5 Really Easy Steps to Refurbish Your Kitchen and Add Value to Your Property

5 Really Easy Steps to Refurbish Your Kitchen and Add Value to Your Property

5 Really Easy Steps to Refurbish Your Kitchen and Add Value to Your Property

An old tired looking kitchen will put potential buyers off when selling your property. It is, therefore, a good idea to refurbish your kitchen to add value to your property.

 Without spending a lot of time or money to update your kitchen here are 5 Really Easy steps to refurbish your kitchen and add value to your property

1. Bench Top

  • Using Sugar Soap, scrub all areas to remove dirt, oil and grease. Yes, even under the overhanging benchtop edges. 
  • Give the benchtop a fresh coat of paint – Dulux Renovation range has a range of renovation benchtop products. 

 

 

2. Cabinets, Shelves and Hinges

  • Repaint cabinets, preferably in neutral colours. Neutral colours lighten up areas and make them look more spacious. 
  • If the cabinet doors are in poor condition they can be replaced with new ones.
  • Replace broken hinges.
  • If the wood is damaged and cannot hold the new hinge screws use an epoxy repair systems such as “Selleys Knead It”. The epoxy adheres to the surface, hardens and retains the new screws in newly drilled holes.
  • Damaged and stained shelves can easily be replaced.

 

 

3. Handles, Lights and Taps

  • Fix dripping taps.
  • Replace tapware with modern stainless steel ones.
  • Replace drawer and cupboard handles with new modern ones that will both complement and accent the refurbished cupboards.
  • Repaint the ceiling if need be.
  • Swap out old fashioned kitchen ceiling lights with new modern LCD downlights or pendant lights.
  • Install under-cabinet lighting. This will enhance kitchen features.

 

 

4. Flooring

  • Sand and polish worn out floorboards.
  • Update the floor space with ceramic tile or light laminated floorboards in a timber look.

 

5. Curtains

  • Replace the curtains with neutral colour horizontal blinds.

Kitchen Refurbished                                                                                                                                   

BEFORE

AFTER

How Does Natural Light Influence Your Perception Of Colour?

How Does Natural Light Influence Your Perception Of Colour?

How Does Natural Light Influence Your Perception Of Colour?

A significant role-player in the presentation of colour is natural light

Natural Light Will Affect Colours

  • Always consider natural light when choosing a colour for a room.
  • The amount of sunlight beaming into an area will change during the course of the day and the season.
  • Artificial light influences colour too, depending on the type of bulb you use.

South-Facing Rooms

 

  • Natural Light in south-facing rooms is cool and bluish. Therefore, avoid using colours with a green or grey base. Use warm, soft shades of white and yellow-based colours since they reflect light.
  • Avoid using pure white. It will make the room look cold and clinical.
  • Use strong bold colours to accentuate focal areas.
  • Accessorise with a wall mirror; mirrors reflect light.
south facing room

North-Facing Rooms

 

  • Natural light in north-facing rooms will make dark colours look brighter and lighter colours will glow.
  • A great way to capitalise on the ambience of light would be to create a modern look with simple and elegant colour schemes, accentuated by pops of bold colour.
  • Bold colours can be introduced by using accessories artwork, vases and decorative cushions.
north facing room

“Everywhere in Australia, the ideal aspect tends to be north or northeast – the very best, according to McGrath, is precisely 10 degrees east of due north – to let there be light.”

Artificial Light

Artificial light influences colours and if you notice something amiss about the colour of the paint in a room at night don’t repaint. Change the light bulb.

 

Incandescent Light Bulbs – produce a warm, yellow-amber light, causing reds, oranges and yellows to become more vivid. Simultaneously blues and greens will be muted.

Fluorescents Light: – enriches blues and greens.

Halogens: Perhaps the best choice of all lights. These mostly resemble natural light.

LEDs: – though LEDs don’t produce the same rendering effect compared to other lights, they are long-life energy-efficient lights. Some LED bulbs are colour adjustable.

Test Colours First

  • Get paint samples from your local paint supplier or hardware store.
  • NB: ALWAYS test the paint colour on the WALLS first. 
  • Paint a patch of undercoat 30cm x 30cm in more than one spot of the room.
  • Paint the colour of your choice over the undercoat. Leave to dry. Paint another layer – this will ensure you get the proper saturation.
  • Leave the areas to dry well.
  • Live with the colours for two days or so before deciding – bearing in mind natural light influences the way you see colour.

