“Presentation is everything!” You’ve no doubt heard this expression applied to all sorts of situations, but it’s especially true when you’re selling a home. Real estate experts will tell you that well-decorated homes sell more quickly and at a higher price than comparable properties that need updating.
Perhaps you’ve considered the advantages of downsizing (a simpler lifestyle, less home maintenance and upkeep, and a potentially smaller mortgage) and the challenges (limited storage, less space for entertaining and a feeling of being “cramped”). But the transition can still be a difficult one. Here are some suggestions for helping you capitalise on your new, smaller digs.
Over the years, consumer research has confirmed that many do-it-yourselfers steer clear of wallpaper because they think it’s too hard or messy to hang—and even more so, they dread the prospect of trying to remove the wallpaper at some point in the future. However, consumer perceptions about wallpaper are largely outdated. Today’s wallpapers are easier to hang than ever, thanks to technological advancements in both the wallpaper themselves and the adhesives used to hang them.
Choosing faucets, cabinet pulls, lighting fixtures and other hardware can be one of the most stressful tasks in a home remodel. Should you choose chrome, nickel, pewter, copper, bronze or gold fixtures? Should they be polished, satin, brushed, matte, rubbed, antiqued or distressed? Should the same metal be repeated throughout the home? And should you also match door hinges, door knobs and other extraneous hardware pieces?
As you inspect your deck and patio furniture this spring, you may notice that the pieces need freshening up. This might be especially true if you live in one of the states hard-hit by storms this past winter. Don’t worry: You may not need to buy new furniture. With the right products and a little elbow grease, those pieces can be in tip-top shape in no time.
If your spring cleaning list includes straightening or clearing out a few closets, why not take this a step further and redesign them, too? With the popularity of such TV shows as “Tidying Up” and “Bea Organised” as well as the abundance of closet organisers on the market, closets are enjoying a new status in the home. The trend is for closets that not only work better but look and feel better, too. Here are some steps to help you achieve it.
Faux finishing is as popular as ever because it brings colour, texture and flair to a space and helps to create a truly customised look. Whether you choose to create a faux finish on your own or hire a professional decorative artist, there are many finishes that are trending at present and many places to apply them. Here are some ideas to get your faux juices flowing.
An interior bathroom, a basement rec room and an off-the-kitchen laundry room are among the areas in your home that may be noteworthy for what they are lacking—windows. The lack of natural light and openness that windows provide may seem like a detriment, but there are ways to overcome any perceived problems by trying a few of these simple tips.
The first rule of “Decorating 101” is to pick your decorating style, but what if you like more than one? Can you be contemporary in the living room, Scandinavian modern in the kitchen and romantically traditional in the bedroom? Yes, yes and yes. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with mixing decorating styles—as long as you know how to do it well.
Once upon a time, avocado green, harvest gold and dusty rose were the most popular hues in the land—and then they disappeared, banished to the Kingdom of Outdated Colour Trends. Would they ever be seen again? The answer is yes! These colours and other outdated hues have been freshened up for a surprising comeback in home décor.
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