Bathroom Painting Tips

Bathroom Painting Tips

The bathrooms in your home serve a very necessary and functional purpose. However, they are also another room in the home where you can showcase your personal style. Throwing a new color of paint on the walls is just one of the many ways you can add style to the space. It’s also one of the greatest ways to do so.

If adding your own style to the space isn’t enough, another great reason to paint the space is due to the fact that most bathrooms are likely to undergo a lot of abuse from the steam that constantly arises from baths and showers. The humidity levels in your bathroom are likely to rise and fall more drastically which remains a tough challenge for the paint and walls to persist against.

Fortunately, freshly painting your bathroom is a simple DIY project that tends to take no more than a few days to complete, but before you begin slathering paint everywhere you should continue to read the helpful painting tips below.

Choose a Paint Color First

Since it is already established that shinier sheens are best for bathrooms where moisture is often a concern, you must only be concerned with your choice of paint color. Choosing the wrong paint color can easily make your bathroom seem sterile and uninviting. To avoid this, it is suggested that you choose an overall color scheme for your bathroom based on three colors complementary to one another on the Color Wheel. Once you have these three colors, choose one that best suits your bathroom as a paint color for the walls. The other two colors can be shown through any other accents and decor.

Collect All the Proper Materials and Supplies

Before you begin painting your bathroom, gather all the proper painting materials and supplies. These may include:

●      Primer

●      Paint

●      Stir sticks

●      Paint rollers

●      Roller covers

●      Disposable gloves and other safety gear to protect your skin or inhalation

●      Small paint brushes, for cutting in or touch-ups

●      Paint trays

●      Painters tape

●      Rags

●      Drop cloths

●      Sandpaper

●      Tack cloth to remove any sanding dust

●      Painters putty

●      Putty knife

Being prepared to paint is extremely important. Otherwise, you may end up with a mess or an unfinished project due to the lack of supplies. Running out for more could cause the paint to dry in the meantime, which won’t due any justice to the overall appearance of the paint job.

Make Sure Your Bathroom Is Properly Ventilated

It’s vital to your health and the completion of your bathroom paint project if proper ventilation is provided. The higher levels of humidity can damage your paint in no time or stop it from completely drying. To provide adequate ventilation, open windows, turn on ceiling fans nearby, or start the exhaust fan to help clear the room of any steam. This will remove the moisture faster. Have those in the household run a fan if they need to use the bathroom at any point.

Conduct Prep Work

Prep your bathroom by removing any outlet plates such as electrical sockets or light switches. Then, lightly wash down the walls with soap and warm water. After the walls dry completely, apply painters tape to the baseboards. Next, patch and sand any dents or holes in the walls. To protect your floors, tape down a drop cloth. You may also want to cover your counter, sink, bathtub and toilet to prevent them from paint spills or drips.

Before you paint, you will want to prime the walls first. Make sure the primer is fully dry before you start putting on the first layer of paint. When you do go to paint the color on the walls, cut in around the room’s edges first. This includes where the walls meet adjoining walls, the ceiling and the baseboard.

Use More Durable Paint on Window Sills

If you plan on repainting your window sills in the bathroom, you may want to consider using more durable paint. High gloss or semi gloss paint is perhaps best for your window frame and sill since moisture seems to be more prevalent in these areas. If moisture around the window sills of your bathroom is of your utmost concern, you may even upgrade to an exterior paint for this part of your project.

Consider Wood Paneling

If your drywall isn’t in the best of shape or you prefer not to redo the drywall in your bathroom, consider wood paneling. You can often find wood paneling sold cheaply by the sheet. These sheets come in many styles, wood types, and colors. Nonetheless, you can always install them and paint them whichever color you choose. When you apply wood panels to your bathroom walls, they are adding more protection against moisture as well as a lovely contrast to whatever paint color you chose for the remaining wall space.

