Update Your Home Without Renovating

Today, I am giving you the inside scoop on how to update your home without renovating. These simple tricks will help you upgrade your space, whether you rent or own. We don't all have the budget or time to do a full makeover, so hopefully, these hacks come in handy for you!
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⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:38 - Update Your Doors
03:15 - Cover An Eyesore
05:23 - Paint and Peel and Stick
08:34 - Upgrade Pulls and Knobs
10:12 - Upgrade Your Lighting
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[@monkeygraborange]

Painting tip: Watch A LOT of videos before you dyi. Knowledge is a good substitute for experience, but enthusiasm isn’t.

[@Timeisirrelevant]

For painting? Attention to detail amass practice, practice, practice. Not rocket science.

[@theekatspajamas]

​@Timeisirrelevant you'd be surprised how many people mess up painting a room

[@minnybiker4505]

I have no attention to detail until it's done, then my attention can't be turned away from my awful paint job.

[@monkeybusiness1999]

Hey Monkey ~ absolutely!

[@sarachristman16]

Choosing the right color is the hardest part of painting.

[@Soni-bl7tz]

NICOTINE BEIGE!! 😂😂😂 Hilarious 😂

[@soapylulu]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@stefs3460]

If the Benjamin Moore people see this and have a sense of humor they should pretend it's a new color on April's Fools!

[@mateusarc]

I love it, I'm gonna use it from now on😂every white plastic thing from the 80s and 90s became 'nicotine beige' after a few years

[@cjhoward409]

We washed everything in my inked house to get it ready to sell. That nicotine when washed is like a putrid tan/green/yellow/orange nasty nasty NASTY color and SMELL 🤮

[@cjhoward409]

@@mateusarc My neighbor said she painted her kitchen white which looks like a runny beige, but she smokes 😬

[@patriciajankowski1]

Clearing the clutter first will help immensely.

[@ande100]

Exactly! I cleared out my kitchen completely and now only 50% is going back in. The rest goes to f'n marketplace and donations. Busy weekend.

[@Nick_Lewis]

Yes, clean first. Buy later if you need to.

[@j.m.7056]

​@@ande100 Bravo!

[@evam4182]

For real! I promised myself when we moved to our new house that I’d start with everything cleaned out and cleared off and let me tell you - with two kids under 3, it has been a huge life saver. My house is the most baby-proofed non baby-proofed house I know of and it’s a huge life saver on top of being so happy and clean and inviting. Best decision I made during the move.

[@jessicapavilonis1324]

@@ande100in the midst of renovating our kitchen right now. I purged a ton of stuff when we packed everything up and I’ll likely purge some more when we start putting things back in the new cabinets. The reno should pretty much double our storage space, but my goal is to have at least a few empty shelves/drawers, breathing room around our stuff, and at the very least get all the stuff that had been out on the countertop put away.

[@hilarywalker7596]

'Maybe you're fabulous, and in which case, good for you' 😂❤

[@cjhoward409]

That was my favorite line ❤️😂😂😂😂

[@MelMc188]

I love nick lines ❤️

[@healingasthmaacasestudy9851]

Unfortunately I’m not fabulous and my house is a little old and gross

[@margarethubbard1173]

"people don't talk about doors enough!!" made my day...doors, paint colour and lighting are so dang key!

[@eattherich9215]

Don't swap out a good, solid flat front door for those cheap and nasty moulded hollow core ones.

[@Nick_Lewis]

@@eattherich9215 💯

[@jessicapavilonis1324]

@@eattherich9215 my 50’s bungalow has those exact doors (flat but solid). We replaced one with a nice French door, but I still have the original door in storage because it’s such good quality. We’re also renovating right now (an $80k kitchen reno like Nick described lol) and created a pantry out of a reconfigured closet. I made sure the contractor reused the old closet door on the pantry, and he also kept and used all the original baseboards and door trim too. No sense throwing out the good stuff just to replace it with crappy MDF or vinyl trim.

[@lisaclarke0192]

Could I love your videos more? No. You're one of the smartest designers on youtube. I look forward to your videos dropping. Btw, I am the manager of the design dept of a local store of a huge international company and make your videos mandatory for my design team to watch to ignite dormant brain cells. You make my day. It's always common sense.

[@franziska919]

Dormant brain cells 😂😂

[@Nick_Lewis]

Haha I love that!

[@lael5327]

It isn't really an update, but something that made my house feel brand new was getting a professional deep clean done. I got the entire house done and they do things that in my daily or weekly cleaning, I just don't do. (I'm looking at you base boards.)

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

I too have been looking at my baseboards here lately 😂. The air grate that is located under the door for the water heater could also use some TLC.

[@jessicamcneil5624]

I had new flooring installed, but the amazing change was fresh clean baseboards.

