O'Brien Group Inc. | Professional Remodeling & Real Estate Services

Add a simple detail, such as a picture rail or shelf along one wall, to display framed prints or small collectibles like perfume bottles.

Add accent lighting like a low-voltage strip of lights around the top edge of the wall tile.

Add fresh flowers or flowering plants to the room. Consider old watering cans or window boxes as vases.

Most often used in guest baths, towel rings are typically placed alongside the sink. Keep in mind that many of the new towel rings on the market feature stylish designs, making them a beautiful focal point in a small bath. Be sure to hang the towel ring at a comfort level for those typically using the bath, a good rule of thumb is to leave at least 18 inches below a towel ring so a hand towel can hang freely.

Standard towel bar lengths are 18 and 24 inches. Hang the bar at a comfortable height of 48 inches above the floor, making sure to leave enough space below the bars for towels to hang freely. If the towel bar is hung in a children's bath, hang the bar at a height of 36 inches. In either case, be sure to consider the location of electrical switches and outlets when hanging your towel bars.

To add a stylish element to the bath, double towel bars are an ideal accessory. In addition, double towel bars are perfect for a family bath, as a number of towels can be hung on the accessory. Frame your mirror. Make a plain mirror more decorative by creating a custom frame. Cut your choice of molding to fit around the mirror and paint it, using neutral colors or a brushed gold or silver. The frame can be attached to the mirror with liquid glue.

Change your hardware. An easy way to alter the look of your room is to update details like drawer pulls, towel bars, shower controls, robe hooks and soap holders. You could even splurge on a new faucet. If you just want to change a few things, mixing metals is perfectly acceptable.

Don't even think about starting demolition of the old kitchen until you have a solid plan for the new one.

If two people are going to be working in the kitchen, make sure there are separate work areas and enough space so they won't be bumping into each other. Two sinks are more than just a luxury.

You can never have too much counter space.

Finding extra space for that bigger kitchen isn't always as difficult as you might guess. Often nearby hallways and closets can be eliminated or relocated to make room. In many homes, combining the dining room and kitchen creates the space you need. If necessary, a small addition to the home can accommodate your new kitchen.

When you think you're got it nailed down, buy a quart of each color and test them out on the house. Paint them on in different areas, and avoid direct sunlight that can somewhat distort your view of the color. Testers are cheap insurance to see if you like the actual colors in their intended locations!

A new paint color is always an easy way to update a room. Have fun by choosing a color that complements your existing tiles, but is a bit unexpected. For instance, if you have 1950s green tiles, try pale yellow. Or if you have black or white tiles, highlight them by painting the walls sage green. If you don't want to go beyond white, update your color with tone-on-tone neutrals like ecru, oyster, almond or biscuit. Then you can add colorful touches with towels, soaps and candles.

Clear the area before you begin working. You can't do your best without some elbow room, and painting near your furnishings puts them at risk of damage. Small apartments pose a big dilemma, however--where to put things when there's nowhere to put things. The best you can do in such situations is move large furniture to the center of the room and cover it as securely as possible with plastic sheeting.

Remove fixtures, wall plates, heat register grills--anything you don't want to get paint on, and attach their screws to them with tape. To cover chandeliers or other fixtures that you cannot or do not want to remove, cut plastic sheeting to the appropriate size, wrap the fixture and tape it securely.

Clean the surfaces to be painted. Scrubbing walls and ceilings may seem like a lot of trouble, but stains bleeding through and paint not holding will seem like a lot more trouble down the line. Dust, cooking grease and cigarette smoke are just some of the residues of everyday life that aren't visible. Major renovations of a home typically entail far more money, time, stress and commitment than people envision at the outset. Therefore, much consideration should be given to your plans before embarking on a project of this scope. Even though the home is not significantly old, considerable changes may be needed to achieve what you have in mind.

As you suspect, many changes have occurred since 1980 with regard to building codes and construction standards. In fact, upgrades and revisions to the code are eternally in progress, with revised editions of codebooks appearing every three years. This means that the home in question was built seven code versions ago.

Consult a general building contractor for an estimate of costs to affect the building upgrades you have in mind. Increase this figure by about 25 percent and add that amount to the sales price of the property. This figure may approach what you will actually spend for the final product. Then compare that total with the price you would pay for a comparable home of recent vintage—one that does not need upgrades. These numbers should help you determine the advisability of proceeding with the project.

Five common categories of typical problems in brand new homes would include:

• Sloppy or incomplete finish work
• Various roofing defects
• Faulty surface drainage around the building
• Gas or electrical safety violations
• Fire safety violations

A thorough home inspection doesn't cover everything. For instance, most home inspections don't cover: the permit history on the property; septic systems and wells; wood-destroying pest infestation; title issues, such as easements; environmental hazards like asbestos and mold; and security and irrigation systems. And this may not represent a complete list of the items excluded from your home inspection.

A home inspection should be viewed as the starting point of your investigations into the condition of the property. You shouldn't buy a home without having one. You also shouldn't assume that a home inspection would give you all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not to buy a property.