Awesome Home Projects to Try Today
Interior and exterior design are ever-changing, but they remain important. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe that regular people can’t handle home improvement projects. If you want to transform your home without hiring professionals, check out these home projects from the past.
Yard Landscaping
Decades ago, people were obsessed with maintaining the curb appeal of their homes. They prided themselves on having beautifully landscaped yards, and that’s why your grandparents still spend so much time in their gardens. From lawns to paths to planters, the landscaping options are endless.
Painting the Front Door
The front door is the centerpiece of the house, but they start looking old and worn after a few years. If you’re searching for a simple home project to refresh the entire property, why not paint the front door? You can choose any color and easily do it yourself.
Building Furniture
That “do it yourself” mentality was massive in the past. People loved being self-sufficient, even if it meant building their own furniture! This is something we should all be doing more of at home, whether that’s building new furniture from scratch or upcycling older pieces.
Crazy Paving
Many modern driveways and patios are boring. Crazy paving was a huge home project trend in the 1970s, and we’d like to see it make a return. It’s a simple but effective way to add some color and pattern to an otherwise boring area of the house.
Gutter Replacement
Nobody wants to replace gutters, but leaving them clogged up is no good, either. We need to re-embrace that “do it yourself” spirit and learn how to replace guttering if we want our houses to look as good and be as functional as our grandparents.
Updating Lighting Fixtures
Lighting fixtures have undergone dramatic transformations over the years, and there are still plenty of great options out there. From luxurious chandeliers to gentle wall sconces to modern cove lighting, there are endless ways to update your interior with light fixtures.
Changing Door Handles
Home projects don’t always need to be big. Door handles used to be cool, decorative pieces back in the first half of the 20th century, but they’re now bland and unimpressive. Try swapping them out for fun alternatives to transform your doors.
Fitting a Bathtub
Bathtubs may no longer look like the claw-footed masterpieces of the 19th century, but they’re still important. They help us to relax and increase the value and appeal of our houses, so everybody should know how to fit and maintain one properly.
Decorating the Front Porch
Front porch sitting used to be a massive part of American social culture, especially in the Southern US. And while we may not chat with our neighbors as much nowadays, decorating the front porch with furniture, plants, or trinkets is a great way to take pride in your home.
Upcycling Cabinets
Upcycling was very popular in the 1980s and ‘90s, and we’re now witnessing a resurgence. Cabinet upcycling is a particularly worthwhile project because it allows you to transform the look of your kitchen by simply painting or resurfacing the existing cabinets.
Washing the Exterior
Most people wash their windows, but how many of us can say that we also wash the house’s exterior? This may seem like a thankless task, but with some patience and effort (and a strong pressure washer!), it really pays off and increases the curb appeal of your home.
Building Shelves
When we talk about building shelves, we don’t mean from IKEA! It’s far more creative and educational to build your own shelves from scratch. Nesting shelves, which peaked in popularity in the ‘60s and ‘70s, are coming back, but there are many other designs out there, too.
Handmade Ornaments
Do you know why older homes have more character than newer ones? It’s because of all the unique little touches. Handmade ornaments have a special charm that mass-produced ones don’t, and you can turn this home project into something fun for the entire family.
Accent Wallpaper
The 1970s had wallpaper, and the 2020s have accent walls, so why not combine the two? You can use wallpaper to create a unique accent wall without it looking too old-fashioned. This is an easy DIY project that anybody can pick up now.
Keeping a Garden
Previous generations were known for being keen gardeners, and we think this generation should be too. Keeping a garden is a great ongoing home project that also has excellent mental health and relaxation benefits. It’s definitely one project that’s worth bringing back.
Powerwashing Driveways
Like house brickwork, driveways often become dirty and uninspired. In the past, many people cleaned their driveways by hand to increase curb appeal, but we now have pressure washers to do that for us. Powerwash your driveway, and you’ll notice an instant difference.
Crown Molding
Crown molding, which refers to textured decorative trims, typically along walls, has been a popular interior design trend for centuries. You can install it anywhere - walls, ceilings, corners, and cabinets - and turn it into a fun interior design project to subtly transform your rooms.
