Budget face-lifts

Sometimes we just don’t have the time or the money to remodel our homes completely but there are some cheap and cheerful face-lifts we can use to update a soggy look.  Here are a few ideas..

Freshening up your home is especially useful when you want to sell your home – particularly the bathrooms and the kitchen. You really don’t need to spend a fortune or a great amount of money on these projects. A little bit of imagination goes a long way – but remember that the most important factor is preparation.

This is the most obvious and most essential cosmetic face-lift. Get your rubber gloves on and start scrubbing! Wash the tiles, floors, curtains and upholstery. Get your carpets and rugs cleaned! You’ll be surprised how “new” they will look! Also, clear any clutter!

Change sockets & switches

Update those ugly plastic plug sockets and light switches with brushed steel, chrome or brass ones. You can also get some funky ones with unique shapes, colors and textures. Try them out, but don’t go overboard! Also, make sure you switch off the electricity whilst you’re doing the swap over – if you’re not sure how to do this, call in an electrician.

Repaint cupboards

Tired, old or out-of fashion cabinets can be updated with a lick of paint.
Remember to use an appropriate primer, then a couple coats of eggshell or satinwood paint. Don’t forget to varnish! If you have natural (i.e. real) wooden doors, you could just stain &/or varnish them. If you like the rustic look, you could lime-wash (or whitewash) them.

Change handles

The easiest way to sex-up your cabinets and doors is to change the handles. The current trend is to use glass, plastic, steel and metallic handles – adding these will make most furniture look like cutting edge designer pieces.

Make things shiny

Add mirrors, crystals, glass and glossy finishes & textures. Silk, satin, gloss paint, lacquer are the finishes that provide a timeless sense of luxury. 

Cover up your couch or sofa

Old sofas and armchairs can be brought back to life by covering them up with a big throw which can then be complemented by a couple of nice fluffy cushions!

Add a scent

It’s amazing how smell influences our well-being. If you smoke or have pets you should have lots of flowers and scented candles around your home. You can also leave some lemon & orange peels in a bowl around your home to have a fresh and natural scent all day.