Giving your home a fresh makeover doesn’t necessarily have to involve expensive consultations or unknown people trampling all over your property. Most of the time, there’s always something that you can do on your own with the right set of tools and materials that you can easily obtain from your local hardware store. Here’s a couple of simple ideas to get you going on your independent remodelling journey today:
Upgrade with Wainscoting Panels
The crème de la crème of walls since the Colonial or Victorian era has always been the luxurious application of wainscoting. Originally, it was intended to protect the walls from knocks and scrapes as well as to hide imperfections. Although it still serves the same function these days, it is also fast becoming an aesthetic design trend that’s both popular and long lasting.
Most panel pieces can be obtained ready-made or made to order if you decide to inject a more elaborate touch. Just ensure that your walls are free from extraneous materials before you start (paint is fine). Model-Home Makeover offered modern wainscoting designs that can be perfect with your home interior.
Impress with a Wallpaper Finish
Textured walls design always adds a certain pizazz to any room and installing your own wallpaper is one way to go about it. Not only is it more cost effective than paint in the long run, it can also last up to 3 times longer. If your room has many uneven surface areas, using wallpaper would also help in hiding imperfections.
There’s just a few things you need to remember before you run to the store for your materials: 1) If the area for wallpapering is subject to a lot of moisture, a vinyl wallpaper will be more suitable, 2) This is not the time to be stingy so getting a few extra rolls will help with mistakes, and 3) Invest in a wallpaper sweep as it gives a clean and smooth finish to your wallpapering efforts.
Brighten Up with a Fresh Coat of Paint
Wear and tear is unavoidable with any paint job. Over the years, interiors are subject to cleaning substances and the odd greasy hand whereas exteriors are affected by weather and temperature changes. White and neutral tones are the norm in most houses, but you can always use a feature wall in any room to draw the most attention.
Exterior Painting Tips
- choose either a latex or oil-based paint as these will last longer outdoors
- before you begin, ensure that your wall is free from dust and mildew that could interfere with your paint job
- protect your lawn or plants with a plastic cover
Interior Painting Tips
- if there’s any furniture around, remember to move them aside or cover them with a layer or masking tape to ensure that it doesn’t get ruined
- remember to clean the ceilings before you start to avoid a mix of paint and dust or cobwebs smearing across your wall
- use non-slip covers to prevent spillage from damaging your floor
Try a Dream Theme
Have you ever entered a hotel lobby that just took your breath away? That’s not to say that your house should reflect the design of a hotel, but rather that the highlight pieces of any room should tie in together to bring about a wow factor. Combining the ideas above, you should also consider updating certain furniture pieces to suit the current feel of your newly remodelled room.
Although certain eclectic designs can very well do the trick, it’s a lot easier to start off with a few basic ideas to add a well-polished touch to any room:
- take inspiration from beautiful homes and you’ll realise that the best ones include colours and pieces that perfectly compliment one another
- light-coloured walls are everywhere, but if your furniture is already of a much lighter tone, you can actually accentuate the room with a darker choice of colour
- decide on a feature element. It can be a wall, a piece of furniture or accessory or even the windows.
Whichever method you choose to spruce up your house, it’ll always come down to your own personal preference. Get comfortable and familiar with an idea before venturing in and you’re bound to save more time and money when things get rolling.