We love getting expert advice from our favorite HGTV designers, so we were thrilled when Frank Fontana, host of "Design On A Dime" stopped by to talk about the show, his new book and what he knows best -- renovating on a budget.
Having to stay under the $1000 limit of the show's paramaters, Fontana is all too familiar with coming up with DIYs that pack the biggest punch without a high price tag. He says the "kitchen is truly the heartbeat of the home," so he usually starts there. Easy upgrades, like changing out the cabinet hardware or converting them to what he refers to as "European Style" (taking the cabinet doors off or replacing the interior panel with chicken wire) goes far, and really transforms an outdated space. Upgrading basic kitchen counters for under $300 is also doable, thanks to a product he showed us that you can apply yourself to any surface, like laminate, wood or tile, that will give it the modern look of decorative poured concrete.
Fontana also thinks that paint is a great (and inexpensive) way to add wow factor and that the idea of faux finishing gets a bad rap. "It's not just your grandma's sponge painting anymore," he said. He suggested some modern techniques, like adding mica dust to glazing medium for a hint of shimmer on your walls or trying venetian plaster. Covering one wall with recycled cork, fabric or wallpaper creates a dramatic focal point and will completely update a room's look.
He insists that, "you don't have to live in 'taupia'," or what he calls the muted tones homeowners stick to because they are scared of being adventurous in design or are too concerned about re-selling their homes. Your home should express yourself, not anonymous hypothetical buyers. And even with a small budget, some big ideas and a little elbow grease, it is possible to achieve your dream home.
Click through the slideshow below to see some of Fontana's easy DIY projects that are featured in his book, Dirty Little Secrets of Design, and a clip of him teaching a few to Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb on "The Today Show."
