The secret to a happy home? Surround yourself with mood-boosting shades! (Photo by Mike Garten)

Transform every space in your home without calling a pro or shelling out a ton of cash. Our Institute experts share their favorite itty-bitty fixes that deliver big wows!

PAINT WINDOW FRAMES (OR TRIM)

Play up your home’s architectural details (or frame a stunning view) by using a color that contrasts with your walls.

Lab Lowdown: No need to repaint or touch up your entire wall for this quick fix. Apply FrogTape to areas you don’t want to paint, then peel it off immediately. It performed well in tests, stopping paint from bleeding, and was quick to remove.

SET UP A FLOATING BEDSIDE “TABLE”

Take advantage of empty walls for extra storage on the sides of your bed without sacrificing floor space.

Lab Lowdown: Make quick work of installation with a powerful drill. Bosch’s cordless model won our Engineering Lab’s cross-category test. It wowed GH experts and testers with its comfy, lightweight feel and useful features like an LED light that switches on when you rev the drill.

CREATE TEXTURE ON ANY WALL

Get a modern farmhouse or cool coastal look with Timberchic’s stick-on wood pieces.

Lab Lowdown: For best results, start in the middle of a wall (this will help camouflage any unevenness) and build out vertically. As you get to the sides, you’ll need to do some cutting. It took a little effort in our pros’ tests, so we recommend using a handsaw or an electric saw. (Note that the panels are permanent, so it may not be the best project if you’re renting.)

INSTALL SMART DIMMERS

Control Leviton’s dimming switches using a handy app — and make your smartphone your home’s lighting command center!

Lab Lowdown: We loved how simple it was to set up and connect to Wi-Fi. The dimmers replace any wall switch, and work with dimmer-compatible bulbs.

CURATE A NO-COMMITMENT GALLERY WALL

Ideal for apartments or dorms, Command strips are the gold standard for putting up art without nails. Stick these to the wall and hang your canvas.

Lab Lowdown: No matter how many other hanging solutions we’ve tested, these are the best damage-free option.

CHANGE DOOR DETAILS

Schlage’s new system offers total flexibility for interior doors. Once you install the main hardware, you can switch doorknob styles to get a new look or turn a nonlocking door into a locking one.

Lab Lowdown: It took us less than an hour to put in the base, and then a few minutes to swap levers and plates. All you need to trade out styles is an Allen wrench (included) and a flathead screwdriver.

TRY A NEW SHOWERHEAD

Bring a spalike vibe to your bathroom with Moen’s two-in-one rain and hand shower. The handheld part has six settings (one gives a relaxing massage) and attaches magnetically.

Lab Lowdown: You can use the showerheads together or switch between them, but our evaluations found that the water flow was slightly weaker when both were used at once.

STICK ON REMOVABLE WALLPAPER

Chasing Paper’s designs are easy to put up (all you do is stick on the panels) and, unlike old-school paper, simple to change. Pick from nearly 200 fun styles.

Lab Lowdown: It took us a few tries to line up the pattern (they come in 2-by-4-feet panels), so plan carefully. Start from the top and use a roller to zap bubbles; poke a hole in stubborn ones with a safety pin, then smooth. Removal is quick — and easier with these than with other options we tested.

ON ANOTHER MATTER …

Ace Parent-Teacher Conferences

Tips and tricks for making the most of your 15 minutes.

LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME. It may be tempting to bring your child along for the meeting. but that can actually keep you from getting anything accomplished. “The teacher may not feel as comfortable talking openly with the child right there listening,” says Michelle Hall, an elementary school teacher in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Hall also cautions against bringing along younger siblings who require supervision. 

BE ON TIME. Some schools allow as little as three minutes per conference, and if you’re late, you may miss out — or mess up the schedule for other parents.

FOCUS YOUR QUESTIONS. Your school days may be over, but take a cue from students: Go to the classroom prepared to discuss your concerns. Key questions: What is the goal of this course or year? How has my child grown so far? If you hit a lull, ask the teacher if there is anything you haven’t discussed that is important to cover. And you also should inquire about ways you can support your child at home, says Hall. For example, the teacher may be able to recommend a book or game that enhances math skills, or a field trip that supports the history curriculum.

START WITH THE POSITIVE. Beginning with a compliment or anecdote (e.g., “My daughter always raves about the books you assign the class to read!”) before expressing concerns can go a long way toward connecting with the teacher.

BE OPEN-MINDED. This is an opportunity for the teacher to bring up concerns too — and they may not be easy to hear. “Remember, we’re on your child’s side, and all we want is to see him or her succeed,” says Hall.

Recalls Alert

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, 800-638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE PROBLEM

Black & Decker, Bostitch and Porter-Cable Hammer Drills and Drill Drivers, sold at The Home Depot, Lowe’s, major home and hardware stores nationwide, and online at Amazon.com and other online retailers from January 2010 through July 2018 for between $50 and $100.

The side handle sold with the drill can slip or break, leading to a loss of control of the tool, posing an injury hazard. Consumers should immediately stop using the drills and contact Black & Decker at 888-284-3070 for a free replacement side handle.

2019 Porsche Cayenne SUVs

The passenger-side rear seat belt buckle may break under load, such as in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will replace the passenger-side rear seat belt buckle for free. Porsche will begin notifying owners Dec. 23. Owners can call the automaker at 800-767-7243 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 to learn more.

© Hearst Communications Inc.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate

—GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS: Fast, easy home makeovers–