Is your home dated, and in desperate need of a complete makeover? Do you daydream about the day when you can afford to remodel the heck out of your house, and finally live in a home you love?
Believe me, I get it! Our first home had floral wallpaper, pink tile, and green shag carpet when we bought it. You want to see dated? Just look at this picture of the kitchen from our first house. Ah, it makes me nostalgic to look at it, knowing what it would someday become.
Many of us dream of a beautiful new kitchen, or a living room that looks like it belongs on Instagram…or at least one that looks like it belongs in this century. Some people save up for years to renovate their dated kitchens or way-too-small bathrooms, and patiently live in a home they don’t like for all of that time…waiting to make it pretty.
BUT, what if I told you that you could completely update the look and feel of your home without costly remodeling? Would you spend a little bit of money now to transform your space, and have a house that is more current, looks beautiful, and is one that you enjoy coming home to?
I know it can be done because we did it! We took that dated first house and made all of the improvements I’m about to share with you. And you know what? That house was a complete transformation! People couldn’t believe it when we showed them the before and after pictures. So, let’s dive in and talk about ten ways to update your dated home (without remodeling).
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#1 – PAINT
Hands down, paint is the very best way to completely change the look of your home, and is your most powerful weapon against a dated house. And, I’m not just talking about walls! Yes, you should paint the walls in your home to suit your style and taste, and give it a fresh, clean look, but there are so many other things that can be transformed with paint:
HOT TIP: Always get samples of paint colors before committing to one, to ensure the color works with your lighting conditions and other fixed materials. My go-to source for large peel-and-stick sample sheets is Samplize.
Kitchen cabinets
I’m sure you’ve all seen the amazing makeovers of people who painted their kitchen cabinets, right? No doubt about it…painting wood-tone cabinets a fresh new color is a fantastic way to completely transform your kitchen. Take a look at our recent post about kitchen cabinet colors that aren’t white for even more ideas.
Bath vanities
Just like with kitchen cabinets, paint can bring new life to your outdated bathroom vanity. Take a look at this pretty little bathroom makeover – the vanity looks amazing!
Doors
Changing out your front door can be expensive, so painting your exterior door is a great way to save money and give your exterior a more modern appearance. Painting the inside of your front door is also a great way to add a little drama to your entry. I happen to be a big fan of painting interior doors, as well, to add a bold pop of color and some character into your home. Check out my post on painted doors for some inspiration.
Baseboards and Trim
There has been a long-standing debate about whether or not you should paint stained wood baseboards and trim. Many people adore the classic look of wood trim, and would never consider hiding its natural beauty by painting over it. Others prefer the fresh, clean look of bright white trim throughout their homes.
There is no right answer, because it’s your home, and you should do what you like to create a place that reflects your style. I will say, however, that painting your wood trim white will completely change the look of the space. So, if transformation is what you’re after, painting the trim might be the right thing for you.
Take a look at this next before and after pic to see how dramatic the change can be, and then make the decision that feels right for you.
Built-Ins
I’m a huge fan of built-ins, and they can be a beautiful feature in a room. But, there are plenty of built-ins out there that are contributing to the overall dated look of a home. Your first instinct might be to just rip them out, but before you go down that path, consider painting them!
If you have high-quality, sturdy built-ins, with a nice, clean design, a fresh coat of paint might be all that’s needed to bring those built-ins back to life and update the entire look of the space.
Tile
Plenty of dated homes come with ugly (and rather colorful) tile. Our first home had pink tile in the kitchen, and aqua tile in the bathroom! Changing out your tile can be a big, messy job, so if the tile is in good condition, think about painting over it.
You can even paint your tile floors and completely change the look of them. Not so sure about this? If there is ever a poster child for the power of paint, it would be this next bathroom makeover by The Painted Hive. They painted the linoleum floor, wall tiles, walls, ceiling, tub paneling, and vanity…hard to believe it’s the same bathroom!
