Top 10 tips for renovating on a budget
Dressing up your home doesn’t have to break the budget. Small changes can lead to large transformations. Check out our top 10 tips for renovating on a budget.
1. Enhance the Entry
First impressions count. Investing in a new front door (or painting your old one) can change the look of your home and enhance its curb appeal. Should you wish to extend yourself a little further, try repainting the exterior trim of your home, replace its house numbers, erect a new letterbox and install modern outdoor lighting.
2. Install a new splashback
There are some outstanding splashbacks available that will completely transform an outdated kitchen by creating a strong focal point within your kitchen. There are elaborate designs now available. From wood panelled splashback, geometric, textured glass, window, brushed metal to Clear Glass over Timber Veneer. You don’t have to go for the expensive tile backsplash, try something simple and inexpensive like chalkboard, magnetic plain or clear glass.
3. Add architectural interest
Completely change the feel and era of your home by adding new crown molding or baseboard, chair rail or picture rails. Bunnings will cut to size, which makes your job much easier. What’s more, crown moulding can easily be installed by home handymen/ladies.
4. Give your cabinets a facelift
If your cabinets need more than new handles, and new doors are not in the budget, paint them instead. Whilst it is a little time-consuming, if done right, your kitchen will look brand new and can add value to your home.
5. Update lighting
Getting rid of those ugly fluros and dated oyster lights will have a huge impact on the look and feel of your home. Have a certified electrician replace tired light fittings with modern, funky pendants or subtle, sleek downlights.
6. Change the tapware
A new fixture in the kitchen or bathroom can add that extra shine you’re looking for. New kitchen faucets have a lot more functionality, so the upgrade can be more than just aesthetic.
Old style taps can be updated to something a bit more modern without having to call a plumber in. Showerheads and bath spouts are usually just screwed into fittings fixed into the walls so they can simply be unscrewed and the new ones screwed back on.
7. Flooring first
Flooring is one of those areas that completely sets the tone and mood of your home, so it is important to allocate a good percentage of your renovation budget for the finish you are after. Replacing stained carpets or scuffed and dated flooring gives maximum impact for your dollar. Be inventive -polished concrete shed floors, luxe carpet, and concrete-pebbled entrance ways are some ideas for price-conscious renovators, who want to create an inviting new look.
DIY’s might consider installing a floating floor which is available in a wood or laminate finish. Laminate is the toughest wearing flooring and quality laminate looks very much like real timber. There is no nailing down and the pieces simply snap together.
8. Tidy the yard
Create the type of outdoor area that evokes feelings of warmth and happiness. No matter how big or small, a garden that makes you feel like you want to spend more time in it is attractive and memorable. Mowing, edging, trimming, pruning, planting attractive shrubs, rejuvenating pathways is a cost-effective way of sprucing up your home. Placing a specially positioned seat invites people to go and sit and enjoy your garden.
9. Hang new curtains/blinds
Over time the sun fades colours from blinds and curtains. This often goes unnoticed by homeowners, who don’t recognise their slow deterioration. However, blinds and curtains are one of the first things visitors notice in your home.
Unattractive window coverings do little to create a positive impression of your home, especially when it comes time to sell. Blinds and curtains can be relatively inexpensive and set-off your home’s undertones, and enhance your flooring and furniture. There are many new varieties of shutters available, which can add a polished, vibrant feeling to your home.
10. Wallpaper one wall
Wallpaper on a feature wall adds drama to a dull room. It is less expensive than covering the whole room and has a more tasteful effect. It also lets you choose a bold pattern that would be overpowering on four walls.