Are you thinking of updating your bath or other areas of your home, but the costs of materials have you thinking twice? Whether you are moving, or just adding some updates to your home, one of the simple things to do — that doesn’t cost a whole lot of money — is to add feature walls. Many real estate agents and clients use this trick to sell homes.
I have added feature walls in my kitchen, bathrooms, dining room and bedroom. This can be done simply by painting one wall a darker color, adding removable wallpaper, or adding brick, subway tile, shiplap or board and batten.
If you ever have visited model homes, you might have noticed that they usually have more than one feature wall. Feature walls add great character to a home, and will help your home stand out, if you are trying to sell.
If you love the look of shiplap, but the price of lumber has put it beyond your budget, think outside the box! I had two of my bathrooms shiplapped with ¼-inch sanded plywood boards.
Home Depot cut my plywood boards, which cost about $25 to $30 per sheet, into 8-inch strips. (You could do 4-inch or 6-inch strips, but I like the wider boards.) Then, we attached the strips to my walls with a brad nailer. Once the boards were attached, we caulked (where needed) and sanded it down. Next, we painted the shiplapped vanity/mirror wall tricorn black and the rest of the walls alabaster. Voila! It was an inexpensive instant update to my bathroom.
Other additions to my home, besides shiplap, include a wallpapered feature wall in one of my bedrooms, simple board and batten in my dining room, beadboard paneling and a full brick wall in the kitchen, and a subway tile wall in another bathroom. Each of these treatments is timeless, and they are a bonus when you sell.
– Donna Broadus is a 28-year resident of Woodstock and the owner of Broadus Realty Group. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook for design/staging tips. broadusrealtygroup.com.
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