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Most interior designers have a few inexpensive room-transforming tips up their sleeves, unsexy Home Depot finds that you won’t see credited in World of Interiors. One particularly tried-and-true strategy is to replace depressing light fixtures with the classic hardware-store pairing of a white porcelain socket and a globe bulb ($9 for both), seen above. In this brass-obsessed design moment, the utilitarian favorite “leaves things looking nicely unfinished,” says David Netto, a Los Angeles–based interior designer who learned about it from architect Annabelle Selldorf. “They’re sexy in their simplicity.” Other small but equally impressive fixes include adding a stately, plaster-esque ceiling medallion ($30) or swapping in a more traditional-feeling black toilet seat ($50), which can, surprisingly, make a world of difference. Ahead, a list of more high-impact, modestly priced upgrades gathered from decorators and aesthetes.
Jacuzzi Duncan faucet
It’s not an expensive, or difficult, thing to do these days — just make sure it matches all the rest of your metal fixtures, from your towel bar to your sink faucet handles to your toilet paper holder. Whether it’s matte black, chrome, polished nickel, satin nickel — make them consistent. It bumps up the whole aesthetic of the space. —Nye Basham, designer
43-piece pegboard
Hang a pegboard for organization. It’s easy, and they’re cool-looking. —Emily Wissemann, architecture student
Commune socket and chrome bulb
A classic white porcelain socket always looks beautiful. And these are like a fiesta version of those. Screw in a chrome-tipped bulb and you’re done. —David Netto, designer
Safavieh area rug
Use a sisal rug even — or maybe especially — if you have wall-to-wall carpets. Throw them right on top to create room separation, and to add some beauty. They also look great layered under Moroccan rugs. —Leanne Ford, designer
36-inch paper lantern
Use with a porcelain socket or white-cord kit to replace any dumpy light fixture — the bigger the better, in my opinion. They work especially great over the dining table or in the bedroom. —L.F.
Foam carpet padding, 1 roll
I came across this foam in the hardware store. It kind of resembles a granite or terrazzo look. Top a layer of it on a plywood bench, and you have a cool cushion. —Alex Proba, founder of Studio Proba
Rust-Oleum cabinet-coating kit
You may have the dreaded orangey-grained ’90s oak kitchen cabinets. If your landlord is cool with it, paint them with a cabinet kit. It comes with instructions, which are simple to follow. The main thing to know is that it takes a few days for each step — the de-glosser, the primer, the paint, and the clear topper — to dry, but it’s quite transformative. And quite tackle-able for even the non-handy among us. —Daniel King, co-owner of Home Union
Cuisinart half-circle pot rack
Life is too short to spend time digging through cabinets and deep stacks looking for the pan you need. So get yourself a pot rack. I get tons of compliments on this one, from Cuisinart. It’s easy to install (just three screws — make sure you find the studs) and doesn’t take up a ton of wall space. —Taryn Williford, Apartment Therapy editor
Cloth-covered wire
Even expensive lamp cords tend to be quite ugly. An inexpensive solution is to swap in fabric cords. I like them in a classic brown or black, but a color can give a room a pop of fun. —N.B.
Ekena Millwork medallion
Switching out existing overhead light fixtures is always a good idea, but I like to take it a step further by adding ceiling medallions. They’re my secret (and incredibly cost-effective) weapon; they dress up a ceiling, and draw the eye up. —Molly Torres, Homepolish designer
Cast-iron floor register
Cleaning up details you don’t think get noticed but the eye takes in — like floor grilles — does a lot to elevate a space. —Nicole Powell, co-founder of We Three Design
Vinyl-coated hook
McMaster-Carr’s catalogue has a surprising number of stand-alone hardware pieces that are quite handsome when used in the right way. Like, for instance, this very nice-looking over-the-door coat hook. —Shengning Zhang, furniture designer
Pine drop box
Top a simple pine box with a circular piece of marble. You can often find ugly marble tables on Craigslist or eBay for cheap and just take the top off. —Jesse Kamm, clothing designer
Acrylic sheet
Go to Canal Plastics and have them cut custom clear-pink Plexiglas for table surfaces; depending on the size, it can be around $40. —Amy Silver, set decorator
Pine plywood sheathing
Get plywood sheets at Home Depot — they’ll cut notches in the wood for you. —E.W.
