The desire to improve your home comes regularly – but, generally speaking, it can also come at a significant cost, depending on the type of improvement you’re looking at. Finding cost-efficient ways of improving your home can give you that feeling of a brand new home without actually damaging your purse strings.
1. Restore original features
Having beautiful, original features within your home, such as hardwood floor or encaustic tiles restored can seriously improve the aesthetic value of your home. Removing grime, dust and other nasties from tiles and wooden floors and restoring them to their former glory with the appropriate cleaner can add both value and leave you feeling like you laid yourself a brand new floor.
If you can’t afford – or don’t have the time- to spruce up your floor, then why not lay a nice rug to hide any scuffs and grub? Added warmth, a feature for a previously dull room and usually incredibly affordable.
2. Update your kitchen cabinets
We all dream of that new kitchen – perhaps it has an island in the centre where you’ll prepare lavish meals for your family members. Perhaps you have your own pantry, filled to the brim with jars and tins and a whole range of delicious non-perishables. In reality, kitchens (and islands) are incredibly expensive to design and fit, and if you don’t have a large budget, then your island dreams might not be a reality any time soon.
In spite of this, there are a number of things you can do to your current kitchen and its design that won’t break the bank but may have you breaking a smile – just until you save up for your dream kitchen. Painting your old-fashioned kitchen cabinets in bright, vintage-inspired colours is very in at the moment, and neither takes a lot of time nor costs a lot of money.
Once painted, replace your cupboard doorknobs with a brand spanking new ones to give it that fresh-feeling that it’s been crying out for.
3. Create a feature wall of art
Whether you’re an art fanatic with a wide collection or else a large collection of photographs of your loved ones, use them and display them proudly on the wall. Frame your images in difficult styles and size frames and stagger them accordingly.
If you’re feeling particularly debonair, you could rest your framed images against the wall. No frills, no fuss, and you’ll have that air of ‘I’m arty, and I know it.’
4. Dreary tiles? Update them
Kitchen and bathroom tiles age quite badly – particularly if they’re large, square and very white. Removable tile stickers, purchased cheaply at DIY stores, can be used to cover up any old and dreary looking tiles as well as making them much more appealing to look at – at a fraction of the cost of whole room re-tile.
Applying new grout between old bathroom tiles can also give them the feeling of being brand new. Remember to remove old grout effectively before applying new – line your tiles with tape to protect them before making an incision into the old grout, clean and apply new.
5. Install alcove shelving
If you have a fireplace nested within an alcove, then take full advantage of the space by installing alcove shelving- measure the space carefully and have the wood cut at a DIY store to lower the costs. If you’re feeling particularly stringent then perhaps use timber – but ensure that the wood is strong and can hold whatever you’re planning on storing on it.
Arrange your books and ornaments in different ways across the shelves – lay books both horizontally and vertically to make them the focal point of the room.
6. Give your house a fresh lick of paint
Perhaps the most obvious of all home improvement methods out there but there honestly is nothing better than a fresh lick of paint – often, houses can succumb to the elements, with its paintwork looking drab and crumbly. A fresh lick of paint- inside and out- can do wonders for its general appearance and won’t break the bank at the same time.
Light colours can give the feel of a more spacious room, making your home feel much larger than it actually is.
7. Reupholster old furniture
While reupholstering your old furniture to make it look chic and fashionable might not affect the value of your home, it will allow you to live more comfortably and confidently within it. Fabric can be bought in a variety of different colours, patterns and material leaving you with endless opportunities. If you’re feeling confident, have a go at doing it yourself but paying for the service won’t break the bank either- it’ll certainly be cheaper than kitting out your entire house afresh.
If you need help funding your projects then you can compare home improvement loans here on Lending Expert. Get a quick quote from one of our finance experts to see how much you could borrow today.
