Beautify your house on a budget

Upcycling is a word I have heard used a lot recently. Upcycling is converting old, waste products into something useful and more attractive. In recent times this has become a really popular and fun activity and can encompass almost anything.

For example, when the cost of a new sofa definitely out ways the benefits of the purchase of a new sofa, why not try reupholstering your old sofa or buying a nice bright throw and cushions. If your seat cushions have seen better days, consider having them re-stuff. Modifying an item of furniture can transform the energy of the room and create a nice change for a small percentage of the cost of buying a new one.

Small changes in each room can really brighten up your living space without impacting your bank balance.

Living Room

The living room is the room where people congregate when they visit your house. If you look around your living room and think “yuck”, then it is time to spruce things up.

Adding brightly coloured cushions in matching or contrasting colours can brighten a room up and give the feeling of a change.

Consider a new set of curtains. A new set of curtains in a dark colour such as maroon or dark blue can give the feeling of luxury and some say, nostalgia. Or set of curtains in a green shade to create the feeling of harmony. The psychology of colour can be really interesting and something to look into when choosing a new colour theme for a room.

For a bigger, more dramatic change, think about painting the walls. If the idea of painting the whole room makes you feel nauseous, what about painting one feature wall. The feature wall should be a bold colour. Think about the carpets, curtains and cushions that are already in the room try and use a colour that is featured in all of these. A well picked colour can pull the whole room together and really have an impact on the feel of the room.

Kitchen

Everyone would love a new kitchen with more cupboard space, more counter top space and better appliances, but this comes at a huge expense.

A small change like changing the cupboard and drawer handles can give the feeling of new. Or if you have the time, consider sanding the cupboards down and giving them a new lick of paint.

A new window blind, in a different colour, can really impact the feeling in the room, particularly if, at some point in the day, the sun shines directly through the window.

Even small things like brightly coloured cookware and crockery can brighten up the area for very little expense.

Bedroom

I think a signature wall in a bedroom is a great idea; I especially like feature walls positioned behind the head of the bed. Before choosing the colour you must make sure you are happy with the position of the furniture in the room. Move the bed around, see where you would like it to be, try a few different positions. When you are happy with the position, then you can look at colours. 

Choose a colour that is already present in the room, but in small amounts. Have a close look at the bedding and see if there are any subtle colours that could be used.

In a child’s bedroom, think about using wall stickers. These are really inexpensive and can be easily removed and changed as your child gets older. If you have a flare for art, try painting a Mural. Unless you are feeling fully confident avoid attempting to paint the entire cast of snow white and the seven dwarfs.

I really like the new trend of turning old sweaters and clothing into throw cushions; these can be used in the bedroom or living room. They are very unique and can be customised to you. These cushions can be made from anything; hoodies, wool jumpers, jeans, whatever you have laying around in the back of your wardrobe that you love too much to throw away, upcycle it into something useful.

Bathroom

The bathroom is usually the smallest room in the house, and as such, it often gets forgotten.

Changing the old, off colour shower curtain for a nice, bright, new one, can have huge impact in a small space such as a bathroom.

A new bathroom mat that draws colours from the shower curtain can transform the small area into a thing of beauty. Think about blues as these are neutral and create a feeling of nostalgia and light shades to create an illusion of space.