If you’ve just used your life savings to buy a property, you’re going to have limited cash to make elaborate home improvements.
Fear not, we are here to help so follow these simple tips to bring your home to life and put your personal stamp on it without breaking the bank!
A fresh coat of wall paint: It’s amazing the difference a fresh coat of paint or wall paper on one side of the room, can make to freshen up a home. An inexpensive pot of paint can remove stains and odours from walls, freshen up the look of a room and help to add your personal touch to your new home. It’s worth that extra cost to make sure you get good quality eco-friendly base coat, then a good layer of water-based paint, and finish off with a coating layer (if possible) for areas that will see more traffic. If you’re thinking of maintenance costs, it’s always easier to use popular colours that are easy to replace or purchase again, instead of mixed colours, which will cost more to mix again.
Refresh dated furniture: If you’re working to a tight budget, you’re unlikely to have much cash for new furniture. If so you can either refresh pieces you already own or pick up some bargains at your local charity shop and give them a new lease of life. Chalk furniture paint is great and comes in a wide range of colours. Since chalk paint is great at sticking to a wide range of surfaces it requires minimal preparation, saving you time and money!
DIY furniture: You can personalise second-hand pieces by changing knobs and knockers, adding your own paint design or pattern and colour matching to suit the palette of your rooms. If you’re more confident, take the weekend and make it a project with your partner or kids to refurnish the piece into something innovative and multi-functional.
Bargain picture wall: Picture walls and feature mirrors are two of the top trends this season – make yours eclectic by picking up bargain mirrors and frames from flea markets, car boot sales and charity shops. Put photos of your friends and family, favourite quotes or even sentimental greeting cards inside the frames to create a great focal point to a room or hallway.
Invest in plants: The initial outlay for plants can seem significant, depending on what you go for, but you must remember that they’re an investment that will just last and last when cared properly. If you don’t have green fingers, there are now many economic gadgets that will help water your plants for you automatically on a schedule. Potted plants are easy to maintain and can brighten up outdoor or indoor space in an instant, making a real impact or kerb appeal of your property.
Get crafty: Pinterest is a great resource when it comes to affordable home crafting ideas to brighten up your home on a budget. Crocheted blankets, knitted cushion covers and photo display ideas are just some of the great ideas you can pick up in simple DIY features. It’s also easy to create your own decor mood board from Pinterest.
