Home Improvement Valentine's Days Ideas
Be Romantic and be Appreciated by a Bath Remodel or Paint Project
Dec 21, 2008
Searching for good Valentine's Day gift ideas? Why give a dozen roses or a box of chocolate when something that lasts longer is available? How about a bath remodel?
The simple fact of the matter is that traditional Valentine's gifts may delight for a day, but a DIY home improvement like a kitchen remodel or a bath re-do will be appreciated for a long time to come.
Do a Minor Bath Remodel
This is easy to do and won't get into the wallet too much.
- Change the towel racks, toilet paper dispenser, and toilet seat from contractor-grade to something a bit more contemporary.
- Give the flooring a face lift. Is the existing floor boring? No need to rip out the tile, vinyl, or linoleum; just throw down a layer of seagrass rugs. Seagrass is becoming more popular for bathroom floors because it's easy to install, looks good, it's a green, sustainable building product, and it's so comfortable it will pamper that special person's feet.
- If the bath ceramic wall tile is plain and boring, why not dress it up? No need to rip out the old ceramic tile out and replace it. Just give it a good cleaning and apply tile tattoos. They're reasonably priced and easy to install. No tools required.
Do an Interior Painting and Wall Improvement Project
Wall paint gets grubby over time and chances are that the existing color is contractor white satin if no one has done any custom painting.
- Get away from boring colors. Go to the local home improvement store and study the paint chips from Behr, Glidden, or Sherwin Williams. There are some great combinations.
- Use a computer interior design software program like SeeItYourWay to see how a color scheme will really work in the living room, bath or kitchen.
- Consider adding crown molding or chair rails to the walls. This is one decorative touch that says “style and class.” A warm natural wood finish rather than paint sets the wall off.
Update the Flooring
This doesn't mean ripping up the existing floor and replacing it, although that's a possibility.
- Toss in some area rugs and a runner or two in hallways if the home or condo has hardwood or laminate flooring.
- Refinish parquet or hardwood floors. If they aren't that far gone, go for a fresh coat of wax and use a commercial floor buffer to make it shine.
- Think about installing new baseboards or update existing ones. Typically, standard baseboards are very boring. They serve the purpose but just don't add any style. It's easy to dress up plain ones by adding quarter round or shoe molding at the base of the existing and repainting it all.
- Clean up the wall to wall carpeting with a high-quality carpet shampooer/steamer. This takes less than a day to do, but makes an incredible difference.
But Don't Forget the Romantic Valentine Day
Even after giving one of these DIY Valentine gifts, still plan something special like a candlelight dinner. Cover all bases!
The copyright of the article Home Improvement Valentine's Days Ideas in Home Renovation/Repair is owned by Kelly Smith. Permission to republish Home Improvement Valentine's Days Ideas in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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