Have a Variety of Lighting and Capture the Room’s Essence

Lighting plays a large role in the essence of your bathroom even after you paint. Since the levels of natural light are always changing in a bathroom throughout the day, it’s wise to have a good balance of both natural and fixed lighting. A lot of natural light will only enhance any and every flaw you make in the bathroom during your painting project. Even after you complete the paint job, the flaws will still be noticeable. With this in mind, paints with a higher shine are best.

When you have a smaller sized bathroom that gets a lot of natural light, ask the representatives where you plan to purchase the paint if they can mix it at 75% strength. This will lighten the color slightly which prevents flaws from being as noticeable. Aside from lighting the strength of color in the paint, there are ways you can play with the lighting to keep the color of the walls looking as close as possible to the color you desire. For instance, to warm up the color you can choose 40 watt incandescent light bulbs, while 100 watt light bulbs tend to make the color in the room seem cooler.

Don’t Rush Your Project

Perhaps the most detrimental thing you can do while painting the bathroom in your home is rush to complete it. Of course, poor preparation also plays a substantial role in a bad paint job. Nevertheless, it is the failure to take your time that really makes the paint in your bathroom lack appeal and showcase any flaws. Take your time. Even by doing so, the entire bathroom should be fully painted and completed in just a few days time. Make sure that you prepare your drywall, smooth out the walls, prime, and paint the next layer after each layer is completely dry. By doing so, you are certainly going to be more pleased with the results.

Guest Contributor, Tom Masters

5 Essential Renovations To Do Before Moving Into Your New Home

5 Essential Renovations To Do Before Moving Into Your New Home

There’s no use denying it. Moving homes is definitely one of the most stressful tasks that you can tackle. Of course, it’s nothing impossible, but the amount of effort, time and planning you have to put into it can really put some pressure on you. There are finances to worry about, the obvious changes in lifestyle and the general break you have to take in order to sort everything out. And there is also the need to take care of your new place so that it’s perfectly comfortable and functional once you move in. This is why it’s so important to know the most essential renovation projects when it comes to moving into a new home.

Wall painting

If you’re happy with the current state of the walls in your new home, you’re lucky. But, if you find that there’s room and need for improvement, giving the walls a fresh coat of paint may be necessary. Not to mention that you simply may want to enjoy different color combos in your own place. Painting the walls doesn’t have to be a difficult process. What’s more, you can easily do it without professional help, on your own or with friends if you want. But, you may want to consider low-VOC paint for this project to make sure your indoor air is clean and toxin-free.

Check the electrical and plumbing system

Now, this task is a bit more challenging and complex compared to wall paint. However, it’s also one of the most essential renovation projects as it will hugely affect your life in the new home. After all, you don’t want to worry about water leaks and/or short circuits once you’ve completely moved in. It’s always better to have a professional examine your electricity to avoid any potential danger. When it comes to the plumbing, you can see for yourself whether there are some issues. For instance, pay attention to the look and taste of water. Check whether the water boiler and sinks are working properly. Take some time to see if there are any leaks or drips. You may also want to check whether the toilet flushes as well. Of course, don’t hesitate to call a professional when your plumbing system is concerned as well, especially if you need to have your pipes and valves replaced.

Safe transport

Obviously, you’ll need to install all the appliances and devices before moving into your new home. This is another essential part of the pre-moving process to ensure your complete comfort later on. But, in this case, you need to think about the safety of your appliances and other delicate pieces you need to transport to the new place. This also goes for furniture, in case you have to organize the new layout from scratch. To reduce the stress that comes with the move, it’s always smart to get a proper moving truck so that you can deal with everything more efficiently, and thanks to affordable Budget truck hire deals, you can do exactly that.

Flooring installation

In general, taking care of the wall paint, furniture and appliances as well as dealing with electricity and plumbing tend to be the most common renovation practices every new home needs. But, this may not be everything if you want to make sure your new environment is perfect. In that sense, it’s important to check the condition of your floors as well. Investing in a new floor, and especially green flooring options, can boost your home’s value instantly, make the maintenance a lot easier, secure the floor durability and looks, and sometimes even help with insulation.

