Makeover basics for your home
Maximise your space and use it intelligently.
The trend this year is looking at your homes not just as a dwelling, but as a sanctuary.
The longer you plan to live in your home, the more creative you can be. But if you're planning on selling the house in the next five years, keep potential buyers in mind with your choices.
Prioritise your needs
Make a list of all the things you currently want to upgrade, and anything that you think will need to upgrade in the next few years. Start out by performing triage — order them in terms of what most needs upgrading, with the neediest item going at the top of the list. Then rearrange your list in terms of what you use most and what you actually want to replace — there's no use putting a new vacuum at the top of the list if you know it'll never come out of the closet. Also, if you have a few items listed in the same room, put the most focal one at the top of the list — that way, you won't be later stuck decorating an entire room around, say, a toaster.
Splash some colour
An easy and inexpensive way to redo the look of a room is with paint. But forget about your everyday whites and beiges. The big thing we're seeing in all the magazines is to just go crazy with colour. People are getting a lot braver. So many people want colour who never wanted it before. To add visual detail to your walls, try colour blocking. Apply a variety of colours in grid formation, complimentary colours in stripes of various sizes or different shades of colour in a gradual incline or decline. If you prefer smaller punches of colour, consider adding a bright red sofa or a green throw.
Create your style
Ethnic decor is influencing not only colour palettes but furniture and accessories, as well. People are travelling a lot and want to bring things home with them. But it's not about one style; it's eclectic — Indonesian with Moroccan with Asian.
Be the trend setter
Sometimes, trends can be as simple as changing the way you hang your artwork — hanging it lower or higher or in groupings—instead of buying all new artwork. Don't let trends influence what you buy. Unless you can afford to buy new furniture every season, buy low-ticket items. It won't hurt as much when the trend is over and you toss the accessories in the closet.
No matter how much you have to spend, always buy what you love. Never settle for something. If you've always wanted hardwood floors, invest in them and wait to buy other pieces. There's no law that states you have to complete the entire house, or room for that matter, all at once. Have fun with your space. Go and get what you want.
Be smart with space
Whatever your taste, whatever your budget, great decor follows a few basic principles:
-Lighting can make or break a space. Lighting can not only set the mood, but it can also hide flaws in a room by keeping those areas in the dark.
-If you have a large wall to fill, opt for a series of prints in a group, rather than one large piece of artwork. You'll get the same effect for a third of the price.
-Eight feet between two pieces of furniture is too much. In a large space, create multiple conversation areas instead of one.
-Always have fresh flowers in the house, preferably the same kind.
-Limit the number of houseplants and keep them in the same type of pots.
-A final tip: If you do plan to follow through with a large-scale renovation, do the smallest room in the house from start to finish — the insulating, rewiring, painting, refinishing, tiling — so you gain a sense of accomplishment.
The longer you plan to live in your home, the more creative you can be. But if you're planning on selling the house in the next five years, keep potential buyers in mind with your choices.
Prioritise your needs
Make a list of all the things you currently want to upgrade, and anything that you think will need to upgrade in the next few years. Start out by performing triage — order them in terms of what most needs upgrading, with the neediest item going at the top of the list. Then rearrange your list in terms of what you use most and what you actually want to replace — there's no use putting a new vacuum at the top of the list if you know it'll never come out of the closet. Also, if you have a few items listed in the same room, put the most focal one at the top of the list — that way, you won't be later stuck decorating an entire room around, say, a toaster.
Splash some colour
An easy and inexpensive way to redo the look of a room is with paint. But forget about your everyday whites and beiges. The big thing we're seeing in all the magazines is to just go crazy with colour. People are getting a lot braver. So many people want colour who never wanted it before. To add visual detail to your walls, try colour blocking. Apply a variety of colours in grid formation, complimentary colours in stripes of various sizes or different shades of colour in a gradual incline or decline. If you prefer smaller punches of colour, consider adding a bright red sofa or a green throw.
Create your style
Ethnic decor is influencing not only colour palettes but furniture and accessories, as well. People are travelling a lot and want to bring things home with them. But it's not about one style; it's eclectic — Indonesian with Moroccan with Asian.
Be the trend setter
Sometimes, trends can be as simple as changing the way you hang your artwork — hanging it lower or higher or in groupings—instead of buying all new artwork. Don't let trends influence what you buy. Unless you can afford to buy new furniture every season, buy low-ticket items. It won't hurt as much when the trend is over and you toss the accessories in the closet.
No matter how much you have to spend, always buy what you love. Never settle for something. If you've always wanted hardwood floors, invest in them and wait to buy other pieces. There's no law that states you have to complete the entire house, or room for that matter, all at once. Have fun with your space. Go and get what you want.
Be smart with space
Whatever your taste, whatever your budget, great decor follows a few basic principles:
-Lighting can make or break a space. Lighting can not only set the mood, but it can also hide flaws in a room by keeping those areas in the dark.
-If you have a large wall to fill, opt for a series of prints in a group, rather than one large piece of artwork. You'll get the same effect for a third of the price.
-Eight feet between two pieces of furniture is too much. In a large space, create multiple conversation areas instead of one.
-Always have fresh flowers in the house, preferably the same kind.
-Limit the number of houseplants and keep them in the same type of pots.
-A final tip: If you do plan to follow through with a large-scale renovation, do the smallest room in the house from start to finish — the insulating, rewiring, painting, refinishing, tiling — so you gain a sense of accomplishment.
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