Home Improvement Ideas

Do you ever look at a room in your home and think ‘ugh, time for a change,’ but don’t have a huge budget to play with? There are plenty of inexpensive, yet effective ways to give your rooms a facelift. Spring is the perfect time to have a re-organising session so make a plan this weekend as to how you can give your home a new look.

Change is good

Just because you have always had your furniture set out one way, doesn’t mean it has to stay there forever. Change the orientation or configuration of large furniture and it will change the whole look of a room. Bring couches out from the wall, or if two couches have always been facing, try them in an ‘L’ shape or vice versa.

In a bedroom, try moving the bed to achieve a different look.

Soft furnishings add colour and texture to a room – it’s simple and inexpensive to source cushions in this season’s most fashionable colours, and nothing makes a couch say ‘lie on me and relax’ like luxuriously soft cushions and tactile throws.

Declutter

Any real estate agent will tell you that clear spaces and surfaces add appeal to a room. Take a look at the flat surfaces in your chosen room and what you have on them.

You could also gather all the knick knacks in your home and set them out on your dining table. From here, move them to different rooms or places that they were in originally. Group interesting vases and glass together in a cabinet, or fun souvenirs collected overseas in the bathroom.

Move art to a new location to add interest or give it a higher profile in your home.

Remove as much from flat surfaces as you can. Invest in a key rack or ‘drop box’ at your front door for keys, wallets and small items that end up lying about.

There are many inexpensive storage systems available that use cubes or shelves with removable boxes. These are fantastic as room dividers, and as they ‘contain’ books, magazines, craft supplies and the like tidily, they are pleasing to the eye. Wherever you can add attractive storage, do so. No home ever has enough!

Clean up

Dingy skirting boards and marked paint work brings a room down. Try some good old fashioned elbow grease to bring all the trims back to their sparkling best (don’t forget the windows) and your room will immediately look fresher. It’s also a great time to do a stocktake on what maintenance needs attention.

Have your carpets professionally cleaned to rid a room of musty smells.

Change colour

Paint is relatively inexpensive and a fresh coat of a modern shade will make everything look better. Take advantage of test pots to see what shade will work best in your room. Take care to prep the walls well – wash and sand them so that you get the best finish.

New bed linen will transform the look of a bedroom – if you have always had bright colour, try going monochromatic or vice versa. Clean, dust or update lampshades and make the most of the light by tying back curtains and opening blinds.

Add life

Fresh flowers and live plants are good for the air and the overall effect in a room. They soften hard edges and catch the eye.

Scent-sational

For a new mood, use scented candles, oil burners or steam diffusers to add fragrance in your home. A new smell will add life – think zingy citrus notes or soothing jasmine and vanilla to help create ambience.

Ask for ideas

Friends are often excellent sources of home-improvement ideas. They have the benefit of a fresh pair of eyes, while knowing your personal style. You could return the favour in their home. Have fun in your home and gather inspiration from books, magazines and home stores as well – anything goes when it comes to home styling and it needn’t cost the earth!