Kitchen and bathroom remodeling

Even though you dedicate a lot more time to decorating your living room and bedroom, kitchen and bathroom can make or break the homey feel of your new place. If you’re not satisfied with the look and feel of these two rooms, you probably won’t feel content with the home in general. So, if you know that you don’t fancy the current kitchen and bathroom in your new place, don’t rush with the move. Hire contractors so that you can remodel the kitchen and upgrade the bathroom to fit your needs and taste perfectly before you proceed with the move.

Aside from the obvious renovations that may involve electrical and plumbing work, it’s important to remember that your personal environment affects your mood greatly. In that respect, you should never settle for something that doesn’t make you happy and fulfilled. Therefore, don’t hesitate to renovate and tweak your new home into something perfectly suitable for your own peace of mind.

About the author: Mike Johnston is a home improvement blogger, DIY enthusiast and sustainability buff from Sydney. He is a regular writer at Smooth Decorator and contributor on several interior design, real estate and eco blogs, always on the lookout for new ideas and the latest trends in these fields.

How to Set Up a DIY Garage Workshop

How to Set Up a DIY Garage Workshop

Every craftsman knows how important it is to have a perfect working space. You want to start your business at home and make beautiful things from wood? If you are up for it, then roll up your sleeves and turn your garage into a magnificent workshop. 

Cleaning

Before you start with any changes in your garage make sure to clean it well. The garage is usually the place where people keep old things (besides their car), but now it’s time to make some order in that clutter. After that first step you can paint the walls. Use white paint for the ceiling and soft colors for the walls so that the light would circle all around the place. Finally, get a dust collection, central vacuum and air ventilation system because it will clear the air you breathe in the workshop and keep your lungs safe from the dust and wood particles.

Equipment and tools

High-quality equipment makes every task easier. Your workbench should be solid so make sure to get one with a hard and heavy top plus sturdy legs. It has to be able to endure everything you do on it. Once the wood materials come in you will have to cut them with the precision of a genius, and that’s why you will definitely need a measuring (length) stop. It will help you manage the saws more easily than ever before and make every piece you cut exactly the way you want it.

Save some space

Oh, to be able to walk around the workshop whole day and never trip on anything! Believe it or not, it’s possible. Don’t crowd the floor with shelves or small boxes and take those nuts and bolts away from your workbench. How? Very simple – mount the old or handmade shelves and cabinets on the wall and store everything there. Not only will you avoid tripping on that toolbox but you will also keep the tools away from the dust that your work creates. Place those long-handled tools in concrete-forming tubes or make a cut-off cart from old boards and casters for it. Finally, don’t forget to put some hooks on garage doors to hang even more things.

Flooring and lighting

After the job is done, it sounds like a nightmare that you have to clean the floor around your workbench, doesn’t it? That’s why you should go for an epoxy floor finish. In case you have to spend several hours standing in order to finish the current project, put some rubber floor mats under your feet. After you finish painting the walls and ceiling, let some light inside your workshop. If you have task lighting in the garage you will also need a work lamp on your table to avoid shadows falling on your work. Want more brightness? Install fluorescent lights.

Insulation, cooling and heating

If you don’t want to freeze during winter or sweat in the summer days while you are working in your workshop, then you should do something about it. The first step is to insulate the garage as well as possible. Insulation is also very important when it comes to cooling your garage in the summer. While it’s snowing outside keep yourself warm in the workshop with a few space heaters – just don’t forget to turn them off once you finish for the day!

Electrical Service

You will be able to finish the job more quickly if you don’t need to unplug one corded tool in order to plug the other one. Put away that extension cord and ask the electrician to install numerous power outlets close to your workbench. If you do this there will be absolutely no danger of you tripping over all those cords that end up in the extension cord lying somewhere behind your desk.

Your workshop should be a place where everything you need for the job is in your reach. If you achieve that while renovating your garage into a working environment, you will easily get work done and immediately start looking forward to another project.