[@j.m.7056]

​@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValleyYou may try to remove it, clean and wire brush. Then spray paint with Rustoleum paint. Not to hard and worth the effort.

[@user-qp2qe5gf9b]

For us, that thing was painting the ceilings. They were always ceiling white, but we used a different paint this time and people are always commenting on how clean the house is, despite nothing else changing.

[@sallycapotosto6927]

Hey, Nick, I just wanted to thank you for always finding an appropriate photo show casing what you're talking about. I'm a very "visual" person and picture really help me understand. So, thank you!

[@lucielariviere489]

Sometimes better… is better than nothin’ - Nick Lewis, 2024 Words of wisdom

[@annadam]

you ain't kidding about a renovation. Did a kitchen reno a decade ago, and there's nothing like washing your dishes in a plastic bin in your bathtub. Currently re-doing my master bedroom...floors, ceiling, vanity, closet...what was I thinking. Doing all the work myself, started the week of Christmas, 4.5 months in, delays, tool malfunction, everything that was in my bedroom is spread among the other rooms in my house, which is not big. I'm camping out in the guest bedroom which looks like a hoarder's lair. I can't even make my bed it's so tight in there. Good news, is...I haven't cried yet!! 😃🤗

[@pollywog92]

Done the washing dishes in the bathtub. It gets old pretty fast, doesn’t it? Didn’t help that we were doing a bunch of other renos at the same time. Hang in there!

[@jessicapavilonis1324]

Currently staying with my parents during our kitchen/main floor reno. Two little kids plus me and my husband staying with two retirees. It’s been seven weeks and we’re getting pretty tired of each other! My parents took a cruise to get away from us for a week 😂 We were supposed to be back home by now but it’s been one problem after another with our appliances so could be a couple more weeks yet 😫

[@annadam]

@@jessicapavilonis1324 reno is bad enough but small kids makes it even harder. LOL @ your parents escaping on a cruise 😄😄😄

[@joycependleton4117]

Yikes! Hopefully the results will be something to be proud of and enjoy for years! (I had a similar situation & yeah, even though I'd do a few things differently, the sense of accomplishment is still awesome 8 years later!)

[@kellylappin5944]

@@jessicapavilonis1324 Oh that’s hilarious!

[@lorenrivera2020]

Painted my fireplace, hung a fantastic new picture above it, some new candlesticks, couple new throw pillows and a throw. I’m in love with the room again!!!

[@pjperdue1293]

This is a unique and original video! Very timely. Many people live in rental apartments with cheap and nasty features; they're limited in what they can get away with. But changing doors, doorknobs and cabinet knobs can have a huge impact and we won't lose our damage deposits. Thanks for this.

[@siaeva]

Your sarcastic humour is the best!😂

[@evanharris9247]

agree. his jokes aren't forced it's just him trying to restrain his inner bitchiness and I'm so here for it

[@pennys3100]

My husband just said “I hate Nick because he makes me spend money” 😂 thanks for the new air vents Nick!!! Btw he actually loves the idea too

[@Nick_Lewis]

Aww... haha 💸💸💸

[@pennys3100]

@@Nick_Lewisjust remembered our Frame TV was your idea too a while back 😘

[@AndreaSmith-gx4yj]

If you are getting floor registers, make sure the part that inserts into the floor is metal. I bought really gorgeous ones that were metal on top and the rest was plastic. They've all come apart. Grrrrrrr.

[@lauram1208]

Cover those eyesores! I had the world's ugliest breaker box . It not only stuck out from the wall but had a large cable coming out of the top going to the ceiling. I got a cabinet that fit, left the back off and made a simple box to cover the cable. The electrician who upgraded the breakers liked it so much he took a picture to show other customers. I also have extra storage now, a complete win 😁

[@cjhoward409]

Ours is behind our couch in the livingroom. Had to find a tall and wide piece of art to cover it and be symmetrical to the room and furniture too. And it’s lightweight and easy to take off in case we need to get to the breaker box

[@anitawarburton6087]

I started my morning 3 hours ago with your IKEA video and spent about 175 on new lighting for my living area, dining & kitchen as we have been in this apartment for a decade with the breast lights staring down from the ceiling at me! I feel vindicated in my moderate expense by this latest mild reno video of yours and feel our spring transformation will make me feel like I have had a boob reduction. Thank you Nick!

[@lylettarobinson916]

Getting rid of my early 2000 boob lights was literally one of the cheapest & easiest things I did to update my home.

[@653j521]

Tee hee. I don't know what I have in this little apt but maybe warts. I try not to look up. :( Besides all the 1970 ceiling lights I rarely use for more than a minute, are as many new fire fighting system objects, some of which blink. (Is anything more annoying than a ceiling light where it fights your furniture arrangement? I'm not putting my table there and you can't make me.)

