Here in North Idaho, the housing market has really skyrocketed.  Prices are up, inventory is down, and many people are staying in their current homes longer than planned.  After all, expensive-looking outfits are currently very easy to sell – but where would you go?  There’s nothing to buy!  And while prices may drop a bit, local realtors have assured me high property values are here to stay. 

Keeping your home longer means you have more time to focus on ways to make your rooms fit your life in the best way possible and look stellar doing it.  Some just take a little creativity.  One of my favorite little tricks is making your home look more expensive (have to justify those high property values somehow!).  Here are a few interior designer tricks – and the best part?  They are easy, quick, and don’t cost a fortune!   

Trick #1: Paint Interior Doors

Unless you are truly fortunate with a compliment of beautiful, genuine wood doors, this is a great tip!  Many modern homes come complete with white doors, and less modern ones often have “wood look” doors.  Consider painting your doors a contrasting color such as black or taupe for a truly expensive looking outfits.  You could even try one of the “modern neutrals” – wine, hunter green, or navy blue.  Whatever fits your décor!  PRO TIP: Consider painting your exterior door, too – it’s a great place for a pop of color like red, teal or orange.

Trick #2: Add Molding

For either a whole room or just an accent wall, decorative molding is an easy way to add texture and architectural detail.  Fortunately, there is a plethora of DIY tutorials online; chair rails, crown molding, haphazard all-over patterns, or traditional squares and rectangles.  You can accent any room, and some don’t even require nails!  PRO TIP: People tend to associate wide moldings with pricier homes.  If you have colored walls, a great hack is adding a thin piece of trim a few inches above the base molding or below the crown molding.  Paint it – and the resulting strip of the wall – the same color as the molding, and your home will look instantly more expensive!

Trick #3: Swap the Hardware

Often referred to as the “jewelry” in your home, hardware goes through fads and trends just as anything else.  Swapping dating knobs and pulls for more modern ones will instantly make your home look more in step with current trends.  Changing out kitchen hardware is the biggest “bang for the buck,” but don’t forget your interior door hardware, too!  PRO TIP: If changing out all your hardware isn’t in your budget, consider paint!  Giving knobs and pulls a fresh coat of black paint can make a huge difference.  Just poke the screws of each one into a chunk of Styrofoam to hold them steady, then give them a spritz with spray paint.  Instant update!

Bonus Trick: Here is an easy way to make your home look instantly more polished – be intentional with your household products.  There are so many items we use daily, from soaps to cotton swabs.  Decanting these often-used products into pretty containers, and then corralling them with a tray is an easy way to bring a designer-inspired flair into your home.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week!