Cast triangle pendant
Embrace the exposed-wiring look by choosing a fixture with an extra-long cord that can make geometric patterns on your walls and ceiling. The cone pendant above is from Flos, but Menu makes equally nice ones that are under $100. —Ming Thompson, co-founder of Atelier Cho Thompson
Bemz slipcover
Bemz slipcovers — which are made specifically for Ikea pieces — are machine washable. They’re especially great for clumsy people like me who have always wanted — and been too afraid to own — white chairs. —T.W.
Mayfair toilet seat
Change out your toilet seat for a black one. Make a note to be sure if you need round or elongated. It instantly makes any bathroom look more traditional. —L.F.
Shaker profile panels
It’s super-simple: Just go to Wainscoting America’s site and put in your room dimensions. We went with the Shaker style, but the raised panel is also nice, and a bit more traditional. Nail the panels to the wall, then paint them. It adds a ton of character. —Barry Bordelon and Jordan Slocum, The Brownstone Boys
Push-button dimmer switch and brass wall plate
The best advice I can give to a homeowner for instant sophistication: Install a dimmer. Lighting is the great special effect that changes everything in the room. For a vintage-style home, I like push-button light switches with mother-of-pearl detail. For another $12, you can get a beautiful, traditional-looking brass cover to top it. —Barbara Schmidt, creative director of Studio Bstyle
Schlage Bowery knob
Doorknobs in rentals can be hideous. Sub in a matte-black set with just a screwdriver in about five minutes. —Fiona Byrne, designer
Acrylic handle
They look particularly great against a lacquered white finish — more on living-room furniture than in the kitchen. There’s something about acrylic that feels ultra-modern, without being too bold or overpowering. —Patricia Voto, designer at Gabriela Hearst
SureCrete SureTex Knockdown overlay, $36; white color additive, $4
Mix a white color additive into water (just a little), then stir that into the concrete overlay until it’s a pancake-batter consistency. Use a drywall knife to spread the mixture over the wall, starting from the bottom and pulling it straight up. Finish with concrete sealer. —L.F.
DIY floor mirror
Get a large piece of glass from Sam the Glazier in Bushwick (or any other glazier), and use it as a mirror. They’ll sand down the edges for you on-site. —E.W.
Home Depot five-gallon bucket, $4; Sakrete gray concrete mix, $4; Rubbermaid hardwood broom handle, $9
To make this little bedside table, pour cement into a bucket, filling it about a third of the way. Then take a wooden broomstick, cut it in thirds, and arrange “legs” into the cement. —Amy Harlow, owner of Wagwear
Soap dispenser
They’re sleek — and good for the environment. I especially like them in contrast with old-fashioned tiles, which many New York bathrooms have — it modernizes and compliments the existing aesthetic. —Kyla Burney, owner, Adaptations NY
Grout Refresh
If you can’t get rid of sad, grayish grout, stain it black or a dark shade to make the grout color look modern and sharp. —M.T.
Smart Tiles panels
Short of renovating, not much is going to fix an ugly backsplash — but peel-and-stick tiles can hide it. I’ve seen these up close, and they’re a lot more convincing than you’d think. If your tiles are a standard size, you can also find the type that cover each individual tile with a separate sticker (so you still see the grout lines), but they’re a little less forgiving to install. —T.W.
Matchstick blinds
There is something charmingly low-tech about these — especially in a bathroom or kitchen window. Light filters through them in a really lovely way. —Kelly Behun, designer
*A version of this article appears in the July 22, 2019, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!
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