Updating your current home is a better choice than trying to sell your old one and buying a new one in a sluggish market. Here is some valuable information and smart advice you can use when you start your next project. When armed with knowledge, you are sure to make smarter decisions.

Plain lampshades can make your whole room look boring. You can spice up your lamp shades by painting them using stencils. This will give your rooms some personality, taking away from the reality of how boring an ordinary lamp shade can be.

Store material that you’re using for building between floor joists or ceiling rafters. Larger materials can even be stored without problems. Just nail some furring strips across exposed joists and slide the material in.

Add a bit of class and sophistication to your home by building an unusual addition. Think of dedicated rooms for uncommon purposes, such as a classy billiard parlor (instead of a mere game room) or a well-appointed wine cellar. Your guests will be amazed, as well as future prospective buyers.

If you need more space or want a change, consider a renovation project. Home renovations give you the freedom to mold your home into exactly what you want. A well-planned renovation is far more affordable than purchasing a new home; it also gives you a greater degree of control over your surroundings.

Many home builders save money on construction costs by installing only solid wood or particleboard cabinets that do not have any type of hardware. Fortunately, you are able to get knobs, pulls for the drawers and handles at a hardware store or online. You can choose knobs, handles and pulls in a vintage look, modern or designer type, and they are easily installed.

Don’t overcrowd you room with furnishings. A room full of furniture looks tiny, no matter how big it actually is. Even if lots of pieces fit your lifestyle, potential buyers like to see a lot of open living space. Fewer furnishings and more space will provide the room with a larger, more open feel.

If you have a porch, consider repainting it. Be sure the paint you use is of the best quality. Make sure the paint you choose has the same type of base as the previous paint; you should use oil over oil and latex over latex- or water-based paints. Oil-based paint is good for trim, as it lasts longer, but it should not be used on a deck or floor outdoors, as it becomes very slippery with snow.

You need to find your house’s best points and make sure to showcase them. Eliminate the canopy in order to showcase the master suite’s tiered ceiling or block windows with a view of a pond. No matter what your home offers, do your best to emphasize its best features. Doing those extra things will allow a buyer to see your home’s full potential and make it more desirable to buyers.

Having a home is a great opportunity to let your personality shine. Homeowners are increasingly turning to home improvements to increase the value of their homes or to better suit the home to their needs. These big projects are often completed in lieu of selling an existing home to buy an upgraded or larger property. Armed with the ideas in this piece, you ought to be ready to launch the transformation of your home.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Franklin County where you can make the most impact on improving your community.