What Makes A House A Home?
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Sure, you’ve just got the kitchen re-done and the bathroom re-tiled. But sometimes the best way to rejuvenate your home is in the smaller things. Personalising your living spaces can be as simple as a few pieces of artwork and as complex as designing mosaics for your splashbacks or colour-coding the entire interior. Here are ten simple ways you can make a space your own - minimal fuss, maximum result.
1. Try some indoor plants
After that delicious feeling of freshness that only comes a botanical interior? There’s lots of low maintenance alternatives for those who can’t sustain a diligent maintenance cycle - succulents are a popular choice. Potplants in the kitchen and bathroom (do your research on humidity tolerance) calm these otherwise hectic living spaces.
2. Invest in a rug
If you’re rocking a minimalist or industrial interior - or are just renting a fairly stock-standard soul-crushingly anonymous unit - don’t be disheartened. Floor coverings are a great way to introduce colour without overwhelming the cool charm of a modern layout. Add warmth with geometric patterns or classic Persian designs - perfect for if you're renting and can't have much fun with the property itself.
3. Create a DIY flower arrangement
Dining table looking a tad bare? If regular bouquets are a bit out of your price range, try crafting your own paper centrepiece or garland to grace those lonely surfaces all year round. This is internet DIY at its best!
4. Display the family heirlooms
Whether it’s an embroidered quilt or an awkward family photo from back in the day, there are some household items which deserve to be an active part of your home, not just gathering dust in a cupboard. Same goes for horrible Christmas presents - though you can probably hide these when the well-intended bestowers aren’t around visiting!
5. Paint your kitchen or bathroom cabinets
Add a bit of subtle personality by colouring cupboard facades. It’s not an overly strenuous weekend task and gives you plenty of leeway to be creative with your embellishing. Framing light hues with black can make a particularly strong statement.
6. Craft your perfect atmosphere
You might be an adrenaline junkie, a brooding artist or a raging hippie - whatever you love, make sure your home is a reflection of that wavelength as well. Sound, smell and light are the key concepts here - think surround-sound systems, strategically placed candles, incense, air freshener, stained-glass and skylights.
7. Don’t be afraid of contrasts
In the world of home improvement inspiration, perfect coordination reigns supreme. But when it comes to selecting furniture, linen and homewares which tickle your fancy it would be unusual to assemble a selection of entirely complementary items. Mixing and matching is precisely what creates that homely atmosphere which all of the IKEA catalogues in the world just can’t imitate.
8. Maintain a healthy amount of mess
On a similar note, nothing screams homely as much as a good mess. There are many spaces in a house for which disorder is a rather natural state of being, by necessity of menial day-to-day activities. Key racks, paperwork piles, fruit bowls - things in a constant state of flux. Sure, you can try and tame them, with organisers and pinboards and post-it notes. But the powers that be will always emerge victorious.
9. Show off your collections
Most possessions within a house are strikingly anonymous, so make the most of those objects which aren’t. Bookshelves, CD and DVD collections are like scrapbooks of your personality and personal history - it will be a sad day when all of these treasures are hidden inside a smartphone or laptop.
10. Find a feline companion
If in doubt, get a cat. Most cats these days come with a homely-atmosphere-within-same-day-or-your-money-back kind of guarantee so you can always go for an upgrade in the fluffiness department if necessary. The more hair strewn annoyingly across the home, the cosier it becomes. Purrfect!
Service Central is a one-stop shop when it comes home improvement. Need a photo frame properly hung or advice on making your laundry area pet-friendly? Just post your job to receive three free no-obligation quotes from qualified tradespeople in your area!
Handyman Quotes
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