Easy fall spruce-ups for your home

Fall is the time for cleaning up the yard and garden, and sprucing up the inside and outside of your home. That means fall is also the time to deal with that peeling paint in the kitchen or the dated décor in the bathroom.

Here are a few high-impact ideas that won’t take more than a weekend to finish, but that offer big rewards.

•Kitchen: To freshen up this room, consider a new backsplash to add color and pattern. A visit to your favorite home hardware or tile store will give you lots of ideas; you can also get tips on how to install the tile. Since most backsplashes cover a small area, the cost is reasonable.

If someone in the family sews, new curtains or a new valance can also add life to the room for very little cash. Another quick fix is to update the hardware on your kitchen cabinets. Again, local stores as well as catalogs and online sources offer a wide selection of handles and door pulls that range from quirky to formal. If you want to go a step further, consider adding a new kitchen sink or faucet.

•Bathroom: This room gets more wear and tear than any room in the house, so it probably will benefit the most from a little TLC. Once again, start with the basics — does the room need a new coat of paint or fresh wallpaper? Even something as simple as a new set of towels or a fresh shower curtain in a fun color or pattern can make a big difference. If clutter is a problem, get rid of what you can and use wicker baskets or other pretty containers to corral the rest.

If the bathroom is looking dated, consider a new faucet. A wide selection of styles and price points to complement any décor is available is available at most home improvement stores. Most faucet are easy-to-install, thanks to flexible supply hoses and molded seal plates. Some models need only a wrench to install.

•Living room/family room: If you haven’t painted these high-traffic areas in a few years, now’s the time. Instead of just adding a new coat of eggshell white, choose an updated color that works with your existing furniture. Another easy way to add a splash of color to these rooms is with new accessories, from a beautiful glass bowl to interesting throw pillows. These additions don’t have to cost a lot of money — shop discount stores for pieces that look more expensive than they are.

•Bedroom: This should be an area where you can go at the end of the day and relax. Have you been sleeping on the same pillows for years? Replace them with the nicest pillows you can afford for a luxurious treat. Other special touches, like a wonderful scented candle or new curtains will make this room a true retreat.