Five simple ways to give an old room new look

As houses age it is often hard to keep up with the maintenance that needs to be done to ensure that they stay comfortable and classy. Fashions change and structures age and given the both budgets and time are limited it is often hard to keep the whole house as well maintained as you would want. Almost inevitably it is the high traffic rooms that get the most attention. Your bedroom, the kitchen and the bathroom. Quite possibly the living room as well. But the smaller rooms like the other bedrooms or outside rooms are the ones that are neglected. So, if budgets are tight what can you do to supply the unloved room with the makeover that it deserves? Here are a few ideas.

Add some texture

It’s amazing how different a wall can look when it is more than just a wall. There are lots of techniques that can be used here to add texture to the equation. One trick that has become popular is to remove the plaster on a wall and expose the bricks underneath. This is not something that you would look to do to the whole room but is certainly makes sense to work that magic on one wall. Alternatively, you could look to add tiles or cladding as a feature. Have a look at some examples on Pinterest or Google a phrase like ‘sandstone cladding Sydney’ to get ideas of what is possible.

Fresh paint

Scrub the walls down and you are already on your way to making a great change. But if that isn’t enough then maybe go all the way and paint. And if you don’t have the time or inclination to paint the whole room, then a feature wall is always a winner. Pick a nice bold colour that will stand out and paint one of the walls in your makeover room a new colour.

Investigation

Without ripping things up and causing irreparable damage, do a bit of investigation of the floor and ceiling. You may find that underneath the dodgy old carpet there is a wonderful wooden flooring. If you are lucky enough to discover this rip the carpet out and repair the woodwork. Sanding and a coat of paint will bring out the wood and completely change the character of the room. Similarly, you might discover lovely wooden ceilings and beams. It is another area that can be very rewarding to scrape, sand and expose.

Handles

It is the attention to detail and the magic that you work on the little things that can help transform a room. Handles are an area where this type of attention to detail can really shine through. Handles are more common than people realise; they don’t just go on doors – but doors are a good place to start. You can then move to cupboards and dressers and windows. Look for nice ceramic handles for the cupboard or brass handles for the doors and windows. Spend time looking and getting it right because this is a cost-effective way to make the room shine.

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