Wainscoting
Another great interior design project that we should bring back is wainscoting. You can do this yourself to transform your walls and give them some dimension by nailing in decorative panels. This is a very old home improvement project that people nowadays rarely do.
Restoring Window Frames
Perhaps it’s because we don’t spend as much time on our front porches anymore, but many modern houses have old, tired window frames. Restoring window frames is a simple project that involves cleaning, filling, and painting frames, making them look as good as new.
Polishing Floors
People have been polishing floors for centuries, and they always looked pristine. To truly turn your floors into a project, try washing them, applying a specialized polish, and then buffing them. You’ll see the fruits of your labor and more.
Composting
If you’re eager to make your garden a big project, why not start with composting? You can use old food waste to enrich soil ready for plants. This project will also give you an excuse to spend more time outdoors, getting to know your yard and finding potential other projects.
Repurposing Wood
Woodworking has been a popular life skill since the 1800s, and it’s something that comes in very handy at home. If you know how to repurpose wood, you can create anything! Some of the best projects include decking, building shelves, and upcycling hardware.
Making Cushions and Blankets
There’s nothing better than snuggling up on the couch with a comfy cushion and blanket. But it’s even better if you make them yourself. Even people with very basic sewing skills can learn how to make fun cushion covers and cozy throw blankets for their homes.
Growing Your Own Food
People have been growing their own food for centuries, but it used to be far more commonplace at home. Fruits, vegetables, and herbs are easy things to grow at home, and there’s a great sense of pride that comes with providing for your own household.
Building a Shed
If there’s one project that anybody with basic construction skills can do, it’s building a shed. With the right tools and materials, you can make this your next big project and begin turning your garden from a boring space into something more tailored to your preferred aesthetic.
Vintage Plate Walls
Do your grandparents have a vintage plate wall? They likely spent a long time collecting all of those plates, and we think it’s a great, quirky home project to take up! Even better, it takes little construction and allows you to really personalize your space.
Candlemaking
We admit that candlemaking may be more of a hobby, but if you’re really passionate about it, it can become a serious home project. Before scented candles were popular everywhere, many people made their own at home, and with wax, oils, and wicks, you can too.
Building a Pergola
Once you’ve conquered smaller projects, you can take woodwork to the next level by building a pergola in the backyard! In the past, it was common to invite people over to socialize in the garden, and building a pergola is a great way to bring that back.
Installing Extra Ventilation
In order to keep their older properties in good condition, it used to be common for people to install additional ventilation. This is one of the most practical home projects on our list, and you’ll really notice how much of a difference the extra vents, fans, and filters make.
Painting Furniture
Yes, you did read that right! People used to paint furniture to refresh it, instead of wasting money on new items. Closets, dressers, chairs, non-fabric headboards, and cabinets can all be painted by hand to upcycle them. This is a fun, creative, and relaxing home project.
Fashioning Window Shutters
We often romanticize window shutters in other countries but rarely see them at home anymore. If you want to give your home a bit of vintage character, make window shutters your next project. With some old wood and plenty of skill, you’ll love the results.
Making Rugs
While younger generations are embracing hardwood floors, homeowners of decades past were mad about rugs! Sadly, rug-making is one home DIY project that has gone out of fashion but should be brought back. If you can sew, handmaking rugs should be your next challenge.
Basket Weaving
Basket weaving may sound like something obsolete, but it’s actually slowly becoming a popular home project. Many people are creating baskets from scratch to use for storage, and we think they’re a great way to add some character without making your home feel cluttered.
Building a Back Porch
You’ll probably need some professional assistance with the actual building work, but you can absolutely turn designing and decorating a new back porch into a home project. This is also a great way to reintroduce porch culture without it feeling as exposed as it used to be.
Creating Nooks
We often joke about old people’s homes having clutter, but our grandparents really didn’t waste space! And we shouldn’t either. Book nooks are currently trending, but you can also turn small nooks in your house into areas for relaxation, storage, or gaming.
