Interior design tips for first-time home owners

Posted on Thursday, October 5th, 2017

A lick of paint

The transforming power of paint is extraordinary, put a fresh coat of paint in a rather dingy looking room, and it will soon look lighter, brighter and better. That’s why investing in a few pots of paint is one of the best investments you can make when moving into a new home. If a room is particularly narrow or dark, consider using paint with light reflective properties, to enhance light levels even further, heightening the effect.  

Take the time to prepare the walls properly to make the most of your efforts and to help the finished result to last as long as possible. If you haven’t tackled painting a room before, there is lots of advice available online to help you.     

Shop around

If you’re looking to invest in furniture, shop around to find the best deals; and when you go shopping take the measurements of key spaces with you, so you don’t end up buying a wardrobe, for example, that doesn’t fit in the intended space.   

When it comes to buying new statement furniture ex-display models can prove extremely cost effective. However, don’t discount the attraction of vintage pieces either, so scour your local auction houses, charity shops and car boot sales for furniture that’s one of a kind.     

Recycle and reuse

See the potential in furniture; consider how a polish, a lick of paint or a new cushion cover could transform its look. Also, think about how you could repurpose objects and give them a new lease of life, an industrial spool could make an eye catching coffee table, while the trestle of an old sewing machine would make a striking side table.  

Industrial chic has been a mainstay of interior design the last few years, and its popularity shows no sign of waning, so jump aboard – reuse, recycle and repurpose objects to give your home a distinctive and stylish look.  

Get crafty

Discover the artist in you and get creative. Perhaps there is an art or craft you’ve always wanted to try but never got around to, well now’s the time to dive in and attempt it. Knit sew, crochet, paint and make items for your home.

Turn scraps of warn out clothing into a quilt full of memories or a bright rag rug, or knit or crochet a colourful throw for your living room. Don’t lose sight of how remarkable you are, embrace your talents and use them to give your new home an individual design edge.  

Fantastic features

You can create eye catching features in your home at very little cost; create a focal point in a reception room by simply wallpapering a chimney breast or the alcoves, rather than the whole room, saving you time, trouble and money. Moreover, if you have glass fronted cabinets in your kitchen, paint the back of them a distinctive colour that contrasts with your crockery. When it comes to your windows in your home, dress them with affordable voile, muslin or cotton panels, leave them lose or tie them in the centre with a contrasting piece of braid.

In addition, create a gallery effect in the hallway by hanging pictures in disparate frames up the stairs; seek out original art works at charity shops or from art school degree shows at reasonable prices. However, another option is to simply frame favourite photos, postcards, scraps of wrapping paper or fabric instead – making it even more cost-effective.

So there you have a few ideas on how to get started decorating your property, so it feels like a home – now you have the joy of putting your stamp on your new home.