Have you fallen out of love with your home? Maybe it’s just fine, but you’re a little underwhelmed with its looks these days? We’d all love to live in a custom built home — one with the finishes, paint colors and floor plan hand-picked and laid out by us. The problem is, a beautiful custom home comes with a price tag that isn’t so beautiful…or practical. So instead, we’ve got the next best thing — tips to make your current home look and feel like a custom home.

Paint the interior doors and trim – Painting doors and trim can give your home a richer appearance immediately. A deep, new color creates contrast and drama in an otherwise softer palette or neutral room. Depending on the look and feel you are going for you can choose a neutral matte finish in a color like medium to dark gray, or for high impact, choose a gloss or semi-gloss for your doors in black, and paint your trim in white. Whichever look you opt for, don’t stop at the front door. Painting all of the home’s interior doors can add a custom appearance throughout your entire home.

Add more contrast – Have you been suffering from “builder beige” boredom? Create interest and personality by using contrasting paint colors. It’s easy to get creative with stairs, for example. Painting steps in a dark espresso or black, with white on the kickboard makes your staircase the star of the entryway or room. A pop of color, a painted design or a tile pattern on the kickboard can also give your stairs a custom look. Add in a richly painted railing and you’ve easily upgraded the feeling of your home. Another great way to add contrast in your home is to choose a deep hue to paint an accent wall. Accent walls create visual depth in smaller spaces, and they can also be used to create defined spaces within an open area.

Switch up the hardware – You’ll find a wide array of creative and stylish handles, knobs and drawer pulls that can be used to upgrade the look of doors and cabinets. Whether you choose quirky, classic, ethnic or modern, changing out the hardware in your home is an easy and fun way to add flair and polish.

Shop for stylish furniture or accent pieces – If it’s in the budget, consider replacing worn or outdated furniture pieces. If you can’t afford to buy multiple larger items then look for distinctive accent pieces that will spruce up your existing furniture. Adding an amazing area rug, a trendy accent chair or a stylish cocktail table can give new, richer life to a room. If you don’t mind having to assemble your furniture pieces, and keeping costs to a minimum is important, check out Ikea for style and affordability. They also carry accent and decor items.

Give your fireplace a makeover – Fireplaces are often the focal point of a room. Basic or outdated fireplaces can be spruced up fairly easily and at a reasonable cost. Painting the mantle white and the surrounding wall in a different color showcases the fireplace. If the fireplace is in a brick that you’re not especially fond of you can paint it in a deep neutral or white. And, if you don’t like the mantle itself, you can clean up the look and make it more contemporary by removing the mantle entirely. Maybe you’re happy with the overall look of your fireplace but still want to dress it up. If that’s the case, consider upgrading the hearth material with a beautiful stone tile or slab to really add polish and make it look luxe. From a decor perspective, there’s nothing like a bold piece of art, pottery or other statement piece to draw the eye.  

Let your budget and appetite for projects guide how many of these relatively easy and affordable ideas you choose to take your home from ho-hum to wow. You’ll feel like you’re living in a custom built home for a fraction of the cost!