An opulent and well-designed home is something we all aspire to in life, but if after months of being locked down and staring at the same four walls, you’re ready for something new then you might be wondering just where to start – and whether or not you truly have the energy to renovate.
Creating more space in your home doesn’t have to mean knocking down walls, and breathing new life into your interiors isn’t always a case of stripping back the paint and starting again. Here, we take a look at four of the quickest and easiest ways to update your space and add an extra air of opulence that you’ll love.
Update your drawer and door handles
Nothing will date your home like old-fashioned, worn and dirty door and drawer handles – but the good news is that you can bring all kinds of cupboards, wardrobes and cabinets bang up to date by removing the original handles and replacing them with new ones – rather than having to replace the entire piece of furniture.
When doing so, take care to choose handles that are in-keeping with the style of the piece to avoid any unsightly clashes, as these can quickly spoil the overall look of any room. For antique furnishings, consider replacing handles with replicas of the originals if they are looking worn, or seek out some unique hand-painted knobs to create something entirely unique.
Don’t be afraid to experiment or to mix and match; you never know what you might create. A lick of varnish will help to bring tired-looking wooden surfaces up to date in line with your stylish new handles and will have your furnishings looking good as new in no time.
Experiment with removable wallpaper
Gone are the days of wallpaper paste and lumpy finishes, as today’s wallpapers have come on in leaps and bounds since the early years. Removable wallpapers offer a low-commitment way to transform your living space for a new season, safe in the knowledge that you can do away with it again once you’re bored with it.
Best of all, they look as professional as if an interior designer had hung them for you, and can instantly add colour, pattern and an added air of sophistication, with options available to suit every colour scheme and taste.
If papering an entire room still feels like too much stress, then original wall stickers are a great way to add interest to one particular wall. A feature wall doesn’t have to be painted in one block colour, and in bedrooms in particular, they can work well at bringing out a little personality. Personalised wall stickers will make a space really feel like your own, and are a great way to let children get creative in their bedrooms without committing to a complete or permanent makeover.
Create an outdoor room
If you’re tired of feeling shut in after months on end of recurring lockdowns then a lick of paint to those same four walls might not feel like enough to break the boredom, but looking for space in places you might not have thought of is a great way to get excited about your home once again.
And in the summer months, creating an outdoor room is the perfect way to shake things up and make the most of the better weather. Simply choose an area such as a deck or patio, add an outdoor rug to define your ‘room’, and furnish with a garden sofa, reclining chairs and a pergola with drapes.
To finish, add a few strings of fairy lights or some lanterns – or go all out and have a fire pit installed to keep you warm on chilly evenings and create a focal point for guests to sit around
Landscape your garden
Your outdoor space is just as important as your indoor space, and this is particularly true in summer. Your front garden is often the first thing that guests will see when approaching your home, and if you regularly play host to garden parties and barbecues then they will also likely be spending a lot of time out the back.
Landscaping your garden can make a huge difference to the overall look and feel, and from raised flowerbeds and perfectly-laid patios to sculpted shrubs and manicured lawns, attention to detail shows that you take pride in your space.
While not everyone has the green fingers required to do a complete overhaul, nor the desire to renovate, most can stretch as far as digging out some beds and planting some flowers and other types of foliage. And if not? You can always bring in the professionals to do the job for you.
