Quarantine has many of us going around their homes in search of the next home improvement project to tackle. With so many ideas floating around the Internet, it may be difficult to decide which upgrades are worthwhile. With that in mind, here are seven smart ways to spend that extra time and upgrade your home.
Consider creating open space in your home
The pandemic has many of us staying at home with our loved ones, bringing families closer together. With dining tables, coffee tables, and kitchen islands now serving as homework stations and home offices, many homeowners feel the need to make their living spaces more functional and practical, and creating open space may be the answer we are looking for. Sometimes it will mean tearing down a wall or two. Other times, it’ll be a matter of rearranging furniture, getting rid of bulkier pieces, and decorating with mirrors.
Adopt a minimalist approach to home decorating
If you found yourself cleaning your home more often and disinfecting all the frequently used surfaces since the pandemic started, it might have crossed your mind how your household chores could be made much easier if there weren’t as many items cluttering up your living space. Not only does taking a more minimalist approach to home decorating make it easier to clean and maintain, but it also brings some mental health benefits as well. That being said, don’t feel like you have to get rid of everything you love in your quest of becoming a minimalist. There is a thing called cosy minimalism that combines comfort and functionality, and if there’s one thing quarantine has taught us, it’s the importance of creating a warm and welcoming living environment.
Create an outdoor oasis
Another thing we’ve learned since the whole coronavirus pandemic started is how valuable it is to have an outdoor space to escape to when you’re confined to the four walls of your home. Spending time outside is vital to our mental and physical health as it allows us to stay connected with nature and our surroundings. This is why many homeowners took it upon themselves to maximise the available space and turn it into a cosy oasis. Entertainment is a big part of outdoor design, and practically any type of outdoor space would benefit from adding an interesting outdoor tv, whether we’re talking about a tiny patio or a large backyard with a garden. Besides this, consider adding some amazing stereos, soundbars and speakers as these go a long way in making your outdoor space more relaxing and inviting.
Bring nature inside
The need to feel connected to our surroundings has also inspired many homeowners to start bringing the outside in, applying the design concept known as biophilic design. During quarantine, many decided to include more plants into their living spaces to make them more lively and welcoming. Aside from houseplants and greenery, another popular way to give your interiors a more natural look would be to include as many natural patterns and materials as you can. Furniture and decor pieces made from wood or stone can be perfect for infusing your living space with a touch of nature, while nature-inspired patterns on wallpapers and textiles are sure to enhance that natural feel.
Add an accent wall
Speaking of wallpapers, removable and easy-to-install wallpapers can be a great way to introduce an accent wall in a quick and easy way and create an amazing focal point in practically any room. Wallpapers with cool prints and graphics can be used to add contrast to the room and make it look as if it was styled by an interior designer. You can also rely on paint to add a pop of color and add visual interest to a room, with techniques such as color blocking being quite popular these days.
Update the cabinets and countertops
If you’ve been planning on renovating the kitchen, quarantine and the stay-at-home order might have dampened your plans, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give your kitchen a new look. Outdated cabinets and worn-out or plain countertops that stick out like a sore thumb can easily be given a new look by simply covering them with a fresh coat of paint. There are so many tutorials on the topic and you can really get creative here, whether it means painting a faux marble countertop or faking the granite look. While you’re at it, consider swapping out the hardware for an inexpensive, full-blown kitchen makeover.
Install new lighting
Another quick and inexpensive home upgrade you can make this year is to swap out the old lighting fixtures. New lighting can literally bring a room to life, improve your productivity levels, and save a significant amount of money if you go for energy-efficient versions. Although this may seem as an easy DIY task, it’s better to hire a licensed electrician, especially if you’re planning on installing new ceiling fixtures. You can also keep it simple by simply getting new floor and table lamps and optimising lighting to create a cosy ambiance.
Making home upgrades doesn’t always involve tackling major renovations. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of making a couple of small tweaks here and there. The upgrades listed above are the projects you can tackle before the end of the year so you can enter 2021 in style.
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