[@Nick_Lewis]

I have never heard them referred to as breast lights and I love it. 😂

[@jeanvignes]

Boob light. Let's be frank. It's a boob light. I say this as a woman who has nothing against boobs whatsoever: frosted glass boobs do not belong dangling from our ceilings. They belong in the boob light museum aka glass recycling. Ha-ha!

[@React2This]

I replaced boob lights with schoolhouse and now I can’t change out ceiling bulbs by myself! There’s a reason why those fugly lights exist: We old ladies don’t fall backwards off a ladder trying to get the glass shade back in place. Argh!

[@sydney-my4zn]

Re: doors - if you are willing to put in the time to search for the right style and size, you can often find antique/vintage doors that can add so much character as well!

[@Nick_Lewis]

Oh I love that!

[@jeanvignes]

SOLID doors with excellent frame support and dead-bolt locks can provide both beauty and safety inside the home, too. When my father built his dream home, he had them install a very solid door with a key-lock dead-bolt to his bedroom, where he and my step-mother could retreat in case of a home invasion. As a dentist, he had good reason to be concerned about being targeted by bad, irrational, people looking for drugs or gold. Solid antique wooden doors -- unlike modern flimsy veneer doors honeycombed with cardboard -- cannot easily be kicked in and of course my father also had his gun safe in his bedroom. This is the American Deep South, after all. 💥

[@AmandaBabyyyyy]

⁠@@jeanvignesI’ve never heard of dentists’ homes being robbed for drugs and gold, is that a thing?? 😂

[@vaderladyl]

@@AmandaBabyyyyy They have the good sedatives and pain killers, plus some people might think they keep the gold fillings they take out of a patient's teeth in the house.

[@stefs3460]

I LOVE this idea! I have ugly 70s hollow shiny veneer doors that I hate. Painting could help but antique doors sound even better!

[@migrabar79]

I'm taking two main points out of this video: 1- We do not talk enough about doors. 2- Better is better than nothing. 🤣 I know you don't like letter signs and/or embroidery pillows, otherwise I would send you one of each with those words. Epic! Now seriously, you bring up some very good ideas.

[@Nick_Lewis]

Oh thanks! Yes, we need more door conversations.

[@migrabar79]

@@Nick_Lewis Agreed!

[@megh1684]

Aside from your great tips, l tune in for your humor. 😂

[@NoseyFloridaGirl]

Same

[@Sunny-rh1yp]

Can we add update lamp shades? Love the video!

[@lylettarobinson916]

He is not lying about the pain of renovation. 8 months without a kitchen almost did me in!

[@dismurrart6648]

That's the biggest reason, even more than cost, that I'm embracing my kitchen and bathroom as is.

[@user-ib8qt3ei2w]

I did 6 months of time with both the kitchen and bath! I washed my dishes in the shower - when I had a shower! 😂

[@springchicken893]

😮

[@nancyanneberg403]

You are my hero, Boi genius. Thank you.

[@pollywog92]

Kudos to you! I can’t imagine going 8 months without a kitchen! I went 3 months cooking on a stove in the middle of the family room, and carrying dirty dishes upstairs to wash in a basin in the bathtub, and I thought I was going to lose my mind. Bunch of other renos going on at the same time. At times I felt like I washing the dishes with my tears.

[@raccoonfederation]

I love listening to your videos on 1.25x speed cuz it sounds like a manic rant on interior design and it only makes it better

[@jessicapavilonis1324]

😂😂😂 gonna have to try that!

[@shakwon619]

😂😂😂😂

[@susanmorrison8403]

Haha, Nick already talks so fast, I can barely keep up! 😂

[@Shadow.Henderson]

its the chili in the bathroom via the crockpot for 6 months for me. FELT

[@KellyDVance]

I love painting cheap furniture to make it look better. I got an old cheap Walmart/Big Lots bookshelf from work to put in my kid's room since she was running out of shelf space for books. Painted it blue on one side with ivy and a dragon (she loves dragons) and the other side I got inexpensive trim to frame it and painted it with chalkboard paint. Inside it is pink. Doing projects for her is my excuse to indulge in bright colors and fun.

[@vernonbrana8205]

Bingewatching all your videos as I am literally updating my whole apartment by myself (painted, replaced hardware, etc., etc.) coz I finally got my dream hardwood dining table and coffee table and I realised that the rest of my space are not good enough for 'em. Haha.. Nice to feel like someone's gonna judge me im the background (just the way I like) while painting or rearranging stuff. Thanks!!

[@653j521]

The slippery slope. :) Each new item makes the rest look shabbier.

[@vernonbrana8205]

@@653j521Yes, it is and totally enjoying the ride. Haha.

