How to 'fake' a renovation: 7 ways to refresh your home

Have you just bought the worst house on the best street? Or maybe you’re saving up for your dream renovation? Whatever your position, there are lots of pain-free methods to update, upgrade and add value to your home.

Here’s a list of some of the easiest options.

1. Paint is your best friend

Painting is often named as the best return on investment you can get when it comes to improving the look of your home.

But don’t be limited to just painting the walls: consider a treatment for cupboards, doors or even look at respraying a dated bathroom to add a modern touch.

Always speak to a professional first, though, as many jobs may require different treatments and primers to ensure a neat finish. The last thing you want is to have to re-do your handiwork after a long day with the brushes.

Picture: realestate.com/buy

2. Replace tapware

For a fraction of the price of a full renovation, you can subtly lift the look of a whole room by replacing dated taps in the kitchen and bathroom with more modern options – think contemporary matte black or brushed brass.

You may even be able to postpone the big reno for a few more years, especially if you’re dealing with broken fittings. Chances are you’ll save on your water bill once those leaky taps are fixed, too.

Just make sure you always seek the advice of an experienced and licensed tradesperson before undertaking a plumbing job yourself.

3. Replace old handles

Door, cupboard and drawer handles will often be overlooked when it comes to upkeeping your spaces – but they can have huge impacts on the look of your home.

You can replace all of the old, outdated handles in your kitchen for less than $100. All you need to get the job done is a tape measure, a screwdriver and an hour or so.

4. Keep an eye on your window treatments

Small touches, such as the position of your curtain rod or broken blinds, can completely change the look and feel of a space. You can bring life to a room with a few smart changes:

Change your curtain height

Disguise low ceilings by hanging a curtain rod closer to the ceiling – it lifts the eye level and makes the ceiling feel much higher. A curtain kit will cost less than $100 and make a room feel airier and lighter.

Fix bad blinds

Replacing your broken, old blinds with modern options will also spruce up a room. You can enlist the help of a professional or, for smaller jobs, you can DIY by buying ready-to-install blind kits from your local hardware store.

Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

5. Reconsider your old benchtop

There’s no need to put off your dream kitchen until you buy your next place – replacing your old kitchen or bathroom benchtops (think those beige laminate beauties from the ’80s) can create a much better look and feel for the whole room.

Benchtops can also be a huge selling point for a home. Remember to do your research on quality stone though, as cheaper options can be prone to staining. Don’t discount timber benchtops either, as there are few things more classic than a timber butcher’s bench.

Picture: Getty

6. Up your storage game

Feel a bit blue every time you walk into your cluttered and outdated laundry? A simple trip to IKEA or Bunnings will help you find built-in storage heaven with plenty of modern and affordable storage systems that you can DIY (or enlist a professional to help you with).

You’ll no longer be putting off laundry day once you’ve got a decent storage system in place, helping everything feel more organised and pleasant.

Picture: Getty

7. Brighten up with lighting

If your home suffers from poor visibility, like outdated flickering ceiling sconces, dark workbenches, and depressing fluorescent tubes, it might time for a trip to your local lighting store.

While built-in lighting is one thing that should always be installed by a professional, there are some affordable battery-operated lighting systems that you can install yourself in minutes.

Or for real impact, consider hanging pendant lighting over the dining table, LED strip lights over benches, and directional lighting in the bathroom.

It’ll cost you just a few hundred dollars, but the new lighting will pay for itself when you no longer have to endure poor visibility in your home.

Picture: Getty

This article was originally published on realestate.com.au ‘How to 'fake' a renovation: 7 ways to refresh your home’