Guest Contributor, Lillian Connors

Apps For Home Improvement Projects

Guest Contributor, our friends at Senator Windows

Keep Your House Covered For A Warmer Winter

Keep Your House Covered for a Warmer Winter

Homeowners are 40% more likely to experience water leaks due to cold weather, but the damage may not be covered by their insurance policy. Many will state that it’s the homeowners responsibility to heat their home even if they are away in order to prevent accidents like burst pipes happening. Getting your plumbing system serviced and making sure your pipes are lagged can help prevent these occurrences and, along with other insulation and draft proofing, will keep your home safe and warm in winter.

Lagging Pipes and Insulation

Insulating your water pipes prevents them from freezing or getting damaged.  On cold pipes it can also prevent condensation forming on the pipes. This happens when the water inside the pipe is colder than the heated air surrounding it and can cause issues with damp. Lagging hot water pipes helps reduce heat loss and can raise the water temperature by up to 4 degrees. If a pipe does burst, make sure you know where to turn off the water to prevent further damage before calling a plumber.

Chimneys and Fireplaces

Another area to cover in your home is an open fireplace. When not in use, 14% of air in your home can be lost through a chimney. Check your damper is well fitted and working efficiently, or block the chimney completely with a tightly fitted foam chimney draft excluder. If your house is still chilly, think about adding an extra source of heat. An ethanol fire doesn’t require a flue and can be the cozy main attraction or accent to a living area.

Insulation and Draft Proofing

The US Department of Energy estimates that you can save up to 30% of your home’s energy by having it properly insulated and, for optimal energy efficiency, this should extend from the attic to the basement. As well as fitting insulation in the roof and walls, draft proofing smaller areas can make a difference to heat loss.  Weatherstripping can be fitted around windows and doors stop to seal any gaps. Heavy curtains, draft excluders at the bottom of doors and a rug on wooden floorboards will also help to minimize cold drafts and heat loss.

Covering up and adding extra layers is good advice to keep warm in the winter and it works for your house as well. Lagging pipes, insulating walls and covering floors keeps more of the valuable warmth of radiators and fires inside your home for a safe and cozy winter.

Guest Contributor, Cindy Trillo

Top Tips For Choosing Senior-Friendly Kitchen Appliances

Top Tips For Choosing Senior-friendly Kitchen Appliances

Nowadays, no kitchen is complete without state-of-the-art appliances, which are the driving force of the kitchen and the most significant support in cooking matters. Most seniors prefer home-cooked meals while dining out occasionally, according to SeniorHome. However, the kitchen can be dangerous for seniors, especially if the appliances they use are old and obsolete. "When choosing appliances, do not be tempted by the gimmicks; go for well-established brands," said Juanita Galliford, Bosch Kitchen design specialist. Impulse buys are not smart when it involves appliances that you expect your elderly parents to use heavily for a long time to come. Before you approach a shop, you should have a budget, a design plan and a list of the features you are looking for, such as a good warranty.

Selecting a microwave

A microwave shuts itself when the cooking time is up, making it safe to cook hot meals and heat soups, hot drinks and leftovers. When selecting a microwave, choose one that has an easy-to-use control panel. The panel should have pre-programmed buttons for various types of foods, such as a mug of tea, or a plated dinner. Also, take care of other fine details like which is safer- a door that opens to the right or the left. When installing, you should mind the positioning because as people age, they may not have the upper body strength or height to reach a high object properly. Also, ensure there is an empty countertop nearby to put down a hot dish immediately after they remove it from the microwave. Be sure to sort out the dishes because some materials will burn hot to the touch than others. Remove the ones that could cause scalds and burns.

Refrigerator and freezer

The most important thing is to make sure that refrigerators maintain the correct temperature at all times. To achieve this, look for the one with a digital display of current temperature. Also, go for the one with a water and ice dispenser so that seniors do not have to juggle pitchers and ice trays, In addition, opt for a side-by-side refrigerator to make it easier for someone in a wheelchair to reach the freezer. Remember to place clean towels nearby to mop spills and drips easily.

