1. Hop up your hardware

Switching up the cabinet knobs and handles in your kitchen or bathroom seems like a little thing — but it can make a big impact.

At Balancing Beauty & Bedlam, one homeowner opted for an even lower cost solution and spray-painted the knobs on her cabinets, to transform her dated brass hardware.

Into spiffy chrome to match her stainless appliances:

It was so easy and turned out so well, that when her daughters asked to paint the knobs blue for Easter, she said “why not?”

2. Shake up the shades

Changing lamp shades can change the whole feel of a room. Try replacing your neutral shades with bold colored or patterned shades. If you’re feeling crafty, stencil a pattern or stripe onto an ivory shade (tip: the larger the lampshade, the more impact your design will make).

Instead of paint, see how the ambitious lamp-owner from Designer Attache used tape and ink to transform this shade

3. Bring out the baseboards

Paint your baseboards a contrasting color — if your walls are pale, choose a dark color to make the walls pop, like designer Paul Anater did in this home featured on Houzz. (As an added bonus, dark baseboards will show far less wear and tear.)

 4. Cheer up your closet

Think just because it’s the closet, it doesn’t have design potential? Think again. Whether you have a roomy walk-in or a closet the size of a closet, a little enhancement can bring a smile to your face every time you open the door.

Stop by your local paint or home improvement store and browse through the wall paper remnants — when you find one you like, bring it home and transform your closet from blah to wow, like these featured at M { pression.

5. Collate your collectibles

Change up your living room by switching out the accessories — clear everything off the sofa table and replace it with a collection from somewhere else in your home. For added oomph for smaller items, pick up a frameless mirror from a local framing or glass store and arrange your collectibles on the tray.

Crystal glasses from a grandmother? Frogs from around the world? Geodes? You’d be surprised what will look great when you gather several together and highlight them in one place, like these globes featured in Real Simple.