Home renovation tips

Spring is the perfect time to give your home a makeover. The warmer days, with their additional daylight, will give you the impetus to renew your living space.

Here are five ideas to use when renovating your house.

1. The walls

Why not take some inspiration from the experts? It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can transform a room and if you want to get some additional ideas on colour and wall coverings take a look at The Ideal Home website. Remember that even though virulent green, for example, may be the colour of choice for interior designers, it might not suit your house, especially if the rooms are small. Sometimes it’s better to opt for more neutral colours and then personalise the space with some pictures or lighting effects.

2. The floor

An old carpet can very easily make a room look tired and unloved. If the carpet is threadbare, and beyond repair, this might be a good time to think of an alternative floor covering. You might consider a visit to a specialist such as www.easystepflooring.co.uk in order to have a look at natural wooden floors. These are easy to clean, and they will enhance the natural dimensions of your room.

3. The main bedroom

All too often busy parents spend their time and energy on their children’s rooms and neglect the appearance of their own room. A bedroom should be the place where you can relax at the end of an arduous day. Take a good look around the room; see if you can include a comfortable chair with your décor. The lighting should be calming; a dimmer switch is always a good idea. Good Housekeeping is an excellent resource for new ideas. Sometimes you just need to change the soft furnishings to affect a total transformation.

4. Furniture

It may be too expensive to replace all of your furniture, but you can always reupholster tired sofas and chairs. If your room is small, try not to choose a busy or vibrant pattern. You can always visit your local charity shop or auction house for additional furniture and restoring good quality wooden desks or chairs can actually be good fun. If you are following an overall theme for your house, try to stick to it. Though, with shabby chic, the rules demand to be broken.

5. Lighting

Most rooms can be enhanced with clever lighting. A single overhead light can be very harsh, so why not balance the appearance of your room with a mix of sidelights, spots and dimmed lights? Halogen bulbs are useful for mimicking daylight if your room is dark. You can also use tinted light bulbs, rather than the standard white variety. Remember that a simple change of lampshades can also change your room’s ambience.

You don’t have to spend a fortune when transforming your home. As long as you employ a little imagination, carry out some research and be realistic about the effect that you are trying to achieve, you’ll be able to give your house the makeover it deserves.