A change is as good as a holiday, right? When it comes to our homes and where we spend most of our time, it’s important to feel both comfortable and excited about our spaces. It’s easy to start feeling bored or frustrated with the rooms in our homes, especially when we’ve lived in one house or apartment for a really long time, and if you work or study from home and spend a lot of time there. However, shaking up that feeling of boredom is actually really easy and can be inexpensive too. A mini home makeover doesn’t have to entail a full-blown renovation. Sometimes, some quick DIYs and easy swaps can make your whole space feel brand new. Keep reading for some tips and ideas.
Make it Modern
Sometimes, the surfaces in our homes can make an entire room feel outdated. Giving a facelift to your cupboard and closet doors, countertops or similar surfaces can be all it takes to change up the entire atmosphere in a room and give it a fun or elegant new feeling. Depending on the type of surface you’re thinking of changing up, a lick of paint might do the trick, or you could look into trying out some patterned vinyl in styles and colours that suit your mood. This option is affordable and easy to apply, but also easy to remove, making it a great option for those of us who get bored easily and need to change it up on a regular basis.
Move it Around
Believe it or not, the simple act of rearranging your furniture and décor can completely change the feeling of a room. This might not be easy if you’re working with limited space, but playing around with what you’ve got is a fun and free way to find a little bit of something new in the home you’ve got. You might even find a way to free up some space and open up the room to feel larger. Either way, this simple change can make everything feel fresh and new again, like that just-moved-in feeling everybody loves.
Accessorise
One of the best moves you can make when furniture shopping is to go as neutral as possible. Keeping pieces like sofas, bed frames, coffee tables, bedside tables and closets basic and timeless is always a good idea. This is because it makes it incredibly easy to change the entire theme or colour scheme of a room by simply changing up the décor and accessories. A simple beige or grey sofa could become home to scatter cushions and throws of any colour you choose – swap between bright yellows and blues in the summertime, and dark maroons and browns in the fall and winter. Whatever your mood, it’s easy to change it up with art pieces on the wall, vases and trinkets to fit in with your current aesthetic.
Deck the Walls
Much like the vinyl on your surfaces idea we mentioned earlier, it’s pretty easy and inexpensive to get drastic and completely change your walls too without the hassle and permanence of painting them. Removable wallpaper is a great way to change the feeling in a room. You can brighten things up, turn the vibe dark and cosy, add a pop of colour or get really creative and add patterned wallpaper on a feature wall for something vibrant and exciting. This is an especially good option for renters who really want to customise their space without getting into trouble with their landlords – it can come right off at the end of your lease period.
Bring the Outdoors In
Some of us don’t get outside much. Yep, I’m talking to all of the work from home moms who never seem to make it out of the house other than to pick up the kids from school. Being exposed to nature is important, so maybe it’s time to force it. Adding some green to your space is never a bad idea – plants can add some literal life to your home, make it feel fresher and even be beneficial for your health. There’s no losing here.
Do a 180
Some of us are serial decorators with trinkets scattered across every surface and not a square centimetre of bare wall in our homes. Others are more minimalistic – choosing to keep only what serves a purpose with a place in our homes. Consider what it might be like to do the opposite for a change – add some décor where you’ve only ever had dead space or clean things up a bit and remove some of the chaos and clutter. You may find yourself switching over completely to the other side, or you may find yourself settling somewhere closer to middle ground; either way, it’s a good way to feel a change.
Hit the Lights
Your lighting plays a bigger role in your home than you might think, and so introducing a change that feels small might actually have a huge impact. Investing in an overhead lamp for your living room could create a cute reading nook, or adding hanging lights can completely change the feeling of your space. Better yet, adding dimming lights will allow you to switch up the mood with the click of a button.
Keep it Clean
This might not be a real home renovation tip, but it’s a good one nonetheless. Having a major decluttering session might be all you need to freshen up your space. Get rid of stuff you no longer want or need, uncover old forgotten gems and make space for some new décor or a cleaner look overall. Picking up after yourself and trying not to leave clutter all over the place will help with managing dust and keep your home looking and feeling organised and fresh all the time – something we all want even though we might not enjoy the process. Make an effort to declutter your home regularly and you might find you don’t get quite as frustrated with what’s around you.