[@natashacutmore7005]

Pantone colour of the year- "Nicotine Beige"

[@Nick_Lewis]

I want a royalty.

[@shannonwold638]

Buying all new AC vents for the entire house made me feel so much better and looks so much nicer. Also, my sister spent thousands of dollars a few years ago on a huge kitchen renovation, which included new cabinets. The house I moved into 20 years ago had solid wood cabinets, which I had professionally painted. Guess whose cabinets have all kinds of wear marks now? Newer isn't always better.

[@dking1362]

Thanks for sharing this! I am contemplating having my kitchen cabinets painted. They are quality and in terrific shape, but the yellow-orange oak color dates them. I keep hesitating, though, because: 1. Oak may well come back into style at some point; 2. There's no going back to stained cabinets once they are painted; 3. Worry about wear, chipping, scratch marks, etc. on a high-use, painted surface. Would love to hear more about this...success stories, what to watch out for, how they should be painted to last for the long term....

[@vaderladyl]

@@dking1362 Well, oak is actually back and it is a timeless material, and if you Google around, you will find gorgeous transformations, keeping that wood tone on the cabinets, which I personally don't find ugly. They can be tone corrected to tame down the orange cast while keeping them stained. They do stain over stain or removing older stain and re staining with new tone. I have my oak ones and changed most of the other stuff, with new complimentary paint(blues, greens, and earth tones with no red/yellow undertones, tame the wood perfectly) and new modern accessories and now it looks updated and fresh. I took inspiration from google searches and quite some time researching.

[@kitfranzman4860]

Renovations have been the demise of more than one relationship. You have something for everyone!

[@eattherich9215]

'Renovations have been the demise of more than one relationship.' 🎯 I was watching one of those HGTV renovation shows a couple of days ago when things were not going well. Without a smile on is face, the husband suggested divorce as a way to overcome a problem.

[@johnlabus7359]

When I bought my condo years ago, it came with nice chromed level handles on the doors but cheap paint grade hinges that were indeed painted. Well, with just a little effort and not too much money, I swapped out all of the hinges for stainless steel ones and it made a huge impact.

[@laurieleannie]

Nick, in the current market where people are broke and a ROOM rents for over $1000 (oof) more of these types of videos are needed! Especially rental friendly ways to create a nice space. Even in a room!

[@Marann771]

Hi Nick! I think the biggest update that I hadn't thought about was changing the doors - Brilliant!!! 🤩🤩🤩

[@liiiissssss]

When I moved in my apartment I just changed the door handles of my cabinatry in the kitchen and it made such a difference. The new handles look so much more modern and fit in better in terms of the color scheme. This was so easy and cheap - couldn‘t recommend more!

[@GoettingRx]

I switched out the builder’s door handles in my entire house for beautiful glass ones. I’ve also replaced the cheap builder wall mounted vent covers with some really nice custom resin printed ones that look vintage. Love them! And don’t forget to upgrade the switch plates!

[@j.m.7056]

Yes! Outlet covers too!

[@Anika6.91]

So have done some of these already and I highly recommend trying! I live in a rented flat and while I strive to make the space my own, some things I am not allowed to do and others I just don't want to spend my own money on when it's not even my property. The laminate flooring in my bedroom was (and still is) blue. I've covered it with some linoleum (or pvc or something?) resembling wood. It came on a roll just like a rug. It's not even properly installed. It simply lays on top of the laminate, cut to fit the room, and fixated by the weight of the furniture. It's been holding up very well for close to seven years now. On my walls there are large drilling holes from a shelf I didn't like but have to reinstall when I move out. I covered those with art. In my last flat the pulls on the kitchen cabinets were soooo nasty. Swapped them out and the kitchen looked brand new again. Better than before is good enough most of the times. I don't need perfect, I just need enjoyable 😊

[@j.m.7056]

Well said!

[@jeanvignes]

#1 - Cleaning! (Dust rhinos + cobwebs = haunted house.) #2 - Mind your wires. Run cords the same color as your baseboards tight along the top/edge with clips to hold them in place, cord minders under the lip of your desk or behind your media table, etc. You can even hide cords with wallpaper, specialty tape or cord catchers. Anything safe to make them "disappear". #3 - Declutter. Piles of papers, unopened mail, stuff you "plan" to donate to Goodwill, magazines you "plan" to read, piles of shoes you never wear, all make you look less fresh and more disheveled. Just set a timer for fifteen minutes ever day and get it done. #4 - CLEAN carpets and CLEAN floors and CLEAN blinds and sparkling CLEAN windows/mirrors and CLEAN curtains (see number 1, not kidding.) #5 - Everything Nick said. #6 - Pay close attention to scent. I hate those chemical spewing plug-ins, but I love putting some spices into a pot and letting it simmer on the stove on very low, or putting two drops of lavender or rose or lemon verbena essential oil into a bucket of mop water, or even roasting vegetables with herbs to waft through the house (and hey! dinner!) Collect and dry rose petals, put them in a beautiful brass bowl, refresh occasionally with rose essential oil. My mom used to put orange peels in her car when it was getting musty. #6 - New art. There are often wonderful, vintage, framed pieces at jumble sales, flea markets, even the occasional garage sale. I once bought to gorgeous framed fragments of a kimono probably made in the 1940's (long enough ago that I felt no guilt about cutting up antique kimonos. DON'T DO IT.) Even an heirloom quilt properly/professionally hung on a large wall can transform a room.

