21 Quick and Easy Budget Upgrades

The newel post and balusters get all the attention, while the exposed side of most staircases is largely ignored. But with the addition of decorative stair brackets, a bland stringer can become an elegant eye-catcher. Here we used simple-to-install, affordable wood brackets that go up with adhesive and nails.

Cost: About $150.

See How to Add Shapely Stair Brackets for full step-by-step instructions.