You never really ‘finish’ a house, do you? Yet giving your home a makeover is just so expensive, isn’t it? In our lifetime we can expect to shell out a whopping £36,000 on redecorating our homes. For many of us, the cost can be a big factor in putting off a project and yet, by delaying a job around the home, we only serve to add to the frustration that we feel with our own four walls.
What we need is something simple but effective. A cost effective, easy solution that can, in a short period of time, elevate our home and improve the way it looks. Well, that’s exactly what the following five hacks can do for you…
A good idea on reflection…
Do your rooms generally feel cramped, dull and gloomy? You need to try to make the most of every last bit of natural light that you get and mirrors can help make your rooms feel lighter and larger if used in the right way. There are two quick and easy mirror tricks that work a treat in any home. Use the same sized mirrors and place them directly opposite each other in a room – creating an infinite set of reflections and never ending depth – and place a large mirror at the end of a short hallway to help make it look longer. These changes are small but so effective when it comes to space and light.
A window of opportunity…
When it’s light you want your windows to let the sunshine in and brighten up your home, but once the sun sets it’s time to draw the curtains and shut out the outside world for another day. Yet this also gives you a great opportunity to make a big difference. The space occupied by the curtains or blinds in any room is pretty significant and could easily be one of the biggest blocks of colour that your eyes will see. If you’ve got a light and neutral front room then you could shop around for almost any style of curtains that take your fancy and deliver a new look in one fell swoop. Alternatively, there’s plenty of ways to look for new sets that suit your colour scheme and style but still deliver a different look.
It hinges on your doors…
When is a door not a door? When it’s ajar? Well, so says the joke, but there’s another way in which you can prevent your doors from ‘just’ being doors. You can turn them into a bold feature of your interior design and deliver a fairly striking change to the look of your rooms. Painting doors black can actually aid a luxury design theme, while switching your existing doors for new ones with glass in can make a room feel lighter.
A broad brush solution…
A tin or two of paint and a brush is often all you need to really breathe new life into a room. You can either freshen up your existing colour scheme by giving it a fresh coat in the same shade or go for something completely different. It’s the easiest and strongest way to make a real difference. However, if you’re after a neat hack to improve this further still then why not try painting only the lower part of the walls? This two-tone look can be pretty effective – silvery-grey at the bottom and white at the top, for example. If the top part is the same colour as your ceiling then your room will appear higher and give the illusion of greater space, making it perfect for people with low ceilings in their home.
A vinyl flourish…
Many of us prefer vinyl flooring these days as a cheap, easy-to-clean and low maintenance option ahead of carpets. That’s especially the case in bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms but, after a while, this can look tired and begin to let the design of the rest of your room down. But, did you know that you can actually paint vinyl or linoleum flooring? This guide from View Along The Way shows a step-by-step guide on how to carry out this super-simple project. It’ll make a huge difference in little to no time.
