--- ---  # 50 Home Fix-Ups for Under $100 by [Cara Greenberg / This Old House](https://time.com/author/this-old-house/) ## Cara Greenberg / This Old House Mar 10, 2015 3:00 PM UTC  Curtains and front doors of rustic house Curtains and front doors of rustic houseGetty Images by [Cara Greenberg / This Old House](https://time.com/author/this-old-house/) ## Cara Greenberg / This Old House Mar 10, 2015 3:00 PM UTC Simple upgrades can drastically improve the feel and function of your home. Read on for clever tips, projects, and products that offer a big payoff for a small investment in time and money. [**1\. Dressed-Up Door**](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20639152%5F21227186,00.html?xid=time-150227-50-nifty) Block drafts and highlight the entry with a curtain on the inside of the front door. Lush Decor’s Mia Panel Pair in eggshell white with silver and black stripes, about $40, and Talon Valance in gray, about $20; [wayfair.com](http://www.wayfair.com/) [**2\. Surprisingly Luxe Lighting**](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20639152%5F21227192,00.html?xid=time-150227-50-nifty) Wire up a rustic lantern over a dining table as a striking substitute for the typical chandelier. Hampton Bay Hanging 3-Light Outdoor Aged Iron Lantern, about $60; [homedepot.com](http://www.homedepot.com/) [**3\. Cozy and Practical**](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20639152%5F21227194,00.html?xid=time-150227-50-nifty) Cover a ceiling in cork for a cozy effect that also absorbs noise. Trim cork sheets to size. Spread adhesive on ceiling, position cork, and roll into place, securing corners with brad nails. Natural Tan Composition Cork, about $3 per square foot, and Forbo adhesive, about $10 per quart; [bangorcork.com](http://www.bangorcork.com/Default.asp) [**4\. Noticeable House Numbers**](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20639152%5F21227197,00.html?xid=time-150227-50-nifty) Adorn your door with house numbers in an oversize fancy font so that friends can find you easily. Stick-on vinyl decals in a range of fonts and colors make it simple. Similar: From $10; [etsy.com/shop/vinylizeit](http://www.etsy.com/shop/vinylizeit) [**5\. New Sliding View**](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20639152%5F21227198,00.html?xid=time-150227-50-nifty) Rehang an existing door, or a new salvaged one, as a space-saving slider using barn-door hardware for a chic industrial look. Barn-door install kit, about $95; [hardwareworld.com](http://www.hardwareworld.com/) [Read the full list HERE.](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20639152%5F21227202,00.html?xid=time-150227-50-nifty) _This_ [_article_](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20639152%5F21227186,00.html?xid=time-150227-50-nifty) _originally appeared on_ [_This Old House_](http://www.thisoldhouse.com)_._ _More from This Old House:_ * [20 Budget-Friendly Bath Ideas](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20809949,00.html?xid=time-150227-budget-bath) * [88 Quick and Easy Decorative Upgrades](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20736364,00.html?xid=time-150227-decorative-upgrades) * [13 Thrifty Ways to Give Your House Vintage Charm](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20677193,00.html?xid=time-150227-vintage-charm) 50 Home Fix-Ups for Under $100 ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3724559/home-fix-ups-100-dollars/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3724559/home-fix-ups-100-dollars/"},"headline":"50 Home Fix-Ups for Under $100","datePublished":"2015-03-10T15:00:35.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:56:47.294Z","description":"These tips, projects, and products can offer a big payoff for a small investment","url":"https://time.com/3724559/home-fix-ups-100-dollars/","keywords":["Living","advice","home improvement"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltea6ab43590d8bf2e/69878137e20a877267a854fa/gettyimages_507833039-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cara Greenberg / This Old House"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltea6ab43590d8bf2e/69878137e20a877267a854fa/gettyimages_507833039-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"front-doors-curtain","caption":"front-doors-curtain","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3724559/home-fix-ups-100-dollars/","name":"50 Home Fix-Ups for Under $100"}}]}] ```