Major Home Improvements For Less than $100

Fall's a good time to tackle home improvement projects, but you may well want to avoid the cost of hiring a professional.

On "The Early Show," Amy Matthews, host of the DIY Network's "Sweat Equity," demonstrated how to get the look of wainscoting using only painters tape, paint and a level, and how to get an expensive custom look in a child's bedroom using more paint, tape -- and paper plates!

Matthews showed how to do it quickly and easily - over one weekend -- for less than $100 dollars each!

They're two of the most popular - and often most expensive - home improvement projects around.

But whe holidays coming, and many people wanting to spruce up their homes in time for company, the projects can be done on the cheap, as shw proved.

Painting is the most popular DIY project, because it can make a big impact at little cost and can be done in less than a weekend. You don't have to spend a lot of money on gadgets to make a room look great. All you need is some creativity to do a room for less than $100!

For example: If you've dreamed of a new master bath, but it's just not in the budget, you can create a peaceful retreat by painting spa-like neutral colors. Then add an elegant touch to your favorite accessories and wall hangings by outlining them with tone-on-tone paint colors.

Even in the kitchen, it's easy to completely refresh a space without investing in brand-new cabinetry, by using a few coats of paint.

As for adding wainscoting and customizing a child's bedroom -- for only pennies:

Adding Wainscoting & Molding

Wainscoting and moldings are beautiful ways to add architectural interest and excitement to your home's decor. But instead of spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on bead-board paneling and moldings, here's how to get the look for less with just a little paint, painter's tape and some paint supplies.

For less than $100, you can create a custom look that will suit any style and taste, from contemporary to traditional. And because it's an inexpensive way to spruce up your home, painting is a great choice for trying out a new color palette and updating your look.

Matthews showed a grey and yellow room as an example of finished room with a faux chair rail and wall frame. It had the look of custom millwork, but at a fraction of the cost.

PREPPING

The key to a professional-looking job is proper prepping and supplies. Make sure you have your painter's tape, brushes and rollers, trays, paint, primer and a putty knife.

If you have imperfections such as cracks or nail holes, fill them in with a light weight spackle and then sand any bumps. Then dust and clean the wall with a rag or even a vacuum.

She had already laid down ScotchBlue Painter's for a faux chair rail and wall frame idea that will add a bit of architecture to a wall. Laying down painter's tape properly is important to achieve sharp paint lines.

Pull the tape off the roll a few feet at a time. Secure the tape by pressing the edge down with a putty knife or a 5-in-1 tool. Use a credit card if you don't have a 5-in-1 tool.

If the surface is highly textured, seal the edge of the tape with the existing base color of the wall. This will prevent the new paint color from seeping under the tape.

For this design, we laid out the tape using a bubble level. I penciled a line at my desired height of a chair rail, typically around one-third of the height of your wall. Then we masked the chair rail using 2-inch tape; you can also apply two pieces of tape for a thicker rail.

For the frames, we penciled on a rectangle in our desired dimensions below and above the chair rail, leaving about four inches between the lines and masked around our pencil marks.

PAINT

You'll need about one gallon of paint for every 400 square feet of surface space if it's smooth, add a little more if the surface is textured.

With a roller, roll the paint onto walls in 3-foot by 3-foot sections, painting in long strokes, using a zigzag pattern. This achieves a more even coating. You might want to go back over it to ensure full coverage.

And always start in the highest area to be painted. so you can smooth out drips.

When painting smaller areas like the wall frame, make sure you have the right sized brush.

Color choice is key when thinking about the design of your room. Here, we went with a sophisticated gray and yellow palette. You could even get a little tropical by replacing the yellow with a turquoise, which is Pantone's color of the year.

You can choose colors that suite your tastes, but you really want to avoid ostentatious colors, like a bright orange or pink when creating a design treatment that is already unique.

And if you're planning on selling your house, just stick with a classic neutral.

After paint has had time to dry, remove the tape at a 45-degree angle, and at a moderate speed.

To see how to customize a kid's bedroom, go to Page 2.

Customizing a Child's Bedroom

According to Matthews, a child's room makeover usually runs around $500, not including updating furniture, which can run into the thousands. Not to mention that you'll have to transform the space as your child grows and his or her tastes change.

Instead of getting into an expensive remodel, she again used paint to transform the look of the room.

She had an example of a child's bedroom where the owner didn't buy an expensive headboard, but used paint, instead! You can personalize it by painting it a favorite color and adding a monogram to make it your son's or daughter's very own.

Matthews also showed a nursery. Green is a perfect, non-traditional color for a girl or a boy's room and is really popular right now. She walked viewers through getting that look, as well.

She added a personal touch by painting a name at the top of the wall. You can create a name a couple of ways. Pick up a stencil at your local art supply store and trace the name directly onto the wall. Then you can tape off the name and paint in the lines. You can also draw the name directly onto the wall if you're brave enough!

For the polka dots, she used a paper plate, a pencil and painter's tape. That's it!

Wait 24 hours after your base coat has had a chance to dry before adding other design elements like the name or the circles.

Hold a paper plate or other circular object up to the wall and draw around it with a pencil.

Then, use multiple small strips of painter's tape and tape around the drawn circle. Repeat for each polka dot. Smooth the inner edge of the circle with your putty knife or 5-in-1 tool so paint doesn't seep underneath the tape. If your surface is highly textured, seal the edges of the tape with your base coat color. Use a low to no VOC paint especially in children's rooms.

After the paint is dry, apply your accent color and let dry before pulling off the tape.

For an even faster approach, try out wall decals. Think of these as peel-and-stick décor. These are removable, repositionable, and reusable wall decorations. They come in a variety of vibrant colors, shapes, designs for both kids and adults. Forget your grandmother's wallpaper -- this is re-design in 2010!