For some of us, our home has looked the same for years. A lot of the time, we would never think of knocking out a wall or changing the room around. You would be surprised at the space and modern designs you can bring to your home by considering something different.
The first, and easiest thing you can look at is the decorating.
If you have quite a lot going on with your fabric patterns or wallpaper, you might want the rest of the room to stay quite plain. Magnolia walls with vibrant cushions and ornaments can make your furniture stand out more. Too much of anything can be over powering.
You could go the other way and have a plain suite with colourful wallpaper. This makes your furniture stand out from the walls and creates the illusion of space. You don’t want everything to blend in with each other, it can look too busy.
Change doors and windows.
Sometimes we can become familiar with the norm and don’t ever think of changing something like a door or window. You could try swapping your usual wooden doors for those with glass panels. This allows more light into the room and creates the feeling of space by connected two rooms through glass.
Perhaps you could do the same by bringing installing patio doors. This connects the home with the garden and makes the room feel more open, rather than stuffy and enclosed.
Now take a look at your floor plan.
Could you be living in the same home with the potential to be completely new and modern? Take a look at this floor plan.
When his house was re-bought, it hadn’t been altered since it had been built. With a fresh design on the ground floor, it had a new lease of life.
By knocking out one wall, the whole back of the house had been transformed into an open kitchen dining room area, full of light. A place for you to enjoy cooking with the family, while at the same time creating a more private living area that can be used to relax away from the kitchen.
Your home could have the same potential to make such a huge improvement from a simple change, but you may have never even thought about it like the previous owner of this property. Something as simple as swapping hinges on a door can allow you optimise your space, as you can see above. You could have a read of our article How to Add Value to Your Home, for other ideas like this.
Could new furniture make a difference?
As we’ve already mentioned, you could opt for a plainer pattern on your furniture to separate the room a little. Try and connect the whole room so that everything matches but doesn’t blend. For example, if you have a brown sofa, look for light wood furniture. Or if you have modern coffee tables built with glass, a leather sofa would go nicely.
Replace walls with windows.
This goes without saying, if you replace a wall with a window, the room will look bigger. One thing you have to remember is when you lose a wall, you lose a potential backing for a TV stand or sofa, so make sure you have the space, you don’t want everybody outside to see all of the TV wires.
However, if you do have the space, a full length window can become a feature wall, better than hanging a picture. Opening up your home to your garden will create a bigger feel to a room.
The same goes with using mirrors. Mirrors are an easy alternative to the expense of changing windows. They create the illusion of more space in the room and are not too costly.
Change your theme.
Have you always stuck to the same theme? It can be hard to make huge changes when you like to keep your favourite ornaments on display or if you’re happy with your current furniture.
You could try looking at completely new designs from the Far East or South America that would match your current furniture. At the moment, it is very popular to have a patterned feature wall in the living room, commonly patterned with large flowers. This décor has been common in Japan for years. Perhaps you could become inspired by Chinese patterns or Brazilian bright colours.
Don’t block windows.
When you put a large piece of furniture over a window, you block the light from the outside and automatically make the room feel more enclosed. If you can, it is best to place a coffee table under the window and your bigger furniture against the walls to avoid covering the glass.
Follow the same flooring throughout.
This could be the oldest trick in the book. If you want to make a room look bigger, lift up the rug so that you can see the whole floor.
If you have a room that has a carpet dividing it into two parts, by following the same flooring right through, you connect the rooms and create the impression that there is more space. Patterns can do the opposite and drag the surroundings in, making it look more cramped.
Don’t let the British weather keep you in.
Have you ever been to a pub where they have huge umbrellas and a halogen heater so that you can still eat outside when it’s cold? Why not recreate that for your home?
It’s not uncommon in the UK that our BBQ becomes and Oven-Q. Why not get a roof over your patio or buy some big brollies and beat the weather? One great idea is an outside fireplace. There is something soothing about sitting in the warm while watching the rain.
Why don’t you recreate your home this Summer and learn to love it again? You could also pull some advice from our article Prepare Your House for the Spring Season.
If you’re considering making any changes to your home, you should let your insurance company know as it could affect your premiums. You will need Renovation Insurance if you’re considering carrying out any big jobs because your regular Home Insurance won’t cover it, so be sure you get a quote online from UKinsuranceNET.
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