Floors
As you saw in the pictures above, painting your floors is yet another way to transform your home with paint. With patterned tile being such a hot trend right now, it’s fantastic that you can achieve the same look with paint for a fraction of the price! Browse Etsy for some stencils for your floors (check out Cutting Edge Stencils to start), and behold the power of paint!
Countertops
Most people think there is nothing they can do to change their ugly countertops. But, just like there is an ‘app for everything’…there is a paint for everything! These paints sometimes get mixed reviews, but they are improving every year, and can really transform the look of your kitchen or bathroom.
Here’s a project from The 36th Avenue that will make you a believer. They started by painting their dated green countertops, and then painted their kitchen cabinets white. The before and after pics are stunning!
Fireplaces
If you have an older home, chances are you have a brick fireplace. If your brick fireplace is making the entire room feel dark and heavy, then go ahead and paint it to brighten up the space! Tons of people paint over their brick fireplaces, and it’s very easy to do.
Another option? Consider whitewashing or limewashing the brick to brighten it up, while still keeping some of its character. For coastal and farmhouse style spaces, I happen to prefer the look of whitewashed/limewashed brick over straight-up paint, because I like to see the color variation of the brick shine through. The best paint for limewashing (hands down) is Romabio, which you can buy from Home Depot. Here’s an example of a limewashed fireplace.
Light Fixtures
We’ll talk a little more about replacing light fixtures in the next section, but if replacing them isn’t in your budget, you can also paint dated light fixtures to change their look! Just grab a can of spray paint from Home Depot, and tape off any areas you don’t want painted. No prep work needed, and you’ll be amazed what a little paint can do to modernize a light fixture. Check out this example.
Door Hardware
Just like with light fixtures, updating your door hardware can help your home look like it belongs in the current century. Replacing your door hardware with a new style and finish is an easy DIY project (we’ll talk about that later on), but you can also spray paint your existing door hardware to change its look.
Hopefully, after seeing all of the amazing paint transformations above, you now understand why paint is your best friend when it comes to transforming your home. Let’s talk about some other easy ways to update your dated home, shall we?
#2 – REPLACE LIGHT FIXTURES
Changing out your light fixtures is a great way to give your home a fresh look. Not only is it easy to do, but it makes a big impact. Start out by replacing outdated entry lights, dining room chandeliers, and bathroom vanity lights. From there, consider swapping out your flush-mount ceiling lights, especially if they are “boob” lights.
Ugh! Don’t even get me started on boob lights! There is just no need for light fixtures that look like upside-down boobs to be on your ceiling, and they should all be replaced (no strong opinions here!) I know, I know…boob lights are super affordable, which is why so many home builders use them. But trust me, there are much better options out there that are equally affordable, and investing in new light fixtures is a great way to make your home look more stylish and current.
#3 – UPDATE YOUR DOORS
When we bought our first home, all of the doors were hollow, flat wood doors with shiny, brass knobs (just like in the picture below). Not exactly the look we were going for at the time. So, we replaced all of our doors with white, paneled doors from Home Depot. You know what? That one change made a HUGE difference! The hallway suddenly looked clean and bright…and the entire house felt updated!
Now, you don’t have to replace all of your doors to achieve similar results. You can also just paint your existing doors (including the hardware, like we talked about before), and/or add some custom moulding to the door to totally change the look. Here are some great examples.
#4 – CHANGE THE BASEBOARDS
Our first home had small, oak baseboards…not bad, but nothing to write home about. They were the same stain color as the floor, so they just kind of…blended in. When we replaced all of our doors, we also replaced all of the trim around the doors, and the baseboards. We added taller baseboards, and painted them white – what a huge difference!
If you already have simple, white baseboards in your home, then you probably don’t need to do anything about them. But, if you have really small baseboards, like we did, or a style that looks dated to you, I highly recommend you replace them.
Another option for changing up the look of your existing baseboards is to make them look larger by adding a small piece of trim an inch or two above them, and painting both the trim and space between them white. Check out the example below.