Purchase smart appliances

With the technological advancements that today's appliances come with, the choice has never been better. There are timers and automatic shut-off devices of all kinds. Since aging people tend to be more forgetful, it is crucial that kitchen devices have this automatic shut-off feature. If they do not, consider replacing them. Alternatively, you can install an automatic shut-off outlet and program it to shut off after a certain amount of time.

These changes can make a difference in a senior's ability to age gracefully while enjoying the comfort of a home-cooked meal without exposure to any danger. For installation, always engage a professional who can follow the manufacturer's full instructions and make use of the mounting hardware properly. While sorting out safety, do not ignore the common kitchen hazards. For instance, move items to lower cabinets, fix loose tiles, and equip the kitchen with a dawn-to-dusk night light to prevent fumbling in the dark.

Guest Contributor, Cindy Trillo

Toilet Plumbing - Solve Your Problems Without Any Hassle

Toilet Plumbing - Solve Your Problems without any Hassle

When it comes to maintenance and repair works in a home; toilets are one of the most ignored part. A dirty toilet can spoil your entire day and a fresh one is better any time. There are various problems with the toilets, but the major and most common issue is the plumbing failure or anything related to it. Knowing small tips about toilet plumbing at home would help you avoid the heavy bills of the plumbers.  

Know the system and parts?

So, before we get into knowing how a toilet works and how to solve minor issues related to the same; we would know the system and parts so that we don’t get mixed up the next time we go to solve the toilet plumbing problem.

Your toilet, rather, any toilet comprises of three major plumbing lines that are meant for three different uses and serve different purposes.

1. The very first and the most important line is the water supply connection pipe. This pipe is the most important and the simplest of mechanisms that is involved. This pipe is generally made up of copper and the thickness is nearly about ½ inches. This pipe terminates at the shut-off valve under the tank.  Sometimes, this pipe undergoes a problem of being a leaking pipe, which can be mended by applying any sealing agent.

2. The next most important part is the waste pipe. This generally carries the entire waste and is of PVC pipe, the width of the pipe is around 3-4 inches. To identify this pipe we can look for the connecting points. This type of pipes generally terminates in the sewerage line and connects to the toilet by means of the closet flange. Any problem with this line can require a professional as this area is sensitive and cannot be repaired without expert help.

3. If you are planning to undertake the entire toilet plumbing at home one of the other most important part is the termination of waste into the outside waste pipe. This line is to be vented with the end of the waste pipe and terminated outside, this is a short pipeline and sometimes people even fail to identify it as a distinct part.

Finding solutions to some common problems

Toilet plumbing can be really messy at times. To avoid and recover this let’s find some solutions to some common and recurring problems.

1. Have you ever dropped something in the toilet? If you have, you know the pain of how to take it out. So the next time you get stuck trying to recover something, just take a vacuum cleaner to solve the problem. Suck the water into it and then you can easily pull out the things by venting into the drain as deep as possible. It the object is small and delicate you can use a better attachment.

2. If the faucet is dripping and it annoys you one thing you can do is, tie a string around the dripping faucet long enough to reach the drain and tie it there. This can solve the problem temporarily.

3. Apart from toilet plumbing in totality, there is a small tip which you can always follow that can help you to reduce water consumption and in turn save your money. Place a bottle in the corner of the toilet tank and this would solve the problem.

These are some of the toilet plumbing solutions which can help you solve majority of the problems. These will help you solve the problems without any hassle or extra headache.

Guest Contributor, Emma Smith

7 Benefits Of A Walk-In Tub

7 Benefits of A Walk-In Tub

Have you considered exchanging your old standard tub for an exciting and luxurious walk-in tub? The time couldn't be better. As walk-in tubs have grown more popular, innovators have constantly added to the market and the walk-in tubs of today are of some of the best quality tubs. For those who are still on the fence consider these seven benefits of a walk-in tub that you can enjoy

1. Convenience 

Perhaps the biggest benefit of a walk-in tub is the fact that it's just more convenient to use. No one actually enjoys stepping over the wall of their tub in order to access it. Too often, if the floor is slippery you could injure yourself in the process. A walk-in tub is just a lot easier to enter and relax inside of for a wonderful bathing experience. 