[@unposhnails3366]

I did a turquoise peel and stick backsplash in my kitchen. I wouldn’t commit to tile in that color, but it was very fun for while.

[@dking1362]

I did a vivid coral door from my laundry room to the garage...I call it my Happy Door! Too bright for a full wall or even many accents, it works great in my otherwise-neutral room to give me the color I crave!

[@clairekurdelak2913]

What I’ve picked up from designers is that making trendy choices for hard finishes is a mistake, because they quickly look dated. Timeless, ‘boring’ choices for hard finishes like counters, tiles, fireplaces etc are less likely to be regretted. Soooo paint is a great place to experiment and enjoy more trendy or risky looks. Same with lamps and a lot of your examples here. ( I know you can argue about whether there is such a thing as timeless. See Maria Killam)

[@vaderladyl]

She knows what she is talking about when explaining what timeless really is, when choosing those fixtures.

[@terryruiz7417]

Good advise! So many of us are looking for ways to just make our surroundings a bit better on a slim budget, and the fixes mentioned fit the bill. Another...simply rearrange furniture, or consider using some pieces in other rooms. Free!

[@heddasutherland6947]

Last weekend at the Habitat for Humanity store in North Kansas City purchase three solid wood doors to update my bungalow. I only paid $105 for them. I am confident they will add lasting convenience and value to my home.

[@carolcaruso6641]

Doors, yes!! When we bought our downsize house 7 years ago I loved the doors!! Handles not knobs beautifully panelled and painted not that horrible shellacked hollow core! Makes a huge difference!

[@JaimeLeighArt]

We did a whole home renovation in 2021 (it was necessary-1940s home!) and I can confirm that living in the renovation with kids and a single bathroom is indeed hell 😂) But we did include a lot of these suggestions in the reno- got new vent covers, sanded and stained all our doors and refurbished the vintage doorknobs, replaced all our cabinet knobs, etc. It makes a huge difference and pulls everything together!

[@jeanvignes]

Someone (?) said that nobs, pulls, vent covers, electrical outlet covers, etc. are the jewelry of the home. I agree. Nicest light switch I ever had was hand-made ceramic that I bought from an artist at the the Seattle festival called Bumbershoot. I smiled at it a thousand times over the years; it made me happy.

[@JaimeLeighArt]

@@jeanvignes yes! We got beautiful Victorian style outlet and switch plate covers too, and it was such a small change but I love them! They really add to the look of a home!

[@trinaroe5132]

3:54 I had a plastic tubular shelf unit at the bottom of my basement stairs. It was the only thing that could fit there because it could easily be assembled around the sewer pipe that went out through the wall there. But it was ugly to see at the foot of the stairs as I came in the side door. I couldn’t figure out how to curtain it off until I discovered a curtain rod IKEA made that can attach to the ceiling. Using the curtain clips that worked with that rod I hung a flat twin sheet in a blue gingham there. To make it the right height I hemmed a floppy top that looks like an attached valance. Looks great and easy to pull aside for access.

[@Beqeeangel]

My aunt bought a cando and we immediately painted the ugly 90’s kitchen cabinets a pretty teal and added a false backsplash and painted the cheap countertop. Her kitchen looks great now!

[@sadantnanl1717]

Recently I found bead board wall paper and used it on my 50 year old hollow core doors. I know bead board isn’t for everyone but it matches my baths. Anyway I left a 3” border around the edge and 6” strip across where the door handle is then trimmed with a 1 5/8” molding around the wallpaper. After paint and new hardware they look great. I love the way the molding makes them feel heavier reminiscent of a solid core door. All 16 doors only came to $400.

[@loristein6074]

One of the first things I do when moving in is changing out my lighting. It's really not that expensive and can give a fun updated look.

[@Sunshine-fy4fz]

Great tips, and as for adding more lighting without hiring an electrician - there are SO MANY wall sconces/picture frame lights that don't require rewiring, they are battery operated (many with a hidden puck-style light and a remote control). Now adding lighting is accessible for anyone!

