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Five easy and inexpensive ways to make over your home

It's possible to give your home a makeover without breaking the bank.

It's possible to give your home a makeover without breaking the bank. Photo: Getty

If your home’s looking drab and uninspired don’t despair. With stylish homewares and furnishings increasingly available at affordable prices, it’s easier than ever to give your home an inexpensive yet impactful makeover.

The New Daily asked two interior design experts for their top do-it-yourself budget home makeover tips. Here’s their verdict.

Rugs and throws 

Patterned rugs and throws are a simple way to make a room feel stylish and cosy. Photo: Getty

Rugs can add warmth, comfort, softness, texture and definition to unify a space, Queensland University of Technology interior design lecturer Natalie Wright says.

“They can unite different and disparate pieces of furniture and also change the feel of a room by covering an existing dated floor finish,” she says.

Throws have a similar effect. Draped over chairs and couches have a similar effect, throws in a variety of patterns and colours can help create a cosy and comfortable vibe.

Lighting 

Table and floor lamps can change the mood of a space. Photo: Getty

Lighting is an important item that is very often overlooked as an organising element and creator of ambience for space, Ms Wright says.

“Once you have decided where you want the focus of the room to be, carefully consider the type and colour of lighting and functional requirements, and use decorative lighting pieces to highlight specific furniture items or materials and distract the eye from the less desirable features of a room,” she says.

Table and floor lamps are a great way to change the mood of a space with ease, Fremantle-based Arcadia Design Studio director Amy McDonnell says.

“Look for warm light sources or ones that can be dimmed. You can purchase great designer lighting quite affordably through online stores,” she says.

Greenery

Greenery is a great way to transform an interior, interior designer Amy McDonnell says. Photo: Getty

From ‘living buildings‘ to indoor ‘it’ plants including fiddle-leaf figs and monsteras, allowing nature into the home has never been more on trend.

“Greenery is also a great way of transforming an interior. There are lots
of beautiful indoor plants available and an ever growing selection of pots and stands that you can collect and curate,” Ms McDonnell says.

“Grouping pots together can help to activate empty corners of the home; working with different heights makes for a more dynamic composition.”

A fresh coat of paint   

“Paint really is your best friend when the budget is tight”. Photo: Getty

A fresh coat of paint has the power to dramatically transform a space with minimal cost and just a little bit of effort.

“Paint really is your best friend when the budget is tight,” Ms McDonnell says.

Whether you go for a statement colour or a classic neutral, a refresh of the walls can have a huge impact.

“In my opinion it’s hard to go wrong with crisp white walls in any room of the house; this allows you to layer lots of different elements and furnishings into the space over time,” she says.

De-clutter and create space     

“Size matters – we all crave more space in our homes,” interior design expert Natalie Wright says. Photo: Getty

Space is a precious commodity in most homes, and innovative ways of creating more of it can be crucial to the success of a home makeover.

“Size matters – we all crave more space in our homes, to escape and rewind from the busyness of our daily lives,” Ms Wright says.

“When renovating for future resale or just to add comfort and value, consider how the property could be made to feel more spacious.”

De-cluttering with clever use of storage cabinets and room screens can make a home feel more spacious, Ms Wright says.

Other ways to create space include the effective use of colour and lighting, placement of mirrors, changing layouts of spaces for greater flow, grouping furniture and accessory items to appear less cluttered, and creating harmonious lines throughout the space with furniture and form.

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