In order to ring in the new year right, I have to find some fun, creative projects for my home. I’m on a tight budget these days, like most of us, so I went on a search for some easy, dare I say cheap, little refreshers. Here are my Top Five Cool Updates for $20.10.

1. Create a wall mural with ONE stencil and paint. I love the stencils at Stencil 1, the books rock because there are some mod, updated shapes and images.

2. Cover an old dresser with contact paper. Check out Lena Corwin’s cool PDF instructions from her book Printing By Hand.

3. Make an unsightly or off center window a work of art. Customize your own window film! Check out Design*Sponge for the instructions.

4. Make your appliances stainless for $15. Use stainless steel contact paper to update your appliances and make them look modern and new.

5. Remove doors on some of your kitchen cabinets and wallpaper. This is such a great touch to any space. And you can use inexpensive wallpaper from Steve’s Blinds & Wallpaper, and even create more storage for yourself. Plus it becomes an easy access area for day to day items, or a cool display space.

Last 5 posts by Krista Watterworth

• What if your sofa could scrub your feet too? - July 30th, 2010
• What Do Ceiling Fans & Badonkadonk Have in Common? - July 15th, 2010
• Alien Body Shower - July 12th, 2010
• Splurge & Save: British Colonial Dining - July 1st, 2010
• Make Your Own Mod Lights - June 14th, 2010

Author: Krista Watterworth

Krista Watterworth considers herself a true multi-tasker: mom, author, television personality, and interior designer. Krista starred in four seasons of HGTV's Save My Bath as host-designer and in 2009 will star in a new HGTV show called Splurge & Save. She has quickly gained celebrity for branding her unique aesthetic. According to Krista, designing and performing have two things in common: you have to delve into the heart of a person (or a character) to find out their intimate secrets, and then create an entirely personal world around that.

Krista Watterworth has written 101 articles for us.