[@justinjohnson4278]

My bathroom is the EXACT same layout as the one in the thumbnail which is super helpful and makes me happy

[@LindaKing-lf8nk]

This is really a practical approach to redecorating thank you so very much. And you are such a kick to listen to I love it

[@kathleenwiens6763]

One of Nick's best videos, yet!

[@nonawolf7495]

Nicotine Beige ... I'm dying!

[@WriteSister]

A balanced furniture arrangement in a tidy space can make all the difference. Calm and uncluttered is relaxing.

[@paulabeattie8565]

Not just great ideas, but the visuals just make the video (next to your fabulous commentary). Well done

[@jennie9]

My washer and dryer is in a nook in my hallway and I was told to buy sliding doors to close it off. Not only is that too expensive for me, the machines are side by side, so I wouldn't be able to toss clothes directly from the washer into the dryer. Instead, I put up some beautiful curtains on a curtain rod. It looks pretty when closed, it's functional, and it cost about a quarter of the price of installing doors.

[@juliebruce1114]

This is one of my favorite videos of yours ever! The advice, the sarcasm, and the humor💯

[@suzannecarter445]

Hilarious opening, Nick - "until you've made chili in an instant pot in your bathroom because ..." I also liked the list of things you are NOT doing like ripping out carpets - sounds like most of these would also work great for renters. After deep-cleaning one day, I was looking around saying, "What is wrong? Why is the total impression awful? Then I realized it was the yucky doors! A magic eraser sponge and some linseed oil did the trick (plus I painted the molding around the door.) "Cover the ugly!" is a great online search term for ideas. I once had a huge niche in a wall that I filled with open shelving consisting of bricks and used plywood (I was in college). I obtained some decent drapes from Goodwill and it looked great. I love "nicotine beige" as the Benjamin Moore color code (I'd say "nicotine greige"). Hint: Peel and stick looks great as a backsplash for your stove, but the steam will make it come off and look crappy. So get a super stiff wall covering and just screw it in at the room corners. Another hint: I'm convinced people spend a fortune on romantic dinners out because everyone looks so beautiful in the warm semi-pink lighting but no one seems to learn that you can install that light bulb at home and serve a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store with a gorgeous salad and a great artsy bread from the bakery saving $100+ and impressing your date even more.

[@evam4182]

My heart stopped at “nicotine beige” and I had a ton of flashbacks from every home and apartment I’ve ever lived in. Such good advice to swap those out, and the curtain idea just gave me a solution to the biggest eyesore in my bedroom and now I can’t believe I never thought of it! Thanks Nick :)

[@joanreichenbach4896]

Another good video!!! You had a few really good LoL zingers; nicotine beige and insta-pot chili in the bathroom, My sister and I do “house reviews” together. We look at each others’ houses with a fresh & different set of eyes and share what simple changes could be made. Since I am in my house all the time, I can become immune to the eye-sores.

[@darladellana4961]

Nick, thanks for covering this topic. You are singing my song! After raising four children we have to put our extra income towards retirement so my decorating budget is quite slim. Your ideas help so much!

[@aniE1869]

Unfortunately I have to renovate my kitchen. Mine still has it's original particle board cabinets from 30 years ago and they're starting to crumble.

[@Sooz1234]

You can get very high quality RTA or pre-assembled kitchen cabinets with plywood boxes, wood doors and soft close doors and drawers from several reputable online sources to save massive amounts of money. We purchased RTA vanities for our three bathroom remodels, I assembled them myself, and the total cost was about 1/3 of purchasing custom or premade vanities. BTW, not a trained professional, young, or particularly handy.

[@Jeepgirlcj7]

We just changed out all of our home light fixtures (goodbye boob lights), purchased larger rugs for our livingroom and den AND re-hung our curtain rods 2 in from the ceiling over our sliding doors in both the kitchen and the den. These small improvements have really made a huge change in our home. Now I am rethinking our doors...lol

[@imscanon]

These are such important tips. Getting a fixerupper can be really intimidating, so I like to do these kinds of things to make the place look decent enough to want to live in WHILE I'm renovating. That way, you can do one room at a time for less disruption yet the rest of the house is still livable and pleasant enough to live in. Valuable for the sanity and mental health too. Also, everyone you know is gonna want to come see the place (and if you live in California relatives will just buy plane tickets then tell you they are coming with a week notice so it REALLY can save your sanity to do the once-over temp makeover first before the big stuff). I give everything a 'lift' then fix the worst offenders or urgent fixes then one by one do each room.

[@michellespohrer6395]

I agree with Nice about renovating. I did a lot in my last home and it was a pain. I wouldn't do it again. Unless you have a really dysfunctional kitchen, just update it. Most baths can get away with paint, new hardware, and lighting. Re-enamel an aging bathtub or shower. I did that for a guest bath and it was so much more economical than renovating it.

