Whether you’re looking for ways to refresh your house before putting it on the market or just want to give worn-out elements a second life, look no further. Update the look of your home without enduring the inconvenience, time and expense of remodeling. Here are five areas to refurbish in your home from the ground up!

Wood flooring: If your wood floors have endured years of abuse, give them new life with a light sand and stain. You can also paint the floor a solid color or try out a pattern.

Cabinet doors and drawers: Instead of spending thousands on new cabinets, you can dramatically improve the look of your kitchen in one of three less expensive ways. 1) Reface, by replacing the doors and drawer faces only. 2) Sand and re-stain the doors, drawers and framework. 3) Paint the whole installation. All three options have a dramatic effect, and without the hefty price tag for replacement. Also consider replacing knobs, drawer pulls and hinges, and you’ll really see and feel the difference.

Kitchen sink: This probably gets more use than any other vessel in your home. To refresh the look, give the old hardware a good polish, replace the faucet to add modern functionality like pullout faucets and variable spray patterns, or replace the basin. These are moderate skill-level projects that are still inexpensive and look great.

Range hood: Updating the hood vent above your stove is a great way to make a big impact with little time and expense. Old range hoods often don’t work properly or look dated and dirty after many years of service. Fortunately, they come in standard sizes, and replacing them is a snap.

Light fixtures and ceiling fans: Since new lighting and fans can be expensive, repaint fixtures, bases, housings and fan blades with a modern color scheme to update the look. You can also replace shades or glass light covers.

By taking these steps, you can give your house the fresh look and feel you want at a fraction of the cost!

Sources: This Old House, PlanItDIY, Build.com

This article was taken from my August 2016 issue of YOU Magazine. Click here to view the full newsletter.