With the rising cost of living and high housing costs, many homeowners are looking for ways to revamp their interiors without breaking the bank. Whether you’ve just bought a new home or are looking to refresh your current space, a few well-chosen updates can make a significant difference.
RE/MAX of Southern Africa shares some cost-effective ways to elevate your home’s interior design style, proving that a stylish home doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag…
Raising your storage game
Clutter is the easiest way to make a home feel less expensive and far from luxurious. But even the storage options you choose can make an impact on your home’s overall appearance. Instead of plastic containers or a scuffed-up bookshelf, woven baskets or floating shelves can be an inexpensive way to keep things tidy while adding a decorative element. There are also plenty of DIY solutions to enhance the appearance of your current storage solutions, from adding a fresh coat of paint to dated furniture or glue-gunning trendy materials onto shoeboxes to create stylish storage solutions.
Upgrading your artwork
One of the easiest ways to make your home look and feel more expensive is to add artwork and framed pictures that give your home that carefully curated feeling. There are many ways to achieve this. For a minimalist look, opt for simple black or white frames throughout. To create a stylish gallery wall, it is important to choose a theme, like black-and-white photography, botanical prints, or abstract art, if you want to achieve that designer-level aesthetic.
Elevating your lighting
Good lighting can dramatically improve a room's ambiance. Consider replacing old fixtures with stylish, modern alternatives. Adding floor or table lamps can also create softer, more inviting spaces. Installing LED strip lights under the overhead kitchen cabinets can also dramatically elevate the kitchen.
Rejuvenating walls and hardware
Of course, the age-old advice of giving the walls a fresh coat of paint and replacing the home’s hardware (like cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, door handles, and faucets) still holds true. These simple upgrades can have a massive impact on the home’s appearance.
"Your home is where you spend the most time, but it's also your biggest investment,” says Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa. “That’s why it’s important to showcase it in the best possible way. A well-curated interior not only enhances your daily living experience but also adds tremendous value to your property in the long run."
For those who are looking to sell their home soon, Goslett also recommends leaning on the advice of a local real estate professional. “As suburb experts, a real estate practitioner will know what buyers are looking for in the area, which can be incredibly important when it comes to styling the home to achieve the highest possible sales price,” he says.
READ: 5 improvements to consider to maximise the value of your investment property
This is according to Yael Geffen, CEO of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty, who says: “Contrary to what most people think, achieving a stunning interior design doesn't always require a hefty budget or extensive renovations.
Create a warm welcome: Start your stylish home from the beginning by paying attention to your home's entrance. Paint the front door, update the hardware, ensure there is adequate lighting and complete the kerb appeal with greenery such as a hanging basket or potted tree.
Work around a hero feature: Select a star item to be your feature as the main focal point of the room. Then use other items to blend into the backdrop to accentuate your main attraction and create a calming vibe rather than a cluttered one.
Mirrors for Illusion: Mirrors are a designer's secret weapon for making small spaces appear larger and darker rooms feel brighter. Place mirrors opposite windows to reflect natural light or use them to create the illusion of depth by strategically positioning them across from each other.
Use rugs wisely: Rugs are the ultimate way to draw an interior design scheme together but there is an art to it. If too small, the rug will look lost and your scheme will fall flat. Ideally, a rug should be big enough that some or all of your furniture’s feet can sit on it. For instance, in a dining area, you should be able to sit at the dining table with all four of your chair’s feet on the rug. Consider using them in different ways, too; whether it's a few rugs overlapping each other or even hung as a wall hanging.
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