[@cokedclassic7627]

When I saw our house for the first time...the first thing I noticed is that it had real solid wood doors. We have a finished basement and I really want to replace the doors. It will make a huge difference

[@653j521]

A really ornate, vintage basement door could give that "dungeon" touch that is so popular at Halloween. :)

[@cokedclassic7627]

​lol... I don't have exterior doors 😅

[@jeannette7243]

I laughed out loud throughout the video. Thank you. I love all your videos but this one takes the cake.

[@nellie9352]

All great ideas! In 2016 I moved out of my house for it to be demolished down to outside walls (even two of those were removed and rebuilt). I lived in an extended stay for nine months - cooking, sleeping etc and sharing that space with my cat was verrrry long. But worth it when I finally got the house I dreamed of. I had done the mini do overs - redecorating, paint, etc. My go to now is to refresh a couple times a year by move things around (furniture placement) switch out curtains - all window drapes are usable in all others (complementary colors) throw rugs, pillows. Even plants get moved to a different window or room.

[@PGrew]

All great ideas. My daughter had the worst backsplash in her starter house (little townhouse, . She couldn't afford to replace the hideous backsplash in the kitchen. The peel and stick looks so much better. She also had one of those dated builder grade oversized mirrors in the bathroom. The edges had damage from Windex and condensation on the silver backing. We took pieces of wide trim and "framed" on top of the glass. Now it looks fresh and new.

[@stephaniecuzner8147]

Nothing has changed the feel of my home more than painting all my doors and trim. I tried to make the white work, but Arizona is so dusty! It's all a nice true gray now, and i love it. It picks up the undertone of the color of whatever room it's in.

[@r-e_mii]

Doors can change an entire space, even just the color. Great tips!

[@erzabetf9544]

Great ideas! I’ve done most of these updates as a first-time homebuyer. Some of them were great interim solutions, and others were a great ways to bring some personality to my home. And most of them looked great … if I squinted a little. But no one looked as closely or as critically as I did, and I was happy with all of them.

[@nailguncrouch1017]

Good ideas, I am now looking at my doors trying to decide what color to paint them.

[@Exurbanite]

I love that you mentioned faucets. They’re not difficult or complicated to replace if you have the mobility and flexibility to get under the sink and reach up to touch the bottom of the old faucet. But they’re such an upgrade to daily life.

[@tinalundy7858]

You know what I love my lil 70 year old farmhouse and I do me and thanks for acknowledging some of us can only afford the purse and shoes for the same dress😊

[@Elle-kr8od]

I remember my mother sewing new buttons on her wool winter coat.

[@jeannequan9122]

I appreciate this content -upgrades that don’t require renovation. I’d appreciate hearing which tend to add to value as one prepares for selling your home.

[@karenbryan5976]

As a Realtor I can tell you Nick is spot on. 1. Clean and declutter 2. Paint 3. Change out lights.

[@coastaldiva]

Painting is so affordable and transformative!! Prep well, take your time

[@vaderladyl]

Paint is magic and can fix almost everything.

[@laurieleannie]

About 90% of painting is actually the prep work!

[@coastaldiva]

@@laurieleannie yes!!

[@vaderladyl]

@@laurieleannie Yes, it is crucial for a perfect finish and durability.

[@chronicallynerdy4074]

I want Nick and Technology Connections to do a collaboration video on their mutual love of lighting solutions.

[@kelliheiney]

I'm one tip into this video (doors) and my mind is already blown! I've NEVER thought about doors for my home but always notice when someone else has nice ones. Genius!

[@liliaweber7257]

A lot of these are things that a renter can change, especially if you save the old one and put it back. Thank you!

[@Arlene4HO]

Doors… great suggestion!

[@Timeisirrelevant]

Not easy to swap out. Painting is easy. Replacing the hollow doors for solid is a pain and often requires a handy man or woman.

[@653j521]

@@Timeisirrelevant My parents bought a house that had absolutely been through the mill. They did major renovations as they went but my mother decided the cheap and entirely doable fix for their hollow core bedroom door that had been kicked in! from the hall, was to reverse the door. My guess was my under five foot tall mother had the help of my over six foot tall father to move it but she was the one with the DIY skills. It worked so well that I forgot there had ever been a problem until I closed the door from the inside years later. :)

[@Arlene4HO]

@@Timeisirrelevant Makes a big difference though. We took that task and went with it.

[@madmud3292]

First thing I did when I bought a VERY outdated house before I moved in was repaint the whole house with a darker trim & matching darker doors. Completely changed the house. Like a 20 year facelift!

