If you’re reading this from home, then take a look up from your screen for a minute. Tell us what you see. Does your heart still flutter like the first flushes of new love at the sight of your curtains, picture frames and soft furnishings? Or has your relationship with your domestic space gone cold; a neglecting, crumbling relic to a fire which once burnt brightly now burnt out?
If you fall into the latter category, then all is not lost. You don’t necessarily have to move on and out to reignite that spark. Instead, a few simple steps to get that attraction back and domestic bliss restored; our 5 IDEAL ways to spruce up your home fast.
DEEP CLEAN & DECLUTTER
Sometimes it just takes a deep clean and a good declutter to get things ship shape once again. Debris and muck can crowd your view of ‘home’, making it a place where comfort takes a back seat to simply surviving. Nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as creating a schedule; Trying to do everything at once, with no set plan of attack, is what usually leads to that feeling of being overwhelmed and overly exhausted. Accept that you can’t do everything in one day if you want to be effective in all areas of your life and instead create a cleaning schedule that focuses on allocating a day to each task or a series of tasks. For example, Monday could be the bathroom day, while Tuesday is dedicated to dusting. And if you’re looking for some precision tips on how to clean effectively, we’ve got just the article for you over here; check it out!
A FRESH LICK OF PAINT
Now your house is clean and orderly, you might notice a few spots in need of a further spruce up. Consider applying fresh paint to your walls as a next step on the route to a fresh domestic look. Choose colours that will help to lift your mood and make small spaces appear larger, such as creams, yellows and off-whites. If you combine these lighter, brighter shades with a darker paint for any trim and skirting in a complementary shade, then you’ll further encourage the illusion of space.
ONE ROOM RENOVATION
If these shortcuts are a little too temporary for the spruce up you had in mind, consider a complete renovation of a single room in your house as a way of bringing new life to the whole of it. Of course, this is something which shouldn’t be rushed, but if you do want a bit of urgency, it’s in your best interest to work with the professionals, such as the good guys over at Houseup house renovations in London, who’ll map out every detail of your plan and help you realise it in an efficient, effective manner.
WINDOW DRESSING
Installing window treatments is another great way to change the look of your house. Your home’s window furnishings can have a dramatic effect on the appearance of both the room and the overall impression of the house. Dress up your windows with shades, blinds or curtains and use them as a way to tie the decor in each room together nicely. Not only is this good for the aesthetics of your place, but it’ll also save on energy bills in the winter months as your rooms will keep the warmth in more efficiently. Now that’s a spruce up we’re on board with.
If you want to bring the elegance, consider investing in silk or velvet curtains instead of cheap looking, crooked blinds. Almost as important as the material and ‘hang’ of those curtains is the tie which holds them back to let the light in; an elegantly fashioned bow of contrasting colour can look seriously cool – in the most understated way of course.
HANG MIRRORS
Want to add light and dimension to a room at the knock of a hammer? An interior design trick beloved of those in-the-know is to hang some decorative mirrors; a surefire way to transform your home and bring a sense of space to proceedings without the huge financial outlay required to actually knock down walls and expand. Indeed, a mirror is an ideal way of incorporating light into a living space, as reflections will make the room feel bigger and brighter. Not only that, but a mirror will also add depth to a flat wall and can be used as a feature piece on plain backgrounds.
Moreover, decorative mirrors with stylish frames can be used in lieu of artwork to fill that empty space on your wall. Of course, you don’t want wall to wall reflective surfaces, or you risk making your room look like a den of iniquity. Instead, tastefully framed and thoughtfully positioned around each room will do the trick of creating space while also looking subtle.