If you are looking to improve your home this year, but are unsure where to start; here are a few tips to help inspire you to kickstart your project.
SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
A building or home project of any kind is very involving in terms of time, effort and money. Seeking the advice of professionals from the very beginning is imperative to the success of a project. Whilst the average person may be able to refresh a space with a few DIY projects, any project that involves structural works or is likely to include planning or building regulation approval really does need consultation with a professional. If you undertake a major project without consulting Architects, or Surveyors, for example, you could find that you build yourself a project that is more costly in the long-run, is structurally unsound or contravenes building regulations. At the very least, you could land yourself with a finished project that does not maximise your property’s full potential.
PLAN THOROUGHLY
If you are going to ‘go it alone’ then you are going to need to have lots of free time available and you are going to have to be highly organised. If you find that you are unsure about how to go about getting your project completed, you can hire a Project Manager who will be able to ensure that your everything is delivered on time and to budget. They will also be able to help you navigate any problems that you may encounter over the course of your project.
RESTORE PERIOD FEATURES
Do you know when your house was built? Do you know what style of house it is? What would a typical door, cornice or fixture look like? When looking to refresh or renovate your home it is worth doing a little research to find out more about it. Homeowners before you may have unknowingly removed a period feature that is fundamental to the overall feel of the property. Period features are sought after by homebuyers as they add character to a building. If these features are restored well and tie with the scheme of the house, they can increase the saleability and potentially the value of your home when you are looking to sell.
ADD CHARACTER IF YOU HAVE NONE
If your home is newly or recently built, then it will not have the traditional features that a Victorian or Georgian house may have for example. Adding character to the interior of your home will avoid your rooms looking bare and dull. This can be achieved through installing details like coving, panelling and texture. As well as this, including furniture and decor that is visually interesting is a must. When adding character to a new home, it is important to not try to impersonate a particular era, as your home will not feel authentic. It would be a little weird to install a 1930s Art Deco fireplace into a new build home!
UPDATE THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM
There isn’t much use refreshing a home without updating the kitchen and bathroom. This is where a home’s value is, so it is worth investing properly in these areas to make them perfect. There are so many companies that offer a free (or low-cost) design consultation service. Take advantage of this by booking an appointment with a professional who will help you to maximise the space, which is particularly important for the kitchen. If you already know how what your plans are, some companies have an online 3D visualisation programs that you can use to see exactly how a space will look once complete.
INVEST IN NEW FLOORING
Flooring is one of the things you first notice when walking into a room, as it covers one whole surface! If you can invest in high quality materials, such as stone, wood or tile, then they will stand the test of time, as well as give a high quality visual appeal. The good news for those on a budget is that as technology has advanced, higher quality imitation products are more freely available (for example Amtico, which is vinyl) so you can get the look you love for less!
LET LIGHT SHINE
Good lighting is the key to the success of any interior space. Light makes a room look more spacious, is good for mental health and well being and can also be used as a design feature. One of the ways to instantly improve your home is to enlarge or replace existing windows or even add more windows if that’s achievable. If your windows are dated and are losing their efficiency, replacing them will make your home more energy efficient, thus saving you money. If new windows are not in the budget, then it is definitely worth investing in high quality lighting that is well placed and varied. Bringing natural light together with ceiling, wall, floor and table lighting will ensure that a room is well lit, functional and beautiful.
INCLUDE SOMETHING HOMEMADE
Everyone has talent and has something that they can make. Art is really just what you make it. It is very fulfilling to include a piece of art or decor in your home that you have lovingly crafted. Why else would parents proudly display their little ones’ artistic efforts? Whether you paint a picture, make a storage pot from air dry clay, sew a few cushion covers or ‘hack’ a piece of furniture, every time you look at or walk past that piece, you will feel a sense of pride and achievement. It is small things like this that help to make a house a home and help to improve well-being.
BRING THE OUTDOORS IN
No home is complete without plants. They bring life into a space, add a grounding colour and have a range of benefits. Particular plants, such as Spider plants, Ferns, Peace Lilies and so many more are known for their air purification properties. Not only do they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen at night, they can also remove toxins from the air. This is beneficial following renovation works as so many paints, glues and grouts etc. contain chemicals that are harmful to the body. Having plants in a room, gives the space a calming feel, which is good for mental wellbeing. For additional colour, and visual interest, scatter fresh flowers around the house in different rooms and vases. If buying flowers weekly or bi-weekly is onerous, plant cut and grow again flowers in the garden so that you can have a supply of fresh flowers through Spring and Summer.
CREATE A SPACE YOU LOVE, THAT WORKS FOR YOU
Ultimately, you are the one(s) living in your home. When completing renovations to a home you plan to stay in long-term, make sure you make decisions that you love. Do not just blindly copy something off of the internet, or be influenced by something you see an influencer do – it may not work for you. Some things may look nice to quickly scroll past in an Instagram post for example, but there is a lot of psychology behind interior design. For example, I watched a video on YouTube where a self-taught designer painted a baby nursery yellow. It looked lovely and someone might be tempted to copy the design, however, yellow is a very happy, bright and energising colour and so a baby may actually find it difficult to sleep in a room that is yellow or creamy yellow. An on trend colour that appears in a lot of interior schemes on social media is grey. This colour gives off nice cool tones and looks crisp and lovely when you get the shade right for the room – worth copying right? Well, no, not necessarily. While it looks nice, it is also pretty much the only colour that does not have a positive psychological effect. It is a ‘depressing colour’ that actually drains energy and lacks stimulation. Over time, those living in homes with grey everywhere may start to feel quite low without really knowing why. It is best to avoid grey – particularly in bedrooms, or areas like a home study where you need to be creative, as it will not do you any favours. If you really love grey, then team it with a colour that is stimulating.
I am not saying do not use the things you see as inspiration – definitely do! The point is… be authentic and seriously consider the things YOU like and how they make YOU feel before spending money on them. You will feel happier and more satisfied for it.
Whatever the project you are embarking on, I wish you every success with it and I hope this blog has given you a few things to think about.
Rosanna Alfonso Developments 