Home project costs and how-tos, with sources
Practical guides for planning changes to your home: what it costs in the US to paint a room or remodel a kitchen, which paint finish or rug size to choose, and how to make a room look and work better. Each article answers the question first, then explains the details behind it.
Every guide is built from published sources: national cost surveys, government and trade data, manufacturers' data sheets and design research. Each number in the text points to its source, listed at the end of the article with the date we read it. Where sources disagree, we give the range and say so. Every article shows when it was published, and an update date once its numbers have been rechecked.
Prices vary with your region, your home and the contractor, so use our cost figures as a starting point for quotes, not as a quote. Each article ends with a way to try the idea on a photo of your own room.
How to make a small room look bigger: color, light and layout
Ways to make a small room feel bigger, and what research says works: light walls and ceiling, curtains hung high, mirrors, layered light, fewer pieces and open floor.
8 min read
Read article- How-to
What size rug for a living room? Sizes by room, sofa and layout
Living room rug sizes by room and seating: all legs on, front legs on or floating, how much floor to leave, the 2/3 rule, walkways and standard living room sizes.
7 min read
- How-to
What paint finish for walls? Matte vs eggshell vs satin, room by room
Matte vs eggshell vs satin, plus flat and semi-gloss: which paint finish to use on walls, ceilings and trim, compared on cleaning, hiding flaws and touch-ups.
9 min read
