Maybe you’ve just purchased a new home and want to make it your own. Or you have been in your home for a while and feel it is time for a change. Upgrading your home is the way to go. Your home should be a safe and comfortable space that you enjoy living and spending time in. You want to get back after a long day and feel good. You want to be able to invite your friends and family over for social visits. Plus you ideally want to see yourself living in years to come. Or you might be looking to do the place up, sell and invest in something bigger.
When you choose to upgrade your home, you are choosing to invest in yourself, your family and your future. Not only will you increase the value of your home, but you will also be able to increase its safety, and longevity and protect it for the future. The great thing about making upgrades is that you will be able to take an initial inventory of your home, so you can find any issues that need fixing. Then you can completely customise it to your own tastes. You can design and style it how you wish, so it can function just the way you need it to.
IT CAN BE TIME-CONSUMING
There will be a lot of time involved in upgrading your home, but the transformation will be worth it! This is because you will need to take time to research and plan, source professional contractors to work with or complete the work yourself, and much more. It will be a long-term project that you take on, so it is important that you are realistic with timescales and deadlines. While it can seem like a bit of a chore, the end goal will be a home that is yours to fully enjoy.
To help you get started, here are some top tips for upgrading and transforming your home.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
You must take time to research before you go ahead and make updates to your home. This research will not just be the themes and colours that you desire, but it will extend to the type of furniture, materials and decor that you will source, the quality of the paint that you use, the contractors that you work with, and much more.
You want to start your research off by finding all the themes, colours, decor, furniture and ideas that you want to incorporate into your home. This will give you a better idea of how big the project is going to be. You might choose to just update the paint and furniture, or you might opt for a full-on renovation in your home. Doing research will help you determine what you want to do. Make sure you also look at visual platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest, as many interior designers and other creatives will share lots of ideas there. You can also use these platforms to create mood and idea boards, so you can pull everything you like into one easy place you can access and help you plan and update your own home. Make sure you use these as a source of inspiration, but also add your touch to your home to make it your own.
ASSESS YOUR HOME
Now you know what you want your home to look like, you must consider the reality of your home and where it is currently. This will help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. It will help you set realistic goals, budget and timeframe for the works that need completing.
Go around your home and first consider all the things that are broken, unsafe, hazardous and need repairing. This includes the home’s exterior and any unused spaces. Many people will only consider the aesthetic updates they need to make to their homes. This is a big mistake because the last thing you want is to make nice updates to your home and then it gets ruined because an issue was missed or ignored. Check for things like:
- Pests
- Warped floors and doors
- Leaks, mould and damp
- Compromised foundations
If you find any issues, you should include all of these in your plans as a priority.
You also want to assess your home to see what furnishings and decor will fit the updates you want to make, and what will need to be replaced. At this point, you may consider how you can upcycle items, rather than throw them away and be wasteful. This activity will help when it comes to making your plan and making the updates. You may also consider what is clutter and you can get rid of it or give it to charity.
CONSIDER HOW YOU CAN MAKE YOUR SPACE FUNCTIONAL AND PRACTICAL
Another important part of making updates to your home is ensuring that they are practical and functional and that they meet your needs, as well as your wants. Many people will just think about what they want, without considering how it will all fit into the space or impact their lifestyle. Make sure you think about what space you need, what appliances are important, what might get in the way, etc.
Think long term
You must think both short-term and long-term when transforming your home. What you especially need to consider is the quality of the furnishings and materials as you don’t want to have to go through this process again within a few years.
You should think about how you can incorporate more sustainability in your home, too. For example, how you can utilise smart technology and renewable energy. You may also choose to make changes that will create more space, and increase the natural light in your home to make it brighter. Create a solid foundation that will make all future updates easy.
REMEMBER FINISHING TOUCHES
Finishing touches are key to any house transformation. Without them, it will always feel unfinished, or as if something is missing. This might be things like plants and artwork, or window features from ABC Blinds & Curtains.
DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO DIY OR HIRE PROFESSIONALS
An important decision that you will need to make that will impact the project, the costs and the timeline, will be whether you decide to do the project yourself, hire professionals to do it for you, or a combination of both. There are many advantages to these options, so it is important to consider what works best for you, what skills you have, what your budget is, what your goals are, what timeline you want to work towards, and more.
CREATE YOUR BUDGET AND MAKE A PLAN
With all the research and information that you have gathered about the upgrades you want to make, you can pull all of this together so you can assess your budget. You should look at your finances and consider what is possible. Then you can consider whether you need more time to save, or whether you will borrow money. It is always best to use your own funds. When you know what is possible, you can finalise the decisions on your upgrades and start to create a plan of action. From here, you can contact professional contractors for a quote, you can start to source materials and equipment, and get started with transforming your home.
Transforming your home is a great thing to do, but it requires a lot of thought and research to ensure you make your visions come to life. Follow these top tips to help you get started.
