• Shop local salvage shops and look for an old marble sink top. Revive it with a new stainless steel bowl, faucet, and fit it to an existing cabinet or add on stainless steel legs for a modern look.
• Consider buying a grill with style. Today's grills are made of stainless steel or copper with brass trim. Some fancy versions sport grills set into a stucco base with terra-cotta tile counter with a fireplace that doubles as a pizza oven. Others have warming drawers. Some are so high-tech that they feature a motorized rotisserie, outside temperature gauges, side burners and even wok burners with intensely high heat. Some also include refrigerators. But the price tags can be hot and hefty, too.
• Now that it's spring, consider freshening up the paint on your home's exterior. To make your home look larger, paint the trim a light color, either white or off-white. The lighter trim will contrast nicely with a black or dark green door and shutters.
• Have your carpets and area rugs cleaned to remove the dirt and grime you've tracked in during the winter.
• With longer days ahead, consider some activity you like to do in the late afternoon after work and before dinner. It might be as simple as walking the dog. You might invite a neighbor over periodically for a drink and the two of you go for a walk in your neighborhood. Enjoy your outdoor surroundings more.
• Get out your cookbooks and food magazines and jot down recipes that are lighter and use spring produce and vegetables.
• If your home has a back staircase, consider covering it in a dimpled diamond plate vinyl -- to mimic the sturdy steel treads of loading dock steps -- for a fraction of the cost. It keeps the steps slip proof and offers a high tech look.

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