Initially, this may seem an unnecessary step, but you will be glad you did. This small step will save you time, money and repainting.

Ronel and Nicolene are Property Styling and Decorating experts and love to help people style their properties.

They provide great reno tips from their own renovation days and share awesome decorating tricks.

Leave us a comment or ask any questions through our Instagram or Facebook account or email us at info@letsrevamp.com.au. We would love to help you.

Call us now on 02 9659 2556, Monday to Friday or MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

 

Unexpected and Overlooked Space Saving Places in Your Home

Unexpected and Overlooked Space Saving Places in Your Home

Unexpected and Overlooked Space Saving Places in Your Home

look for potential space saving spaces

At some stage, we all need extra space in areas of our homes. You’d be surprised to learn how overlooked and unexpected places can provide extra space.

Check for Potential Space Saving Areas

  • Take a tour around your home and look for areas that may have space-saving potential.
  • Don’t ignore the small spaces – with a little innovation they can be transformed into space-saving storage space.
  • Built-ins, nooks, low ceiling areas, corners and stairs are such potential areas.

1. Save on Wall Space THE FRAME

We all have televisions in our homes. You cannot miss seeing them. They are predominantly featured in our living area.

Optimise wall space and enhance your living area with THE FRAME. You will likely become the envy of family and friends.

When not watching TV, you will be able to strut beautiful artwork or photography on the television screen instead.

Television Off

2. Save on Wall Space TV MIRROR

Disguise your television as a mirror. Similar concept as The Frame, only this time your television becomes a framed mirror reflecting natural light and surrounding area.

 

Bunker bed steps serve as space saving cabinets and seats

3. Unexpected and Overlooked Home Space Saving and Storage Spaces –  KIDS’ BEDROOM

  • The Midi Sleeper

In our blog 8 Super Great and Easy Tips for Creating the Perfect Kids’ Room and Having Fun In Doing So – we featured beds with amazing space-saving features.

Steps leading up to a bunker bed are transformed into storage and space-saving cabinets.

 

 

  • Out of Sight Storage Space – Under the Bed

To utilise the space under the beds, store items in suitable storage containers.

You will be glad you did, since not only have you made use of the available space, but the container and items are out of sight too.

4. Unexpected and Overlooked Home Space Saving

Spaces – UNDER THE STAIRS

There are many ways to utilize the space under and around a staircase.

Especially when you live in a small unit or apartment, utilising this space would be invaluable.

So how do we go about utilising this area and space?

a. Decorating

b. Make it Functional and

c. Designing

 

 

a. Let’s DECORATE

Use the available space at the steps, or the walls in the immediate vicinity to add decorative items to make the area look warm, welcoming and homely. 

 

 

b. Let’s make it FUNCTIONAL

The space around the staircase can be used for practical and functional purposes. Add a chair, a buffet, cloak stand, umbrella stand, a bookcase, a small desk, a chest of drawers etc.

Adding functional items to the staircase area provides more storage facilities.

 

c. Let’s DESIGN

The overlooked area around the staircase lends itself to so much more than just being a way to reach the upper floor. It has the potential to become the focal point to your home.

The best surprise is that the space becomes functional and adds finesse to your home. 

When it comes to selling your property, the entrance to your home will immediately initiate the desire to buy with potential property buyers.  A well presented and functional staircase area adds allurement to your home.  

Do you live in a unit without a garden – no problem you can create a beautiful indoor garden space under the stairs. 

The only bathroom in your home is the one upstairs – no problem you can create one under the stairs.

Wish you had a study area – under the stairs will work extremely well.

No place to store your much-loved bicycle – under the stairs there is plenty of room.

Need a little me time – design a cosy nook to escape to.

 

 

use succulents for indoor gardens

The possibilities are endless to create a garden under the staircase.

Good quality Artificial grass and plants look very authentic.

Use pebbles and decorative items to create a beautiful indoor garden.

If you prefer not to use artificial plants, succulents are the preferred and best choice.

