Keeping your home looking up-to-date and stylish doesn’t have to mean suffering sleepless nights wondering how you’re going to pay for it all.
While drastic changes such as fitting a new kitchen, building an extension or installing a fireplace are closer to the high end of the scale, there are numerous ways of sprucing up your home without having to take out a loan to do so.
With that in mind, here are a collection of ways that you can transform your home on a budget in 2019.
Sort out the clutter
Typically, a good starting place when renovating your home is to rid it of any unnecessary items that have begun to make the living areas feel cluttered and chaotic. According to the interior decorating magazine Home Beautiful, a simple cosmetic makeover that includes clearing out clutter and outdated decoration can add between five and ten percent in value to a property.
As well as disposing of unused or worn-out items, it can also include tasks such as finding a designated place for everything you keep, moving furniture into different rooms and putting objects into storage. While it requires afairly ruthless attitude, it serves the purpose of allowing you to visualise how the remaining household objects can be arranged and create more space to make rooms feel bigger.
Furthermore, decluttering is now recognised as a proven method for reducing anxiety, improve relationships, heighten energy levels, and create a sense of confidence and self-efficacy.
Give thought to your windows
As strange as it might sound, windows are very often an underrated feature of a home that can make all the difference should they be provided with some extra attention. Whether its replacing tired-looking curtains with shutters for your beautiful home or merely giving the frames a new lick of paint, whatever you do will not only add to the interior, it will also improve the exterior.
There is also the environmental factor of giving your windows some TLC. Statistics from the Energy Saving Trust reveal that windows which let in a draught can increase your expenditure by up to £50 a year, or the equivalent of 10 percent on your annual energy bill.
“With draught-proofing such an easy and cheap fix, it would be foolish not to invest in draught-proofing measures, such as fitting strips around opening casements and placing putty in cracks between the window frames and the surrounding walls. If you are having issues with funding you can get a windows grant as a part of the green initiative.”
Lighten up the rooms
Contrary to the belief held by many people that the best way to lighten a room and make it feel more spacious is by installing mirrors, there are, in fact,a number of other ways that are far more effective. Painting in specific colours, washing walls, introducing hints of dark tones, switching light bulbs, and adding area rugs are all highly cost-effective ways of making rooms seem bigger and brighter.
Another useful tip to bear in mind concerns the type of furniture you buy. Sticking to streamlined, lighter objects with a minimalistic aesthetic is the key to avoiding the effect of a room feeling heavier and darker than it truly is. This also applies to window coverings and light fixtures.
Add a bookcase
Installing a bookcase is a simple yet effective way of freeing up more space in a room, adding a stylish aesthetic, keeping rooms clutter-free and generally creating a more cosy atmosphere. While the price of bookcases can vary depending on the quality of material, generally a standard shelf will not be too expensive. If you have the time, you can even source your own materials and put it together yourself to save money.
Bookcases are also fantastic places for displaying ornaments alongside the books, adding a touch of class to a space. For a more traditional style, they are the perfect feature for a room, particularly ones made from heavy woods, such as oak or mahogany. With people’s lives increasingly dominated by technology, purchasing a bookcase is not only exceedingly functional, but it is also a clever and cost-effective way of adding an air of elegance to your living area.
Paint your front door
It may seem like one of the last things on your list, yet painting your front door is a great way of updating the exterior of your home without having to fork out thousands of pounds. Granted, it is not the easiest job in the world, but with a bit of elbow grease and a few hours work, you can completely transform the first impression of your house for the better.
Make sure to properly sand down and clean the door before applying paint, and work only in good weather conditions to maximise results. Another simple trick, once you have freshened up the entrance with a lick of paint is to replace the tired old letterbox for a brand new one. They can be picked up for next to nothing and will make all the difference to the new aesthetic.
We asked John from Supreme Finishes who is a specialist decorator in Coventry. He said “People underestimate the power of a new lick of paint. Your front door acts as a first impression when people first visit your house. I would recommend choosing a nice, fresh colour to really set yourself apart.
Conclusion
Overall, it is clear that there are countless ways in which you can spruce up your house and keep it feeling fresh without having to break the bank. While there will always be some fixes that require a substantial amount of money – such as replacing an old boiler – by following these simple tips you will be able to instantly transform your home for the better.
What’s more, most of them can be carried out without resorting to outside help, hence further saving on costs. All they require is a spare weekend and a bit of know-how, and you could be well on your way to creating a living space that you can be proud of.
