Eight cheap ways interior designers say you can instantly update your home – how many do you have?

UPDATING your home to match current trends can be pretty pricey.

That’s why one interior designer has shared eight easy ways you can create a modern yet timeless look for less – and there’s no remodelling involved.

4

4

Kristen McGowan, from the US, explained you don’t always have to do a lot of work to change the look of your home.

In fact, sometimes you can instantly make your home look more expensive without spending a penny.

Add a lick of paint

It might seem obvious, but a fresh coat of paint can work wonders, Kristen explained.

And it’s not just your walls you can revamp with paint either.

“You can paint brick, paint tile, paint wood, paint your walls, paint your ceiling, paint your floors.

“You can probably change everything about your space just with paint,” she said.

Update your doors

If your interior doors are looking a little basic, you can update them without actually buying new ones.

The pro suggested creating a brand new look with moulding.

“All you have to do is get some wood moulding and install some detailing onto that door and it’s going to instantly update that door,” she said.

Replace old plug sockets

A lot of homes have dated plug sockets which are an ivory or off white colour.

Kristen said switching these to fresh white ones can instantly brighten your home.

You can do the same thing with light switches too – and they don’t have to cost a fortune either, you can buy new plug sockets from shops like B&Q for less than a fiver.

Add moulding to plain walls

In the same way moulding can make your doors look way more posh, adding trim or moulding to plain white walls can also create a luxurious look.

“This is something you can do on your own, it’s budget friendly, and it makes an extraordinary difference,” Kristen said.

You can even use picture frame moulding to make it easier for yourself.

Replace dated blinds and curtains

4

“If you leave up your dated window treatments they’re dating your entire home,” the pro said.

She suggesting switching vertical blinds for roller blinds or roman shades, or even some affordable curtains.

“Try and pick something neutral you’ll want to keep long term,” she added.

Change the tone of wood

If you have a lot of dark and dated styles of wood in your home, whether it be your kitchen cabinets or bannisters – you can either stain them a different colour or white wash them to give them a new lease of life.

It’s a budget friendly way to make a big impact in your home, and it’s an easy project to do on your own.

Kristen recommended picking a stain colour that’s too cool or too warm to help neutralise your space.

Replace colourful carpets

4

Although replacing carpet might seem like a big job, it’s easier than you think, Kristen said.

Of course, buying new carpet isn’t necessarily cheap, but if you know there are original wood floors underneath you can refinish the wooden floor.

You can even do the same thing on your staircase, she added.

Change your bathroom mirror

If you still have a wall-to-wall frameless mirror in your bathroom – replacing will instantly update the whole room.

“The more modern thing to do now is have floating mirrors that are framed and work with the other metal finishes in your space,” she said.

That said, you could also add a frame to the existing mirror with wooden trim using mirror adhesive.