 

 

 

bathroom under the staircase

An unexpected and overlooked home storage space you may not have thought possible –  a bathroom under the staircase!

study area under staircase

 

bicycle storage under staircase

 

cosy nook under the stairs

 

8 Super Great and Easy Tips for Creating the Perfect Kids’ Room and Having Fun In Doing So

8 Super Great and Easy Tips for Creating the Perfect Kids’ Room and Having Fun In Doing So

8 Super Great and Easy Tips for Creating the

Perfect Kids’ Room

and Having Fun In Doing So

Children, as you know (because at some stage you were one too), are creative, innovative and greatly imaginative.

Welcome on-board as we discover 8 super great and easy tips for creating the perfect kids’ space and having fun in doing so.

1. Get the Kids Involved to Create the Perfect Kids Room

–   you will make them feel like a million bucks if you do!

 

  • Great time for bonding, sharing thoughts and ideas too.

 

  • Let them choose specific colours and themes – these can effectively be incorporated in the room’s decorative accessories – furnishings, cushions, artwork or even a stuffed toy.

2. Moodboard, Google, Lego, Play Dough, Library and Magazines

Creating a moodboard with the kids can be fun. They can gather pictures of furniture, accessories and ideas they like and together you can create a fun new world of bright decorating ideas.  

–  and off you all go to the library

Get a couple of Creative Ideas for Kids Room books and magazines to take home. Give them each (yourself included) strips of coloured paper to use as place holders for pictures they found. You can even colour code the place holders. For example, red for beds. Blue for pictures on the wall, etc.

–  just Google …

Oh yes! Then there is GOOGLE. Need I say more? On Google, you can visit furniture provider sites. The beauty of this is, on the web page, sizes and description of the item are found. The images can be downloaded, printed and added to your moodboard.

–  then there is Lego …and Play Dough too

Nifty little fingers can Lego build a bed or mould one from Play Dough. Build a bedroom wall and even add a floor. Lego and Play Dough would work very well to simulate items in the room and where to place the furniture. The advantage of using Play Dough is that it comes in all the basic colours. This would help with the choice of prefered colours for an item.

3. The Value of a Moodboard

  • Helps you gather ideas and inspirations into once place.
  • It will give you an idea of what the finished room will look like.
  • It will give you an idea of what will work in the room or not – be it the colour scheme, furniture and accessories.
  • When it comes to decorating an area knowing sizes do matter – for example, would the size of the room be large enough to accommodate the bunker bed you were thinking of putting in it?
  • It will help you to stay with the original plan.
  • It will help you to make changes to the original plan and then to evaluate whether the changes will work for the area or not.
  • At Let’s Revamp Property Styling and Decorating, we understand the value of creating a moodboard. Need some help or advice to create your moodboard? Please contact us – https://letsrevamp.com.au/interior-decorating/

4. Child Bedroom Furniture

There are some really wonderful and not too expensive child bedroom furniture out there.

 

  • Decide on furniture not only for their durability and sturdiness but one that the child can grow into.
  • Choose furniture that matches or highlight the basic colour scheme of the room.

5. Featuring….Beds 

laughing The Bunk Bed

These are top of the list space savers. Generally, bunk beds consist of two beds. One on top of the other with ample space between. Often bunk beds would have storage space under the lower bed or beneath the top bed.

laughing Midi Sleepers

Truly an inspirational and awesome space saver.

The space under the midi sleeper can be utilised for additional storage or a study desk.

It is worthy to note that even the steps leading up to the bed have been optimised for storage. Such a great idea.

laughing The Car Bed

As the name would suggest – beds resembling vehicles. These beds have the capacity to create wonderful memories.  The only negative feature would be that children would eventually outgrow them and therefore would need to be replaced with age-appropriate beds.

laughing The Trundle Bed

These beds are great space savers.

Trundle beds are low profile bunk beds and great for kid sleepovers.

  • Under the bed, there is an extra bed that can be pulled out.
  • Some trundle beds have hideaway storage drawers instead of a bed.
  • The space savers are those with storage drawers tucked away within the pull out bed. 

 

laughing Then there is the bedroom suite

Kids’ bedroom suites are a set of coordinating furniture for the room.

6. Theme Park Bedrooms 

Rather stay away from decorating the room to represent a theme park trend. Kids grow up and trends change.

Redecorating the room each time for the next phase or trend will cost you a lot of money.

Rather choose a contemporary theme that can easily and cost-effectively be changed.

