Bringing new life into your home doesn’t always have to be an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. Simple things you can do yourself can make a huge difference in your accommodation. Instead of removing everything and beginning again, which can be an expensive and headache-inducing task, reuse and repurpose the things you already have and love. Your home will look completely new, and you will love where you live again.
Light Up Dark Spaces
The first thing you should do is install small LED lights in spaces like closets and cabinets. Not only will you be able to better see what you need, it will create the illusion of more space. These little lights last longer than regular bulbs, and save five times more energy.
These attractive, dimmable lights are virtually invisible, and therefore won’t draw guests’ eyes when turned on. They are incredibly easy to install, and instantly give off light so you can see into the deep recesses of your closets and cabinets again. Cleaning and organizing will be a breeze when you can see what you’re doing.
Create a Hollywood look by lining up a few LED lights along the top of your fireplace mantel, or along a bookshelf. This makes a setting more interesting to look at, and you can use less energy this way lighting the room.
Reupholster Old Furniture
You hate – HATE – that ugly old chair hidden in the corner of your living room. The stained fabric is so old, you aren’t even sure what color it was originally. The good news is, you can completely redesign that chair, and any other piece of furniture, quickly and easily. It will completely change the design and look of your chair, and you’ll be able to show it off again.
Pick out a fabric that goes with your room; it can match, clash, or complement your scheme. Choose something bright, a pattern, or a subdued fabric, but make it your own. Picking a fabric that draws the eye can open up a room, or make it more intimate. Either way, you won’t hate that chair anymore.
For those who like a more cohesive look for their rooms, make some pillows out of the same fabric you used to reupholster you chair and toss them on your couch. This will pull your décor together nicely.
Circle Around
Decorating your walls can be a tedious and confusing process. It’s hard to choose the right kind of frames, images, and formations for your art. You want to optimally display your photos, or arrange your mirrors in a fun way.
You can do this by putting your wall art, mirrors, photographs, what-have-you in circular frames, and arranging them aesthetically on the wall. Breaking up your wall arrangements can create much more visual interest in a room, and it will be a conversation starter. You can mix this up by taking a bigger picture, and cutting that into circles, then arranging the circles on the wall to create the broken image.
For something a bit more original, try making one wall a focus wall, and cover it with circular images. This way, you can focus attention toward this wall, and away from, say, a poor view out the window. Or, mix it up with different style frames, for an eclectic look!
Refinish Your Wood
After years of use and exposure, your wood cabinets and floors can look dull. Make your wood furnishings pop again by refinishing them. This takes a few days, and doesn’t smell too great, but the result is well worth the effort.
You can revitalize old wood by refinishing in the same color. This renews the look of your cabinets without having to completely redesign your home. By refinishing your cabinets, you can also add luster to the rest of your kitchen and make everything look newer.
If you want a different look, choosing a wood finish in a different color can completely change the dynamic and look of your kitchen or other rooms. By staining your cabinets darker, you can achieve a more modern, sleeker look. Lighter cabinets are warmer and create a welcoming environment. Finishing over the stain will ensure long life for your wood cabinets.
Repurpose and Redesign Old Bookcases
Bookcases don’t just have to be for books anymore. They can add to a room’s overall look, add something new to your living room, or add space for knick-knacks.
You can employ several methods to revitalize an old bookcase. First, start by removing any shelves: This makes it much easier to work on the bookcase. If you so desire, paint the bookcase a different color. Then, you can add either a bright paint to the inside, or a fun wallpaper. Like the chair you redesigned, you can make the back of the case pop, match, or complement. You can even put in the same wallpaper or paint color on your walls!
Then, you can either add the original shelves back in, or put in floating ledges. Putting in new ledges gives you the freedom to have as much or as little space between shelves that you want. You can finally fit those giant picture frames onto your bookshelf, or put a vase of flowers in to brighten the room.
For those who want something with even more purpose, you can build in little drawers instead of putting all shelves in. This hides things you want hidden, while still being a fashionable and attractive addition to your space.
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Redesigning your home doesn’t mean major overhauls and renovations. By doing these simple DIY projects, you can completely change the look and feel of your home or apartment, making the most of the space you have.
<a href=”https://plus.google.com/u/0/112416019671904987458?rel=author”>Sara Stricker</a> is part of a team of dedicated writers who contribute hundreds of quality articles to blogs and sites. She enjoys a good home improvement. Follow her @StrickerSara for more articles.