Temporary Touches
From painting to installing wall tiles, there are many home improvement projects that renters or commitment-phobic homeowners sometimes avoid because of their permanence. Fortunately, not every DIY requires a lifetime commitment; in fact, many projects can be undone at the drop of the hat—and with minimal effort. Click through for 10 interior updates that you can complete today and reverse days, months, or even years from now to maximize style and flexibility.
Bring In Color without Paint
Why paint that dingy interior wall when you can TempPaint it? Available in a range of solid colors from teal to buttercream, the removable wall covering offers a no-drip, no-mess alternative to traditional interior latex paint; just peel and stick it on the wall for a paint-like finish free of uneven spots or roller marks. Because you can paint over TempPaint, or take it down completely, it’s the perfect wall treatment for busy DIYers with evolving color and style preferences. Available from Amazon; $39.99 per roll.
Stick Up Wallpaper
Want to spruce up bare walls in your apartment or home without risking the wrath of your landlord or committing yourself to the same wall treatment for years? Consider covering walls with temporary wallpaper, a self-adhesive, removable alternative to traditional wallpaper that you can stick on or peel off on demand without marring your walls. If you plan to apply temporary wallpaper in a bathroom or kitchen, consider Tempaper, a moisture- and stain-resistant product you can apply to backsplashes, furniture, and other surfaces. Available on Amazon; $38.39 per roll.
Swap Out Bathroom Fixtures
Replacing dated shower heads and faucets with newer, more efficient equivalents is a simple way to save water and add style to the bathroom that you can easily modify later. With designs ranging from modern rain shower heads (like this affordable option from Target) to antique pipe faucets, there’s a bathroom fixture for every aesthetic.
Update Cabinet Hardware
There’s no need to pull out a can of paint to transform cabinets from blah to beautiful. Simply replace old cabinet hardware with a new set of door knobs or drawer pulls in any style, color, and sheen of your choice to raise them to new heights. Installing or removing new cabinet hardware is as simple as tightening or loosening a few screws, so you can update the hardware and refresh the room whenever the mood arises. Available from The Home Depot; $4.79 per knob.
Convert Light Fixtures
Want to switch out a glaring set of recessed lights for more subdued interior illumination? Pick up this pendant light kit from Worth Home Products Trade that lets you convert a recessed light into a brushed bronze pendant light without special tools or rewiring. Just adjust the cord length by hand, screw it into a recessed light can, and then slide up the decorative cover plate to hide the recessed can opening. Finally, attach the clear glass shade to enjoy soft mood lighting for every occasion. Although the kit components look fixed in place, they’re completely portable; move the cover plate, cord, and shade to another recessed can at any time to gain light in a different area of a room. Available from The Home Depot; $64.02.
Peel and Stick Up Flooring
Nab the luxe look of a hardwood or tile floor—while reserving the option to change your flooring later— by installing vinyl floor tiles with self-adhering backing. Measuring 12 by 12 inches, these wood-look vinyl tiles from TrafficMaster go on with a peel-and-stick process and can be removed. The tiles even resist stains and scuff marks to keep your floor like-new for years to come. Available from The Home Depot; $29.10 per case.
Tile a Wall without Grout
Nix the grout, glue, and mess that come with installing traditional wall tiles. Measuring about 12 by 8 inches each, these self-adhesive decorative subway tiles from Smart Tiles can effortlessly be applied to walls through a peel-and-stick process to create beautiful bathroom or kitchen backsplashes and daring living room accent walls. While you can can apply the lightweight tiles over smooth surfaces, they’re thin enough to apply directly over existing tilework. You can even remove the tiles to expose the old tilework again. Available from The Home Depot; $26.94 for four-pack.
Throw Down a Washable Rug
Instead of investing in a traditional area rug and footing the bill for professional rug cleaning, why not buy a rug you can wash right at home? This stylish two-piece woven rug consists of a rug pad and a washable rug cover. When the rug cover gets dingy, simply throw it in the wash, tumble-dry it, and pull it back over the non-slip rug pad to cover those bare floors and achieve comfort and traction underfoot. Available from Ruggable; $199.
Let In Light
Is wiring a light fixture enough to make you blow a fuse? Illuminate dark corners of the home with easy-install light fixtures that let you skip the hardwiring process altogether. Perfect for shedding light on a dining table, end table, or desk, this vintage-inspired industrial pendant light hangs from a hook and plugs in or unplugs for effortless installation and operation—no need to fuss with the circuit breaker or a tangle of wires. Available from The Home Depot; $38.18.
Cover Up Countertops
Don’t have the budget for marble countertops? Think again! This self-adhesive marble lookalike vinyl film transforms countertops or furniture into stunning marble surfaces for a fraction of the price of the genuine article. Simply peel away the backing, stick the film to clean, flat countertops and other surfaces, and then watch them turn into glamorous striated stone before your eyes! When you move out or replace your countertops, peeling off the film is just as easy. Available from The Home Depot; $12.99 per roll.
Don't Miss!
If you have the money to hire a handyman for every household woe, go ahead. But if you want to hang on to your cash and exercise some self-sufficiency, check out these clever products that solve a million and one little problems around the house. Go now!