[@huehnerfressenponies]

My top tip for updating without renovating is to re-hang your art. It can give your space a completely new feel, without buying anything. Like a little museum curation

[@sophieq71]

We painted our doors. Initially thought of changing but actually, a lovely dark blue / almost black paint made such a different! :D

[@ryantoomraider8767]

Another huge one you kinda added to lighting is those new peal and stick wall lamps (usb chargeable)

[@SuperDrLisa]

Peel and stick wall lamps...where??? I need that!

[@j.m.7056]

Me too!

[@rachaelbruesch6306]

I know that pain! When we renovated our kitchen, I was literally cooking on a Coleman camp stove & a barbecue grill in our front yard. Our neighbors had no idea, they told me that they thought I really liked grilling. 😅

[@NoDecaf7]

I live in a rental with boobs in many of the rooms. Just swapping out the light bulbs and cleaning the inside of the boob make such a difference if you aren't in the position to fully replace the light cover.

[@Lindalindali]

What do you think about door curtains? I've recently been in a museum (the old house of a famous person) with original 60s decor and it had some door curtains that were really well made and looked great. It also had rattan radiator covers. Now I want both

[@mikki3961]

First thing to do is declutter and a deep clean then really LOOK at your space. I remember the video on the boob light and I had one! Had. Love ya Nick. Are you still selling your place or what..update??

[@kathleengarness1660]

I had two hollow-core plain doors to my living room and bedroom, and had a carpenter swap them out with two six panel doors, and then added compatible moldings. What a huge difference in how the room feels!

[@Thyra1100]

This video is spot on. We have a kitchen that is tiny and sorely in need of renovation, let's just say the counter tops are fake slate and textured. They're black and impossible to keep looking clean in any way! But that project is way too much to tackle right now. But we did replace the faucet, it wasn't too exspesive, fits the sink we have and is so much more functional. It works the current decor of the kitchen, and it was so much more fuctional and cute we commented about it for days! Ours was a little more difficult to replace because we have older pipes, but a lot of the newer attachments are much easier to swap out. I think all these little decor tips are great and can really make difference in the home. I remember my mom periodically swapping out the light switch plates and outlet covers, and the grates, and sanding or painting old furniture. It really makes a difference without the hassle of a full overhaul!

[@carolesanetti1257]

Doors! Yes! Doors take up a lot of wall space, and very obvious in any space. Doors should absolutely be a lovely part of our indoor environments!

[@9of938]

Replace lampshades, window treatments, wall art. Great video a s always. Thanks Nick!

[@thislightful]

Wow! Seven years ago I moved into a house that was built in 1974 there were so many dated details. Didn’t have a lot of money so I did what I could, and you literally listed every single thing did when I first moved in. For instance, all the door knobs were this old, shiny gold and scratched up and yes, they were hollow doors, I unscrewed each and every single handle, sanded it down spray painted it with an oil bronze color, which actually matched the remodeled kitchen and it looks fantastic. It’s incredible how sometimes these minor changes makes such a difference..

[@altzana396]

New, clean and crisp vent covers make such a huge difference! We did that a few years ago in the home we bought and it was totally worth the $400.00 to do the whole house including air returns.

[@rebeccablackburn9957]

We painted our orange oak cabinets white and our beige countertop black!! Looks like a new kitchen!

[@MelMc188]

A very useful and reasonable video. I have a nicotine beige medicine cabinet I’d love to switch out.

[@vaderladyl]

If it is beige on the inside, and even the outside , can be painted with spray paint.

[@MelMc188]

@@vaderladyl sounds like a much less expensive solution, at least until I can find a new one to replace it. The entire medicine cabinet is very plain and kind of ugly as it is.

[@vaderladyl]

@@MelMc188 It should work. I had some ugly yellowed vents, plastic covers and other things in my bathroom and just using white spray paint, after thoroughly cleaning them, did the trick. They look brand new now.

[@jackceli1684]

I repainted a vanity in my bathroom and it really made such a difference. Paint really is a miracle

[@meganjohnson9540]

Thanks, Nick! As always, yes! 😘

[@briennesharff8184]

Thanks for a realistic outlook towards improving your home. Sometimes we want a big change/reno and sometimes we just want to work with what we’ve got and make it better!

[@Inlelendri]

I've been trying to get a proper home together for the first time, buying lighting and rugs and shelving (all those things that are not bare essentials, and I've had a sort of inner Nick reminding me of all kinds of things during it after all the videos I've watched. It's been a real great help, thank you

[@happystamper62]

Oh lord...just what I needed this morning; a good laugh! I love your sarcasm and wit! Also love all your ideas! Thanks for being the Nick we all love and follow! :D

[@marcielston3019]

OMG. My '10 day guaranteed' reno for my kitchen had me w/o a kitchen for three months over the holidays. Never Again. and it cost a friggin fortune.

[@eda-se4lz]

Thank you, Nick!