Themes can successfully be incorporated into the bedroom with themed decorative cushions, accessories and artwork.

https://all-free-download.com/wallpapers/download/frozen_2013_movie_wallpaper_12062.html

7. Accessorise 

Accessorise – the best kept decorative secret that can magically and inexpensively transform a space into something marvellous and wonderful without changing the basics.

Decorative cushions are so versatile and accommodating. They can easily be switched out to complement any theme and used for pop colours too.

If you have not been using a throw before why not add one now.

Bring artificial plants into the area.

With accessories your options are limitless. But a word of warning though. Do not over accessorize. This will make the room look small and cluttered.

8. Natural Light and Curtains 

Avoid using heavy dramatic curtaining in your child’s room. This will make the room look and feel gloomy.

Using neutral colour gauzy curtains and a blackout blind will give you the best results.

Please leave a comment or contact us. 

We would love to hear how your venture went with the kids lending a helping hand to create the perfect kids’ room.

Maybe you have other suggestions or ideas. Please send us an email or drop us a line in our comment box.

You are also welcome to contact or email us if you need any help with creating the perfect kids’ room or any other home decorating project.

We are only a phone call/email away.

Baby’s Nursery – How To Add Tranquillity And Comfort To The Room

Baby’s Nursery – How To Add Tranquillity And Comfort To The Room

Baby’s Nursery – How To Add Tranquillity And Comfort To The Room

In our previous blog, we discussed the influence of colour on our lives and how to incorporate this into choosing the best colour scheme for your baby’s room.

With the exciting news of expecting your baby comes the realisation that you must create a new living space within your home for the precious little one.

Therefore, the best idea is to think and plan ahead for the growing years when decorating and preparing the baby room.

Make no mistake that the cute little human being will soon demand a space and a life of its own. Choosing a contemporary scheme is perfect. The room must be practical and easily changeable from one phase to another during your baby’s growing years.

1. Keep Things Simple, Practical and Looking Good

The room is to be tranquil, comfortable, bathed in beautiful colours and cute decor.

Safe and convenient access to storage units is a must. Unobstructed view of the cot always is of paramount importance.

https://feltballrug.com.au/pages/baby-rugs-for-nursery-room

2. Rugs

Use rugs of natural wool. The fibres are long, strong and durable and can last for many years. Natural wool exhibits stain and dirt-repellent properties due to the natural lanolin coating found on the surface of the wool, therefore, making wool easy to clean should spills occur.

The colour and shape of the rug will depend on the scheme you have chosen for the room. Interior decorators do recommend choosing a rug similar to the colour of the floor. Strong contrasting colour can make a room look smaller.

.

3. Identify a Focal Point

The cot need not be the focal point. A large toy can be the focal point or a window or even the change table area.

 

Why not paint the ceiling with a soothing complementing colour or add a mural or decal?

 

Should the ceiling be the focal point, repeat the same the colour in some of the decorative accessories. 

4. Sorting and Storing Baby’s Clothes

Buy a few clear plastic storage containers, some labelling stickers and a black felt tip pen. Clothes your baby will be wearing at a later stage can be stored in these containers. Label the container according to size and contents.

Organise baby’s clothing according to size. Place the items that will be worn and used when the baby arrives into the dresser drawers and cupboard.

 

For more information organising baby clothes please go to https://www.liveabout.com/how-to-keep-baby-clothes-organized-285984

5. Creative Storage

Use a shelving unit with adjustable shelves for additional storage space. Add baskets containers to the shelves. Store items in the baskets and accessorise unused shelves with baby toys etc

Ikea has a great variety of shelving units. The Algot system combined with a two-drawer cabinet grabbed my attention. It is versatile and can still be in use during the growing up years just by adding what is needed.

 

 

6. Nursery Furniture

Plan ahead when choosing nursery furniture. The beautiful bassinet crib will soon have to make way for a toddler-sized bed. Thinking ahead will ensure that you make wise space-saving choices that will save you money.

 

 

7. Windows

Installing blackout curtains or blinds will keep the room comfortable during the day and help your baby sleep longer.

 

 

8. Last Minute

Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare the baby’s room. Getting a head start will prevent stress and ensure that you will have enough energy to finish the job.

A good idea would be to start a “to-do” and a “to purchase” list.