2. Hydrotherapy 

Most walk-in tubs have hydrotherapy features. Whether you suffer from arthritis or a skin condition, walk-in tubs provide healing benefits. Many tubs are equipped with jets designed to help with pain, inflammation, and to promote overall relaxation and soothing of muscles. You can sit or lay back and let the jets soothe your problem area.

3. Safety 

As mentioned before, if the floor of your tub or shower is slippery, and you don't expect it, the fall could potentially be lethal. Or, at the very least, you could end up in an incredible amount of pain. You may even have to send for an ambulance to take you to the hospital due to a broken bone. Walk-in tubs don't offer that concern. They're easy to get into and provide safety railings, so you can support yourself through the entire transition. 

4. Independence 

For older people, the walk-in tub offers you something key--independence. Sometimes, if you're unable to stand for long periods of time or you require help from someone else to clean you. You can take that task back with a walk-in tub. By sitting down on the comfortable bench, you can clean yourself and enjoy a bit of returned freedom. 

5. Luxury 

Walk-in tubs are not just for the elderly. For those who love a good Jacuzzi, you can enjoy the luxury it offers all while having the ease of simply walking into the tub instead of climbing over the top of it. Soak and relax for hours in your walk-in tub. 

6. Affordability 

Perhaps one of the best benefits of a walk-in tub is that it's affordable. For those who want convenience, independence or just a luxurious bath, you can easily afford to have a walk-in tub crafted just for you and installed with ease. Where many other tubs and showers can put a bit of a bruise to your budget, you can rest with financial relief at acquiring something incredible without significantly injuring your wallet. 

7. Love A Shower? 

As its name might misconstrue, a walk-in tub isn't just a bath. So, if you prefer a shower, you can rest assured. Walk-in tubs typically offer shower instruments as well. So, you don't have to just bathe yourself all of the time if you prefer a quick shower instead. This versatility matches the standard tub and shower combination but goes beyond that in also offering all of the benefits listed above.

The Best of Everything 

Essentially, the walk-in tub takes the best features of a standard tub and shower unit but then goes beyond that. It offers you affordability, luxury and convenience to not just take your bath and clean yourself, but to enjoy it. 

Caryl Anne Crowne is a contributing writer and media specialist for Re-Bath. She often produces content for a variety of renovation blogs. 

Tips on Choosing the Right Color for Your Bedroom

Tips on Choosing the Right Color for Your Bedroom

How do you paint a room that bookends your day? Bedroom is more than sum of its parts, its function is something sacred – to offer you a moment of respite from daily woes and comfort you when you feel the most vulnerable. In fact, it is a place where you should be able to feel the most vulnerable without any reserve. This is why it is so important to choose the right colors for this area – because you will wake up to them every day and they will be the last thing you see each night. With that in mind, here are the tips on choosing the right color for your bedroom.

It needs to be calming

Calming color scheme is the top priority and the tip you’ll get from basically anyone if you ask them about bedroom aesthetics. Now, the idea of calmness can vary from person to person, but it would be safe to say that you should definitely go for serene composition. In other words – no distinct contrasts. Just make the lines and tones blend into each other and complement each other’s level of warmth. The question of whether you should go for lighter and darker tones is mostly dependent on you, but darker ones are usually recommended for the bedroom.

Dark and calming nuances

Dark colors are actually a good go-to option if you want to create a truly calming and comfortable bedroom. However, these dark colors should not be too harsh or bold. Go for some nice pastels like charcoal, olive, deep violet, navy or silver tones. The best variant is to either go for gentle blue-steely tones with a pinch of milky gray if you want a cold scheme, or olive-celery sort of green that can be a good basis for a room that aims for organic and warm tones. Line your room with furniture that has white skeletons in order to add some crispy visuals and a sense of space to your bedroom.

It needs to be done right

After you have created a hypothetical arrangement of colors for your bedroom – preferably a collage you can actually show to professionals – you should seek out high quality painting services that can bring your vision to life. The last thing you need is a messy environment which cannot be fixed, so avoid doing this all by yourself. Lines that are drawn sloppily can also impact the levels of your anxiety in the long run. You might not notice it at first, but it is one of those things that creeps into one’s mind slowly and insidiously.

