Life can be such a blur that we tend to lose track of certain things like looking after the house, and then it hits us all at once just how much it’s deteriorated. It can feel like a huge task to transform your house into a home, but trust us when we say it doesn’t have to be; in fact, there are plenty of simple things you can implement to change things up and bring a new, fresh and fun feel back to your home. So, don’t let your home go to waste – follow these four easy home improvements to bring back your home’s pizazz, and turn yourself into a mini interior designer at the same time!
Start from the Foundations
Before you even start with any furnishings or extras, where better to start than the basic foundations of your house? We’re talking walls and floors here; it may sound a little strange as they’re not what you tend to focus on when you walk into a room (unless you’re rocking some particularly retro wallpaper), but changing up your walls and floor can transform the mood and tone of your room.
Taking up jobs like plastering is the first step to restyling your home – not only will it make your walls smoother and give them a more finished look, but it will also help to reinforce your home against any environmental factors. If price is something that puts you off re-plastering your walls, don’t worry – you can learn to do it yourself! Depending on how you prefer to learn, you can either take an online course or find an expert nearby to teach you the basics.
Once you’ve got the foundations down, you can think about what sort of patterns and colours you want for both your floors and walls. When it comes to floors, a simple colour is often best (laminated wooden panels look particularly good), but you can be a bit more creative with your walls. Opt for colours that you like, even if that is something as bold as orange. Surrounding yourself with colours you love not only makes you feel more at home, but can actually be good for your mental health. Some calming colours may also work – subtle blues and purples work wonders for that comforting, gentle feel you want when you come home from a stressful day.
Keep Storage Open
When it comes to your storage, you need to think about two things: firstly, how it’s placed, and secondly, how accessible it is. When it comes to its location and placement, we recommend switching out your old, fitted storage to open storage. This means you can not only move it and place it to your taste, but you can also customise it and restyle it to your liking, giving you a lot more flexibility. Try and keep your storage out of the way, if possible, meaning close to walls. This will give you more open space in the centre of your room, giving you more freedom to move about and more space to think. Don’t overcrowd it, though, or it’ll start to feel claustrophobic.
When thinking about accessibility, the more accessible, the better. We’re talking the most open storage you can get; clothing racks over big, looming wardrobes, and simple wall shelves over big bookcases. This is good for two reasons – the first is that by cutting out the unnecessary size and heft of larger, broader storage, you can give your space a more open feel and make your room feel bigger. The other reason why this is a good idea is so that when you’re looking for something, everything’s already in sight, meaning you can easily find items that before would have “gone missing”. Open storage is good for both looks and organisation! However, do keep some closed off storage, particularly for valuables – it’s never a good idea to have them on display, as this can be a tempting target for thieves, so be careful.
Get Your Creative Juices Flowing
The best thing about designing your house and interior is that you can choose it to represent you, and express yourself through your design. A great way to express yourself further, as well as get yourself some unique furnishings, is by getting creative and restyling your furniture. One of our favourite ideas is to repaint old furniture that you consider outdated or a bit boring with bright colours – we’re talking oranges, reds, greens, yellows, and whatever other colour you like! Try to make them match with your other décor, but the point here is that you can make them colourful and fun, helping to bring a little brightness to your room. If that’s not quite your thing, you could instead opt to paint them monochrome for a simpler, bolder look.
Another idea we love is to line your shelves and drawers with old, retro wallpaper. This can give your furniture a unique but attractive look, and will certainly draw the attention of guests. If you’re feeling a little bolder, you could even try painting these yourself by trying out painting patterns on big and previously blank, boring spaces. This is a great idea for those who are creative and adds a hugely personal touch to your home, allowing you to choose just how colourful it is as well as let your own style flourish. Not only is this a bit of fun, and incredibly easy to do yourself, but is much cheaper than splashing out on overpriced, new furniture that may not last you anyway.
Repurpose Old Furniture
Before you start throwing away old furniture you can’t imagine using anymore, stop and think! There are many different ways you can repurpose these items – here are some of our favourites:
- If you have an old dresser, fix some wheels on the bottom, add a lick of paint, and turn it into your own kitchen island for extra storage and work space.
- It sounds strange, but old doors work wonders as headboards for beds – even without painting, they can give your bed a classy, antique look.
- Repurpose your old bookshelves as a cocktail or wine bar! Store drinks and glasses on it for the ultimate James Bond feel.
You can find many more examples on sites like Pinterest. Not only is this a way to add some unique features to your home, but it saves you money from purchasing unnecessary furniture. It also means you can have fun and experiment with different styles, giving your house the ultimate personal touch and making it classier, brighter and more enjoyable for you.
With these tips, you’ll be able to bring your house to life and add things to it to make it the ultimate haven for you after long days at work (and easy days at work, too). Remember – get creative, experiment, and have fun with your home improvements, and that joy and excitement will shine through in your home.