#5 – REPLACE OLD CARPET
The typical lifespan of carpet is 10-15 years old, so if your carpet is older than that, it needs to be replaced…period. Before you replace it, take a peek to see if you might be lucky enough to have hardwood floors underneath. Hardwood flooring is not only in style, but it’s easier to clean, lasts longer, and doesn’t harbor allergens, like dust and mites.
Just be aware that you won’t know the condition of the floors underneath until you remove the carpet, so it’s a bit of a gamble. Most floors can be refinished and will look like new, but in some cases the hardwood might be water-damaged and require replacing. If that’s the case, you can go with new hardwoods, luxury vinyl, or even new carpet (though I recommend going with hardwood or luxury vinyl if you want a more updated look).
#6 – REPLACE OUTLETS, SWITCH PLATES, AND THERMOSTAT
Ivory used to be the color-of-choice for electrical outlets and switches, but now that white has taken over, ivory tends to look old and a little dirty. The good news is that these things are easy to change, and you don’t have to be an electrician to do it! Here’s an example of a subtle change from ivory to white that makes a difference in the overall look of the room.
As for thermostats, not only do older analog thermostats look dated, but their dated technology could be costing you money! You can save quite a bit on energy costs by replacing your old thermostat with a digital, programmable thermostat…and it will look way better.
#7 – REPLACE FAUCETS
Old faucets instantly date a bathroom. Not to mention, they can get grimy and gross if they are too old. Faucets are an easy DIY update (no plumbers needed), and they really make a big difference in the overall look of the bathroom.
If you have a single-hole faucet, you’ll just need to look for a new single-hole replacement. In other words, you need to replace it with the a faucet that has the same hole configuration of your existing faucet. If changing your faucet sounds too difficult, check out this simple DIY video from Lowes on how to Replace a Bathroom Faucet.
#8 – ADD MOULDING
Adding unique details to a room, like crown moulding, new window trim, and wainscoting, is a great way to amp up your living space and add some character to your home. Even though these tend to be more traditional elements in a home, they bring a sense of quality and beauty to homes that are otherwise lacking character. This is especially true of homes that were built between the 1950’s and 1980’s.
If you happen to have an older home that already has these great character details, be sure to showcase them and/or update them with a fresh coat of paint. If not, you can easily add these elements to a room, and really elevate the overall look of the home. Home Depot has some pre-made wainscoting panels that you can install quickly and easily. Here’s an example that illustrates the beauty of adding simple trim boxes to the walls in a dining room – so pretty!
#9: CHANGE HARDWARE
If you have great looking cabinets, and don’t want to paint them, you can really upgrade their look by replacing the knobs and pulls. This is a project that is both easy and inexpensive, so there’s no excuse not to do it!
You’ll see similar results if you swap out the hardware on your interior doors with new knobs or levers.
#10: CHANGE WINDOW TREATMENTS
Nothing dates a room faster than 20-year old window treatments. If you have old blinds or heavy, dark valences, it’s probably time to take them down and start fresh. By removing your old window treatments, not only can you let more light into the room, but you’ll help create a more current look for the entire space.
I typically recommend a less-is-more approach for window treatments. Current trends favor simple drapery panels layered with wider horizontal wood or faux wood blinds, bamboo shades, or roman shades with nice clean lines (see example below). There are so many options out there for replacing your dated window treatments, and it’s an investment worth making.
SUMMARY
Can you believe all of the clever little ways that you can update a dated home? Now, making all of these changes takes time – it took us several years to make all of these changes to our first home – so it won’t happen overnight. But, I’ll be the first to tell you, the time and effort we put into updating that house was soooo worth it.
The house underwent a complete transformation – how I wish I was blogging and taking pictures back then to show you. And, all of the money we put into the house to update it, we got back (and more) when it came time to sell it.
So, if your home is needing a little help with aging gracefully, or you feel like it’s stuck in a decade from long ago, then try a few of the changes mentioned here! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the hidden potential of your dated home.
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