Move over aerobics, shopping and cooking ... a new Home Depot/Yankelovich Partners study reveals that home improvement is the new "trendy" leisure time activity for women.

Of the 1,012 survey respondents, 37 percent of women said they would prefer to spend their weekend leisure time working on a home improvement project, such as gardening or painting, rather than shopping in a mall (28 percent) or cooking/baking (25 percent). Another survey by the American Hardware Manufacturers Association said women accounted for nearly 38 percent of all do-it-yourself product purchases last year.

And, with more single women becoming homeowners, the trend seems destined to continue. So just what projects are most appealing to women? The list is long and sometimes surprising.

1. Painting
   In the Home Depot/Yankelovich study, painting was tied with gardening for the top spot. Gone are the days when the paintbrush and roller were the only tools of the painter. Today's techniques call for bold, colorful designs with faux finishes often using sponges and stencils. Many women are now looking at painting as a form of expression and look at their walls as their canvas. Workshops held at home centers and paint dealers are teaching women to paint like pros using some of the latest color options, including denims, dark blues, greens and maroons. Painting is also one of the easiest projects to take on in a home and one that can be accomplished at a relatively low cost. Painting a room is also one way to make a dramatic difference - quickly - and color can really open up the living space or give a ho-hum room character. Plus it provides immediate satisfaction and boosts a woman's confidence to tackle other home improvement projects.


2. Gardening/Landscaping
   Gardening and landscaping provide a perfect excuse to be outdoors - and get something accomplished at the same time. In addition, the results of these efforts produce beautiful flowers, foliage, shrubbery and plants that can be enjoyed all season. For a woman looking to make an impact, home centers and greenhouses offer a multitude of options that allow a DIYer to spruce up her own yard by adding mulch, new shrubbery or flowers. Other options include adding a small hedge for extra privacy or a brick flowerbed border for some additional yard definition.


3. Wallpapering
   Many of today's wallpapers are pre-pasted, which means the woman DIYer only has to wet the roll in water and position it on the wall. Even if a room is already painted, a decorative border can add just the right touch of style and color. These borders are popping up on all areas of the wall - not just near the ceiling. Try a waist-level, chair-rail border or even something at eye level to break up the room. Another option is to put a border around a window to give it a "framed" look. Much like painting, wallpaper can change the look of a room in just a few hours - and if you do it yourself, it is a relatively inexpensive proposition.


4. Installing a New Kitchen Faucet
   Creating a functional workspace in the kitchen is a must for most women and changing and upgrading faucets are increasingly popular kitchen DIY projects. Often, they opt for a pullout faucet that offers the ability to easily fill up large pots, water plants or clean all areas of the kitchen sink. Not only are these pullout faucets functional, they are stylish as well. Moen's extensa pullout offers elegance and a host of finish options to complement any kitchen decor, including today's hottest stainless looks. There are also pullouts available that offer the ability to filter water, such as the PureTouch filtering faucet. And, one of the best things about pullout faucets is that while they look complicated, they are actually easy to install - just like a regular kitchen faucet.


5. Putting in a New Floor
   Carpet and vinyl are becoming a bit passe. Women are opting for new tile options that not only look great, but clean up well too. An inexhaustible range of patterns, colors and textures make tile a great way to enhance a room and add a little self-expression, plus, tile is easy to install. Once a pattern has been established, simply add adhesive to the back, position it properly on the floor and tap the tile with a rubber mallet to set it in place. Hardwood is also making a comeback as a popular flooring choice. New parquet floors are installed in much the same way as tile and are much easier to work with than older-style hardwood strip flooring. Specialized kits provide everything the woman DIYer needs to install the floor herself.


6. Upgrading Lighting Fixtures or Ceiling Fans
   Since outdated fixtures give away the age of your home, many women are upgrading their lighting. Relatively inexpensive and easy to install, changing out existing lighting fixtures can make a world of difference to brighten up a home. Another option is to change the look of an older ceiling fan by simply changing to new blades.


7. Adding New Window Treatments
   A tab top valance, sweeping swag or new blinds ... women can easily add some warmth and beauty to their walls with new window treatments. Once thought of only for function, window treatments are now a focal point in most rooms. Women are integrating their room's design elements by having the pattern of their furniture complement or even match that of the window treatments. And, so many styles are now available to fit individual preferences - maybe a simple valance in the kitchen or a swag positioned on a brushed nickel decorative rod. Many of the new styles only require material that is simply draped over a rod for positioning - no sewing skills are even required.


8. Turning a Bathroom Into a Suite
   Rather than live with a bathroom featuring mismatched fixtures and accessories, women are turning their bathroom into a suite with coordinated and integrated products. These suites provide a continuity of style and color throughout the entire room. Catching on to this trend, manufacturers are now offering a full assortment of products that allow consumers to produce this full suite look without having to go from store to store looking for just the right products. For example, Moen now offers faucets, tub/showering products, and accessories such as towel bars and toothbrush holders, all available in the same style and finish. Its M-Pact valve system even allows for easy upgrades once the fixtures are installed so that changes can be made without going under the sink deck or behind the shower wall. These quick changes allow any woman to create a whole different look in the bath by easily changing from traditional chrome to the elegant look of polished brass, or even to a more contemporary brushed nickel or matte black look.


9. Improving the Home's Exterior
   Aside from gardening and landscaping, there are some other items that a woman can do to the exterior of her home to make the most out of it. Changing the color of the shutters is something that is very affordable and doesn't take much effort - just some paint. Women may even want to paint the front door to match the color of the shutters, add a decorative kick plate or perhaps change out the doorbell.


10. Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets
    Many women might not be able to completely replace their kitchen cabinetry - but refinishing is definitely a job most women can accomplish. With refinishing, cabinets can be sanded, stained or re-painted. It is amazing what this simple facelift will do for the look of a kitchen - a dark kitchen can suddenly see the light of day with white paint or a light oak stain on the cabinets. Even changing out the handle hardware is an inexpensive way to create a new look.