Ever wondered why we humans love lighting up our nights? Perhaps it’s associated with protection from things that creep about in the night. Maybe it’s just that lights are pretty. Whatever the case, most of us love lighting up our yards in a number of different ways. Here are some awesome DIYs for crafting your own outdoor illuminations.

Let there be lights!

1. Glow orbs are a great way to light up flower beds and walkways. See how here.

2. These self-charging and electricity-free glow in the dark succulents are simply too good to pass up. Make these to enhance your home, day or night.

3. Been racking up those wine bottles after hard days at work? Now you can put them to further use at bringing more light to your relaxing evenings. Here’s the DIY.

4. Tin can lanterns are very versatile. You can paint them different colors, punch different design patterns into the sides, and set them in many places without fear of fire raging out of control. Learn how here.

5. Glow in the dark planters are an obvious way to make your green friends a more intimate part of your evenings. Making them is easier than you might imagine. See how here.

6. This DIY shows you how to make cupcake lights. It’s like having strings of glowing flowers warming your yard.

7. Here we have grapevine lighting balls that are sure to create an attractive setting no matter what kind of tree you hang them on. Learn to create them here.

8. Alongside your grapevine lighting balls, you might also hang some of these jar lanterns. They work great on almost any surface and create quite the ambiance.

9. Red rope lighting can be run along walkway borders to light the path ahead. Learn more here.

10. Of course, there’s always the simple method of wrapping lights around a tree or its branches with colors to brighten the bark.

11. This is known as a tuna-can lantern. It looks like a fun DIY.

So you’ve got a new house – congratulations! There’s just one problem…It’s not quite your style. But with all the money you just dropped on closing and moving and new furniture, you don’t have a lot of cash to spruce it up.

Or, maybe you’re just about to sell your house and you wish you could spruce it up a bit before putting it on the market, but you don’t want to spend a ton. Basically, you need a lot of look for not a lot of dough, right?Don’t worry! These quick and usually DIY upgrades will make your home look and feel like a million bucks (for just a small chunk of change).

You can upgrade your home’s style with these easy projects.

1. Remove The 90’s Ducks

Maybe your home doesn’t have literal country blue ducks all over the kitchen, but if you have an older home, chances are good there’s some equally cheesy decor hanging around. Just removing the wallpaper or covering up the hokey paint — will make your home look and feel much fresher.

2. Get Rid of Grime

Take a close look at the surfaces that often get ignored. Places like the base molding and window sills often have a layer of grime that needs to be removed or even repainted. Get your elbow grease on and try a Magic Eraser on these surfaces. If that doesn’t work, fresh caulk and a new coat of bright white paint will go a long way to help make your place look bright and clean again.

3. Paint!

A new coat of a light, neutral paint will make any room look and feel invigorated. Not sure what to choose? Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige works just about anywhere if you like neutrals. Not into beige? That’s ok. Agreeable Gray is a great cooler neutral, and Alabaster is the perfect white but not TOO white.

4. Highlight One Wall

If you’re already working with a neutral palette, you can add in some personality and pizazz. Add an accent wall in a fun spot like your breakfast nook or powder bath. You can use wall stickers or removable wallpaper for a low commitment look, or go simple and slap on the paint. Just this one simple addition will make you smile whenever you walk in the room.

5. Add Art

Adding art to your home is a great way to add style. But not just any art…Add some large scale art that you LOVE.

What does large scale mean? Well, think of the biggest piece you have, and then find something bigger. If you LOVE it, it belongs on the wall, and a big piece will set the tone for an entire room. This doesn’t have to cost a fortune, either. You can get great pieces at Living Spaces or IKEA for around $100.

Want to spend a little more? Scroll around Instagram. You can find fantastic original art there AND you’ll be supporting small business owners. Win / Win.

6. Show The Ones You Love

When you’re moving into a new place, it can be a little unsettling. Nothing will bring a sense of home like the faces of your loved ones. You can add professional portraits if you like, or you can share your happy memories of more candid moments in a big ol’ grid like the one below. Again, this doesn’t have to break the bank. Mixtiles will ship you ready to hang photos for $12 apiece (sometimes even less)! Best of all, these babies don’t damage your walls, and they can be moved again and again.

7. Change Out The Faucets

Now that we’ve fully addressed the walls, let’s turn our attention to other areas. Those “crystal” faucets? They’ve got to go. Luckily, replacing them is a pretty easy project AND you can get some much better looking alternatives at your local Home Depot. This super simple faucet is a huge upgrade… and it’s less than fifty bucks! Watch a couple of YouTube videos, break out the wrenches, and kiss those acrylic cheapies goodbye.

8. Swap Out Light Fixtures

Now we’re getting a little more technical. if you don’t have a ton of knowledge in this area, you might want to bring in a pro. Don’t worry, though. You can find an electrician who will give you a reasonable rate for this task, and if you’ve got a couple lights to replace, they can help you with all of them at once. No matter who does the installation, you can find great looking lights to replace the brass builder basics. This alone will make a huge transformation in your space!

9. Change Your Light Switches, Too.

While you’ve got the electrician there… (or if you’ve decided you can DIY), change out your switches and outlet covers. There are so many options nowadays; there’s no reason to have yellowed, cracked switches. Also, the sky’s the limit on this. You can stick with simple new plates or you can add dimmer switches or switches with smart features.

10. Bring The Outdoors IN!

Adding plants brings a vibrant, happy energy to any room, and they can be super cheap, too. So, head on down to your local nursery and stock up on succulents and shade lovers.

There you have it — some great ways to spruce up a house that won’t cost you a fortune. Which one will you try first? Fair warning: Once you get started, it’s kind of addictive.

Whether you’re decorating your current home or looking for a new one, you’re probably wondering… what’s in style these days? Which ideas are just a flash in the pan, and what trends will stick around for awhile? After all, no one wants to change up their house just to find out that what they’ve picked is dated a year later.

Although no one has a crystal ball, the following home decor trends seem the most likely to happen based on the collective buzz in the home decor world.

1. Eclectic Design

2. Having Fun In The Bathroom

3. Greenery (The Real Stuff)

4. Colorful Kitchens

5. Everything Old Is New Again

6. Mix It Up

Metals, textures, patterns… it’s all good. In the 2020s, you CAN mix metal finishes, you CAN layer pattern on pattern, and you CAN have multiple textures going on. Rather than a perfect-but-plain interior, this creates a luxurious but lived-in look, and that’s a good thing. Just remember: mix and match tastefully or it quickly becomes too much of a good thing.

7. Be One With Nature

8. Live Large

So there you have it – some very liveable trends for your home in the 2020s. Which ones will you try, and which ones do you think you’ll skip?