Egypt Sherrod And Mike Jackson's Tips For Renovating On A Budget

Couples know how expensive renovating a home can be. And no couple knows that better than Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson. The two are partners in life and renovation, tackling projects on HGTV's "Rock the Block" and helping clients on "Married to Real Estate." Egypt Sherrod is a real estate broker and designer, while Mike Jackson is a builder, so the two have expert knowledge on transforming a house from the studs to the cosmetic finishes.

According to Rocket Mortgage, a single renovation project can cost $15,000 on average. Of course, this can be affected by where you live, the materials you use, and what kind of project you're tackling. But experts always stress that you don't need to spend a lot to give your home a transformation. Sherrod and Jackson are certainly two of those experts and recently shared some ideas for budget renovations on the "Today" show via MSN. The couple told hosts three tips anyone could use in their home to have a significant transformation without breaking the bank.

An accent wall gives a room a unique detail and adds some personality to the space. It's also a relatively easy feature for any homeowner to tackle and won't require a lot of funds to accomplish. An accent wall is also easily customizable; you can paint the wall one color or use wallpaper for some pattern.

But Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson suggest using upcycled wood on your accent wall. You can use flooring planks leftover from other projects or purchase the planks or wood for cheap at a big box hardware store, the pair suggests on the "Today" show via MSN. On the show, the couple revealed a chevron-patterned wood wall and demonstrated how easy it is to install with wood glue on the back and a nail gun to secure it. "The key to it, though . . . you want to make sure you pop a line in the middle. Then you go left to right," explains Mike Jackson.

Accent walls look best when they look intentional, so use this as an opportunity to highlight an architectural feature, a decor detail, or a small vignette space. In an entryway, you can place your console table and a mirror in front of an accent wall, says MHM Professional Staging. Or place it behind the bed or sofa in the bedroom or living room.

Wallpaper has made a comeback in design in recent years, and it's a trend that looks like it isn't going anywhere soon. Many experts love it because of how much personality and style it can add to a space. However, many homeowners are nervous about the wallpaper overwhelming the room or not liking it after the detail has been installed. Egypt Sherrod has a fix: wallpaper frames. This detail combines wainscoting and wallpaper and will allow you to add color and pattern in smaller doses. "It's a great way to add some color and flavor to your room, noncommittal," Sherrod says on the "Today" show. The designer suggests using peel-and-stick wallpaper so you can swap out the design whenever you want.

Wainscoting is a type of decorative wood paneling that many older homes already have. And though it's more traditional, wainscoting is timeless and is seeing a resurgence in new homes similar to wallpaper. If you don't currently have wainscoting in your home, you can add it easily with moldings. You can cut the wallpaper down to size and apply it right into the frames. Paul Walden Interiors advises thinking of the mood of the room when choosing the wallpaper. Knowing the intention and effect you want the wallpaper to have will better help you make your choice.

If you're planning on a budget renovation, then an addition or expansion is probably out of the question. But if that's the case, how do you find more space in your home? Look for unexpected places. Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson like using the space under the stairs when they can. This crawlspace can provide you with a little more square footage to use in any way you want. Sherrod and Jackson transformed the crawlspace in one client's home into a mini wine cellar. "I painted the background . . . You can put wallpaper in the background, paint it a color, even a little throw rug," Egypt Sherrod suggests on the "Today" show. "I love to put offices under the stairs, a little laundry nook, [and] little playrooms under the stairs."

But before you start knocking down walls, you have to find out if they're load-bearing. For many homes, these walls aren't structural, Empower USRQ says. But the walls could be structural if they enclose the stairs on both sides. It's also important to know the stairs' construction. Box stringer stairs can't have the walls removed because it could damage or compromise the integrity of the structure; however, open stringer stairs can have their walls removed.