Spring is in the air and many of us are looking at making some refreshing changes to our homes.
It's my belief that making small, carefully considered modifications to a home can make a meaningful difference to how it feels.
Here are 10 simple things a homeowner can do to improve their home without breaking the bank account.
1. Rethink that front entry.
Changing the colour of your front door can make a big difference in how your home feels from the street. Go a little further and change the hardware on the door, add some potted plants and maybe even include a bench for sitting. Go further still and incorporate some creative lighting by the front door and really make that entryway sing.
2. Add storage at the entry foyer.
Most entry areas lack adequate storage. Rather than trying to build additional storage at the foyer, add a small piece of furniture where items can be deposited and stored. Incorporate a shelf above with hooks for hanging. The storage piece might be made to be fun and decorative or clean and sophisticated, but it'll be convenient regardless.
3. Paint or wallpaper can transform everything.
Changing the colour or appearance of a wall in the home through the use of wallpaper or paint is an easy and inexpensive way to make a big difference in how a space is perceived. Have a little fun with colour or pattern. If you don't like it you can always change it back.
4. Change the pulls on your cabinets.
It's amazing how these simple items can dictate a style. A simple white shaker kitchen with traditional decorative bronze pulls will convey an altogether different style than the same cabinets with simple stainless steel bar pulls. If you're making a change, make sure the attachment points match the new hardware.
5. Add a new pendant lamp over your dining table.
There's a myriad of creative options for pendant lamps out there. Step back to mid-century modern with a Nelson lamp or maybe go crazy with a series of suspended contemporary globes. The options are as diverse as the price points, but good deals are to be had. I picked up a beautiful Le Klint pendant lamp a few years back for next to nothing.
6. Change an appliance.
Now I did say not to break the bank account, but a new appliance in the kitchen can make the entire room feel different. Modern appliances are significantly more energy efficient than appliances from even five years ago. Upgrading an older appliance makes good energy conservation sense and can transform a space.
7. Install new faucets.
New faucets in the bathroom or kitchen can make a world of difference to the room and installing them is generally easy to do. Faucets are elements that a homeowner uses many times per day. Changing one never goes unnoticed.
8. Switch up your backsplash.
A new backsplash in the kitchen requires more work than replacing a faucet but it's far from a daunting project. Backsplashes make a big statement about a kitchen. From ceramic to glass, from stainless steel to stone, the options for a backsplash are as plentiful as you want them to be.
9. Rethink that old fireplace.
Re-facing an old fireplace or adding a new mantel is a fun and satisfying project that really helps transform a space without a huge amount of effort. A few years ago I acquired a big piece of rough-cut fir that I cleaned up and made into my fireplace mantel. It looks great, it completely changed the look of the fireplace and was easy to install. (I managed it).
10. A new light in a new location.
It's amazing how changing a single light can transform a space. One place I love installing creative lights is in bedrooms. A chandelier in the master bedroom or a colourful flower light in a young girl's room can transform those spaces. My daughters have a pink chandelier suspended from the centre of their room and it truly defines their space.
