What’s the primary motivation for tackling any room renovation, whether it’s a living room, bedroom or bathroom? Aesthetics, according to HomeAdvisor’s State of Home Spending Report, released in June. Especially if you’re looking to remodel your living room, improving the appearance of the space and boosting your overall enjoyment of it are almost definitely the end goals.
While many home renovations can be a costly undertaking, there are still several ways you can remodel the look and feel of yours when on a budget.
For an addition to the room that creates a new focal point, consider Built-In Bookshelves to change up a plain box of a room and “help a very cookie-cutter home look more custom,” says Kathleen Kuhn, president of home inspection company HouseMaster, based in Somerville, New Jersey.
Built-in bookshelves can be tricky for a DIY beginner who has no experience with carpentry work, but a handyman could take on the project pretty easily. Alternatively, budget DIY gurus have been known to purchase multiple plain bookcases from Ikea, install them next to each other along one wall and add a bit of molding to make them look more luxurious.
How much will it cost? HomeAdvisor estimates the cost to have new built-in bookshelves installed by a professional will cost between $2,000 and $5,000. If you’re looking to go a little more DIY, Billy bookcases at Ikea are $59 each, plus the cost of wood and stain or paint to frame out the shelves for a built-in look.
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