Buying your first home is an exciting time and a huge milestone. It’s only natural that you’ll want your new place to look just right. However, the considerable expense involved in buying a home may mean you don’t have additional funds to spruce up your new pad. After all, your budget for buying new furniture and decorating has likely been drained by mortgage costs, fees and moving costs. But even if you are low on funds, there are plenty of great DIY hacks for doing up your new home on a budget.
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Give everywhere a lick of paint
One of the best and most budget-friendly ways to improve your home is by decorating with paint. White paint is incredibly versatile and enables you to update your colour schemes easily. You can use paint colours to highlight great features in your home, such as deep skirting boards or period door frames.
To create a statement wall, simply get a small tester pot of bright colour and mix it with any leftover white paint you have to create your own shade. You may find that some of the larger DIY stores have leftover custom paint that they can’t put on the shop floor but will sell at a discounted price. It’s certainly worth asking.
Change cupboard door handles
Updating your kitchen units with new door handles is a simple DIY hack, but it can make a huge difference and transform the look of your cupboards. Bar handles are very popular and suit any modern kitchen, while simple cupboard door knobs and cup handles are very effective in Shaker-style kitchens. You can save a lot of money by buying relatively inexpensive, neutral furniture, such as chests of drawers and cupboards, and making them your own with decorative knobs and painting them in your favourite colour or adding patterned wallpaper.
Upcycle old furniture
If you have some old furniture that looks shabby and worn, don’t throw it out — upcycle it. With a little time and creativity, you can transform it into a piece of furniture to be proud of. Think about how you can upcycle it into something new. New upholstery, a coat of varnish or paint are easy and budget-friendly ways to give an unloved piece a new lease of life. For instance, you can turn a tired old coffee table into a stylish ottoman with batting, a sponge layer, and some beautiful fabric. Check out your local charity shops for cheap old furniture that needs a little TLC, or see if you know anyone that’s getting rid of their furniture.
Create a picture gallery
A quick and effective way to transform a room is hanging a photo gallery to cheer up a dull corner or large blank wall. Experiment with different sizes, shapes and frame designs. Put up anything you like, whether it’s family photos, your children’s drawings, your favourite artwork or even offcuts of wallpaper or fabric samples.
If you don’t have a large area of wall free, you can create gallery walls around features like windows or doorways to add a fun detail. A picture rail is a fantastic alternative if you don’t want to hang pictures with nails. They not only look great, won’t make holes in your walls but also allow you to switch out your pictures without having to drill more holes. Picture rails come in different materials and designs, so you can customise them to fit your style.
Repaint your old chairs
If you have wooden bar stools or plain dining room chairs that look a little tired and dull, you don’t have to splash out on replacing them with new ones. Instead, dip them in a paint colour that works with your décor. This will save some cash and give your chairs a whole new look. This is also a great idea if you have mismatched wooden chairs of different colours or styles and want a more coordinated look. How about opting for pale pastels to freshen up your furniture in muted tones or make a bold statement with a vibrant red or bright yellow?
If you’ve just bought your new home, you may not think you can afford to put your own stamp on it. But the good news is that with these budget DIY hacks, you can transform your new home fairly easily and cheaply yourself and make it unique to you.