Try one of these low-effort DIY updates to refresh your home in just a few hours.
Consider our easy, one‑day decorating projects that bring major personality without the massive effort. There’s a stylish update for nearly every room in your home.
1. Greet Guests with a DIY Doormat
Personalize your entry with a custom doormat. Cut a word or image from cardstock to use as a stencil. Paint over it, then seal with spray to protect your design from fading or wear.
2. Install New Lighting
Refresh your space instantly by updating lighting. Sconces can be compact and don’t always need hardwiring. Opt for plug-in models or battery-operated puck lights for easy installation.
3. Paint an Ombre Accent Wall
Turn a plain wall into a softly gradated ombre arch. Tape off the area using painter’s tape, paint on three colors in layers, and let each dry thoroughly before moving on.
4. Build a Room Divider
Create a DIY divider using ten boards. Build a frame using two long and two short boards, then add and attach the remaining vertical slats. Secure it between the floor and ceiling using wood screws.
5. Try a Pegboard Wall
Design a pegboard that’s tailor-made to your space. Drill holes in plywood in a grid, insert dowels for handy storage, and paint it to fit in or be decorative wall art that stands out.
6. Make Stamped Canvas Art
Skip the store—make modern art yourself using materials you have around the house. A canvas, a drywall mud masher, and leftover paint are all you need to create a chic stamped design.
7. Build a Living Wall
Turn old cutting boards into a living wall of plants. Attach boards with D-ring hardware and insert succulents or air plants—an easy style update that’s perfect for sunny spots.
8. Build Picture Ledges
Build simple photo ledges from 1×4 boards—perfect for displaying artwork and photos that you can switch out whenever you want. Paint to match your decor.
9. Use Removable Wallpaper
Add pattern and texture using peel-and-stick wallpaper. Choose an accent wall that shares at least one color with the room. Paint walls first, then apply wallpaper for easy removal later.
10. Build a Wall‑Mounted Nightstand
Create floor space by building a floating nightstand. Leave room underneath for storage, and incorporate a slot for phone charging cords in one smart design.
11. Install a Wood Accent Wall
Create modern texture with 2×4-foot plywood panels in a staggered installation. Leave the wood grain exposed—no need to paint. Vary panel sizes for personalized visual interest.
12. Give a Dresser a New Identity
Give an IKEA Malm dresser a new identity with the addition of stained wood panels, a frame repaint, and the installation of new hardware for a custom update.
13. Build a Plant Stand
Construct a contemporary plant stand with only four boards and simple tools. Stain or paint to coordinate with your porch or interior design.
14. Paint Minimalist Wall Art
Make a statement artwork with a mop as a substitute brush on large-scale panels. High-contrast, flowing lines make a dramatic visual that appears gallery-worthy.
15. Add a Tile Backsplash
Use mesh-backed tile mats to complete a backsplash installation in one day. Apply, peel off liners, press tiles into position, then grout and clean.
16. Dress Up a Drum Shade
Give a plain drum shade a new life with flowered fabric. Simply glue your favorite designs over it for an instant beauty increase.
17. Organize Your Office
Transform glass jars into spray chalkboard paint and chalk pen label organizers. They’re simple, stylish supply or small item organizers.
18. Brighten a Bedroom
Add bedside illumination to mason jars with plug-in pendant sockets. Make a hole in the top, insert the socket, and hang from a hook—no installation of wired lighting necessary.
19. Snap Happy Display Board
Make a fabric, corkboard, string, and tack textured photo frame. Staple fabric onto a board and weave string lines to hold pictures in an interesting grid.
20. Add an Area Rug
Instantly give a room a lift by rolling out a new rug. Consider size, shape, and material—washable rugs are great for heavy-traffic zones.
21. Punch Up Your Pillows
Add hand-stamped texture to pillowcases using screen‑printing ink and stamps. Insert cardboard into the case, stamp onto ink, repeat, and heat-set on the reverse with an iron.
22. Give Old Dining Chairs a Boost
Sand and prime wooden chairs, then paint them in a bold color. Recover the seats with fabric and polyfill for a fresh look.
23. Give Your Mantel a Makeover
Create « message-in-a-bottle » art by decoupaging photos onto glass bottles. Add handwritten messages inside and cluster on the mantel for a personalized display.
24. Dress Up Dining Linens
Paint a cotton tablecloth with thinned fabric paint. Use sweeping brushstrokes on wet fabric and blend colors for a soft, artistic appearance.
25. Refresh a Table Lamp
Refresh a lamp with metal details. Tape off sections of the base, paint, and seal. Paint cardstock stencils and glitter spray on the shade, then clear seal.
26. Perk Up a Tabletop
Give cut wood rounds a personal touch by burning in names or signatures using a woodburning tool—custom decor with meaning for your table or as gifts.
27. Update Your Entryway Planters
Color-block terracotta pots with two outdoor paints and painter’s tape, or wrap in rope for a simple, stylish entryway update.
28. Wow with Wall Art
Adhere vintage maps to foam-core with rubber cement, letter phrases on watercolor paper, and cut and glue over the map for layered typography art.
29. Store Toys in Style
Breathe new life into storage baskets using spray paint and painter’s tape. Create stripes for visual interest and use various hues to designate baskets by family member—pre-reading skills, too!
30. Elevate a Serving Tray
Transform an ordinary metal tray using painter’s tape to mask stripes or apply vinyl stencils for design. Uncover a sleek, polished appearance after the paint dries.
