Many home owners who have no plans to move this year are opting to tackle improvement projects around the house, according to a new survey of 1,500 adults by American Express Spending and Saving Tracker. Seventy percent of home owners surveyed say they intend to take on a home improvement project this year, and they plan to spend about $3,500 on sprucing up their home, according to the survey. That’s an increase of about $100 compared to last year.

The projects will primarily concentrate on the indoors, according to the survey. More than one-third of those polled say they are devoting some of that budget to home accessories, such as throw pillows, or on appliances and new furniture.

The top home project they have lined up? Painting, which 37 percent of those surveyed say they plan to do this year. Twenty-four percent said they will do landscaping projects. 

Also, more home owners this year compared to last year say they’re going the do-it-yourself route, with plans to refurbish their houses themselves rather than hiring a professional to do it. In the survey, 43 percent of owners say they’ve been inspired to tackle home projects themselves by watching design shows on television, followed by seeing in-store displays or from viewing online design and do-it-yourself Web sites. 

Source: “Home Decision 2012: Improving or Moving?” American Express (March 2012)