Giving your home a facelift doesn’t have to break the bank. Often a much-needed nip and tuck actually makes a significant change, and only requires a few small modifications which can be relatively inexpensive (unlike real face lifts, which generally necessitate the taking out of a bank loan to fund –- though that probably won’t suffice as a reason for the loan request). Today, I’m going to share a few ways you can upgrade your home and increase not only the value, but significantly add to the overall aesthetic appeal.
Kitchens – for most – are the heart of a home. Are your cupboards looking a bit tattered and worn? Spruce them up with a fresh coat of paint (and why not be a little more daring in your choice of colour?). Granted, paint can get a bit costly, but it’s nothing compared to a complete kitchen cupboard overhaul. This simplest touch, along with replacing your cupboard and drawer handles, can actually completely transform the look (and feel) of your kitchen. You can even add some highlights by attaching moulding to your cupboards and creating a completely different look!
Revamping your light sockets and switches will modernise your home, especially if you stay in an older building whose light fittings wouldn’t look out of place in one of those nuclear testing fake suburbs from the 1950s. Another cool trick you could apply would be to paint your sockets to match your wall, making them fade into the background even more. While you’re at it, take a look around at your existing light fixtures and consider upgrading them. Changing up lighting in a room will greatly affect the mood of your room, but switching to more modern fixtures greatly improves the overall look and feel. Again, light fixtures don’t have to cost an arm and a leg (you don’t need crystal chandeliers – they’re so ‘palace of Versailles’ anyway, and that went out of fashion hundreds of years ago).
Currently, strip lighting around TV units is becoming increasingly more trendy. They come in a variety of colours you can match to your room’s colour scheme. The process is really incredibly simple: Snap the ends of your strips into flexible corner pieces and then peel off the backings, one at a time. Attach each individual strip to the edges of the TV, making sure to conceal the folded corner pieces behind your set. Most TVs (with the exception of the archaic ones you see in movies set in the 1950s) have USB ports. All you have to do is plug your lighting adaptor into one of those, hey presto! Magical mood lighting in three easy steps!
Adding floating shelves to your bathrooms or kitchen not only provides you with opportunities to display things in an aesthetically-pleasing manner, but also provides you with additional storage space (and – honestly – is there such a thing as too much storage space?). You can find relatively inexpensive glass jars in a number of places, and can decant some ingredients you use regularly into them. Adding a few labels using blackboard paint adds a really cool retro feeling. Add a few wire baskets for variety and mix things up a bit!
Another way in which adding these free floating shelves can benefit your home is by freeing up clutter. Now, you could go the extreme route of Marie Kondo (remember to declutter your past and “Discard everything that does not bring you joy” – though how necessary appliances like toasters bring joy is questionable, but hey! I’m not judging!).
Once you’ve finished tidying up, repainting, and Marie Kondo-ing, it’s time to move outside. This next tip may seem a little contradictory, but bear with me for this one. Interestingly, adding a table and chairs to your outdoor area will make it appear bigger even if the space is taken up. In a way, this does make sense since the installation implies that there is enough space for outdoor furniture in the first place. It does also give you a spot to escape to if you find yourself in need of some Vitamin D. Add a few cushions to make your new chill zone a little more colourful. Don’t neglect your outdoor space. Add some lighting to your walkways and pathways for additional safety, and then add some fairy lights or string lights to your trees or braai areas.
There are so many inexpensive ways to renovate your living space in your home and get a few metaphorical nips and tucks. No need to go full ‘Plastic Surgery Disasters’ levels, and no bank loan funding required! For any extra assistance, Titan Electrical is ready to help you! We’ll even loan you a spirit level for those free floating shelves.
