Small price - big wow

[Michaela G.]

When you rehab for retail or for rental, do you do some things that are not very expensive, but that bring a big wow effect?

Here are some things I do:

I've done my share of 100-year old houses and often at the entrance they have some rotten flooring. Instead of trying to patch in similar Heart-of-pine strips, I usually cut out an even square or rectangle , the width of the hallway, and fill in with marble tile. It makes it look as if it's done in purpose and gives a little foyer space to take off your shoes.

If a wall has been taken down between rooms and the flooring has a gap right along that former wall, I do the same as above: Fill it in with marble tiles.

If I have a very small bathroom where I need to redo the floor with tiles - I build a small false wall in front of the bathtub: furred out with 2"x4" sideways and plywood on top. I then tile the floor and the front and the little lip on top with marble tiles. It makes the room seem much larger because the tile doesn't just stop at the bathtub.

I also love to ad a set of colums somewhere, if I've opened up 2 rooms to each other.

What ideas do you have?