If your bedroom is small…

Still, if your room is already cozy when it comes to space, the darker colors (which are there to create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere) might not be the best solution. If your bedroom is small, you should consider lighter tones and start with a white basis. According to the type of bedroom you want to create (warm or cold) you can choose a white with a bluish hue or the one with a warm creamy dash. The brighter tones will add a sense of airiness and brightness to your bedroom, almost without fault, so it is a risk-free and solid solution.

The window conundrum

The windows in your bedroom are a tricky element – you’d want big windows for bright mornings and sunny afternoons, but you’ll also want to minimize the presence of light if you want to sleep in. In that case, you will get the best of all worlds if you installed bigger windows but also added some solid shutters which are easy to manage. You will also want to install windows which can be easily opened and don’t let any bulky furniture block them. You will want to have an option to let the fresh air flow through your bedroom whenever you need it.

If you followed at least a few of these tips on choosing the right color for your bedroom, you should end up looking at something truly aesthetically pleasing – a place that, as far as palette of colors go, suits your sensibilities and makes you feel content. Even though people have different ideas of comfort, they all share this deeply-rooted yearning to have a safe place where they can rest, and with just the right combination of colors on your hands, you too can have a bedroom of your dreams.

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

Make Your Home Look Elegant Without Spending a Fortune

Make Your Home Look Elegant Without Spending a Fortune

Having a high-end looking home isn’t easy. Usually, it means you have to spend a lot in order to make your home look exactly how you want it. But what if we told you that you don’t need to spend a fortune in order to make your home look elegant? We came up with 5 tips for doing this that you simply can’t ignore.

Go for hardwood flooring

Carpets may seem like a more comfortable option but in order to make your home look elegant, going for hardwood flooring is a much better idea. Luckily, quality hardwood flooring doesn’t really need to be extremely expensive. In fact, you can find hardwood that is very cheap. However, bear in mind that some materials require you to spend more. Still, there’s no need to worry as hardwood is a long-term investment that’s guaranteed to pay off.

Choose the right colors

When designing a home, people often struggle to choose the paint color they want to go for. Still, if you want your home to look elegant, there are certain color palettes that can give it an instant elegance boost. For instance, a combination of bold and dramatic colors is something you just can’t go wrong with when looking for elegance. For example, a combination of black and white is often used when designing elegant homes. What’s so great about the paint is that it can make your home more stylish without having to spend a lot of money.

Think about the lighting

What kind of lighting your decide to go for can have a huge effect on how elegant your home looks. Ideally, you’ll be able to let in as much sunlight as possible. Natural light has the power to make almost any space seem larger and more elegant. That being said, you should consider the idea of installing as many new windows as possible. However, you probably don’t want sunlight entering your home all day long and that’s why you should get shutters that can also add style to your home.

Keep it clean and uncluttered

Here’s a tip that doesn’t require you to spend any money at all. In order for your home to look elegant, you just need to make sure it’s clean and remove all the clutter from it. In order to do this, you need to clean, dust and vacuum your home on a weekly basis. When it comes to clutter, you should think about adding more storage to your home and keeping your clutter there. You can also think if there’s something in your home you can give away or sell online.

Get a lot of pillows

Pillows in your living room serve two purposes. Firstly, they help you maximize the elegance factor inside of your home. If this is what you’re aiming at, opting for large and overstuffed pillows is a good idea. Also, it’s recommended that you don’t skimp on pillow inserts. Besides making your home look elegant, living room pillows can also help you add comfort to your home. If you go for pillows that are large enough, you and your guests will also be able to sit and rest on them.

Once all the work is finished, you might just find yourself surprised by how easy it is to create a home that looks and feels elegant even when you’re designing it on a budget. Also, don’t forget to keep looking for some new ways you can add elegance to your home with.

Guest Contributor, Amelia Atkins