap walls and ceilings, but live in a new(ish) home? Add a gorgeous shiplap accent wall in any space for $50 or less by trimming down plywood into planks, then attaching the boards to your wall using construction adhesive and nails. Finish it off by painting the panels, and admire your DIY shiplap on a dime.

Learn How: How to Install Shiplap

Set the Mood With String Lights

Hung over a patio, porch or backyard, globe cafe lights instantly turn any outdoor space into a gathering spot, increasing your usable square footage. This extra "room" comes in handy when entertaining or in the summer months when warm evenings are best spent outdoors, drink in hand. No fence or pergola to hang your lights from? Try this low-cost DIY.

Outdoor Globe Lights: Amazon, $15.99

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

DIY Glass Cabinet Inserts

Brighten up your kitchen and put that gorgeous wedding china on display by replacing interior wood cabinet panels with inexpensive glass sheets. Not brave enough to go totally open with your cabinetry? Try this project on just the set of cabinets flanking your stove or the cabinet over the coffee counter.

GET THE HOW-TO: Update Kitchen Cabinets With Glass Inserts

From: Tracy Lynn Studio

Stencil Your Patio

Has your concrete patio seen better days? You could cover it with an outdoor rug or try this long-lasting DIY. With a can of concrete stain, a plastic stencil, a high-quality stencil brush and a few hours of work, you can totally transform the look of a porch, sidewalk or patio with a stylish, custom tile design.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Stain & Stencil a Concrete Patio

Fake the Look of Marble

Make a worn dining table or old countertops look luxurious by transforming them into chic (faux) marble focal pieces. This unique and crafty DIY combines leftover project paint, ultra high-gloss epoxy and basic craft supplies to recreate the veining lines and texture found in real marble. Patience and a designated project day will save you anywhere from $500 to $3,000 when dreaming of your very own marble furniture piece.

Learn How: How to Paint a Faux Marble Tabletop

Try Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper

Want to go bold without the risk? Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a temporary way to add a burst of vibrant color or pattern to a room without tearing up the walls. To keep this project affordable and doable, try papering a focal wall or a small, low-humidity space like a powder room or closet. Find our favorite, trendy removable wallpaper patterns here, then check out the link below for installation tips and tricks.

LEARN HOW: 10 Tips I Learned Hanging Removable Wallpaper in My Apartment

From: Kendall Simmons

Hang Curtains the Right Way

Make your home look bigger and instantly more luxurious by hanging floor-length drapes 6" to 12" above the window frame or all the way to the ceiling, and extending your curtain rod out 3" to 6" on each side. For a pro look, curtains should puddle slightly or just kiss the floor.

MORE TIPS: Do's + Don'ts of Designer-Worthy Window Treatments

From: Marie Flanigan Interiors

Remove a Popcorn Ceiling

Do you hate the look of your popcorn ceilings? Not only are they unsightly, but they're also unsanitary — a veritable landing pad for dust, dirt and cobwebs. Luckily, they're easily removed with the help of a wet/dry vac and a drywall knife. Note: If your home was built before 1979, test for lead and asbestos before starting this project.

LEARN HOW: How to Remove a Popcorn Ceiling

Update Ceramic Floor Tile With Paint

Give outdated floors a refresh with our step-by-step guide to painting and stenciling ceramic tile. All you need are a few basic supplies and a free weekend to totally transform the look of a laundry room, bathroom or anywhere in your home that's plagued by old or dirty tile. The best part? You can do it all for less than $50 and with no special equipment.

Learn How: How to Paint & Stencil Ceramic Tile

Paint Your Doorknobs

Is your home plagued by dated doorknobs? While swapping them out for new might be tempting, it can add up quickly — especially when one oil-rubbed bronze knob costs around $30 a piece. And that's not to mention the matching hinges and door latches. If you're looking for a cheap, long-lasting alternative, consider painting the knobs in your house for the cost of a can of spray paint and a weekend's worth of work. Learn How

Update Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

A simple white kitchen is made instantly glamorous by the addition of brushed gold knobs and pulls. Pro tip: Measure the width of your existing cabinet pulls before ordering. Also, be prepared to sand and touch up small dings and scratches that may occur while removing old hardware.

BRUSHED GOLD KNOBS: Wayfair, $5.55

Add Bling to Closet Doors

Make a small bedroom look larger by adding mirrors to plain closet doors or the back of a bedroom door. Simply pick up a couple of cheap, framed floor-length mirrors for less than $10 at your local big-box store, then paint the frame to match your space. Attach to your closet door with construction adhesive for a permanent look or use removable picture-hanging strips if you're renting. Feeling extra crafty? Glue thin trim pieces to the mirrors for a high-end look.

FLOOR MIRRORS: Target, $49.99

From: Lauren Rubin Architecture

Whitewash a Brick Fireplace

Give your dated brick fireplace a cozy cottage makeover with a paint and glaze application that mimics the look of the classic German schmear seen here. Learn how at the link below.

LEARN HOW: How to German Smear a Brick Fireplace

Swap Your Shower Curtain

Your shower curtain takes up the single largest piece of real estate in the bathroom. So needless to say, swapping it out makes a huge impact for very little money. Choose a fringe-style curtain for a boho look, go bold with large, moody florals or opt for a soft, modern ombre like designer Kerra Michele Huerta did here. We also love how she upped the drama by installing a shower curtain on each side of the tub.

BUY IT: JCPenney, $34.99

From: Kerra Michele Huerta

Fake Fancy

Give builder-grade light switches a custom look with this hack. Pick a picture frame that's the same size and color as your switch cover, then attach the frame to the wall with adhesive putty. Pro tip: 3.5" x 5" frames will fit a standard 1-gang switch plate.

BUY IT: Michaels, $10.49

Double-Up on Porch Rugs

Pull your front porch together with this designer tip: Layer an outdoor area rug beneath a standard porch rug for an extra-luxurious look.

From: H. Camille Smith

Give Your Fan a Makeover

Has your celing fan seen better days? Upgrade a boring, old fan by coating the blades and metal components with high-heat black spray paint.

LEARN HOW: Fake Fancy With These Easy + Cheap Home Upgrades

Photo By: Rustic White Photography

Photo By: Rachel Whyte

Photo By: Robert Peterson, Rustic White Photography

Photo By: Ryan Garvin

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Jalynn Baker

Photo By: Catherine Truman

Photo By: Marie Flanigan Interiors

Photo By: Tomas Espinoza/Flynnside Out Productions

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Chelsea Faulkner

Photo By: Anna Braund

Photo By: lauren rubin architecture

Photo By: Laura Metzler

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

50 DIY Home Improvement Projects Under $50

Related To:

Paint the Front Door

Classic Carriage Doors (on the Cheap)

Install a Shiplap Accent Wall

Set the Mood With String Lights

DIY Glass Cabinet Inserts

Stencil Your Patio

Fake the Look of Marble

Try Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper

Hang Curtains the Right Way

Remove a Popcorn Ceiling

Update Ceramic Floor Tile With Paint

Paint Your Doorknobs

Update Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Add Bling to Closet Doors

Whitewash a Brick Fireplace

Swap Your Shower Curtain

Fake Fancy

Double-Up on Porch Rugs

Give Your Fan a Makeover

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